Wisdom-Trek.com: Recent Episodes
Harold Guthrie Chamberlain III
Through the use of positive/encouraging stories, parables, allegories, and analogies we will explore the trails of everyday life in a practical and meaningful manner as we scale towards our summit.
Each day we will explore and consume small "nuggets of wisdom" as we cover a different subject or terrain. This 5 day a week, 5 minutes of wisdom podcast and journal will help us to live life fully while creating a living legacy. Along the way, we will be seeking wisdom and discipline and striving to understand the insights of the wise. By doing so we will learn to live a disciplined and successful life and to do what is right, just, and fair. I will count it a privilege if you will allow me be your guide as we trek together.
Welcome to Day 2924 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2924– “Exchanging What’s Good for What’s Best.” – Luke 10:38-42 Putnam Church Message – 08/02/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Exchanging What’s Good for What’s Best.” Last week, our message was “What About My Neighbor’s Neighbor?” and we learned that we need to become the neighbor and get back to the basics: Love God, Love Neighbor, Show Mercy. Today, we continue with our thirtieth-second message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Exchanging What’s Good for What’s Best.” Our core passage today is Luke 10:38-42, on page 1613 of your pew Bibles. At the Home of Martha and Mary 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts, but also with honest hearts. We confess that we are often busy, distracted, worried, and upset about many things. We serve, but sometimes we serve with anxious hearts. We work, but sometimes our work pulls us away from the One we are working for. Lord Jesus, invite us again to sit at Your feet. Teach us that good things must never replace the best thing. Help us learn the difference between faithful service and frantic busyness, between loving hospitality and anxious striving, between doing for You and being with You. Holy Spirit, quiet our minds, soften our hearts, and help us hear the voice of Christ today. Amen. Introduction: Real People in Real Homes One of the endearing qualities of the Bible is its down-to-earth approach to life. The people in Scripture are not presented as plaster saints, polished statues, or untouchable heroes who never lose patience, never misunderstand, never get tired, and never say the wrong thing. They are real people. They have real homes, real families, real personalities, real frustrations, and real disagreements. * Abraham gets afraid. * Moses gets overwhelmed. * David falls terribly. * Elijah gets discouraged. * Peter speaks too quickly. * Thomas doubts. * James and John want to call down fire. * And Martha gets irritated with her sister in the kitchen.
That is one reason the Bible speaks so deeply to us. It does not pretend life is neater than it is. I sometimes wonder if the people in the Bible knew their family moments would be preserved for centuries of readers around the world. If Martha and Mary had known that one brief household squabble would become one of the most famous family scenes in Christian history, they might have said, “Luke, could you please leave that part out?” But the Holy Spirit preserved this moment not to embarrass Martha or elevate Mary as though one sister is good, and the other is bad. This story is much wiser and much more gracious than that. Luke places this scene immediately after the parable of the Good Samaritan. Last week, in “What About My Neighbor’s Neighbor?” we heard Jesus say, “Go and do the same.” We were reminded that mercy crosses the road. / Love sees need. / Mercy moves. / Grace sends. / That is important because we might now think, “Then Christianity is all about doing, serving, helping, feeding, bandaging, paying, visiting, giving, and going.” And yes, those things matter. / But now Luke gives us a balancing scene. /After showing us mercy in motion, Luke shows us worshipful attention. / After showing us the Samaritan crossing the road, Luke shows us Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet. / After showing us love in action, Luke reminds us that action must flow from relationship. / The point of this passage is not that serving is bad and listening is good. The point is that even good service becomes disordered when it pulls us away from Jesus. Today’s message title is: “Exchanging What’s Good for What’s Best.” And the central truth is this: Jesus does not call us away from service; He calls us to serve from the strength of being with Him. Our passage is Luke 10:38–42 in the New Living Translation. Jesus and His disciples enter a village, and Martha welcomes Him into her home. Her sister Mary sits at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He teaches. Martha becomes distracted by the preparations and asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus answers with compassion, saying, “My Dear Martha,” and then tells her that she is worried and upset over many things, but only one thing is truly necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken from her. We have four truths in our bulletin insert today to illustrate this lesson. Main Point 1: Martha Welcomed Jesus, But Busyness Pulled Her Away From Him Luke tells us that as Jesus and the disciples continued on their way, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. John’s Gospel tells us that Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus lived in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Bethany was close enough for Jesus to travel into Jerusalem, yet far enough away to provide rest from the pressure of the city. This little home appears to have become a place of refuge for Jesus. In Luke 9, He set His face toward Jerusalem. He is moving toward the cross. Opposition is increasing. The road is heavy. And here, in Bethany, He is welcomed into a home. Do not miss the beauty of Martha’s action. / Martha welcomed Jesus. / That was not a small thing. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was sacred. Travelers depended on the kindness of households. There were no modern hotels on every corner, no drive-through restaurants, no refrigerators full of leftovers, no grocery delivery service. To welcome guests meant real labor. Water had to be brought. Bread had to be prepared. Food had to be gathered, cooked, and served. Space had to be made. Hospitality was not merely social courtesy. It was a moral responsibility. / And Martha does it. She opens her home. She takes responsibility. She sees what needs to be done. Many of us should be thankful for Marthas. Every church needs people who notice what needs doing. Every family needs people who remember the details. Every ministry needs people who prepare, plan, cook, clean, organize, schedule, unlock doors, make coffee, set tables, print bulletins, and quietly keep things moving. Without Martha-like people, many good things would collapse. So, Martha’s problem is not that she served. Her problem is that her service became a distraction. Luke says she was “distracted” by all the preparations. The word carries the idea of being pulled away, dragged in different directions. Martha is not simply busy. She is divided. Her attention is stretched thin. She is working for Jesus, but she is being pulled away from Jesus. / That can happen to us too. We can serve the Lord and slowly lose sight of the Lord. / We can work in the church and become irritated with the people in the church. / We can prepare meals, teach lessons, lead committees, visit the sick, give generously, and still grow resentful because the work has become disconnected from worship. Object Lesson: The Full Tray Imagine carrying a tray filled with cups of water. At first,...
Welcome to Day 2922 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2923 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 150:1-6 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2923 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2923 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Crescendo – Everything That Has Breath Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> On our previous expedition—on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-Two—we explored the fourth movement of the "Final Hallel" in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Nine. We marveled at the powerful, revolutionary posture of God's faithful ones, who sing a new song of victory, rejoice on their beds of rest, and carry both the high praises of God in their mouths and the two-edged sword of divine truth in their hands to execute the written judgments of heaven. Today, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-Three of our trek, we reach the ultimate summit, the grand finale, and the absolute crown of the entire Book of Psalms: Psalm One Hundred Fifty, verses one through six. This brief, six-verse hymn is the grand crescendo toward which all one hundred forty-nine preceding psalms have been steadily marching. The tears of lament, the pleas for rescue in dark caves, the struggles against deceptive enemies, the prayers for direction, and the celebrations of royal victory all dissolve into one uninhibited, all-encompassing, galactic explosion of pure praise. In this final psalm, we are given the ultimate masterclass in worship, answering the four fundamental questions of praise: where to praise, why to praise, how to praise, and who should praise.<#0.5#> * The Dual Sanctuary: Praise in the Heavenly and Earthly Courts<#0.5#>
Let us open our ears to the thunderous opening salvo of this final psalm, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the logical, contiguous thoughts found in verse one and verse two.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!<#0.5#> The psalmist launches this final doxology with an explosive series of commands, shouting, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!” He then immediately provides the unshakeable foundation for this worship, declaring, “Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!”<#0.5#> Notice how verse one answers the critical question of where God is to be praised! The psalmist points to two interconnected locations: "in his sanctuary" and "in his mighty heavens." To fully appreciate the spiritual magnitude of this pairing, we must view it through the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In ancient biblical theology, the earthly sanctuary—the tabernacle, and later the temple in Jerusalem—was understood to be a physical micro-copy and Earthly anchor of the true, celestial temple in heaven. When the psalmist calls for praise in both the earthly sanctuary and the "mighty heavens"—or literally, the raqia, the radiant dome of the sky—he is calling for a complete synchronization of the two realms! He is summoning the human worshipper on earth to lift their voice in perfect harmony with the angelic hosts, the seraphim, and the heavenly assembly gathered around the supreme throne of Yahweh.<#0.5#> Then, in verse two, the psalmist answers the question of why we offer this praise! We praise Him for two distinct reasons: His actions and His character. We praise Him for His "mighty works"—His tangible, historical acts of creation, deliverance, covenant-keeping, and redemption. And we praise Him for His "unequaled greatness"—His inherent, infinite, unsearchable majesty that sets Him completely apart from every created entity, every earthly monarch, and every rival spiritual power in existence. He stands entirely without equal!<#0.5#> * The Full Symphony of Sacred Sound: The Heavenly Orchestra<#0.5#>
The narrative now transitions into a magnificent, detailed blueprint answering the question of how God is to be praised, weaving together every category of musical instrument in verse three, verse four, and verse five.<#0.5#> Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud, clanging cymbals!<#0.5#> The psalmist unleashes a dizzying, symphonic array of instruments, commanding, “Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud, clanging cymbals!”<#0.5#> Look at the astonishing variety and sensory richness of this worship band! The psalmist intentionally gathers instruments from every sphere of Israelite life to create a total, unrestricted environment of praise. He begins with the shofar—the ram's horn—whose piercing, resonant blast was blown by priests to announce sacred assemblies, signal royal coronations, and sound the charge on the day of battle. He then adds the delicate, melodic elegance of royal court music: the lyre, the harp, wind flutes, and plucked stringed instruments.<#0.5#> Furthermore, he brings in the joyous, rhythmic percussion of village celebrations: the tambourine, expressive communal dancing, and the metallic, reverberating crash of loud, clanging cymbals! In the ancient world, different instruments were often reserved for specific social classes or localized rituals. The elite played the lyre; the priests blew the shofar; the women danced with tambourines. But here, in the grand finale of the Psalter, all artificial boundaries are completely demolished! Every sound, every rhythm, every melody, every instrument, and every cultural art form is recruited into one massive, glorious, roaring avalanche of sacred sound, dedicated entirely to the King of kings.<#0.5#> * The Universal Anthem: Everything That Has Breath<#0.5#>
Having established where to praise, why to praise, and how to praise, the psalmist reaches the final, climactic verse of the entire Book of Psalms, answering the ultimate question of who should praise in verse six.<#0.5#> Let everything that lives and breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> With one final, breathless, cosmic shout that echoes across the centuries, the psalmist closes the entire collection, commanding, “Let everything that lives and breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”<#0.5#> What a staggering, magnificent climax to this multi-month journey through the psalter! The Hebrew phrase used here for "everything that lives and breathes" is kol ha-neshamah—literally, every single breath! This single line brings the entire biblical narrative full circle. Way back in Genesis chapter two, Yahweh bent down into the dust of the earth and breathed the neshamah—the divine breath of life—into human nostrils, animating humanity to become living souls. Now, at the end of the Book of Psalms, the purpose of that breath is fully disclosed! Every lungful of oxygen you inhale, every pulse of air that moves past your vocal cords, and every breath taken by every living creature across the entire planet is designed for one supreme purpose: to return to its Creator in grateful, joyous adoration!<#0.5#> Notice how this final verse connects seamlessly with the journey we have taken together through the "Final Hallel," from Psalm One Hundred Forty-Six through One Hundred Fifty. In Psalm One Hundred Forty-Six, the psalmist vowed, "I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath." In Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight, he called upon the stars, the stormy winds, the sea monsters, and human kings to praise the Lord. Now, here in Psalm One Hundred Fifty, all individual voices, all instruments, all celestial beings, all earthly creatures, and all breathing life unite into one final, eternal Hallelujah!<#0.5#> As we stand at the summit of this magnificent book today, let us carry this ultimate legacy of wisdom into our daily lives. Whatever wilderness you are trekking through, whatever dark caves you have lived in, and whatever mountains you must climb, remember the ultimate destination of your story. You were created by an infinite, loving God; you were redeemed by His mighty works; and your very breath belongs to Him. Take a deep breath right now, lift your heart to the heavens, and join the cosmic choir in shouting: Hallelujah—Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful,...
Welcome to Day 2922 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2922 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 149:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2922 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2922 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The New Song of High Praise and Two-Edged Swords – The Sovereign Triumph of the Faithful<#0.5#> On our previous expedition—on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty—we stood in awe before the majestic, sweeping panoramic view of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight. We listened as the psalmist summoned the entire cosmos into one massive, harmonious choir, calling upon angels, stars, sea creatures, stormy winds, snow, fruit trees, wild beasts, kings, maidens, and little children to join in shouting praises to the exalted name of Yahweh! Today, as we step onto Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-Two of our ongoing trek through the Book of Psalms, we advance directly into the fourth movement of the “Final Hallel”—Psalm One Hundred Forty-Nine, verses one through nine. If Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight was the universal, cosmic anthem of all creation, Psalm One Hundred Forty-Nine zeroes in with laser-like focus upon the specialized role of God’s covenant people, the chasidim—His faithful ones. In these nine powerful verses, we discover a striking, revolutionary synthesis that will challenge our understanding of spiritual authority: a movement that weaves together vibrant, exuberant worship with the execution of divine, cosmic justice.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The New Song in the Assembly: Exulting in Our Maker and King<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the joyful invitation that opens this psalm, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the deeply connected thoughts in verse one, verse two, and verse three.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. Rejoice, O people of Jerusalem, in your King. Praise his name with dancing; celebrate him with tambourines and harps.<#0.5#> The psalmist begins with an energetic, soul-stirring blast of praise, exclaiming, “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful!” He then immediately directs the heart of the community toward their true identity, declaring, “O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. Rejoice, O people of Jerusalem, in your King. Praise his name with dancing; celebrate him with tambourines and harps.”<#0.5#> Notice the specific context established in these opening lines! The worship called for here is not merely private, solitary devotion; it is explicitly located “in the assembly of the faithful”—the kahal chasidim. This is the corporate gathering of those who are bound to Yahweh by covenant loyalty. They are commanded to sing a “new song”—a shir chadash—which, throughout the Old Testament, always signifies a fresh anthem composed in response to a newly experienced, mighty act of divine deliverance!<#0.5#> To appreciate this through the ancient Israelite divine-council worldview, consider the titles given to God here: He is both “Maker” and “King.” The surrounding pagan nations bowed before earthly tyrants and territorial deities who claimed to be rulers of the land. But Israel’s true King is the very Master of the divine council—the uncreated Creator who spoke the universe into existence! When the covenant community gathers to dance, beat tambourines, and play harps, they are not engaged in mindless ritual; they are holding a joyous royal court celebration, publicly declaring that their ultimate allegiance belongs solely to the supreme Sovereign of heaven and earth.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Crowned with Salvation: Rejoicing on the Beds of Rest<#0.5#> The narrative now transitions from public, expressive celebration to the deep, intimate affection that Yahweh harbors for His humble servants, combining the logical thoughts found in verse four and verse five.<#0.5#> For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.<#0.5#> The psalmist pulls back the curtain on the heart of God, declaring, “For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.”<#0.5#> What an astonishing, deeply comforting reality! The supreme Ruler of the cosmos—the One who commands trillions of stars—takes genuine, personal delight in His people! Look at who He elevates: not the proud, arrogant conquerors of the world, but the anavim—the humble, the lowly, and the gentle. He takes those whom the world dismisses and “crowns them with victory”—or as the Hebrew word yeshua implies, He decks them with salvation, deliverance, and royal beauty!<#0.5#> And notice where this joy spills over in verse five: “Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.” In the ancient world, lying on one’s bed was a posture of vulnerability, rest, and private reflection in the quiet hours of the night. In earlier psalms, like Psalm One Hundred Forty-Two, the night and the isolated places were associated with deep anxiety, tears, and hiding from enemies in cold caves. But now, under the secure reign of Yahweh, even the bedroom becomes a sanctuary of peace and quiet exultation! The faithful can lie down in safety, resting in divine honor, breaking into spontaneous songs of joy in the middle of the night because their King keeps watch over them.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Dual Weapon: High Praises and the Two-Edged Sword<#0.5#> The narrative takes a dramatic, intense turn in verse six and verse seven, introducing a startling juxtaposition that bridges the atmosphere of praise with the arena of cosmic combat.<#0.5#> Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,<#0.5#> The text shifts from sweet lullabies on night beds to high-stakes spiritual warfare, proclaiming, “Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,”<#0.5#> Look at this extraordinary dual posture! In one breath, the faithful have the “high praises” of God in their throats; in the next, they hold a sharp, two-edged sword—a cherev pipiyot—in their hands! To modern ears, combining joyous worship music with hand-to-hand weaponry sounds jarring, but in the biblical worldview, worship and warfare are two sides of the exact same coin.<#0.5#> When viewed through the ancient Israelite divine-council framework, this passage carries profound theological depth. In the ancient worldview, the hostile pagan nations were governed by rebellious spiritual principalities—lesser gods who incited human empires to wage war against Yahweh’s order and His covenant people. The “vengeance” and “punishment” spoken of here are not acts of personal malice, bitter revenge, or lawless vigilantism. Rather, they represent the enforcement of divine, covenant justice! Praise is not merely an emotional release; it is a spiritual weapon that declares the supremacy of Yahweh, disarming the dark spi“itual pow”rs, w“ile the sw”rd of truth cuts through systemic human rebellion, enforcing the sovereign decrees issued by the heavenly court.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Written Judgment: The Glorious Privilege of the Saints<#0.5#> The psalmist brings this powerful, martial hymn to its ultimate climax, weaving together the contiguous thoughts in verse eight and verse nine.<#0.5#> to bind their kings with chains and their leaders with iron shackles, to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> The psalmist describes the complete overthrow of corrupt power structures, declaring that the saints are called, “to bind their kings with chains and their leaders with iron shackles, to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. Praise the Lord!”<#0.5#> Look at the absolute authority described here! The proud monarchs, oppressive tyrants, and elite leaders of the earth—who previously thought themselves completely invincible above the law—are bound in iron...
Welcome to Day 2921 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2921 – Theology Thursday – Revenge and Justice in the Bible: Understanding the Difference Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2921 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2921 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website, theologyinfive.com. Revenge and Justice in the Bible: Understanding the Difference.<#0.5#> Human beings have always longed for justice. Every culture recognizes the need to put wrongs right and to protect the innocent. Yet intertwined with this longing is a dangerous impulse that distorts righteousness. Revenge tempts us to take matters into our own hands, to repay injury with injury, and to satisfy emotional desires instead of pursuing what is right. Scripture draws a sharp line between justice and revenge. One reflects the character of Yahweh. The other belongs to the broken impulses of a wounded heart. Understanding this difference is essential for personal integrity and for the health of a community shaped by the commands of God.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Nature of Revenge.<#0.5#> Revenge rises out of emotion rather than principle. It springs from anger, hurt, humiliation, and a desire to make another person feel the same pain we have felt. It is rooted in the sense that a wrong demands to be answered. The problem is not the instinct for fairness. The problem is that human beings cannot separate that instinct from our limitations and emotional instability. As a result, scripture warns believers to resist the pull of vengeance.<#0.5#> Paul captures this with unmistakable clarity in Romans 12 verse nineteen. He writes that believers must not take revenge but must leave room for God’s wrath because vengeance belongs to Him alone. The call is not merely to refrain from retaliation. It is to acknowledge that we do not have the authority or the capacity to carry out perfect judgment. Revenge is the realm of self, driven by emotion and clouded by limited understanding.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Vengeance Belongs to Yahweh.<#0.5#> Scripture consistently teaches that vengeance is God’s domain because only Yahweh can judge with complete knowledge, perfect righteousness, and unshakable impartiality. Human judgment is affected by blind spots, wounded pride, and distorted perspectives. Divine judgment is not. Yahweh vindicates His people and executes judgment in a way that restores righteousness without error or imbalance.<#0.5#> Psalm 135 verse fourteen affirms that the Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants. His vengeance flows from His covenant commitment rather than from impulse. When believers surrender personal vengeance, they entrust justice to the One who sees every motive, every hidden intention, and every consequence long before they unfold.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Justice as a Higher Calling.<#0.5#> Justice is not emotional or reactionary. It is rooted in Yahweh’s own character and is expressed through law, wisdom, fairness, and moral integrity. Justice restores what has been damaged. It protects the vulnerable and restrains the wicked. It does not inflict suffering for satisfaction but seeks to make right what has been made wrong.<#0.5#> Micah 6 verse eight summarizes this calling with clarity. Yahweh requires His people to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. Justice is not optional. It reflects who God is and how His people are meant to live in His world. Acting justly means upholding fairness even when emotions push us toward retaliation. It means refusing to let personal bias tilt the scales. It means honoring Yahweh by embodying His character.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Distinction Between Revenge and Justice.<#0.5#> Revenge is personal and retaliatory. It is shaped by emotion and often exceeds what is fair. Justice is principled and restorative. It adheres to standards rather than feelings and refuses to show favoritism. Leviticus 19 verse fifteen commands Israel not to pervert justice, not to show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, and to judge neighbors fairly. This reveals that justice must rise above personal relationships, preferences, and injuries.<#0.5#> A society guided by revenge collapses into cycles of escalation. A society guided by justice learns to restrain wrongdoing while protecting the innocent. Scripture never allows believers to confuse personal vendettas with righteous judgment.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: The Heart Behind the Commands.<#0.5#> The biblical distinction between revenge and justice is not only about actions. It is about the transformation of the heart. Leviticus 19 verse eighteen commands Israel not to seek revenge or bear grudges but to love their neighbors as themselves. This shift from retaliation to love reflects the character of Yahweh. It calls believers to relinquish the emotional satisfaction of retaliation for the higher calling of love, patience, and trust in divine judgment.<#0.5#> By resisting revenge, the believer steps into a life shaped by love rather than bitterness. By pursuing justice, the believer reflects the righteousness of God to the world.<#0.5#> In Conclusion.<#0.5#> Revenge masquerades as justice, but it destroys both the one who inflicts it and the community around them. It distorts righteousness and fuels cycles of harm. Justice, rooted in Yahweh’s character, restores, protects, and upholds what is right. Scripture calls believers to let go of vengeance, to trust Yahweh with ultimate judgment, and to practice justice in ways that mirror His integrity. When we do this, we contribute to a community shaped by righteousness and compassion and reflect the God whose justice is perfect and whose love never fails.<#0.5#> For further exploration, consider these Discussion Questions.<#0.5#> 1. How does personal emotion distort our perception of justice and make revenge feel justified?<#5#> 2. What safeguards exist in Scripture to prevent justice from becoming personal retaliation?<#5#> 3. How does trusting Yahweh with vengeance shape a believer’s response to deep personal injury?<#5#> 4. What are the consequences for communities that allow revenge to replace justice?<#5#> 5. How can believers model biblical justice in a culture that often celebrates vengeance? <#5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Biblical Leadership: A Study in Character, Consequence, and Integrity.<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’<#0.5#> Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.<#0.5#> As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:<#0.5#> Liv Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, Leave a Living Legacy Each Day, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward,...
Welcome to Day 2920 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2920 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 148:1-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2920 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2920 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Choir – When Creation and Heavenly Hosts Unite in Praise<#0.5#> On our previous trek together, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Eighteen, we stood in holy awe as we completed Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven. We witnessed how Yahweh fortifies the gates of Jerusalem, satisfies His people with the finest wheat, and commands the swift operations of nature—sending snow like white wool, hurling hail like stones, and then thawing the frozen wilderness with a single warm breath of His word! We marveled at how the God who controls the winter weather uniquely revealed His sacred decrees to Jacob. Today, as we step onto Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty of our trek, we enter the third breathtaking movement of the “Final Hallel”—Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight, verses one through fourteen. In our last study, the focus was centered on how God interacts with Jerusalem and the natural elements. But today, the aperture of divine revelation opens to its absolute maximum width! Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight is nothing short of a cosmic summons—a grand, universal invitation issued by the psalmist to every single layer of reality. From the highest spiritual throne rooms of heaven, down through the sun, moon, and blazing stars, past the deep ocean trenches and stormy winds, and all the way to earthly kings, young maidens, and little children! Every created entity in existence is called to join one massive, harmonious symphony of adoration for the Sovereign Creator.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Cosmic Liturgy of the Highest Heavens<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the celestial call that begins this cosmic liturgy, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the logical, contiguous thoughts found in verse one, verse two, verse three, verse four, verse five, and verse six.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, highest heavens, and the waters above the highest heavens. Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For he commanded and they were created. He established them forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.<#0.5#> The psalmist begins this song at the highest possible altitude, shouting into the celestial realm: “Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies!” He calls upon the angels, the armies of heaven, the sun, moon, shining stars, highest heavens, and the waters above to lift their voices in praise, because Yahweh commanded and they were created, establishing them by a decree that can never be revoked.<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the vast, stunning scope of this opening movement, we must view these verses through the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, neighboring pagan nations bowed down in fear to the sun, the moon, and the stars. They worshipped the heavenly bodies as autonomous, supreme deities who controlled human destiny. Furthermore, they viewed the “armies of heaven”—the Sabaoth—as divine powers competing for cosmic dominance. But the psalmist shatters all pagan mythology with a single theological hammer blow! The sun, moon, stars, angels, and celestial hosts are not independent gods! They are created beings, members of Yahweh’s heavenly assembly, who owe their very existence to His single creative command. When God spoke in Genesis, He established their assigned order, set their boundaries, and issued a cosmic decree that can never be revoked. Therefore, the stars do not rule over us; rather, along with the angelic council, they function as a radiant choir, continuously singing praises to their ultimate Master and Creator.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Earthly Symphony: Ocean Depths, Weather, and Wild Spaces<#0.5#> The narrative now descends with magnificent grace from the highest spiritual heavens down to the terrestrial realm of earth, combining the logical, contiguous thoughts found in verse seven, verse eight, verse nine, and verse ten.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him, mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying creatures and flying birds.<#0.5#> Having summoned the celestial choir, the psalmist turns his face toward the earth, calling upon the creatures of the ocean depths, the fire, hail, snow, storm clouds, obedience-rendering winds, majestic mountains, fruit trees, wild beasts, livestock, scurrying creatures, and soaring birds to join the song of praise.<#0.5#> Notice how beautifully this section connects with what we studied in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven! In our previous episode, we marveled at how God hurls hail like stones and sends snow like white wool. Here in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Eight, those exact weather elements—fire, hail, snow, clouds, and stormy winds—are described as active servants that directly “obey him.” Even the wild, chaotic forces of creation are obedient ministers of His sovereign will! Look, too, at who leads the earthly praise: “you creatures of the ocean depths.” In ancient Near Eastern mythology, the deep oceans and great sea dragons—the tanninim—were viewed as terrifying, chaotic monsters that threatened to destroy cosmic order. But in the biblical worldview, these sea creatures are merely playful, awe-inspiring creations of Yahweh, positioned in the deepest oceanic trenches to offer Him silent, profound worship! From the massive mountain peaks down to the smallest scurrying creature In the forest brush, all of nature functions as an unblemished, living sanctuary of praise.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Human Chorus: Monarchs, Elders, and Youth<#0.5#> The psalmist now brings the focus of creation’s praise directly to humanity, grouping together the logical thoughts found in verse eleven and verse twelve.<#0.5#> Kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the world, young men and young women, old people and children.<#0.5#> The call to worship reaches its human climax, urging kings of the earth, all people, global rulers, judges, young men, young women, senior citizens, and little children to lift their voices together in unity.<#0.5#> Consider the radical, revolutionary egalitarianism of these two verses! In the ancient world—and indeed in many societies today—humanity was deeply fractured by social class, political power, gender, and age. Earthly kings and judges sat on opulent thrones, claiming divine authority and demanding that lesser subjects bow before them. But when Yahweh steps into the room, all human artificial hierarchies completely collapse! The earthly king stands on the exact same ground as the young child; the powerful judge stands alongside the young maiden; the elderly citizen stands next to the energetic youth. Why? Because before the infinite, unsearchable majesty of the Creator, every human being is equally a dust-creature, made in the divine image, and called to offer worship. No earthly ruler possesses ultimate sovereignty. All political authority on earth is subject to the Supreme Court of Heaven, and every human heart—regardless of age, status, or title—finds its true dignity when bowing before the Lord of all.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Towering Name and the Horn of the Covenant<#0.5#> The psalmist brings this breathtaking, universal symphony to its ultimate, triumphant crescendo, weaving together the contiguous thoughts in verse thirteen and verse fourteen.<#0.5#> Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven! He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones— the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> With a triumphant shout, the...
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2919– What About My Neighbor’s Neighbor? - Luke 10:25-37 Putnam Church Message – 07/26/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “What About My Neighbor’s Neighbor?” Last week, our message was “Joyful Return, Insightful Response,” in which we learned to rejoice that you belong to Him. Today, we continue with our thirtieth-first message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “What About My Neighbor’s Neighbor?” Our core passage today is Luke 10:25-37, on page 1613 of your pew Bibles. The Parable of the Good Samaritan 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful for Your Word, which searches our hearts and reveals both our need and Your grace. We confess that we often know more truth than we obey. We can quote Scripture, discuss doctrine, and defend our beliefs, yet still pass by hurting people on the other side of the road. Lord Jesus, teach us today what it means to love You with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Show us where we have drawn lines too tightly, where we have looked for loopholes, and where we have failed to see others with Your compassion. Holy Spirit, open our eyes, soften our hearts, and move us from knowing to doing. In the name of Jesus, amen. Introduction: Back to the Basics In 1959, Vince Lombardi inherited the Green Bay Packers at the lowest point in their history. The previous season, the team had lost ten of their twelve games. They were discouraged, disorganized, and defeated. So Lombardi gathered the team and announced that they were going back to basics. He picked up a football and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” From the back of the room, Max McGee, known as a cutup, replied, “Uh, Coach, could you slow down a little? You’re going too fast for us.” Lombardi laughed, but the point was serious. The most brilliant playbook in the world will not help a team if the players have forgotten how to block, tackle, pass, catch, and run. Sometimes, spiritually, we need to go back to basics too. By the time Jesus stepped into the public religious life of Israel, many of the most visible religious leaders had turned godliness into a complex system of rules, rituals, and loopholes. They had studied the Law, memorized the Law, debated the Law, and built fences around the Law. But in the process, many had forgotten the heart of the Law. Love God. Love your neighbor. That sounds basic, doesn’t it? But as Jesus shows us in Luke 10:25–37, the basics are not always easy. In fact, they are impossible without grace. In the previous message, “Joyful Return, Insightful Response,” the seventy returned from ministry rejoicing that even demons obeyed them in Jesus’ name. Jesus corrected their joy, reminding them that their greatest joy was not what they had done for God, but that their names were written in heaven. Now Luke moves us into a conversation with a religious expert who wants to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. This is a very different kind of encounter. The seventy came back rejoicing in grace. / This lawyer comes testing Jesus with a legal question. The seventy had gone out announcing peace. / This man comes looking for a debate. The seventy were learning to serve. / This man is trying to justify himself. And Jesus, as He so often does, takes the conversation deeper than the man expected. / The question begins: “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” But by the end, the real question becomes: “What kind of person sees suffering and moves toward it with mercy?” Or to put it in the title of our message: What About My Neighbor’s Neighbor? We will review four truths to understand the answer to this question. Main Point 1: The Wrong Question Reveals the Wrong Heart Luke tells us that an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus. / That matters. This man is not asking like a hungry soul seeking truth. He is not like the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’ feet. He is not like Jairus, desperate for his daughter. He is not like the father whose son was tormented. He is not like the seventy returning with joy. He is testing Jesus. / He asks, “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” At first glance, that sounds like a good question. But there is a problem inside it. He asks what he must do to inherit. Those two words do not naturally fit together. You do not usually work to receive an inheritance. An inheritance is given because of relationship. A son or daughter receives what belongs to the family because they belong to the family. This man’s question reveals confusion. He is thinking about eternal life as something to be achieved, earned, managed, or secured by religious performance. That was not unusual. Many first-century Jews assumed that as children of Abraham, they had a secure place in God’s Kingdom. The question then became: “What level of obedience proves I belong? How far must I go? What exactly is required?” Jesus answers the question with another question: “What does the Law of Moses say? How do you read it?” / That is masterful. Jesus does not reject the Law. He points the man back to it. The Law was never the problem. The problem was the human heart trying to use the Law for self-justification. The man answers well. He combines Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus says, “Right. Do this and you will live.” Now, we need to hear Jesus carefully. Jesus is not saying the man can earn salvation by trying harder. Jesus is pressing the man to face the true standard. Perfect love for God and perfect love for neighbor would indeed describe a righteous life. The problem is that none of us has lived that way. / The man knows it too. So, Luke says he...
Welcome to Day 2918 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2918 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 147:12-20 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2918 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2918 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Swift Word of the Sovereign King – Fortifying Zion and Thawing the Frozen Wilderness<#0.5#> On our previous expedition—on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Seventeen—we stepped onto the opening slopes of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven, exploring verses one through eleven. We marveled at the breathtaking paradox of our Creator: the very same Almighty God who marshals the stars of heaven, calling each one by name, is the gentle Physician who bends down to bandage the broken hearts of hurting exiles. We learned that Yahweh takes no delight in the brute strength of warhorses or human self-reliance, but instead, takes supreme pleasure in those who humbly put their hope in His unfailing covenant love. Today, as we continue along Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Eighteen of our trek, we move directly into the second half of this glorious hymn: Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven, verses twelve through twenty. In this concluding movement, the psalmist turns his focus toward the fortified walls of Jerusalem, the fierce power of winter weather, and the unique, incomparable privilege of receiving God's holy word. We will see how the sovereign command of yahweh rules effortlessly over both the physical elements of nature and the spiritual destiny of His covenant people.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Fortified Gates and the Finest Wheat: The Security of the City<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the exuberant call to worship that begins this second stanza, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the logical, contiguous thoughts found in verse twelve, verse thirteen, and verse fourteen.<#0.5#> Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For he has strengthened the bars of your gates and blessed your children within your city. He sends peace across your nation and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat.<#0.5#> The psalmist issues a thunderous, joyous summons to the holy city, shouting, “Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!” He immediately anchors this call in concrete acts of divine protection and flourishing, declaring, “For he has strengthened the bars of your gates and blessed your children within your city. He sends peace across your nation and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat.”<#0.5#> To grasp the profound relief and joy embedded in these verses, we must remember the historical setting of post-exilic Jerusalem. The city walls had been torn down by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies, the gates were burned with fire, and for decades, the returning remnants lived in perpetual fear of hostile surrounding tribes. But when Nehemiah and the people rebuilt the walls under Yahweh’s guidance, the city gates were once again secured with heavy bars! Yet, the psalmist recognizes that physical iron bars are useless unless the Lord Himself strengthens them. It is Yahweh who establishes real, impenetrable security around the community, allowing children to play safely within the city streets without fear of sudden invasion.<#0.5#> Furthermore, notice the scope of this blessing! It extends from structural safety to internal prosperity. Yahweh grants shalom—complete, untroubled peace—across the borders of the nation, and He satisfies the people’s hunger with the “finest wheat.” In the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview, neighboring pagan nations believed that agriculture and territorial peace depended on sacrificing to localized fertility gods like Baal or Asherah. But Israel knew the truth! Yahweh alone controls the borders of the earth, and Yahweh alone opens the bounty of creation to nourish His children with the very best food.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Cosmic Voice of Winter: Snow, Frost, and the Swift Word<#0.5#> The narrative now transitions from civil security to the vast, sweeping power of God’s command over the forces of nature, combining the contiguous thoughts found in verse fifteen, verse sixteen, verse seventeen, and verse eighteen.<#0.5#> He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly! He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against his freezing cold? Then at his command, it melts. He sends the wind, and the ice thaws.<#0.5#> Look at the astonishing speed and absolute authority of God’s royal decrees! The psalmist proclaims, “He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly! He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against his freezing cold? Then at his command, it melts. He sends the wind, and the ice thaws.”<#0.5#> In this breathtaking section, the word of God—His davar—is personified as an invincible, swift royal messenger! In the ancient Near East, human kings sent runners across their empires to deliver royal decrees, but those human couriers were limited by speed, terrain, and exhaustion. When Yahweh speaks from His celestial throne room, His word runs like lightning across the globe, instantly obeyed by every element of creation.<#0.5#> Notice how the psalmist paints the freezing winter weather: snow falling soft and thick like white wool, frost coating the ground like scattered wood-ash, and hail pounding down like jagged stones! Winter in the mountainous regions of Israel could be severe, paralyzing life and threatening survival. The psalmist asks the dramatic rhetorical question: “Who can stand against his freezing cold?” Human military power, heavy armor, and thermal garments are completely helpless when the Creator turns down the tem“erature of the earth! Yet, just as quick”y as the frost seals the land in ice, Yahweh issues another swift command: He releases His warm wind—His ruach—and the ice immediately thaws, streams begin to flow again, and spring returns to the land. In the divine-council framework, the spiritual principalities that pagan nations worshipped as lords of winter or chaos are unmasked as mere puppets before Yahweh; the weather is simply obedient clay in the hands of the ultimate Cosmic Craftsman.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Unique Treasure: Revealing Decrees to Jacob<#0.5#> Having demonstrated how Yahweh’s swift word commands the physical cosmos, the psalmist reaches the grand finale of the psalm, revealing the supreme, incomparable gift given exclusively to Israel, as recorded in verse nineteen and verse twenty.<#0.5#> He has revealed his word to Jacob, his decrees and regulations to Israel. He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know his regulations. Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> The psalmist seals this magnificent hymn with a declaration of astounding covenant privilege, exclaiming, “He has revealed his word to Jacob, his decrees and regulations to Israel. He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know his regulations. Praise the Lord!”<#0.5#> Think about the staggering theological progression of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven! The God who commands the trillions of stars in verse four, and who directs the freezing hail and melting winds in verses fifteen through eighteen, has chosen to speak directly to human beings! But He did not reveal His holy, written law to the mighty Egyptian empire, nor to the cultured Babylonians, nor to the warlike Assyrians. Instead, He entrusted His sacred decrees, His Torah, and His legal judgments—His mishpatim—uniquely to the descendants of Jacob!<#0.5#> To fully appreciate this verse, we must view it through the lens of Deuteronomy chapter thirty-two in the ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. When Yahweh divided the nations after the Tower of Babel, He allocated the pagan peoples under the oversight of lesser spiritual beings, the "sons of God." But Israel was Yahweh's personal, direct inheritance! While other nations stumbled in spiritual darkness, worshipping idols and guessing at the desires of fickle gods, Israel was given the clear, brilliant, life-giving light of Yahweh’s written word. They were given the blueprint of cosmic wisdom, showing them how to live in alignment with the Creator. This unique revelation calls for an explosive, ultimate response, ending the psalm with that glorious, unshakeable command: Hallelujah—Praise the Lord!<#0.5#> As we conclude today’s trek through Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven,
Welcome to Day 2917 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2917 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 147:1-11 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2917 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2917 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Architect of Stars and Restorer of Hearts – The Infinite Power and Tender Compassion of Yahweh<#0.5#> On our previous expedition—on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Fifteen—we embarked on the grand, five-psalm crescendo known as the "Final Hallel," exploring the magnificent truths of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Six. We listened as the psalmist warned us against placing our trust in mortal princes whose breath departs and whose plans turn to dust, urging us instead to anchor our hope in the eternal God who made the heavens, the earth, and the sea. Today, as we step onto Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Seventeen of our trek, we advance directly into the second glorious movement of this final doxology: Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven, verses one through eleven. As we ascend this trail, we encounter a stunning theological paradox that will leave us in absolute awe. The psalmist places two mind-boggling realities side by side: the God who names every single star in the cosmic expanse is the very same God who gently binds up the bleeding wounds of brokenhearted refugees. Let us step onto this sacred path together and discover the staggering balance of Yahweh's infinite power and tender, intimate compassion.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Gentle Architect: Gathering Exiles and Healing Broken Hearts<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the joyful invitation that opens this psalm, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the deeply connected thoughts in verse one, verse two, and verse three.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God; how delightful and how fitting! The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.<#0.5#> The psalmist begins with an energetic, soul-stirring call to worship, exclaiming, “Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God; how delightful and how fitting!” He then immediately connects this praise to the concrete, historical work of redemption, declaring, “The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”<#0.5#> Notice how natural, beautiful, and fitting praise becomes when we truly grasp what Yahweh is doing in human history. The psalmist highlights God's historical restoration of His covenant people. After decades of bitter captivity in Babylon, where Jerusalem lay in blackened ruins and the people felt utterly abandoned, Yahweh personally steps into history to rebuild the holy city and gather the scattered exiles back to their ancestral home.<#0.5#> To appreciate this through the ancient Israelite worldview, we must realize that when a nation was conquered and exiled, the surrounding pagan cultures believed that nation's god had been defeated by their own territorial idols. But Yahweh demonstrates that the exile was not His defeat; it was His discipline, and His gathering-back is His supreme triumph! Look at the exquisite tenderness of verse three: the grand King of the universe is not depicted as a harsh military warden marching soldiers into place. Instead, He is revealed as a compassionate, gentle physician, kneeling in the dust of human suffering. He tenderly takes those who are shattered in spirit—those crushed by trauma, exile, and grief—and He personally bandages their gaping wounds, pouring in the oil of His comfort and restoration.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Master of the Host: Sovereign Power and Divine Order<#0.5#> The narrative now pivots from intimate, personal healing to staggering cosmic magnitude, combining the contiguous thoughts found in verse four, verse five, and verse six.<#0.5#> He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! The Lord lifts up the humble, but he casts the wicked to the ground.<#0.5#> The psalmist takes our eyes off the ruined walls of Jerusalem and casts them upward into the night sky, proclaiming, “He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension! The Lord lifts up the humble, but he casts the wicked to the ground.”<#0.5#> Think about the mind-boggling scale of this declaration! Modern astronomy tells us there are trillions upon trillions of stars scattered across billions of galaxies, yet the psalmist asserts that Yahweh not only knows the exact count of these celestial fires, but He has personally assigned an individual, intimate name to every single one of them!<#0.5#> In the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview, stars were frequently associated with the heavenly host—the spiritual beings, sons of God, and angelic rulers created by Yahweh to populate the celestial realm. Pagan nations worshipped these stellar bodies as independent deities, bowing down to astrologers and planetary omens. But the psalmist shatters all pagan idolatry! The stars are not independent gods; they are created entities under the absolute, sovereign authority of Yahweh. He marshals them like a commander roll-calling His army, and not a single star moves without His permission. His power is absolute, and His understanding is utterly beyond human or angelic measurement! Yet, look at verse six: this same infinite Cosmic Commander uses His absolute authority to execute perfect moral justice. He reaches down into human history to gently lift up the humble and oppressed, while throwing down the arrogant and wicked into the dust of defeat.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Song of Provision: Feeding Creation from the Clouds<#0.5#> The psalmist now calls for a fresh wave of musical thanksgiving, weaving together the creation themes found in verse seven, verse eight, and verse nine.<#0.5#> Sing out your thanks to the Lord; praise our God with the harp. He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in the mountain pastures. He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry.<#0.5#> The text erupts into musical joy once again, shouting, “Sing out your thanks to the Lord; praise our God with the harp.” The writer then paints a vivid, agricultural landscape, describing how Yahweh “covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in the mountain pastures. He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry.”<#0.5#> Look at how effortlessly Yahweh manages the water cycles and ecosystems of the planet! In the ancient Near East, neighboring cultures lived in constant dread of drought, offering sacrifices to the storm god Baal in hopes of securing seasonal rain. But the psalmist declares that it is Yahweh—and Yahweh alone—who wraps the heavens in dark, moisture-rich storm clouds, sending life-giving rain upon the parched earth.<#0.5#> Notice where the grass grows: on the “mountain pastures.” Mountains were often rocky, dry, and inaccessible to human farmers, yet God’s care extends far beyond human agriculture into the untamed wilderness! He personally waters the high ridges so that wild animals have pasture. And look at the delicate detail in verse nine: He hears the harsh, squawking cries of helpless young ravens in their nests, and He personally provides their daily food. If the Sovereign King of the cosmos pays such meticulous attention to wild mountain beasts and hungry baby ravens, how much more can we trust Him to provide for our daily needs on life’s journey?<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Delight of the King: Hope in Unfailing Love<#0.5#> The psalmist brings this first half of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Seven to a magnificent, heart-searching conclusion, linking together the profound wisdom in verse ten and verse eleven.<#0.5#> He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.<#0.5#> The psalmist contrasts earthly military arrogance with the true values of God's kingdom, declaring, “He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight...
Welcome to Day 2916 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2916 – Theology Thursday – Ancient Near Eastern Religions versus the God of the Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2916 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2916 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website, theologyinfive.com. Ancient Near Eastern Religions versus the God of the Bible.<#0.5#> The religions of the Ancient Near East form a wide landscape of connected myths, rituals, and divine hierarchies that shaped the worldview of early civilizations. Their gods rose and fell in power, reacted emotionally to events, and relied on worshipers to sustain them. These beliefs created a religious environment built on cycles, fragility, and mutual dependence.<#0.5#> The biblical portrayal of Yahweh stands in clear contrast. Scripture presents a God who is self-sufficient, unchanging, and sovereign over creation. Examining these differences clarifies the uniqueness of biblical faith within its ancient setting and helps modern readers understand how Israel’s worldview developed in the midst of nations with very different assumptions about the divine realm.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Cyclical Nature of ANE Deities<#0.5#> ANE religions anchored their divine stories in the rhythms of the natural world. Gods were believed to participate in the same patterns that shaped human experience. Their power rose and fell with the seasons, crops, weather, and the environment. This worldview created a theological system where even major deities could weaken, die, or disappear, only to return when the cycles of nature renewed themselves.<#0.5#> The myths surrounding Inanna and Ishtar reveal this worldview clearly. Their descent into the underworld and eventual return mirrored the cycle of barrenness and renewal that governed agricultural life. Their stories did not present beings who transcended nature but ones who were bound to it. Their vitality could pause or fail, only to be restored when the environment shifted.<#0.5#> Egyptian religion expressed a similar idea through the Osiris myth. His murder and restoration aligned with the yearly flooding of the Nile, which created fertile soil for crops. The story served as a theological explanation for agricultural renewal. Osiris did not stand above the cycles of life. He represented them. This pattern appears again and again in ANE pantheons, where divine life and natural life were deeply intertwined.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Symbiosis Between Gods and Humans<#0.5#> The relationship between the gods and humanity in the ANE was shaped by mutual dependence. The gods depended on humans for food, offerings, honor, and the upkeep of temples. Humans depended on the gods for basic stability, agricultural success, and protection. Religion functioned as a system that maintained cosmic order by ensuring both sides received what they needed.<#0.5#> Baal worship in Canaan demonstrates this dynamic. Baal’s power and presence were tied to the devotion of his followers. If offerings ceased or rituals were neglected, worshipers feared drought, famine, and ecological collapse. Ugaritic texts describe Baal’s strength rising and falling in connection with seasonal struggles against Mot, the god of death. The fortunes of the people depended on Baal’s vitality, and Baal’s vitality depended on the people.<#0.5#> This pattern stretched across Mesopotamia as well. Temples functioned as divine households where priests fed, clothed, and cared for the gods. Worship was not about relationship but maintenance. A god who was not sustained properly could weaken, suffer, or lose influence. These beliefs shaped the ancient expectation that the divine and human worlds were locked in an ongoing exchange of needs and services.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The God of the Bible: Transcendent, Stable, and Self-Sufficient<#0.5#> The biblical portrait of God stands outside the cycles and limitations that characterized ANE religion. Yahweh does not depend on human worship to sustain His power. He does not rise or fall in strength. His nature remains constant, and His authority extends beyond the boundaries of the natural world. Scripture presents Him as the Creator who governs nature rather than one who participates in its fluctuations.<#0.5#> Malachi 3 verse six captures this distinction by declaring that God does not change. The prophets frequently challenge the idea that God requires food or ritual maintenance. Psalm 50 portrays God as the owner of all creation rather than a deity who needs sacrifices for sustenance. Isaiah mocks the absurdity of idols that must be carried because they cannot stand on their own. These passages highlight the difference between the dependent gods of the nations and the self-sufficient God of Israel.<#0.5#> Covenant reinforces this distinction. When God binds Himself to Abraham, Moses, or David, His promises flow from His own character and faithfulness rather than human ability to maintain Him. His stability provides a foundation for trust that no ANE god could offer, because their identity and power were subject to the very world they governed.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Supreme Monotheism and the Divine Council<#0.5#> The biblical worldview acknowledges a populated spiritual realm, but it does not portray that realm as harmonious or consistently loyal. Scripture presents a divine council, yet this council reflects a world marked by rebellion and spiritual conflict rather than unity. This stands in sharp contrast with ANE pantheons, where deities had fixed jurisdictions and stable roles.<#0.5#> Psalm 82 reveals that members of the divine council failed in their appointed tasks. God confronts them for injustice, corruption, and the oppression of the nations they were meant to govern. Their rebellion is a verdict on their unfaithfulness. The psalm ends with God declaring their coming judgment, making clear that divine beings are not beyond accountability.<#0.5#> Genesis 6 describes another rebellion in which the sons of God violate the boundaries God established and bring corruption to humanity. This event shaped the Second Temple Jewish worldview and influenced New Testament writers who saw it as a catastrophic turning point in the history of spiritual conflict. These beings did not act out of ignorance but out of deliberate defiance.<#0.5#> The Babel event introduces yet another layer of supernatural rebellion. Deuteronomy 32 verse eight and nine describe God dividing the nations and assigning them under the authority of lesser divine beings. These beings later led their nations into idolatry and spiritual deception, choosing loyalty to their own agendas rather than to the Most High. Their failures explain the origin of the false gods and territorial powers that Israel confronted throughout the Old Testament.<#0.5#> The biblical writers describe a supernatural realm that is real, complex, and deeply fractured. God alone stands as the supreme Creator. The other divine beings are not competitors to Him, but they are capable of disobedience, corruption, and rebellion. Unlike ANE pantheons defined by competition between gods of similar rank, the Bible presents defiance of the Most High as the central spiritual crisis in human history.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: Stability Versus Variability in the Divine Realm<#0.5#> The gods of the ANE were often unpredictable. Their conflicts explained storms, disasters, and political upheavals. Their emotional reactions shaped the lives of their worshipers, who lived in fear of offending them or failing to provide proper care. This instability was a natural consequence of a pantheon filled with beings shaped by the same vulnerabilities as humans.<#0.5#> Yahweh’s actions are presented differently. His behavior is anchored in His covenantal character. His judgments are consistent with His purposes rather than expressions of divine mood. His promises stand firm even when humans falter. By presenting God as trustworthy and stable, Scripture establishes a theological foundation that separates Israel’s faith from the religions around it.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: The Purpose of Humanity: Servants or Imagers<#0.5#> ANE creation stories consistently portray humans as laborers created to meet the needs of the gods. In the Enuma Elish, humans are formed from the blood of Kingu after a divine rebellion. Their function is to relieve the gods of work by maintaining temples and performing essential services. Human worth is connected to usefulness, not intrinsic dignity.<#0.5#> The biblical account offers an entirely different vision. Humans are created
Welcome to Day 2915 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2915 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 146:1-10 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2915 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2915 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Sovereign Creator and the Frailty of Princes – Unveiling the Eternal Helper<#0.5#> On our previous podcast, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Thirteen, we reached a momentous milestone in our journey through the Book of Psalms, as we closed out Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five—the very last psalm explicitly attributed to King David in the Psalter. In that glorious acrostic hymn, we listened as the old warrior king handed off the baton of praise to every generation, exalting Yahweh’s unsearchable greatness, His open-handed generosity, and His everlasting kingdom. Today, as we step onto Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Fifteen of our trek, we enter a brand-new, breathtaking chapter in the Psalms. We are beginning what biblical scholars call the "Final Hallel"—a grand, five-psalm crescendo comprised of Psalms One Hundred Forty-Six through One Hundred Fifty. Every single one of these five concluding psalms begins and ends with the majestic Hebrew command: Hallelu-YAH—Praise the Lord! We are moving from the individual testimony of David into the unanimous, triumphant doxology of the entire redeemed assembly. Today, we step directly onto the trail of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Six, verses one through ten, discovering where true human hope must be anchored.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Unceasing Vow: Praise with Every Dying Breath<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the exuberant opening movement of this psalm, where the writer groups his initial thoughts together in verse one and verse two.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.<#0.5#> The psalmist begins with a passionate, double declaration of praise, commanding his own inner being: “Praise the Lord, O my soul!” He vows to pour out praise to Yahweh as long as he lives, continuing this song of adoration even with his very dying breath.<#0.5#> To fully grasp the theological depth of these opening lines, we must view them through the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient mindset, human life-breath—known as neshamah or ruach—was not merely a biological phenomenon. It was the direct, miraculous gift of life imparted into human nostrils by the Sovereign Creator Himself. The gods of the surrounding pagan nations were lifeless idols, carved from stone or wood, completely unable to breathe, speak, or grant life to their worshippers. But Yahweh is the vibrant, uncreated Source of all animated existence! Therefore, as long as divine breath fills human lungs, that breath is designed to return to its Source in continuous, grateful worship. The psalmist pledges that even when physical strength wanes, and the body approaches the grave, the final sound slipping past human lips will be an anthem of praise to the King of heaven.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Folly of Trusting Mortals: Princes Returning to Dust<#0.5#> The narrative takes a stark, brilliant turn in verse three and verse four, contrasting the eternal God with the extreme frailty of human political power.<#0.5#> Don’t put your trust in human leaders; no human can save you. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans come to nothing.<#0.5#> Here, the psalmist issues an urgent, unvarnished warning: “Don’t put your trust in human leaders; no human can save you.” He explains that when their breath departs, these leaders return to the dust of the earth, and on that exact day, all their grand political, economic, and military plans dissolve into absolute nothingness.<#0.5#> To truly appreciate this warning, we must examine it through the cosmic framework of ancient history. In the ancient Near East, kings, princes, and emperors routinely claimed divine status, presenting themselves as living gods or unique representatives of powerful spiritual principalities. Subjects were tempted to place their ultimate hope, national security, and personal salvation in these powerful monarchs. But the psalmist strips away all royal pretense! He deliberately uses the Hebrew word adam for human, reminding us that even the most powerful prince is made of adamah—mere dust from the ground. When a mortal leader dies, his spirit leaves him, his body decays back into the soil, and every policy, treaty, and military campaign he engineered vanishes instantly. In a world full of shifting geopolitics, human arrogance, and ideological promises, true wisdom urges us never to anchor our ultimate trust in mortal leaders who cannot even save themselves.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Cosmic Creator: The Unshakeable Anchor of Hope<#0.5#> Having exposed the futility of trusting in mortals, the psalmist points us directly to the unshakeable anchor of true joy, combining the logical thoughts found in verse five and verse six.<#0.5#> But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.<#0.5#> The text bursts forth with a glorious beatitude, declaring, “Joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” The writer then grounds this joy in Yahweh’s cosmic credentials, proclaiming that He made heaven, earth, the sea, and everything in them, and that He keeps every promise forever!<#0.5#> This is a massive, explicit claim of supreme cosmic authority! In the ancient divine-council worldview, foreign nations believed that their localized deities ruled specific, limited domains—Baal ruled the skies and weather, Yam ruled the chaotic seas, and Mot ruled the underworld. But the psalmist declares that Yahweh, the God of Jacob, is the singular, ultimate Architect of all three cosmic tiers: heaven, earth, and the roaring oceans! While human rulers break treaties, default on promises, and pass away into dust, the Creator of the cosmos remains forever faithful. His character is unchangeable, His power is limitless, and His covenants are backed by the full, eternal authority of His heavenly throne.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The King of Justice: Liberator, Healer, and Protector<#0.5#> The psalmist now unfolds the practical, compassionate expression of Yahweh’s rule on earth, weaving together the contiguous thoughts in verse seven, verse eight, and verse nine.<#0.5#> He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.<#0.5#> Look at this magnificent, nine-fold manifesto of divine justice! Yahweh gives justice to the oppressed, food to the hungry, freedom to prisoners, vision to the blind, and comfort to those weighed down by life’s heavy burdens. He loves the godly, protects vulnerable foreigners, and sustains orphans and widows, while actively dismantling and frustrating the schemes of the wicked.<#0.5#> This passage provides a staggering portrait of divine kingdom ethics. In the ancient world, pagan deities and earthly tyrants catered exclusively to the elite, exploiting the poor, the stranger, and the fatherless to build their monuments. But Yahweh proves His supreme kingship precisely by championing the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society! Notice how every single action is prefixed with the divine name: The Lord frees, The Lord opens eyes, The Lord lifts up, The Lord protects! This list directly anticipates the miracle ministry of Jesus Christ, who entered human history to fulfill these exact words—healing the blind, feeding the hungry, liberating spiritual captives, and bringing the gospel to the poor. Furthermore, while Yahweh embraces the humble, He sets Himself in direct opposition to the arrogant, ensuring that their oppressive plans will ultimately crumble into chaos.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: The Eternal Reign: Zion’s Unending Anthem<#0.5#> The psalm reaches its ultimate, triumphant crescendo in verse ten,...
Welcome to Day 2914 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2914– “Joyful Return, Insightful Response” based on Luke 10:17-24 Putnam Church Message – 07/19/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Joyful Return, Insightful Response.” Last time our message was “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry,” where we learned to leave the harvest in the hands of the Lord who is the Lord of the harvest. Today, we continue with our thirtieth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Joyful Return, Insightful Response.” Our core passage today is Luke 10:17-24, on page 1612 of your pew Bibles. The Seventy-Two Return 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with joy and humility. Thank You for calling ordinary people into Your Kingdom work. Thank You that the name of Jesus is greater than every power of darkness, every accusation of the enemy, and every fear that troubles our hearts. Lord Jesus, help us rejoice in the right things. Teach us to celebrate Your victories without becoming proud of our usefulness. Remind us that our greatest joy is not what we accomplish for You, but that we belong to You. Open our eyes to see what prophets and kings longed to see. Give us childlike hearts that receive Your truth with faith and obedience. Holy Spirit, guide us now as we listen to Your Word. Amen. Introduction: A Story - Returning From the Battle In the early nineties, a few years after Desert Storm, General Norman Schwarzkopf wrote an autobiography titled It Doesn’t Take a Hero. Near the middle of the book, he describes his thoughts as he headed for his first combat command position in Vietnam. He was a West Point graduate, full of energy and idealism. He went to Vietnam, as he said, for “God, country, and Mom’s apple pie.” But later, after a second tour of duty, he returned from a battle-scarred landscape where young men under his command had died or had lost parts of their bodies to landmines. He came home to a divided nation, and he wrote with exhausted realism, “I realized then I was really tired of being a commander… I thought, Thank God it’s over. I’d saved as many lives as I could… I wanted to get home to my family.” Same geography. Same war. Same mission. But what a difference between the man who went out and the man who returned. In Luke 10, the seventy-two whom Jesus sent out also return from the battlefield. But the seventy-two return with joy. In our last message, “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry,” we watched Jesus send them out two by two. He told them the harvest was great and the workers were few. He sent them like lambs among wolves. He told them to travel light, offer peace, heal the sick, and announce that the Kingdom of God had come near. They went out as messengers of the King. / Now they return. And they come back like children running through the door after seeing something amazing. “Lord,” they say, “even the demons obey us when we use Your name!” They had gone out to announce peace, but they discovered that the name of Jesus also carried authority over the powers of darkness. Jesus rejoices with them. But He also corrects their perspective. He lifts their eyes above the thrill of ministry success and says, in effect, “Yes, rejoice that evil is retreating. But do not build your joy on power. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” That is our theme today: The greatest joy of a disciple is not what we do for Jesus, but that we belong to Jesus. Which brings us to our four truths today which are found in your bulletin insert on the side that is titled: Joyful Return, Insightful Response Main Point 1: Kingdom Ministry Pushes Back the Powers of Darkness The seventy-two return with joy and say, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use Your name.” That little word “even” carries their surprise. Jesus had told them to heal the sick and announce the Kingdom. But apparently, as they ministered in His name, demons also submitted. They saw firsthand that the mission of Jesus was not merely moral improvement, social kindness, or religious instruction. It was war against the dominion of evil. Luke has been showing us this from the beginning. Jesus confronted demons in the synagogue. He delivered the man in the region of the Gerasenes. He gave the Twelve authority over demons. He healed the boy whom His disciples could not help. And now the seventy-two discover that the authority of Jesus extends through them as well. This is where we need to understand the Bible’s bigger supernatural worldview. The late Dr. Michael S. Heiser often reminded readers that the Bible presents a spiritual world populated by heavenly beings. In the Old Testament, we see scenes of God’s heavenly council, sometimes called the Divine Council. God is the Most High, the Creator, the supreme King. But Scripture also shows lesser spiritual beings who serve, rebel, accuse, deceive, or oppose God’s purposes. In Job 1 and 2, we meet “The Satan,” or “the adversary,” appearing among the heavenly beings. In that setting, the word functions like a title — the accuser, the challenger, the prosecutor. By the time we reach the New Testament, Satan is clearly presented as the great enemy of God’s people, the tempter, the accuser, the ruler of a rebellious kingdom of darkness. So, when Jesus says in Luke 10:18, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning,” He is not giving the disciples a small compliment. He is interpreting their ministry as part of a cosmic victory. Every sick person healed, every demon rebuked, every message of Kingdom peace proclaimed — all of it was evidence that the usurper’s rule was cracking. The adversary was falling. Object Lesson: The Flashlight in a Dark Room Imagine turning off the lights in a room and then switching on a flashlight. The darkness does not negotiate. / It does not hold a committee meeting. / It simply retreats where the light shines. That is what happens when the Kingdom of God advances. When Jesus walks into a synagogue, demons cry out. When Jesus steps into Gentile territory, a legion of demons loses its captive. When Jesus sends out His followers, evil spirits submit to His name. Not because the disciples are impressive, but because the King is present through them. Ancient Israelite Context For a first-century Jewish listener, this would not sound like a mere private spiritual experience. It would sound like the long-awaited victory of God. Genesis 3:15 promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. Psalm 91 spoke of trampling lions and serpents underfoot. Daniel 7 envisioned the Son of Man receiving authority, glory, and sovereign power. The prophets looked forward to the day when God would defeat evil and restore creation. Now Jesus says, “You are seeing the beginning of that victory.” The Kingdom has come near. Modern Illustration We may not always see dramatic confrontations with evil spirits, but we still see the Kingdom push back darkness. * When an addict finds freedom in Christ, darkness...
Welcome to Day 2913 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2913 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 145:14-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2913 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2913 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Open Hand of the Sovereign King – Satisfying the Soul and Guarding the Faithful<#0.5#> On our previous trek together—on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twelve—we stood on the breathtaking mountain pass of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, exploring verses eight through thirteen. We contemplated the magnificent, self-revealed character of Yahweh; a King who is merciful, compassionate, slow to anger, and filled with unfailing, covenant-keeping love. We celebrated His everlasting kingdom that spans every physical and spiritual generation across the entire cosmos. Today, as we step onto the final ridge of this magnificent psalm, advancing into Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, verses fourteen through twenty-one, David brings this grand, acrostic masterpiece to its ultimate, soaring climax. What makes this passage so extraordinary is how it seamlessly bridges the infinite with the intimate. David takes our eyes—which were previously gazing at the eternal throne of the universe—and gently directs them down to the everyday realities of human suffering, physical hunger, and heartfelt prayer. As we close out the very last psalm directly attributed to King David in the Book of Psalms, we will discover how the supreme Ruler of the celestial council personally bends down to lift the weary, open His generous hand to feed all creation, and draw near to everyone who calls upon His name in truth.<#0.5#> The first segment is” The Divine Provider: Lifting the Burdened and Opening the Heavenly Hand<#0.5#> Let us open our hearts to the tender, sustaining care of our Creator, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the logical, contiguous thoughts found in verse fourteen, verse fifteen, and verse sixteen.<#0.5#> The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.<#0.5#> In these three beautiful verses, David unveils a radical, breathtaking vision of divine care that would have thoroughly shocked the ancient Near Eastern world. In the pagan nations surrounding Israel, earthly kings and their territorial deities operated with cold, imperious detachment. The pagan gods were believed to be needy, demanding entities who created human beings solely as slaves to build their temples and feed them with ritual sacrifices. Furthermore, human kings in antiquity rarely cared for the weak, the poor, or the crippled; they valued only the strong, the wealthy, and the warrior class. But look at how Yahweh, the true Lord of the divine council, reveals Himself! He is the Sovereign God who actively bends down to help the fallen and lifts up those who are bowed low beneath crushing burdens.<#0.5#> David paints a magnificent picture of universal cosmic dependence, declaring that the eyes of all creatures—from the smallest bird in the forest to the highest angelic host in the heavens—look to Yahweh in expectant hope. And how does the King of the universe respond? He does not send a cold bureaucrat, nor does He demand an impossible tribute. Instead, with astonishing simplicity and fatherly warmth, He simply opens His hand! In Hebrew thought, the open hand of Yahweh is the ultimate symbol of effortless, boundless generosity. By a mere gesture of His sovereign hand, He satisfies the deep hunger and thirst of every living thing on earth. Whether it is physical food for the wilderness beast or spiritual sustenance for a weary traveler on life’s trek, our God is the generous Provider whose open hand keeps the entire cosmos alive and thriving.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Righteous Refuge: Drawing Near to the Sincere Soul<#0.5#> The narrative now deepens, moving from physical provision to moral perfection and intimate spiritual fellowship, as David combines his logical thoughts in verse seventeen, verse eighteen, and verse nineteen.<#0.5#> The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.<#0.5#> Consider the staggering moral contrast David highlights in verse seventeen! Yahweh is “righteous in everything he does” and “filled with kindness.” In the original language, that word for kindness is chasid—meaning He acts out of absolute, holy loyalty and steadfast covenant love. In the unseen heavenly assembly, where principalities and powers observe the unfolding of human history, Yahweh’s reign stands completely unblemished. There is no corruption in His courtroom, no partiality in His judgments, and no cruelty in His decrees. Every single act of His providence is saturated with flawless righteousness and gentle kindness.<#0.5#> Then, look at the profound promise in verse eighteen and verse nineteen: “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.” In ancient royal courts, approaching a human monarch was a terrifying, life-threatening ordeal; you needed official clearance, elevated status, or lavish gifts just to stand in the outer courtyard. Yet, the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth makes Himself immediately accessible to anyone who cries out to Him with a sincere, honest heart! He does not require slick religious jargon or ritual performance; He demands only truth—an authentic, unmasked soul. When those who reverently fear Him cry out from the depths of distress, the Almighty does not turn a deaf ear. He hears their cries, grants their deepest spiritual desires, and personally steps into their circumstances to execute a glorious rescue.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Dual Verdict and the Universal Song of Eternity<#0.5#> As we approach the final movement of this extraordinary psalm, David brings his narrative to a powerful, dual-sided climax, weaving together the contiguous thoughts in verse twenty and verse twenty-one.<#0.5#> The Lord protects all who love him, but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.<#0.5#> In verse twenty, David presents the ultimate, inescapable crossroads of cosmic history: "The Lord protects all who love him, but he destroys the wicked." In the ancient Israelite worldview, the world is locked in a real spiritual conflict between the kingdom of Yahweh and the forces of chaos, idolatry, and darkness. God’s protective guard—His divine shield—encamps continuously around those who align their hearts with Him in love. But those who persistently choose wickedness, oppression, and rebellion against the Creator are choosing their own ultimate undoing. The judgment of Yahweh is not petty vengeance; it is the necessary, holy purging of evil from His creation, ensuring that chaos will never have the final word in His universe.<#0.5#> And then, look at how David concludes verse twenty-one! This is an historic moment in the Psalter. David utters his very last recorded words in the Book of Psalms: "I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever." What a magnificent way for the warrior king to sign his final psalm! David begins with his individual vow—"I will praise the Lord"—and then immediately expands his voice to encompass the entire globe, praying that "everyone on earth"—all flesh, all nations, and all generations—would join in blessing Yahweh's holy name for all eternity. David hands off the baton of praise to us, inviting the whole world to join the heavenly council in endless, joyful adoration of our King!<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of, ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:<#0.5#> Liv Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, Leave a Living Legacy Each Day, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!<#0.5#>
Welcome to Day 2912 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2912 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 145:8-13 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2912 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2912 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The tiel for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Everlasting Realm of Compassion – Unveiling the Majesty of Yahweh’s Kingdom<#0.5#> On our previous expedition—on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Ten—we stood in awe at the royal threshold of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, exploring verses one through seven. We listened as King David laid down his military sword, picked up his harp, and declared that Yahweh’s unsearchable greatness must be proclaimed from one generation to the next! We witnessed how the remembrance of God’s overflowing, gushing goodness naturally erupts into exuberant, generational praise. Today, we step directly onto the next elevation of this magnificent acrostic summit, advancing into Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, verses eight through thirteen. As we continue along this pristine trail, David shifts our focus from the unsearchable, transcendent splendor of the Creator to the profound, heart-level warmth of His character. In these six verses, we are invited to gaze into the very heart of the Sovereign King of heaven—a King whose authority is not marked by cold, tyrannical control, but by boundless mercy, universal compassion, and an unshakeable, everlasting dominion that spans every physical and spiritual realm across all generations.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Heart of the King: Abundant Mercy and Universal Compassion<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the deeply comforting words recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the logical, contiguous thoughts found in verse eight and verse nine.<#0.5#> The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.<#0.5#> In these two breathtaking lines, David delivers what can only be described as the supreme theological confession of the Hebrew Scriptures, declaring, “The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.”<#0.5#> If these words sound familiar to your ears, it is because David is directly quoting the sacred, self-revealed character statement that Yahweh declared to Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus chapter thirty-four! To fully appreciate the revolutionary impact of this revelation, we must view it through the ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, the pagan nations surrounding Israel lived in perpetual, paralyzing fear of their localized deities. Gods like Baal, Chemosh, or Marduk were viewed as erratic, moody, quick-tempered, and selfish entities who demanded bloody sacrifices and cared nothing for the well-being of ordinary mortals. Furthermore, in the cosmic geography of the ancient world, those foreign nations were assigned to rebellious, territorial spiritual principalities who ruled through fear, oppression, and enslavement.<#0.5#> Standing in stark, brilliant contrast to those dark, fickle powers, Yahweh reveals His true nature as the absolute Sovereign of the cosmos! He is not quick to wrath; rather, He is patient, long-suffering, and profoundly merciful. The Hebrew term used here for "unfailing love" is chesed—that deep, unwavering, covenant-keeping affection that never gives up on its people. But notice how far David expands this divine love in verse nine! Yahweh's goodness is not restricted to a single tribe or a select elite; He is good to everyone! He showers His tender, fatherly compassion over all His creation—from the highest angelic seraphim in the heavenly assembly, down to the smallest bird resting in the forest canopy. In a world often battered by chaos and cruelty, David reminds us that the supreme ruler of the universe is defined, at His core, by overwhelming, relentless grace.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Chorus of Creation and the Realm of Glory<#0.5#> The narrative now moves from the internal character of the King to the explosive, cosmic response of His subjects, linking together the contiguous thoughts found in verse ten, verse eleven, and verse twelve.<#0.5#> All of your creatures will thank you, Lord, and your godly people will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.<#0.5#> David paints a panoramic, glorious vision of universal adoration, declaring, “All of your creatures will thank you, Lord, and your godly people will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.”<#0.5#> Look at the dual choir David brings together in this passage! First, he points to “all of your creatures”—the entirety of the natural order and the unseen heavenly hosts—offering a continuous, harmonious echo of thanksgiving to their Creator. But then, he highlights a special group: “your godly people”—the chasidim, those who are bound to Yahweh in a loving, loyal covenant relationship. While creation offers silent, instinctual praise, God’s redeemed people are given an articulate, vocal mission! They do not remain quiet; they step into the cosmic courtroom to publicly testify about the true nature of Yahweh’s reign.<#0.5#> Notice the three specific themes these covenant heralds proclaim: they speak of the glory of His kingdom, they give tangible examples of His power, and they tell about His mighty deeds. In the ancient divine-council framework, earthly kingdoms were constantly boasting about their military conquests, erecting arrogant monuments to their mortal kings. But David’s godly people look past earthly empires and fallen principalities to exalt the true, overarching kingdom of God! They share concrete stories of how Yahweh broke the chains of slavery, how He defeated spiritual powers of darkness, how He provided manna in the barren wilderness, and how He heals broken hearts. Their testimony serves as a vibrant, undeniable public witness to the entire world—and to the watching spiritual realms—demonstrating that Yahweh’s rule is unmatched in majesty, splendor, and liberating power.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Unshakeable Dominion: An Everlasting Kingdom<#0.5#> The psalmist now reaches the ultimate, unshakeable bedrock of his royal hymn, anchoring his narrative in the eternal stability of God's rule, as recorded in verse thirteen.<#0.5#> For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule through all generations. The Lord is always faithful to his promises; he is gracious in all he does.<#0.5#> With triumphant, absolute confidence, David seals this section of his psalm, exclaiming, “For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule through all generations. The Lord is always faithful to his promises; he is gracious in all he does.”<#0.5#> This verse contains a colossal, mind-boggling truth that provides ultimate comfort for our daily trek through life. Throughout human history, massive empires have risen with terrifying power, only to crumble into forgotten dust. The ancient Egyptian pharaohs, the ruthless Assyrian conquerors, the mighty Babylonian kings, and the vast Roman legions all believed their rule would last forever. Yet, every single one of those human regimes—along with the fallen, territorial spiritual principalities that animated them—faded away into the pages of history. But David declares that the kingdom of Yahweh belongs to a completely different category! His rule is an everlasting kingdom—a reign that knows no geographical boundaries, no political decline, no military defeat, and no expiration date!<#0.5#> Furthermore, look at the second half of verse thirteen, which highlights the moral foundation of this eternal throne. Unlike human rulers who break treaties, abandon alliances, and act out of selfish ambition, Yahweh is "always faithful to his promises; he is gracious in all he does." In the ancient Near Eastern world, a king's word was often treacherous. But the Supreme King of the divine council binds Himself to His word! Every promise He makes to His children—promises of presence, protection, forgiveness, and ultimate restoration—is locked in an unshakeable, eternal vault. His authority is executed through pure grace, ensuring that those who take refuge under His reign will never be disappointed, forgotten, or cast aside.<#0.5#>...
Welcome to Day 2911 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2911 – Theology Thursday – Heresy: Meaning, History, and Misuse Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2911 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2911 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theology infive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Heresy: Meaning, History, and Misuse.<#0.5#> The word heresy comes from the Greek hairesis, which originally meant “choice” or “faction.” In the New Testament, it began to carry the weight of theological rebellion. It referred to false teaching that breaks fellowship and corrupts the truth. Heresy is not simply error or misunderstanding. It is deviation from the foundational truths of the gospel, concerning who God is, who Christ is, and what salvation requires.<#0.5#> The apostle Paul warned against such distortions, calling out those who pervert the message of grace and urging Titus to reject those who sow division after being warned. Heresy is not measured by how controversial an idea is, but by whether it distorts the saving message of Christ or promotes a false gospel. In that sense, heresy is deadly. It is not just wrong. It is soul-destroying.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Struggle for Doctrinal Clarity in the Early Church<#0.5#> The early church faced enormous pressure to define and defend the truth. As Christianity spread across the Roman world, it encountered competing philosophies and religious systems. Some sought to harmonize the gospel with these foreign ideas, leading to teachings that retained the vocabulary of Christianity but not its meaning. This is where heresy found fertile ground.<#0.5#> Among the earliest and most dangerous of these teachings was Gnosticism, which rejected the goodness of creation and denied the full humanity of Christ. Marcionism took a more radical path by discarding the Old Testament and portraying the God of Israel as cruel and inferior. Pelagianism undermined the doctrine of sin by teaching that humans could achieve righteousness without divine grace. Each of these required a response, not out of fear of disagreement, but out of pastoral urgency to protect the flock from destructive error.<#0.5#> No heresy had a greater impact, both theologically and politically, than Arianism. The teaching of Arius, that the Son was a created being and not fully divine, directly challenged the very identity of Christ. Although condemned at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Arianism did not die. It took root in the outer regions of the Roman Empire and sowed seeds of division that helped bring about its collapse.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Arianism and the Fragmentation of the Western Empire.<#0.5#> The theological consequences of Arianism were clear. It reduced Christ to a lesser being, stripping the gospel of its divine foundation. Its political consequences were just as devastating. While the Roman Church clung to Nicene orthodoxy, many of the Germanic tribes who bordered the empire were converted to Arian Christianity. Missionaries like Ulfilas brought a version of the gospel that bore Christ’s name but denied His nature.<#0.5#> When the Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 AD, they did so not as pagans but as heretical Christians. The same was true of the Vandals and later the Ostrogoths, whose kings ruled Italy while holding to Arian doctrine. The theological divide between ruler and people, between Church and state, tore at the fabric of Western society. The Church could not fully unify with leaders who confessed a false Christ, and the people remained culturally alienated from their kings.<#0.5#> This division made the Western Roman Empire vulnerable. It robbed the empire of a unifying spiritual identity at the very moment it needed cohesion to survive external threats. Though not the only factor in Rome’s collapse, Arianism was a theological wedge that fractured its heart. By the time Justinian reconquered parts of the West and reimposed Nicene orthodoxy in the sixth century, the Western Empire was a shadow of what it had been. A heresy that began in theological debate had helped bring down a civilization.<#0.5#> The third segment is: When Everything Becomes Heresy.<#0.5#> Over time, the word heresy lost its theological precision. Instead of referring to soul-endangering errors about God, Christ, and salvation, it began to be applied to any disagreement or dissent. This shift had tragic consequences.<#0.5#> In some periods of church history, those who merely questioned traditional practices or sought to reform corruption were branded as heretics. The term became a tool for control rather than a measure of truth. Even within Protestant traditions, theological disagreements over baptism, church polity, or spiritual gifts have sometimes been exaggerated into accusations of heresy, dividing believers unnecessarily.<#0.5#> This misuse of the term does not protect the church. It weakens it. When every disagreement is labeled heresy, the word loses its force, and the real dangers become harder to identify. Instead of guarding the flock, the misuse of heresy becomes a way to suppress thought, enforce conformity, or settle personal disputes.<#0.5#> Ironically, some modern cults and false teachers now invert the accusation. They call orthodox Christianity heretical because it does not conform to their reimagined doctrines. The charge of heresy has become, in some cases, a mirror for pride rather than a tool of discernment.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: A Modern Example: Is Pre-Tribulation Rapture Heresy?<#0.5#> In contemporary evangelical circles, one of the most fiercely debated doctrines is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. This is the idea that believers will be taken up to heaven before a future period of global tribulation. Popularized in the 19th and 20th centuries, this view has deeply shaped modern Christian imagination. But is it heresy?<#0.5#> The answer is no. Pre-Tribulation Rapture theology, while likely incorrect and theologically shallow, does not deny the core tenets of the faith. It affirms the Trinity, the incarnation, the death and resurrection of Christ, and salvation by grace through faith. It is not heresy in the biblical or historical sense.<#0.5#> That said, its influence is not neutral. When taught dogmatically, it can create a fragile form of faith, one that collapses under suffering or real-world trials. It fosters escapism and disengagement, tempting believers to wait for rescue rather than prepare for endurance. In some circles, the view has even been elevated to a test of orthodoxy, dividing churches and condemning dissenters. In these cases, the danger lies not in the doctrine itself, but in the way it is wielded.<#0.5#> This example highlights the difference between heresy and error. Not every mistaken belief is heresy, but not every non-heresy is harmless. Pre-Tribulationism must be confronted with Scripture and pastoral clarity, not because it damns the soul, but because it distorts Christian hope and undermines discipleship.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: Holding the Line Without Crossing It<#0.5#> In guarding the truth, the Church must walk a narrow path. On one side lies indifference, where everything is tolerated and nothing is contended for. On the other lies arrogance, where every disagreement is treated as a threat and the word heresy is used like a club. Both lead to ruin.<#0.5#> The example of Arianism shows that heresy is real, and its effects are catastrophic. But the misuse of the term reveals a different kind of danger — the slow erosion of discernment and the collapse of Christian charity. We must learn again to distinguish between essential and non-essential doctrines, between errors that must be confronted and differences that can be endured.<#0.5#> This requires returning to the Scriptures, testing every teaching, and holding fast to what is good. It also means learning from the early church, which took truth seriously without descending into tyranny. They did not shy away from calling out heresy, but they did so with care, consistency, and a clear understanding of what was at stake.<#0.5#> In Conclusion Heresy is not a word to be thrown around lightly. It refers to spiritual poison, distortions of God’s truth that lead people away from salvation. The Church has always had to fight for the gospel, and that fight continues today. But if the sword of truth is swung wildly, it wounds the innocent and weakens the body.<#0.5#> By understanding what heresy truly is, and what it is not, we honor the truth, protect the church, and point people back to the grace of Christ. Not every error is heresy. But every misuse of the word heresy threatens to create new errors of its own.<#0.5#> For further study, consider these...
Welcome to Day 2910 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2910 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 145:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2908 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2910 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Unsearchable Majesty – Passing the Torch of Praise Across Generations<#0.5#> On our previous expedition, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Eight, we concluded our study of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Four with a breathtaking vision of kingdom flourishing. We listened as King David moved out of the smoky, chaotic fray of battle, praying for sturdy sons, elegant daughters, overflowing barns, and safe city streets, crowning his prayer with that unforgettable, majestic beatitude: “Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord!” Today, as we step onto a glorious new summit along our multi-month trek through the Book of Psalms, we advance directly into Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, verses one through seven. This psalm marks a monumental milestone in our entire series. It is the very last psalm in the Psalter explicitly attributed to King David, and it functions as a grand, royal gateway into the final doxology of the Old Testament. In the preceding psalms—from Psalm One Hundred Forty through One Hundred Forty-Four—we heard David crying out in intense distress, begging for rescue from violent men, hidden nets, and deceptive tongues. But here, in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, the prayers for deliverance fall silent, and pure, uninhibited, kingdom praise takes center stage. David lays down his military sword, picks up his golden harp, and leads the entire cosmos in an eternal song of adoration.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Vow of the Viceroy: Exalting the Supreme King<#0.5#> Let us open our hearts to the opening lines of this magnificent acrostic hymn, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the contiguous, deeply connected thoughts found in verse one and verse two.<#0.5#> I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.<#0.5#> David opens this royal anthem with a passionate, deeply personal commitment, shouting, “I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the profound, revolutionary nature of these opening words, we must view them through the fascinating lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, earthly kings routinely claimed divine status for themselves. Pagan rulers built massive monuments, claiming to be absolute lords over their territory, demanding that their subjects bow before their supreme authority. But here stands King David—the undisputed, victorious monarch of Israel, the ruler of an expanding empire—and what does he do? He looks up into the heavens, and addresses Yahweh directly as “my God and King.” David recognizes a fundamental cosmic truth: his own royal authority is merely derivative. He is not the ultimate sovereign; he is merely the earthly viceroy, the covenant servant of the true King who sits enthroned above the celestial assembly of heaven.<#0.5#> Notice, also, the dynamic rhythm of David’s devotional life expressed in these two verses. He bridges the immediate present with the infinite future. He declares that he will praise God “every day”—establishing a discipline of consistent, daily worship along the dusty trails of life—while simultaneously declaring that this praise will endure “forever and ever.” David understands that praising the name of Yahweh—which represents His revealed character, His covenant reputation, and His supreme authority—is not a temporary earthly chore. It is the primary, joyful occupation of human beings and heavenly hosts alike, stretching past the boundaries of mortality directly into eternity.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Unsearchable Realm: Cosmic Greatness Beyond Measure<#0.5#> The narrative of David’s praise expands rapidly outward from his personal devotion to the infinite reality of God’s nature, as recorded in verse three.<#0.5#> Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.<#0.5#> David proclaims with unshakeable conviction, “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.”<#0.5#> This singular verse serves as the foundational theological anchor for the entire psalm. When David exclaims that Yahweh is “great” and “most worthy of praise,” he is making a bold, cosmic comparison against all other powers in existence. In the ancient Israelite worldview, the cosmos was populated by various spiritual beings—angels, guardians, and fallen principalities. But Yahweh stands in a category completely by Himself. He is not merely the chief deity among many; He is the uncreated Creator, the absolute Master of the divine council, and the Lord of all earthly nations.<#0.5#> Consider that remarkable phrase: “No one can measure his greatness.” In the original Hebrew, it literally reads, his greatness has no searching out. Every created entity in the universe—whether a human king, a mighty mountain, a blazing star, or a high-ranking angelic spirit—has boundaries, dimensions, and limitations. They can be measured, mapped, and comprehended. But the greatness of Yahweh is unfathomable, bottomless, and infinite! You can swim in the ocean of His glory for ten thousand years, and you will never hit bottom. Because His majesty is completely beyond human and angelic measurement, the praise offered to Him can never be exhausted. There will always be new depths of His character to discover, and new reasons to lift our voices in awe.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Legacy of Praise: Passing the Torch Across Generations<#0.5#> Having established the unsearchable greatness of the King, David turns his attention to how this glorious reality is transmitted through human history, linking his contiguous thoughts together in verse four and verse five.<#0.5#> Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.<#0.5#> David outlines the divine relay race of truth, praying, “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.”<#0.5#> Here, right at the center of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Five, we encounter the very heart and soul of our Wisdom-Trek mission: creating a living legacy! David realizes that the incredible truths of God’s redemptive power must never be locked away in the past, nor can they be assumed to automatically transfer to the future. Faithfulness requires an intentional, intergenerational handoff. One generation must stand face-to-face with the next generation, actively recounting the “mighty acts” and “power” of Yahweh. In ancient Israel, this meant teaching children about the deliverance from Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea, the thunderous revelation at Mount Sinai, and the faithful provision in the wilderness. For us today, it means testifying to our children and grandchildren about the ultimate victory of King Jesus, and sharing the concrete ways God has proven faithful in our own family histories.<#0.5#> Notice, however, that David does not view this intergenerational legacy as a cold, academic history lesson. Look at verse five! He combines public proclamation with deep, quiet, personal contemplation, declaring, “I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” The Hebrew phrasing here—hod ve-hadar—describes the radiant, terrifying beauty and regal dignity of a monarch sitting in His heavenly throne room. David takes time to slow down his racing mind, fixing his thoughts on the dazzling sple“dor of God’s character. True legacy flows out of deep, private meditation. When we spend time contemplating the awe-inspiring miracles of God in the secret place, our public testimony to the next generation gains an irresistible, vibrant warmth.<#0.5#> The forth segment is: The Cascading Fountain: Awe-Inspiring Deeds and Overflowing Goodness<#0.5#> The narrative reaches a magnificent, joyful crescendo as David describes the infectious, widespread impact of God’s mighty works, combining his final logical thoughts in verse six and verse seven.<#0.5#> Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.<#0.5#> David envisions a...
Welcome to Day 2909 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2909– “The Ultimate Close Encounter” based on Luke 10:1-16 Putnam Church Message – 06/21/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry.” Last week’s message was “A Face Like Flint,” in which we studied the One who set His face toward Jerusalem now sets His grace upon His people. Today, we continue with our twenty-ninth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Practical Talk to Those in Ministry.” Our core passage today is Luke 10:1-16, on page 1611 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two 10 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick>who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.[b] 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful that You invite ordinary people into Your extraordinary work. We confess that we often feel inadequate, distracted, discouraged, or afraid. Sometimes we carry burdens You never asked us to carry, and sometimes we measure ministry by results rather than faithfulness. Lord Jesus, teach us today from Your Word. Show us what it means to be sent by You, to labor for Your harvest, to depend on Your provision, to speak peace, to serve faithfully, and to leave the results in Your hands. Help us see that ministry is not reserved for a few, but belongs to all who follow You. May our lives become faithful witnesses to the nearness of Your Kingdom. Amen. Introduction: Why Would God Use Us? I have often wondered why God involves people in His work when He can do everything Himself. Have you ever thought about that? God does not need our talent. God does not need our strength. God does not need our planning ability. God does not need our committees, schedules, buildings, sermons, songs, or programs. He can do the job better than we can. He can speak a word, and worlds come into existence. He can open blind eyes, raise the dead, calm storms, silence demons, and move kings according to His will. So why does He entrust something as important as building His Kingdom to people like us? People who get tired. People who misunderstand. People who get proud. People who become discouraged. People who argue about greatness. People who sometimes want to call down fire on their enemies. That is the mystery of grace. God does not involve us because He lacks power. He involves us because He loves us, forms us, and gives us a genuine part in His redemptive work. In the previous message, “A Face Like Flint,” we saw Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 is a hinge in Luke’s Gospel. From that moment forward, Jesus is moving toward the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension. Nothing will distract Him from the Father’s mission. Now, in Luke 10:1–16, Jesus does something remarkable. He multiplies the mission. Earlier, He sent the Twelve. Now He appoints seventy-two others, or seventy depending on the manuscript tradition, and sends them ahead of Him into the towns and places He plans to visit. This means the ministry is expanding beyond the inner circle. The Kingdom is not a private project for the Twelve. It is not merely the work of clergy. It is not limited to those with public titles. Jesus is building a people who are sent. And in this passage, He gives practical talk to those in ministry. That includes pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, missionaries, children’s workers, worship leaders, caregivers, parents, grandparents, encouragers, prayer warriors, business owners, neighbors, friends, and every believer who bears witness to Christ. If you belong to Jesus, you are involved in ministry. So let us listen carefully to His practical instruction found in four truths in your bulletin insert on the side that says Practical Talk to Those in Ministry. Main Point 1: The Harvest Belongs to God, but the Labor Belongs to Us Jesus says the harvest is great, but the workers are few. So, He tells His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest, asking Him to send out workers into His harvest. That is where ministry begins: not with panic, but with prayer. Jesus looks at the world as a harvest field. That image would have been vivid to His listeners. In an agricultural world, the harvest was urgent. When the crop was ready, delay could mean loss. Workers had to go into the field while the time was right. But notice what Jesus calls it. * It is not our harvest. * It is not the church’s harvest. * It is not the pastor’s harvest. * It is the Lord’s harvest. * That matters.
When we forget this, we carry burdens God never intended us to carry. We begin to think the future of the Kingdom depends on us. We stay awake at night worrying about results we cannot control. We measure faithfulness by numbers, approval, visible response, or immediate fruit. But Jesus calls Himself the Lord of the harvest. * He owns the field. * He knows the soil. * He sees the hearts. * He sends the workers. * He brings the growth.
Our responsibility is not to control the harvest. Our responsibility is to labor faithfully. Object Lesson: A Seed Packet and a Basket Hold up a packet of seeds and an empty basket. The seed packet represents the work entrusted to us. / We can plant. / We can water. / We can tend. / We can prepare. But we cannot force life into the seed. The basket represents the harvest. / We long to see it full, and that longing is good. / But only God can bring the harvest. Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 3:7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. That is freeing. We are not excused from labor. Jesus calls us workers. But we are freed from pretending to be God. Ancient Context When Jesus sent these seventy-two, He sent them ahead of Him. They were not going out to build personal followings. They were preparing towns for the arrival of the King. In the ancient world, messengers often went ahead of a ruler to announce his coming. They did not invent the message. They did not negotiate the king’s authority. They...
Welcome to Day 2908 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2908 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 144:-9-15 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2908 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2908 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Symphony of Shalom – Reclaiming the Blessing of the Covenant King<#0.5#> Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2908 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> On our previous expedition, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Seven, we stood amazed as we explored the first half of Psalm One Hundred Forty-Four, focusing on verses one through eight. We witnessed David, the warrior king, standing directly on the rugged frontiers of cosmic conflict, shouting praises to Yahweh, the majestic Storm Warrior, who trains his hands for war and gives his fingers skill for battle. We listened as David pleaded for the Almighty to bow the heavens, flash His supernatural lightning, and rip open the cosmic veil to rescue him from the "deep waters"—those treacherous, lying foreign enemies who sought to subvert the divine order. Today, we step directly onto the second half of this magnificent mountain pass, diving deeply into Psalm One Hundred Forty-Four, verses nine through fifteen. The spiritual and narrative scenery undergoes a beautiful, breathtaking transformation here. We are moving out of the clashing, smoky din of cosmic warfare, and stepping directly into a quiet, sunlit valley filled with a glorious, harmonious symphony of peace, domestic prosperity, and generational restoration. David understands a profound kingdom truth that every wise trekker must grasp: the ultimate purpose of divine warfare is never just the destruction of the enemy; it is the comprehensive establishment of shalom—the complete, flourishing wholeness of a society living in perfect alignment with the Creator.<#0.5#> * The first segment is: The New Song of the Vindicate Viceroy<#0.5#>
Let us open our ears to the first movement of this concluding sequence, as recorded in the New Living Translation, where David groups his logical thoughts together in verse eights, verse nine, and verse ten.<#0.5#> I will sing a new song to you, O God! I will play on a ten-stringed lute. For you give victory to kings! You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.<#0.5#> David anchors his future firmly in praise, declaring with joyful anticipation, “I will sing a new song to you, O God! I will play on a ten-stringed lute. For you give victory to kings! You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the weight of these lines, we must view them through the fascinating lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, kingship was not merely a matter of human politics or military strategy. The king of Israel was uniquely designated as the earthly viceroy, the covenant partner, of Yahweh, who sits enthroned above the celestial assembly. While the surrounding pagan nations looked to their localized, rebellious deities for military dominance, David looks directly to the supreme Creator. When he mentions that God “gives victory to kings,” the original Hebrew word for victory is teshuah, which carries the profound meaning of deliverance, salvation, and cosmic rescue. David is acknowledging that no earthly monarch—regardless of how massive his infantry or how brilliant his chariot tactics might be—can secure a true victory outside of the sovereign decree of the heavenly council. <#0.5#> Furthermore, when David vows to sing a “new song” while playing upon a ten-stringed lute, he is introducing a powerful prophetic concept. In biblical theology, a new song is never just a fresh melody; it represents a brand-new epoch in human history. It is an anthem of redemption that is sung only after a decisive, miraculous victory has been secured by the arm of the Lord. The ten-stringed lute adds a layer of majestic, symphonic fullness to this praise. David is orchestrating a grand celebration before the heavenly hosts, publicly testifying that it was not his own royal status or human strength that preserved his life, but rather the active, intervening hand of Yahweh, who personally stepped into the fray to snatch His chosen servant away from the edge of the fatal, chaotic sword.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Persistent Refrain: Confronting Systemic Falsehood<#0.5#> The narrative takes a fascinating, highly strategic turn in verse eleven, as David repeats a powerful, familiar refrain that links this section directly back to the warfare themes of our previous podcast episode.<#0.5#> Save me! Deliver me from the power of my enemies. Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.<#0.5#> David breaks back into an urgent, defensive petition, crying out, “Save me! Deliver me from the power of my enemies. Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.”<#0.5#> You might wonder why David, right after promising to sing a triumphant new song of victory, would suddenly drop right back into a desperate plea for rescue from lying adversaries. This literary structure reveals a profound truth about our daily trek of faith. The victory has been legally decreed in the heavenly courtroom, but the final mopping-up operations are still being actively contested on the earthly battlefield. David is dealing with foreign, hostile entities who do not share his covenant allegiance to the Most High. He describes them as having mouths full of lies, individuals who raise their hands to take solemn, binding oaths of truth, but unleash calculated perjury instead. <#0.5#> This persistent focus on deception connects perfectly with the broader theological tapestry of Psalms One Hundred Forty through One Hundred Forty-Three. In the ancient world, truth was the foundational concrete that held cosmic and social order together. When a nation’s leaders weaponize systemic lies, gaslighting, and false diplomacy, they are actively mimicking the original, deceptive language of the ancient serpent, attempting to dissolve the boundaries of truth established by God. David recognizes that he cannot build a flourishing, prosperous society if the foundations are continuously being eroded by foreign deception. Therefore, before he can detail the beautiful blessings of peace, he must ask the Sovereign Lord to completely sever the influence of these toxic, deceitful operations from the borders of his land.<#0.5#> * The third segment is: The Blueprint of Shalom: A Flourishing Next Generation<#0.5#>
Once the dark, chaotic waters of deception are pushed back by divine justice, the true, exquisite design of kingdom prosperity can burst forth. Let us listen to the magnificent generational blueprint David maps out in verse twelve.<#0.5#> May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.<#0.5#> David paints a breathtaking portrait of domestic flourishing, praying, “May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.”<#0.5#> Notice the deep, highly intentional metaphors David employs to describe the vibrant health of the next generation. He prays that the young sons of the kingdom will grow up like well-nurtured, deeply rooted plants. In a rugged, agricultural society, a well-nurtured plant represents vitality, strength, consistent productivity, and future stability. It implies that these young men are being carefully cultivated in the soil of wisdom, growing up to become sturdy, reliable protectors and providers who will uphold the moral integrity of the covenant community. <#0.5#> Simultaneously, David looks upon the young women of the kingdom, praying that the daughters would be like graceful, elegant pillars, exquisitely carved to beautify a majestic palace. This imagery carries immense structural and architectural significance. In the ancient Near East, the corner pillars of a palace or a temple were not merely ornamental; they were massive, load-bearing structures that held the entire weight of the roof together, ensuring the stability of the building. Yet, they were also heavily sculpted with intricate, beautiful artwork. David is declaring that the women of Israel are the dignified, essential pillars of society. They possess a profound combination of unyielding structural strength and elevated, spiritual beauty. They give shape, stability, and cultural elegance to the home and the...
Welcome to Day 2907 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2907 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 144:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2907 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2907 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Warrior’s Sanctuary – Bowing the Heavens to Rescue Frail Mortals<#0.5#> On our previous expedition, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Five, we bore witness to David’s heavy, cumulative exhaustion in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Three. We stood alongside him in the dark, feeling the suffocating, numbing weight of a long-drawn-out wilderness campaign, as he pleaded for the morning light of God’s unfailing love to rescue his failing spirit. Today, as we crest a magnificent new ridge along our multi-month journey through the psalter, we advance directly into Psalm One Hundred Forty-Four, verses one through eight. This text serves as an incredibly powerful, triumphant answer to the dark paralysis we analyzed in our last study. David is no longer sitting frozen in the dust, wondering if the darkness will permanently consume him. Instead, he bursts forth with a magnificent, high-energy anthem of praise, recognizing that the very hardships he endured were the training grounds for his ultimate destiny. As we explore these eight verses together, we will discover a dynamic mosaic of royal warfare, cosmic geography, and profound theological humility, viewing this entire battlefield through the brilliant, ancient worldview of Yahweh’s sovereign heavenly host.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Divine Arsenal: Training for the Frontiers of Chaos<#0.5#> Let us open our minds to the opening movements of this royal liturgy, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the deeply connected, contiguous thoughts found in verse one and verse two.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. He subdues the nations under me.<#0.5#> David begins this segment with an unshakeable, rhythmic blast of absolute adoration, declaring, “Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. He subdues the nations under me.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the vast, panoramic scope of these opening lines, we must view David’s military reality through the fascinating, complex lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, kingship was never viewed as a purely secular, administrative function. The king of Israel was understood to be the earthly representative, the unique viceroy, of Yahweh Himself. When David addresses God as Yahweh Sabaoth—the Lord of Heaven's Armies—he is recognizing that his earthly battles are intimately intertwined with a grand, unseen cosmic conflict. The hostile surrounding nations were not just political competitors; they were groups aligned with rebellious, territorial spiritual principalities who actively sought to subvert the cosmic order established by the Most High God.<#0.5#> Notice that David does not boast in his own inherent athletic prowess, or his natural military genius, even though he was a legendary warrior who defeated giants. Instead, he attributes all of his kinetic capability to his Creator, shouting, "He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle." Yahweh is depicted here as the Master Commander, personally mentoring His earthly king, tuning his reflexes, and sharpening his tactical focus so that he can effectively push back the frontiers of chaos. David then layers title upon glorious title, describing God as his rock, his loving ally, his fortress, his tower of safety, his rescuer, and his shield. In the ancient world, a tower of safety or a fortress on a high crag was completely unassailable by infantry. By running into the character of Yahweh, David enters a fortress that sits completely above the reach of both earthly weapons and dark, cosmic forces. It is from this secure, celestial vantage point that the true King of the universe executes judgment, subduing rebellious human assemblies under the feet of His anointed servant.<#0.5#> * The second segment is: The Radical Contrast: Cosmic Majesty and Fleeting Shadows<#0.5#>
Right in the middle of this high-stakes military declaration, David pauses to display a stunning level of philosophical and theological humility, combining the logical thoughts found in verse three and verse four.<#0.5#> O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them? For we are like a breath of air; our days are like a passing shadow.<#0.5#> David pivots his gaze away from the grand geopolitics of his kingdom to look directly into the mirror of human fragility, asking, “O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them? For we are like a breath of air; our days are like a passing shadow.”<#0.5#> This exquisite, highly poetic exclamation directly echoes the haunting cosmic questions raised in Psalm Eight. As a king who sat in council with the elders, and who regularly contemplated the vast tapestry of the night sky, David was acutely aware of the mind-boggling scale of reality. In the ancient cosmic geography, above the physical dome of the sky rested the glorious, burning palace of the divine council, populated by majestic, immortal spiritual beings who had witnessed the very foundations of the earth being laid. In comparison to these enduring celestial hosts, and in comparison to the eternal, uncreated majesty of Yahweh, what is a human being? <#0.5#> David uses two incredibly vivid Hebrew metaphors to describe our mortal condition: hevel—which translates to a mere breath of warm air, a vapor that appears for a microsecond in the winter cold and then vanishes completely—and a passing shadow, like the silhouette of a bird flying over a field, gone before the eye can even track its movement. Yet, the profound mystery of biblical wisdom lies right here in this juxtaposition. The transcendent Sovereign Lord of the cosmos, who rules over billions of stars and commands legions of heavenly messengers, actively chooses to step down into history to notice, think about, and harbor deep affection for these fragile, breathing dust-creatures. He doesn’t just tolerate humanity; He partners with mortals, inviting them to participate in the restoration of His cosmic order.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Cosmic Theophany: Splitting the Fabric of the Sky<#0.5#> Having established both the supreme majesty of God and the radical dependence of man, David now launches into a dramatic, high-impact prayer for an immediate, supernatural intervention, weaving together the cosmic warfare motifs found in verse five and verse six.<#0.5#> Open the heavens and come down, Lord. Touch the mountains so they billow smoke. Flash your lightning and scatter your enemies! Shoot your arrows and confuse them!<#0.5#> David calls down the ultimate cosmic cavalry, crying out with immense urgency, “Open the heavens and come down, Lord. Touch the mountains so they billow smoke. Flash your lightning and scatter your enemies! Shoot your arrows and confuse them!”<#0.5#> This section contains some of the most concentrated, highly dramatic theophany imagery in the entire Old Testament. When David prays, “Open the heavens and come down,” the original language literally means to bow or to bend the heavens. In the ancient mindset, the sky was seen as a solid, physical separation between the celestial realm of God’s throne room and the terrestrial realm of human history. David is asking Yahweh to grab the fabric of the cosmos, bend it downward, and rip open the boundary line, invading earthly geography with the raw, unfiltered glory of His heavenly presence. <#0.5#> When the Most High steps down, the physical geography of the earth cannot sustain His weight. He touches the mountains—which in the ancient near eastern worldview were considered the pillars of the earth, the cosmic boundary stones where the gods met—and they instantly erupt, billowing smoke like volatile volcanoes, completely unmasked as fragile structures before their Creator. David then describes the weapons of this cosmic combat: lightning bolts functioning as divine spears, flashing across the dark sky to scatter the entrenched armies of the wicked, while supernatural arrows of thunder confuse and disorient the adversaries. This is...
Welcome to Day 2906 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2906 – Theology Thursday – Prayer as Communion, Petition, and Covenant: From Ancient Near East to Modern Faith Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2906 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2906 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled PRAYER AS COMMUNION, PETITION, AND COVENANT: FROM THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST TO MODERN FAITH.<#0.5#> In the religious systems of the ancient Near East, prayer was a vital function, though its framework was drastically different from what later developed in Israelite and Christian thought. Prayer was primarily a method of maintaining the cosmic order through appeasement and transaction. Gods in Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt were seen as powerful but unpredictable, often requiring elaborate rituals, sacrifices, and formulas to grant favor or avert wrath. These cultures did not operate under a theology of relational covenant but rather through a pattern of reciprocity: offerings and words were meant to provoke a specific divine response.<#0.5#> Babylonian prayer texts like the “Shurpu” and “Maqlu” series reflect a deep concern with curses, omens, and unseen transgressions. The supplicant might not even know which god was offended or what sin was committed. In such cases, prayers became generalized pleas for forgiveness from all deities. Egyptian prayers often took the form of hymns to the gods, extolling their attributes and requesting protection or intervention, especially concerning the afterlife.<#0.5#> Canaanite prayer and sacrifice, while less preserved in textual form, mirrored these transactional patterns. Ultimately, prayer in the ANE was primarily about control, using proper language and rites to maintain divine favor and personal or national survival.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Distinctive Voice of Ancient Israel: Relational and Covenant-Based.<#0.5#> The emergence of Israel as a people devoted to Yahweh introduced a significant break from the ANE paradigm. While early Israelite religion still bore some cultural similarities to its surroundings, the theology of Yahweh as a covenantal, relational deity revolutionized the nature of prayer. No longer was prayer simply a means of magical manipulation or guesswork. It became a medium through which a person engaged with a God who had revealed His name, His character, and His promises.<#0.5#> The earliest biblical prayers, such as those found in Genesis, reflect this relational nature. Abraham argues with God over the fate of Sodom, appealing not to ritual but to God’s justice. Moses intercedes for Israel after the golden calf incident, reminding Yahweh of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These prayers do not treat Yahweh as distant or unknowable but rather as a God who can be reasoned with, challenged, and persuaded because of His own covenant loyalty.<#0.5#> The Book of Psalms shows the breadth of human emotion brought before God: joy, fear, doubt, anger, and praise. Lament becomes a central form of worship, as seen in the cries of David or the national laments after Jerusalem’s destruction. These are not sterile performances but passionate expressions of faith. Prayer becomes an act of courage, a wrestling with God, a protest against silence, and a clinging to hope when the world falls apart.<#0.5#> The second segment is: From Temple to Synagogue: Formalization in Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism.<#0.5#> As the Hebrew Bible gave way to the practices of Second Temple Judaism, especially after the exile, prayer began to evolve in response to historical necessity. With the destruction of the First Temple and the loss of the sacrificial system, the Jewish people turned increasingly to prayer and study as their central forms of worship. What was once spontaneous became structured. What was once private became communal.<#0.5#> During this period, daily prayer rhythms began to emerge. Fixed times of prayer, morning, afternoon, and evening, mirrored the times of temple sacrifice and were eventually institutionalized. The Amidah, or “Standing Prayer,” developed into a core liturgical centerpiece. It offered a framework of blessings praising God, requesting needs, and praying for national restoration. The Shema, a declaration of God’s unity and Israel’s devotion, became part of daily prayer and identity.<#0.5#> After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Rabbinic Judaism restructured prayer life around the synagogue. Prayer was no longer centered on the priesthood and sacrificial rites but on the Torah, communal liturgy, and ethical action. This shift preserved Jewish identity during centuries of diaspora. Though formalized, prayer retained its relational element. It became the heartbeat of Jewish life, binding communities together and anchoring them to God’s enduring promises.<#0.5#> The Third Segment is: Prayer Reimagined in Early Christianity: Access through Christ.<#0.5#> The earliest Christians, being Jews themselves, inherited this rich tradition of covenantal and liturgical prayer. Yet their belief in Jesus as the risen Messiah transformed their approach to prayer in significant ways. Central to this transformation was the idea of direct access to God through Christ.<#0.5#> Jesus’s own prayers, such as the Lord’s Prayer, serve as both instruction and theological statement. The address “Our Father” reflects unprecedented intimacy. It reaffirms the covenantal relationship while highlighting the nearness and care of God. The prayer also orients the believer toward God’s will, God’s kingdom, and daily dependence, not merely petition.<#0.5#> The Apostle Paul builds on this foundation by portraying prayer as a Spirit-driven communion. Believers are said to cry out “Abba, Father” by the Spirit. Paul claims that even when words fail, the Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for speech. This understanding of prayer shifts it away from set ritual toward a continual, personal interaction with the divine.<#0.5#> In Christian theology, Jesus becomes the eternal High Priest, interceding on behalf of believers. This transforms the act of prayer from an attempt to reach an uncertain deity into an assurance of access to a loving Father through a faithful Son. Whether corporate or private, spontaneous or formal, prayer is understood as the believer’s participation in the divine relationship secured by Christ.<#0.5#> The Fourth Segment is: Boundaries and Prohibitions: When Prayer Becomes Misuse.<#0.5#> While prayer is central to both testaments, not all prayer is accepted. The Bible gives several warnings about misguided or forbidden types of prayer. Chief among these is prayer to other gods. The First Commandment is clear: Israel was not to call on or serve any deity but Yahweh. This was not a cultural preference but a matter of covenant loyalty. Invoking Baal, Molech, or Asherah was not neutral. It was spiritual adultery.<#0.5#> Another prohibited form was manipulative or theatrical prayer, often seen in paganism. The prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel danced and cut themselves, trying to compel their god to act. Elijah mocks this as futile. Jesus echoes this in the New Testament when He warns against “vain repetitions” and showy public displays. The goal of biblical prayer is not to impress people or mechanically control God. It is relational.<#0.5#> Also forbidden were necromancy and communication with the dead, practices common in surrounding cultures. Deuteronomy 18 lists these among the detestable practices of the nations that Israel was not to imitate. Prayer was not to be blended with conjuring or attempts to access hidden knowledge through forbidden means.<#0.5#> Later rabbinic tradition added safeguards to ensure prayer was done with the right heart. One was not to pray while intoxicated, or in moments of ritual impurity, or without focus. Christian writers like James and Peter also warn against praying from selfish motives or while harboring unresolved sin.<#0.5#> The Fifth segment is: Rhythm and Repetition: Between Discipline and Pagan Imitation<#0.5#> Repetitious or rhythmic prayer is sometimes misunderstood. Scripture does not forbid repetition outright, but it sharply distinguishes between reverent repetition and pagan-style incantations.<#0.5#> Psalm 136 repeats the phrase “His steadfast love endures forever” 26 times as an act of worship, not manipulation. Many psalms and prayers use repetition as a poetic or liturgical feature, meant to reinforce covenant truths and lead the heart toward trust. The Shema and priestly blessing were repeated regularly in Jewish worship.<#0.5#> Jesus’s warning in Matthew 6 verse seven, “Do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,” targets the kind of mechanical babbling seen in magical or pagan rituals. It does not prohibit...
Welcome to Day 2905 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2905 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 143:1-12 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2905 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2905 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Out of the Dust, Into the Light – The Cry for Divine Direction and Vindication<#0.5#> On our last expedition, on Day Two Thousand Nine Hundred Three, we crawled deep into the dark, damp, suffocating isolation of the cave with David in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Two. We listened as he poured out his raw legal complaint before the Lord, feeling entirely abandoned by humanity, with hidden snares waiting for him in the shadows. Today, as we advance our base camp along this ancient trail, we step directly into Psalm One Hundred Forty-Three, verses one through twelve. This is the final of the seven traditional penitential psalms, and it serves as a profound, sequential continuation of David’s journey through intense distress. If Psalm One Hundred Forty-Two was the sharp, acute panic of being trapped in a cave, Psalm One Hundred Forty-Three represents the heavy, cumulative exhaustion of a long-drawn-out warfare. David is not just running from a temporary threat anymore; his soul is utterly spent, his energy is depleted, and the darkness is threatening to swallow him whole. Yet, as we will see, instead of throwing in the towel, David uses his remaining strength to lift his hands into the cosmic throne room, appealing to the character of the Sovereign King of heaven.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Entering the Supreme Court: Appealing to Covenant Faithfulness<#0.5#> Let us open our ears and hearts to the opening lines of this intense prayer, grouping together the logical thoughts found in verse one and verse two.<#0.5#> Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you.<#0.5#> David begins this trek with an urgent, deeply humble legal appeal, crying out, “Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate what is happening here, we must view this through the ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. When David enters into prayer, he knows he is stepping directly into the celestial courtroom where Yahweh sits enthroned as the Supreme Judge, surrounded by His assembly of holy ones. Notice that David does not swagger into this heavenly court demanding rights based on his own moral perfection. In fact, he does the exact opposite. He submits a preemptive plea, begging, “Don’t put your servant on trial.” Why? Because David possesses the profound cosmic wisdom to realize that in the brilliant, unblemished light of the Creator’s holiness, no human being—not even a chosen, anointed king—stands completely innocent on their own merit.<#0.5#> Instead of pleading his own righteousness, David brilliantly shifts the entire legal basis of his case to the character of God Himself. He demands an answer based entirely on two things: God’s faithfulness and God’s righteousness. In the ancient near eastern covenant framework, a king was legally and morally obligated to defend and protect his loyal subjects. David is essentially saying, “Lord, I am your covenant servant. I am imperfect, yes, but I am yours. Therefore, I appeal to your own cosmic reputation, and your sworn oaths of loyalty, to step down“from the judge's bench and act as my divine defense attorney."<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Crushing Darkness: Paralyzed in the Shadow of Death<#0.5#> The narrative takes a very heavy, somber turn as David describes the terrifying operations of his adversary, combining the logical thoughts found in verse three and verse four.<#0.5#> My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those who died long ago. I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.<#0.5#> David exposes his current reality, recounting, “My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those who died long ago. I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.”<#0.5#> The language David utilizes here is intentionally cosmic, and deeply evocative of the underworld. When he says his enemy has knocked him to the ground, forcing him to live in deep darkness like those who died long ago, he is drawing a direct parallel between his current psychological state and Sheol—the dark, silent realm of the dead. In the ancient world, Sheol was seen as a place of absolute containment, ruled over by spiritual forces of chaos and decay. David feels as though his human persecutors, backed by the sinister principalities of darkness, have successfully driven him out of the vibrant land of the living and buried him alive in a spiritual tomb.<#0.5#> Because of this prolonged, crushing environment, David experiences a profound internal collapse. He confesses, “I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.” In the original language, this means his spirit is completely overwhelmed, and his heart within him is numbed, desolated, and frozen. This is an incredibly important stop on our wisdom trek today. It reminds us that even the greatest spiritual giants can reach a point of complete emotional paralysis. The wilderness can get so dark, and the chase can last so long, that our internal resources completely run dry, leaving us numb to the world around us.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Pivot of Remembrance: Thirsting for Cosmic Intervention<#0.5#> Right at the absolute nadir of his depression, when his heart is completely frozen, David makes a conscious, deliberate pivot in his mind, linking his thoughts together in verse five and verse six.<#0.5#> I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.<#0.5#> Faced with a paralyzing present, David forces his mind to look backward, declaring, “I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.”<#0.5#> When you are paralyzed with fear, and can no longer see a way forward, the wisest thing you can do is look backward at history. David engages three distinct mental faculties here: he remembers, he ponders, and he meditates. He actively recalls the “days of old”—the cosmic history of Israel, the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea, and the dramatic overthrow of the rebellious Canaanite kings. By contemplating these great historical works, David reminds his trembling heart that the God he serves is the undisputed Master of storm, sea, and human empires.<#0.5#> This mental shift completely re-energizes his physical body. He moves from a posture of frozen paralysis to a posture of active, urgent worship, lifting his empty hands into the air. He describes his soul’s condition using a striking agricultural metaphor: “I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.” In the ancient Near East, a drought was not just an inconvenience; it was a terrifying threat of death and famine, often associated with the cosmic withdrawal of divine favor. David recognizes that he cannot fix his own drought. He stands before the Lord like cracked, dry, sun-baked desert soil, completely dependent on the sovereign windows of heaven opening up to pour out life-giving rain upon his parched soul.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Urgent S.O.S.: Pleading for the Morning Light<#0.5#> The urgency of David’s prayer reaches an absolute fever pitch as he strings together a rapid series of imperative petitions, grouping together the thoughts in verse Safen, verse eight, and verse nine.<#0.5#> Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die and go down to the grave. Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.<#0.5#> David sends out an urgent spiritual distress signal, crying, “Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die and go down to the grave. Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide...
Welcome to Day 2904 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2904– “The Ultimate Close Encounter” based on Luke 9:51-62 Putnam Church Message – 06/14/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Snapshots From An Amazing Album.” Last week’s message was “Snapshots From An Amazing Album,” in which we studied four snapshots from Christ's ministry. Today, we continue with our twenty-eighth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “A Face Like Flint.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:51-62, on page 1611 of your pew Bibles. Samaritan Opposition 51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village. The Cost of Following Jesus 57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful for the steady, determined love of Jesus Christ. We confess that our hearts are often divided. We are distracted by comfort, delayed by excuses, wounded by rejection, and tempted to look back when You call us forward. Lord Jesus, as we watch You set Your face toward Jerusalem, help us see the depth of Your love and the seriousness of Your mission. Teach us what it means to follow You with unreserved sacrifice,>undivided devotion,> and unwavering commitment. Give us courage to press on. Give us grace to forgive. Give us faith to follow. May Your Word shape our hearts today. Amen. Introduction: The Finish Line in View The 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles gave us one of the most unforgettable marathon moments in Olympic history. Gabriela Andersen-Schiess entered the stadium near the end of the women’s marathon, but something was terribly wrong. Heat exhaustion and dehydration had taken hold of her body. Her legs were stiff. Her movements were uneven. Her body looked like it might collapse at any step. Doctors moved toward her, but she waved them off because if they helped her, she would be disqualified. She had already run more than twenty-six miles. Only a few hundred meters remained. So she kept moving. / Step by painful step. / Lean, stagger, recover. / Another step. / Another step. / Another step. For nearly six agonizing minutes, she willed herself forward until she crossed the finish line and collapsed into medical care. What stayed with people was not that she won the race. She did not. What stayed with people was her determination. The finish line had become her single focus. She had come too far to quit. In Luke 9:51, Luke brings us to a major turning point in his Gospel. Jesus has healed the sick, calmed the storm, cast out demons, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, revealed His glory on the mountain, and taught His disciples what the Kingdom of God is like. / But now the story turns. Luke says, “As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” That phrase — “Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem,” — is powerful. It draws from the Old Testament image in Isaiah 50:7, where the Servant of the Lord says, “I have set my face like flint.” Flint is a hard stone. It does not bend easily. It is not soft clay. It is firm, sharp, and unyielding. Jesus set His face like flint toward Jerusalem. / Why Jerusalem? * Because Jerusalem was where betrayal waited. * Jerusalem was where rejection waited. * Jerusalem was where false trials waited. * Jerusalem was where the cross waited. * Jerusalem was where the tomb waited. * But Jerusalem was also where resurrection would break the power of death. * Jerusalem was where salvation would be accomplished.
From this point forward in Luke’s Gospel, the cross is always in the background. Every conversation, every parable, every miracle, every encounter is moving Jesus closer to the place where He will give His life for the sins of the world. The theme of this passage is simple| but demanding: Jesus pressed on toward the cross, and He calls His followers to press on after Him. Here are the four truths that we can glean from today’s passage, as found in your bulletin insert on the side ‘A Face Like Flint.’ Main Point 1: Jesus Set His Face Toward the Father’s Mission Luke tells us that the time was approaching for Jesus to be taken up. That points beyond the cross, beyond the grave, beyond the resurrection, all the way to His ascension. Jesus knew the whole journey. * He was not stumbling into Jerusalem unaware. * He was not trapped by circumstances. * He was not surprised by the hostility waiting there. * He was not swept along by political events beyond His control. * Jesus knew where He was going. * And He went anyway. * That is love.
In the previous message, “Snapshots From An Amazing Album,” we saw Jesus tell His disciples again that He would be handed over into the hands of men. They did not understand. They were afraid to ask. But Jesus understood fully. He knew the cost before He paid it. / Now, He begins the journey. This is the beginning of what many Bible students call Luke’s “travel section.” From Luke 9:51 through much of chapter 19, Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem. Luke will remind us again and again that Jesus is on the way. * He is not * He is not * He is not * He is pressing on.
Ancient Context: The Servant With a Flint Face Isaiah 50 gives us the background. The Servant of the Lord says He gave His back to those who struck Him, / His cheeks to those who pulled out His beard, / and His face to humiliation and spitting. Then He says, “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone.” That is the spirit of Luke 9:51. Jesus knew humiliation was coming. / He knew suffering was coming. / He knew the cross was coming. / Yet He set His face like flint. This is not stubbornness. Stubbornness can be foolish. This is holy resolve. This is obedience anchored in the Father’s will. Object Lesson: Flint and Clay Hold two objects: a piece of soft clay and a slate. Clay can be pressed, shaped, bent, and changed by almost any outside force. But flint is firm. It holds its edge.
Welcome to Day 2903 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2903 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 142:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2903 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2903 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Echoes From the Cave – Finding Our Sovereign Refuge in Utter Isolation<#0.5#> On our last trek together, as we navigated through the profound protective boundaries of Psalm One Hundred Forty-One, we listened as David begged the Lord to set a vigilant watchman over his mouth and to guard the door of his lips. He was deeply concerned about his internal response to external pressures, praying that he would not be lured into testing the wicked delicacies of spiritual compromise. Today, we step directly onto a contiguous trail as we enter Psalm One Hundred Forty-Two, verses one through seven. This psalm serves as an incredibly raw, beautiful companion piece to our previous studies. As we look closely at the landscape of this new passage, we notice that David has been plunged into an even more acute, claustrophobic crisis. The historical background of this psalm describes it as a maskil—a psalm of deep instruction—written when David was hiding deep inside a cave. Whether it was the damp, pitch-black cavern of Adullam or the desolate crags of En-gedi, David was physically trapped, hunted like an animal by the relentless armies of King Saul. The internal walls of his soul were closing in, matching the cold, rocky boundaries of his physical hiding place. Yet, even in this profound state of darkness, abandonment, and severe isolation, David does not despair. Instead, he transforms his damp subterranean prison into a magnificent anteroom of the heavenly palace, casting his eyes upward toward the sovereign council of the Most High God.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Pouring Out the Cosmic Complaint: The Heavenly Deposition<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the raw, uncut emotion of this prayer, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the urgent thoughts found in verse one and verse two.<#0.5#> I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.<#0.5#> In this opening movement, David wastes absolutely no time masking his desperation under a veneer of false stoicism. He cries out, “I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.” The vocabulary here is highly intense, painting a picture of an overflowing vessel that can no longer contain the pressure of its contents.<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the structural depth of these verses, we must view them through the fascinating lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, when an individual suffered severe injustice, they did not merely vent their frustrations into the void. They brought a formal, legal petition before the king or the supreme assembly. The Hebrew word for “complaint” used here is siyach, which carries a strong legal connotation. It refers to filing an official lawsuit or a formal legal deposition. David is bypassing all localized, corrupt earthly courts—which have completely failed him and are actively hunting him down—and is taking his legal case directly to the ultimate Supreme Court of the universe. By pouring out his troubles directly before Yahweh, David is demonstrating an advanced level of spiritual intimacy. He knows that the Creator of the universe, sitting enthroned among His holy heavenly council, is not indifferent to human suffering. David does not sanitize his prayers; he brings his raw, unfiltered agony into the courtroom of the Sovereign King, completely confident that his voice is being heard by the highest authority in existence.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Overwhelmed and Utterly Alone: Traps in the Dark<#0.5#> The narrative of David’s subterranean struggle deepens as he links his overwhelming internal state with the reality of his external traps, combining the logical thoughts found in verse three and verse four.<#0.5#> When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have hidden a trap for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one seems to know me! No one cares what happens to me.<#0.5#> David completely uncovers his soul, admitting, “When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have hidden a trap for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one seems to know me! No one cares what happens to me.”<#0.5#> This section beautifully illustrates the ultimate dark night of the soul. In the original language, the phrase “when I am overwhelmed” literally means that his spirit is fainting, wrapped in a suffocating shroud of profound weakness and anxiety. But notice the immediate, brilliant flash of cosmic confidence that pierces through the darkness: “You alone know the way I should turn.” This thought beautifully ties right back to the grand, transcendent themes of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine, where we discovered that God completely maps out our paths and knows our sitting down and our rising up. Even when David cannot see two feet ahead of him in the pitch-black cave, the omniscient King of heaven already sees the entire exit path fully illuminated. David then reports the terrifying reality of his surroundings, explaining that everywhere he goes, his enemies have hidden a trap for him. This directly echoes the toxic, predatory environments we encountered in Psalm One Hundred Forty and One Hundred Forty-One. His human adversaries, acting under the corrupting influence of dark, rebellious spiritual principalities, have laid hidden nets to trip his steps. To make matters worse, David looks around for human support and finds absolutely nothing, crying out that no one knows him and no one cares what happens to him. He feels utterly abandoned, forgotten by his friends, Isolated from his community, and discarded by society. Every earthly refuge has completely vanished, leaving him entirely exposed in the dark.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Ultimate Inheritance: Aligning with the True Portion<#0.5#> Finding himself completely stripped of human protection and earthly security, David makes a monumental, paradigm-shifting pivot in his spirit, anchoring his thoughts securely in the sovereign character of God as recorded in verse five and verse six.<#0.5#> Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.” Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.<#0.5#> When every earthly door is violently slammed shut, the vertical door to heaven remains wide open. David cries out, “Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.’ Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.”<#0.5#> Think deeply about the sheer theological weight of that statement. In the ancient Israelite worldview, the various nations of the world were assigned to lesser spiritual beings, but Israel was Yahweh’s unique possession, and Yahweh was the unique “portion” or inheritance of His people. When David declares, “You are all I really want in life,” which can be translated as you are my portion in the land of the living, he is making a profound cosmic allegiance. He is stating that even if King Saul strips away his earthly inheritance, his royal status, his home, his reputation, and his family, he still possesses the ultimate, indestructible treasure because he has Yahweh. He then presents his urgent petition to the heavenly throne, pleading for rescue because he has been brought very low and his persecutors are far too strong for him. He openly confesses his human limitations. He recognizes that Saul’s royal army, and the dark spiritual forces fueling their irrational hatred, are far too powerful for his small band of men to defeat on their own. He does not rely on human military tactics or political manipulation; he throws himself entirely upon the supernatural, intervening strength of the Sovereign King of the cosmos.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: From the Dungeon to the Congregation: The Final Verdict<#0.5#> Let us now examine the final, climactic verse of this beautiful prayer, where David looks completely past his current imprisonment and envisions a glorious day of public vindication in verse seven.<#0.5#> Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The righteous will crowd around me because you are good to me.<#0.5#> David closes his cosmic legal brief with a powerful plea for...
Welcome to Day 2902 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2902 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 141:1-10 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2902 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2902 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Incense of the Heart – Standing Guard at the Gates of the Soul<#0.5#> On our last trek together, as we climbed through the rugged terrain of Psalm One Hundred Forty, we witnessed David standing in the celestial courtroom of the Almighty, pleading for protection against violent adversaries. We felt the stinging spray of their serpentine words, and we saw the hidden nets they spread along his path. Today, we step directly onto a contiguous trail as we enter Psalm One Hundred Forty-One, verses one through ten. This psalm serves as a profound, beautiful companion piece to our previous study. But as we look closely at the landscape of this new passage, we notice a fascinating, highly critical shift in David’s focus. In the previous psalm, he was primarily concerned with the external weapons of his enemies, but now, in Psalm One Hundred Forty-One, David turns his vision inward. He recognizes a sobering spiritual truth that every wise trekker must eventually master: the greatest danger we face in times of heavy crisis is not just what our enemies might do to us, but what the crisis itself might cause us to do, or say, in return. David realizes that under the pressure of hostility, his own heart, his own mouth, and his own appetites could easily betray him, causing him to blend into the very wickedness he is fighting against.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Cosmic Incense: Elevating Prayer to the Heavenly Throne Room<#0.5#> Let us listen to the opening movements of this beautiful prayer, where David combines his urgent thoughts in verse one and verse two, establishing his focal point in the heavenly realm.<#0.5#> O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen to me when I cry to you for help. Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.<#0.5#> David begins with an intense, breathless plea, crying out, “O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen to me when I cry to you for help.” But then, notice how he frames the spiritual mechanics of his communication, praying, “Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.”<#0.5#> To fully grasp the magnitude of this imagery, we must look at it through the ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. When David lifts his hands and asks for his prayers to be received as incense, he is not just using pretty, poetic metaphors. He is operating with a deep understanding of the cosmic temple. In ancient Israel, the earthly tabernacle, and later the temple, were designed as physical copies of Yahweh’s heavenly palace. In that heavenly throne room, the Sovereign King sits enthroned, surrounded by His holy council of angelic beings. The burning of holy incense on the earthly altar represented the sweet-smelling cloud of praise and intercession that continuously rises before the true, cosmic throne. <#0.5#> David, quite possibly cut off from the physical tabernacle while fleeing for his life in the wilderness, realizes something spectacular. Even without an earthly altar, or a physical priesthood, his authentic, desperate cry for help can bypass earthly structures entirely. By the power of faith, his spoken words become spiritual incense, rising directly into the celestial assembly. When he lifts his hands, he is presenting his very body as the evening sacrifice. He is appealing directly to the ultimate Supreme Court of the universe, asking the Great Suzerain to pay immediate attention to his case, because the spiritual pressure around him has reached a critical, breaking point.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Guarding the Gates: The Battle for Words and Appetites<#0.5#> With his eyes firmly fixed on the heavenly King, David immediately launches into an incredible, defensive prayer for his own soul, grouping together the deep insights found in verse three and verse four.<#0.5#> Take control of my mouth, O Lord, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in wicked deeds. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil.<#0.5#> Here, David prays a prayer of profound humility, saying, “Take control of my mouth, O Lord, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in wicked deeds. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil.”<#0.5#> This is a stunning moment of vulnerability for a warrior king. David looks at the wicked people who are surrounding him, and he does not just see a political or physical threat; he sees a highly contagious spiritual disease. He knows that when we are constantly surrounded by gaslighting, lying, and malicious slander, our natural, human instinct is to strike back using those exact same low-level tactics. We want to retaliate with bitter, venomous speech. Therefore, David asks Yahweh to place a divine sentinel, a heavenly guard, over his lips. He understands that if he loses control of his tongue, he opens the gates of his soul to the forces of chaos.<#0.5#> Furthermore, David pleads, “Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil.” In the ancient Near East, eating at someone’s table was a profound act of covenant fellowship and alignment. The “delicacies” of the wicked represent the material wealth, the social status, and the temporary, luxurious benefits that come from participating in corrupt, systemic evil. In the divine-council context, partaking in these wicked feasts was often associated with honoring rival spiritual powers and bowing to the cultural idols of compromise. David is begging God for the spiritual discipline to refuse the attractive, comfortable bribes of the enemy, choosing instead the rugged path of righteousness, even if it means experiencing physical deprivation in the wilderness.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Healing Wound: Choosing Righteous Rebuke Over Wicked Fellowship<#0.5#> The narrative of David’s internal defense takes an extraordinary turn in verse five, as he contrasts the dangerous flattery of the wicked with the painful, yet life-giving correction of the righteous.<#0.5#> Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness. If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it. But I pray constantly against the wicked deeds of evil people.<#0.5#> David makes a remarkable declaration, stating, “Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness. If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it. But I pray constantly against the wicked deeds of evil people.”<#0.5#> This verse contains a massive chunk of wisdom for our daily trek of life. David recognizes that if he is going to stay on the path of integrity, he desperately needs accountability. He would much rather receive a harsh, painful, face-to-face correction from a godly person who loves his soul, than to sit at a luxurious table receiving the smooth, deceptive flattery of the wicked. He calls godly rebuke “soothing medicine,” or anointing oil for the head. It might sting at first, but its ultimate purpose is to heal, restore, and protect. <#0.5#> The proud adversaries who are trying to destroy David believe they are completely above accountability. They surround themselves only with yes-men who applaud their wickedness. But David, aligning himself with the wisdom of Yahweh’s kingdom, opens his heart to correction. Even as he remains completely open to being corrected by the righteous, his stance against cosmic and human evil remains totally uncompromising. He concludes this thought by noting that his life is locked in continuous, unceasing prayer against the destructive, wicked deeds of those who have rejected the ways of the Most High.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Overthrow of Tyrants: Justice at the Mouth of Sheol<#0.5#> The narrative now shifts outward once again, as David looks ahead to the ultimate, inescapable fate of those corrupt leaders who refuse to repent, blending his thoughts in verse six and verse seven.<#0.5#> When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, they will listen to my words and find them true. Like rocks that are split and shattered, the bones of the wicked lie scattered at the mouth of the grave.<#0.5#> David looks into the future of cosmic justice, declaring, “When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, they will listen to my words and find them true. Like rocks that are split and shattered, the bones of the wicked lie scattered at the mouth of the grave.”<#0.5#>...
Welcome to Day 2901 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2901 – Theology Thursday – Covenants and Culture: Yahweh’s Strategic Transformation of the Ancient Near East Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2901 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2901 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Covenants and Culture: Yahweh’s Strategic Transformation of the Ancient Near East.<#0.5#> In the rich tapestry of the Ancient Near East (ANE), where gods and mortals interacted through elaborate rituals and binding treaties, the biblical narratives introduce a revolutionary shift. Yahweh’s covenants with humanity did not merely reinforce cultural expectations; they transformed them. Unlike the deities of neighboring civilizations who mirrored and legitimized the social structures of their devotees, Yahweh entered the cultural space of His people to reshape it from within. This interplay of divine command and cultural resonance reveals both Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty and His desire for transformative relationship.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Cultural Resonance and Divine Directives<#0.5#> Yahweh’s covenantal style mirrors the suzerainty treaties common across the ANE. In these treaties, a powerful suzerain king would bind a vassal king to loyalty through an agreement filled with stipulations, blessings for obedience, and curses for rebellion. These treaty forms were widely recognized and respected in the ANE, providing a familiar and effective template for divine-human interaction. By employing these forms, Yahweh ensured that His commands were both intelligible and impactful within Israel’s cultural framework.<#0.5#> Yet the familiarity was only skin-deep. Yahweh was not adopting ANE forms to affirm the prevailing norms but to subvert and transform them. In doing so, He made divine truth both accessible and disruptive, anchored in the known but pointing toward a radically different vision of justice, holiness, and relationship.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Theological and Ethical Reforms<#0.5#> While the form of Yahweh’s covenants may have paralleled existing treaty structures, the content was often a complete departure from ANE norms. Israel’s covenantal law demanded exclusive loyalty to a single God, an idea entirely foreign to the religious pluralism of surrounding nations. Ethical obligations in Israel’s law focused heavily on protecting the vulnerable, including the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and the poor. Debt release, sabbath rest for slaves and animals, and strict prohibitions against bribery or partiality in justice went far beyond the ethical norms of contemporary legal codes.<#0.5#> In many ANE cultures, laws primarily served to protect property and consolidate the power of elites. Yahweh’s laws, by contrast, reflected a concern for righteousness, mercy, and communal holiness. This ethical dimension of the covenant was not a footnote; it was central. The Israelites were not merely subjects under divine rule; they were to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests mediating divine truth to the world.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Balancing Divine Sovereignty and Relatability<#0.5#> Yahweh’s use of treaty forms was both strategic and pastoral. It asserted His authority as the true King of Israel while also presenting Him as a God who speaks to His people in forms they understand. Yahweh was not a distant deity demanding obedience from afar. He was present in history, entering into a covenant, revealing Himself through relational promises, and anchoring His identity in concrete acts of deliverance.<#0.5#> This duality, sovereign yet accessible, transcendent yet involved, marks a distinctive feature of Israel’s theology. The covenant relationship was not mechanical obedience to divine fiat but a personal, binding commitment from both sides. Yahweh pledged Himself to His people, and in return, they were called to fidelity, justice, and worship.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Educational and Pedagogical Approaches<#0.5#> The choice to use familiar cultural forms also had an educational function. Rather than discarding everything the Israelites knew, Yahweh worked within their existing frameworks to guide them toward deeper truths. This pedagogical method allowed spiritual and moral growth over time, acknowledging that transformation, both personal and societal, is a process.<#0.5#> Like a master teacher, Yahweh started where His people were and led them forward. Each covenantal renewal deepened the understanding of divine character and the demands of holiness. Over centuries, the people of Israel would come to grasp more fully what it meant to be the people of God, called out from the nations not merely for privilege but for purpose.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: What Happens When the Covenant Is Broken?<#0.5#> A key distinction between Yahweh’s covenants and typical ANE treaties lies in what happens when the human side fails. In a standard suzerainty treaty, a vassal’s failure to uphold the terms could annul the agreement and provoke swift retribution. But with Yahweh, the breaking of the covenant never canceled His overarching plan.<#0.5#> Some covenants, like the one made with Abraham, are unilateral and unconditional. Yahweh alone passed through the sacrificial pieces, taking full responsibility for its fulfillment regardless of human faithfulness. Even when Israel sinned, the covenant endured because it was grounded in God’s promise, not human performance.<#0.5#> Others, like the Mosaic covenant, were conditional. Israel’s disobedience brought consequences such as plagues, exile, and the destruction of the temple, but not abandonment. Through the prophets, Yahweh issued covenant lawsuits, calling Israel back to repentance. Even in judgment, the goal was always restoration.<#0.5#> Ultimately, the New Covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 was Yahweh’s response to repeated human failure. This covenant, fulfilled in Christ, was not a replacement or abolishment of the earlier covenants but their proper fulfillment, bringing them to their intended purpose. It is rooted in the same divine commitment now written on the heart rather than stone. Through Jesus, the faithful Israelite, Yahweh bound Himself again to His people, securing the covenant by grace rather than law.<#0.5#> Fulfillment does not cancel what came before. Instead, it completes the trajectory set in motion by Yahweh’s earlier promises, preserving their integrity while transforming their expression through the work of the Messiah. The pattern is clear: human betrayal may break fellowship, but it never breaks Yahweh’s ultimate purpose. His covenants are not destroyed by sin; they are fulfilled through mercy.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: Yahweh Swears by Himself: The Unshakable Foundation of the Covenant<#0.5#> In the Ancient Near East, oaths were sworn by invoking a higher authority, typically a god who would enforce the agreement. But Yahweh, being the Most High, has no higher name to invoke. Instead, He swears by Himself. This marks His covenants as utterly unique and unchangeable, grounded not in human performance but in His own divine character.<#0.5#> When Yahweh makes the covenant with Abraham, Genesis 22 verse sixteen records Him saying:<#0.5#> “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord.”<#0.5#> This moment follows Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac. Yahweh’s oath confirms that His promises regarding offspring, land, and blessing to the nations are irrevocable. Hebrews 6 verses thirteen through eighteen reflects on this, stating that because God could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, so that by two unchangeable things—His promise and His oath—we might have strong encouragement.<#0.5#> This is not just poetic language. It means the entire covenant rests on Yahweh’s own nature, which cannot lie, change, or fail. This is why Paul in Romans 11, verse twenty-nine, says:<#0.5#> “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”<#0.5#> Even when Israel breaks the covenant, Yahweh’s sworn word remains in effect. He disciplines, exiles, and refines, but He does not abandon what He has sworn. The New Covenant, too, is grounded in this same self-binding faithfulness. Christ is the guarantor, not because of human righteousness, but because He is the embodiment of Yahweh’s unbreakable oath.<#0.5#> The seventh segment is: The Land Covenant and the Cosmic Contrast<#0.5#> The covenant for the land stands as a unique expression of Yahweh’s commitment to Abraham and his descendants. In Genesis 15 and 17, Yahweh promises
Welcome to Day 2900 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2900 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 140:1-13 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2900 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2900 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Shielded from the Serpent’s Venom – The Cosmic Courtroom of King Yahweh<#0.5#> In our previous expeditions through the majestic heights of the Book of Psalms, we rested in the transcendent sanctuary of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine. We marveled at the staggering, intimate reality of God’s complete omniscience and omnipresence, celebrating how He meticulously knit us together in the secret places of the earth, and how His protective hand continuously hems us in from behind and before. But as we step onto a brand-new mountain pass today, moving directly into Psalm One Hundred Forty, verses one through thirteen, the spiritual scenery shifts with dramatic, jarring intensity. We are descending from the quiet, beautiful mountaintop of divine contemplation, straight into the muddy, dangerous trenches of earthly and cosmic warfare. David reminds us quite vividly that while we are perfectly known and perfectly secure in the eyes of our Creator, we still must navigate a deeply broken, highly hostile wilderness, populated by those who actively align themselves with the forces of chaos and destruction.<#0.5#> The first segment is:The Venom of Deception: Verbal Warfare in the Cosmic Realm<#0.5#> Let us open our ears to the opening movements of this desperate prayer, as recorded in the New Living Translation, grouping together the logical thoughts found in verse one, verse two, and verse three.<#0.5#> O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent. Those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips.<#0.5#> In this opening cry, David wastes absolutely no time exposing the terrifying nature of the adversaries who have surrounded his life. He pleads, “O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent.” But notice carefully how David defines this violence; he does not immediately point to unsheathed swords, or marching infantries. Instead, he unmasks the internal architecture of their malice, explaining that they plot evil in their hearts, stir up trouble all day long, and weaponize their words, making their tongues sting like a snake, while the venom of a viper drips from their lips.<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the gravity of these verses, we must view them through the fascinating lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, words were never viewed as merely empty acoustic vibrations floating harmlessly through the air. Words were seen as potent, concrete extensions of spiritual reality, possessing the power to either bless and uphold cosmic order, or curse and unleash primordial chaos. When David describes his enemies as plotting evil in their hidden hearts, he is revealing that they are operating as human agents for the rebellious, unseen spiritual principalities who rule the dark corners of the globe. <#0.5#> Furthermore, the striking imagery of the snake and the viper’s venom carries a massive theological echo. It deliberately transports the ancient Israelite mind all the way back to the garden of Eden, back to the nachash—the deceptive, shining serpent who was a rebellious member of God’s heavenly host. That original spiritual rebel did not overthrow humanity through physical violence; he overthrew humanity through the subtle, poisonous corruption of his words, whispering deceptive lies that fractured the cosmic order of Yahweh. David is declaring that the wicked people surrounding him are speaking the native, venomous language of the serpent, attempting to inject spiritual poison into the social, political, and spiritual life of God’s covenant community.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Hidden Snares Along the Trail: The Strategy of the Proud<#0.5#> The narrative of David’s struggle continues to unfold as he links his logical thoughts together in verse four and verse five, mapping out the covert operations of his predators.<#0.5#> O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me. These proud people have set a trap to catch me. They have stretched out a net along the pathway and spread traps in my path.<#0.5#> David intensifies his petition, crying out, “O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.” He then uses the vivid vocabulary of an ancient wilderness hunter, describing how these proud people have set a trap, stretched out a massive net along the pathway, and spread hidden snares directly in his path.<#0.5#> This section beautifully illustrates the treacherous nature of our spiritual and earthly journey. Our adversaries rarely launch their assaults out in the open where they can be easily anticipated. Instead, like a calculated hunter tracking prey through the brush, they rely on covert manipulation, gaslighting, and invisible entrapment. They wait until we are walking along our normal, daily pathway, and then they attempt to trip us into a compromise, or trap us in a web of false accusations. <#0.5#> Notice that David specifically identifies these engineers of chaos as “proud people.” In the biblical worldview, pride is not just a psychological trait; it is a profound cosmic posture. To be proud means to actively refuse to submit to the sovereign rule of Yahweh, mimicking the original pride of the fallen cosmic rulers who erroneously believed they could usurp the authority of the Most High. These proud human adversaries set traps for David because they believe they can successfully operate outside of God’s moral boundaries, tracking down and devouring the righteous without ever being held accountable by the cosmic court of heaven.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Appealing to the Supreme Magistrate of Heaven<#0.5#> Faced with venomous lips and hidden nets, David does not attempt to fight fire with fire, nor does he rely on his own military strategic brilliance. Instead, he enters the celestial courtroom, combining his urgent thoughts in verse six, verse seven, and verse eight.<#0.5#> I said to the Lord, “You are my God!” Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy! O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle. Lord, do not give in to their evil desires. Do not let their evil plots succeed, or they will become proud.<#0.5#> David plants his feet firmly on covenant ground, declaring directly to the Almighty, “You are my God! Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!” He appeals to Him as the Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued him, and the one who served as a protective helmet over his head on the day of intense battle. He begs the King, “Lord, do not give in to their evil desires. Do not let their evil plots succeed, or they will become proud.”<#0.5#> This is a breathtaking masterclass in spiritual legal procedure. In the ancient world, when a weaker vassal was attacked by a hostile, lawless force, his only hope was to appeal to his high suzerain—the great king who had sworn a covenant oath to protect him. David bypasses all localized earthly authorities and goes straight to the ultimate Judge of the divine council. He uses the specific, sacred names of God—Yahweh and Adonai—reminding the Creator of their unique, binding relationship. <#0.5#> By calling God “the strong one who rescued me,” David is looking backward at his historical track record of deliverance, recalling how Yahweh previously protected his head from the physical and spiritual arrows of his enemies on the field of conflict. David knows that if the Sovereign Lord allows these deceptive, serpentine plots to succeed, it will cause these wicked people—and the rebel spiritual powers backing them—to boast that they have successfully outmaneuvered the cosmic King. Therefore, David’s prayer is not merely a plea for personal survival; it is an appeal for the public vindication of God’s supreme authority over the forces of lawlessness.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Law of Reciprocity: Chaos Devouring Itself<#0.5#> The psalm now transitions into an incredibly intense, imprecatory phase, where David outlines the divine retribution he desires to see fall upon his tormentors. Let us listen to these heavy words in...
Welcome to Day 2899 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2899 – “The Ultimate Close Encounter” based on Luke 9:37-50 Putnam Church Message – 06/07/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Snapshots From An Amazing Album.” Last week’s message was “The Ultimate Close Encounter,” in which we learned that the message still speaks: This is God’s Son. This is the Chosen One. Listen to Him. His will. His way. All the way. Today, we continue with our twenty-seventh message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Snapshots From An Amazing Album.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:37-50, on page 1610 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy 37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” 41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”/ 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. 46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you, who is the greatest.” 49 “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” 50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts. Thank You for giving us the Gospel accounts, not as random stories, but as carefully chosen snapshots of Jesus — His power, His compassion, His mission, and His way of forming disciples. Lord Jesus, as we open Luke’s Gospel today, help us see You clearly. Show us where we are trusting in ourselves instead of depending on You. Show us where we are avoiding hard truth because we do not want to face it. Show us where we are seeking greatness in the wrong ways. Show us where we have become too narrow, competitive, or protective of our own little group instead of rejoicing in Your Kingdom work. Holy Spirit, soften our hearts. Open our eyes. Teach us to lead, serve, and follow in the way of Jesus. In His name, amen. Introduction: A Gospel Photo Album The greatest story ever told is about the greatest Person who ever lived. And yet, we do not have an exhaustive account of Jesus’ earthly life. John tells us near the end of his Gospel (John 21:25) that Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. So, what do we have? / We have selected scenes. / Chosen moments. / Spirit-inspired portraits. / We might say the Gospels are like four photo albums. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each show us Jesus truthfully, but each one arranges the pictures a little differently. Sometimes they include the same scene, but from a slightly different angle. Sometimes one Gospel writer zooms in on a detail that another leaves in the background. Sometimes one chooses a picture that the others do not include. But every snapshot has a purpose. Luke is not simply saying, “Here are a few things that happened.” He is saying, “Look carefully. These moments reveal who Jesus is, what His Kingdom is like, and what it means to follow Him.” In last week’s message, “The Ultimate Close Encounter,” we followed Peter, James, and John up the mountain. There, they saw Jesus transfigured in glory. Moses and Elijah appeared with Him. The cloud of God’s presence surrounded them. The Father spoke: “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” That was the mountaintop. But now, in Luke 9:37–50, Jesus and the three disciples come down from the mountain into the valley of human need, failure, confusion, pride, and competition. That sounds a lot like real life, doesn’t it? We have moments of worship, clarity, beauty, and spiritual encouragement. Then we come down the mountain and face the same broken world. A family is in crisis. A child is suffering. Disciples are arguing. People misunderstand Jesus. Pride rises. Jealousy appears. Luke gives us four snapshots in this passage: 1. Jesus frees a boy after the disciples fail. 2. Jesus announces His coming betrayal and suffering. 3. Jesus redefines greatness through a child. 4. Jesus corrects the disciples’ narrow view of Kingdom leadership.
Together, these snapshots teach us what kingdom leadership looks like. Main Point 1: Snapshot One — Our Failure Reveals Our Need for Dependence The first scene begins the day after the transfiguration. Jesus, Peter, James, and John come down from the mountain and find a large crowd waiting. Among them is a desperate father. He cries out to Jesus, begging Him to look at his only son. That phrase matters: “my only son.” We have heard language like this before in Luke. Jairus had only one daughter. The widow of Nain had only one son. Luke wants us to feel the ache of a parent whose whole heart is wrapped up in one child’s suffering. This boy is tormented. He cries out. He convulses. He foams at the mouth. He is being crushed and harmed. Matthew and Mark give additional details. Mark tells us the spirit had often thrown the boy into fire and water to destroy him. The father had brought the boy to the disciples, but they could not help. Now pause there. / These disciples had recently gone out preaching, healing, and casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They had experienced the authority of Jesus flowing through them. But here they failed. At the bottom of the mountain, we see a painful contrast. / On the mountain: glory. / In the valley: agony. / On the mountain: the Father’s voice. / In the valley: a father’s cry. / On the mountain: Jesus shines with divine majesty. / In the valley: the disciples are powerless without dependence. Jesus responds with strong words about an unbelieving and corrupt generation. His language echoes the Old Testament, especially Israel’s wilderness years, when God’s people had seen His power but still wandered in unbelief. But then notice what Jesus does. / Even in His frustration, He does not turn away the father. He says, “Bring your son here.” As the boy comes, the demon throws him to the ground. Jesus rebukes the evil spirit, heals the boy, and gives him back to his father. / That little phrase is beautiful: Then He gave him back to his father. Jesus does not merely display power. He restores relationship. He gives a son back into his father’s arms. Object Lesson: The Unplugged Lamp Hold up an unplugged lamp. You flip the switch, but nothing happens. The lamp may be beautiful. It may be expensive. It may be placed in the right room. It may have a good bulb. But if it is not connected to the power source, it cannot shine. That is the disciples in this scene. / They had been given...
Welcome to Day 2898 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2898 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 139:19-24 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2898 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2898 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Today’s title is: Search Me, O God, and Lead Me Home<#0.5#> Today, we complete our trek through Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, focusing on verses nineteen through twenty-four from the New Living Translation. This final section may feel, at first, like a sudden and jarring turn. In our previous podcast, David was standing in wonder before the God who formed him in the womb, saw him before birth, recorded his days before even one of them had passed, and thought thoughts more numerous than the grains of sand. David ended that section with the beautiful confession that, when he wakes up, he is still with God.<#0.5#> Now, however, David moves from wonder to warfare, from worship to moral anguish, from being known by God to asking God to examine him. This is not a contradiction. It is the natural movement of a heart that truly loves the Lord. When we recognize that God knows us completely, forms us intentionally, and surrounds us continually, we also become more aware of what opposes his holiness, his justice, and his covenant love.<#0.5#> Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, verse nineteen, begins with David crying out for God to deal with the wicked. He asks God to destroy those who are violent and evil, and then he separates himself from them, saying, in effect, “Get away from me, you murderers.” That is strong language. It is uncomfortable language. Yet, it is also honest language from a man who has seen what evil can do.<#0.5#> David is not speaking as a casual observer. He has lived in a world where violence breaks families, corrupts nations, defiles worship, and destroys the innocent. As Israel’s king, he knew that evil was not merely a private flaw tucked away in the heart. Evil could become public, organized, and destructive. It could infect courts, armies, cities, temples, and thrones. Wickedness was not an abstract idea to David. It had names, weapons, plans, and victims.<#0.5#> In the ancient Israelite worldview, rebellion against God was never only earthly. Scripture presents a universe in which the Lord reigns above every power, every nation, every ruler, and every spiritual being. The divine council imagery reminds us that God is the Most High, surrounded by heavenly servants, yet unrivaled in authority. When human beings give themselves to violence, falsehood, and idolatry, they are not merely breaking social rules. They are aligning themselves with rebellion against the Creator’s order.<#0.5#> That helps us understand David’s intensity. He is not simply saying, “I dislike difficult people.” He is grieving those who stand against the Lord’s purposes. He is pleading for God’s justice to break the power of those who shed innocent blood. In a world where the vulnerable are often crushed, where tyrants often prosper, and where evil often wears a respectable mask, David’s prayer says, “Lord, do not let wickedness have the final word.”<#0.5#> Then, in verse twenty, David says that these enemies blaspheme God, and that they misuse his name. They speak of the Lord with deceit, contempt, and rebellion. In the New Living Translation, the sense is that they take God’s name in vain, using holy language for unholy purposes.<#0.5#> This is a serious charge. In Israel, the name of the Lord was not a religious slogan. God’s name represented his character, presence, covenant, authority, and reputation among the nations. To misuse God’s name was to treat the Holy One as common. It was to drag sacred truth into the service of selfish ambition, violence, manipulation, or false worship.<#0.5#> We still see this today. People may use God-language to justify hatred, greed, pride, abuse, or indifference. They may speak the name of the Lord, while refusing the ways of the Lord. They may claim spiritual authority, while crushing others. They may use faith as a costume, while their actions reveal another allegiance. David’s concern in verse twenty is not merely bad manners. It is spiritual treason. It is the corruption of worship itself.<#0.5#> Then, in verses twenty-one and twenty-two, David asks, “Shouldn’t I hate those who hate you, Lord? Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?” He says he hates them with complete hatred, and counts them as his enemies. Again, these are difficult words, and we must handle them carefully.<#0.5#> David is speaking in the language of covenant loyalty. He is declaring that he will not make peace with rebellion against God. He will not celebrate evil. He will not pretend that violence is harmless. He will not treat blasphemy as wisdom. He will not stand in neutral territory when the honor of the Lord is under attack.<#0.5#> Yet, as followers of Christ, we must read David’s words through the fullness of Scripture. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and bless those who curse us. He did not weaken God’s hatred of evil; he revealed God’s mission to redeem sinners. At the cross, we see both truths held together. God takes evil with absolute seriousness, and God offers mercy with astonishing grace.<#0.5#> So, how do we apply David’s prayer today? We do not use it as permission for personal bitterness, revenge, cruelty, or contempt. Instead, we let it teach us to hate evil without becoming hateful people. We reject wickedness without forgetting that we, too, need mercy. We stand against injustice, violence, deception, abuse, and blasphemy, while still praying that enemies may become brothers and sisters through repentance and grace.<#0.5#> That is why the final two verses are so important. David does not end by saying, “God, examine them.” He says, “God, examine me.” Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, verses twenty-three and twenty-four, bring us to one of the most well-known prayers in all the Psalms. David asks God to search him and know his heart, to test him and know his anxious thoughts. He asks God to point out anything in him that offends the Lord, and then lead him along the path of everlasting life.<#0.5#> This is the great turn of the psalm. David has spoken about the wicked. He has condemned violence. He has grieved blasphemy. He has declared loyalty to God. But before he walks away satisfied with his own righteousness, he opens his own soul to divine examination. That is wisdom. That is humility. That is spiritual maturity.<#0.5#> It is easy to see the sins of others. It is much harder to invite God to expose the sins within us. It is easy to criticize the violence “out there,” while ignoring anger in our own hearts. It is easy to condemn deceit “out there,” while excusing half-truths in our own speech. It is easy to grieve arrogance “out there,” while protecting pride in our own spirit. David refuses that kind of self-deception.<#0.5#> Remember how this psalm began. In Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, verse one, David said that the Lord had examined his heart and knew everything about him. Now, at the end, David asks God to do what God already does. “Search me.” Why ask God to search what he already knows? Because David is not asking for God’s information. He is asking for God’s transformation.<#0.5#> That is a vital distinction. God already knows every hidden corner of our hearts. He knows our motives, fears, memories, wounds, desires, and anxieties. But prayer is the act of inviting God’s knowledge to become our healing. We are saying, “Lord, bring into the light what I would rather keep in the shadows. Show me what I cannot see clearly. Reveal what is twisted, anxious, selfish, proud, fearful, or false. Then lead me.”<#0.5#> The word “anxious” is important. David does not ask God only to identify obvious sins. He asks God to know his anxious thoughts. Anxiety can drive us into control, suspicion, anger, avoidance, envy, and despair. Fear can distort our view of God, ourselves, and others. When David invites God into his anxious thoughts, he is opening not only his behavior, but his inner life.<#0.5#> Then comes the final request: “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” David knows that exposure without guidance would crush us. Conviction without mercy would leave us hopeless. But God does not search us merely to shame us. He searches us to lead us. The Great Shepherd reveals the dangerous path so he can guide us onto the everlasting one.<#0.5#> In the ancient covenant world, there were two paths: the path of life and the path of death; the way of wisdom and the way of folly; loyalty to the Lord and rebellion against him. David asks to be led in the ancient, enduring, everlasting way—the way aligned with God’s character, God’s kingdom, and God’s future.<#0.5#> For us, this path is fully revealed in Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the righteous King greater than David. He is the One who confronts evil, forgives sinners,...
Welcome to Day 2897 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2897 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 139:13-18 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2897 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2897 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Today’s title is: Wonderfully Made, Forever Known<#0.5#> Today, we continue our trek through Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, focusing on verses thirteen through eighteen from the New Living Translation. In our previous podcast, David lifted our eyes to the inescapable presence of God. He asked, in essence, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” The answer was clear. Nowhere. Not the heavens above. Not the grave below. Not the farthest sea. Not even the darkness of night. God is there. God sees. God knows. God guides. God holds us fast.<#0.5#> Now, in verses thirteen through eighteen, David moves from God’s presence around us, to God’s knowledge within us. He takes us from the vastness of the universe, to the hidden place where every human life begins. He moves from the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the darkness, to the quiet mystery of the womb. There, before any person could applaud us, reject us, name us, measure us, or misunderstand us, God already knew us. God was already at work.<#0.5#> Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, verses thirteen and fourteen, remind us that God made all the delicate inner parts of David’s body, and knit him together in his mother’s womb. David responds with worship. He thanks God because he is made in an amazing and wonderful way. God’s workmanship is marvelous, and David knows it deeply in his soul.<#0.5#> This is not David being proud, vain, or self-centered. This is David standing in awe of the Creator. He is not saying, “Look how impressive I am.” He is saying, “Look how wise, careful, and intentional God is.” David sees his own life as evidence of God’s personal involvement. His bones, his organs, his personality, his capacity to think, love, choose, repent, worship, and create—all of it points back to the Lord who formed him.<#0.5#> In the ancient Israelite worldview, life was never considered random or meaningless. The Lord was not a distant force, watching from far away. He was the living God, the covenant God of Israel, the Creator who ruled above every spiritual power. The nations around Israel often believed in many gods, local gods, fertility gods, household gods, and unseen powers assigned to territories. But David’s confession is different. He does not credit his existence to chance, fate, lesser spiritual beings, or the shifting powers of the heavens. He says, in effect, “You, Lord, made me.”<#0.5#> That matters. In a divine-council worldview, God is surrounded by heavenly beings who serve his purposes, but none of them shares his throne. None of them creates life apart from him. None of them writes our story independently of him. The Lord alone is Creator. The Lord alone is sovereign. The Lord alone forms human beings in his image, with dignity, purpose, and eternal value.<#0.5#> David describes God’s creative work with the tenderness of a master craftsman. The image is not of mass production. It is not an assembly line. It is not careless or mechanical. It is more like weaving, shaping, and forming with skill. Every life begins hidden from human eyes, but not hidden from God’s eyes. Every child develops in secret, but not in isolation. Every heartbeat, every cell, every feature, every unseen process unfolds under the attention of the Creator.<#0.5#> That should change the way we see ourselves. Many people look in the mirror and see only flaws. They see what age has changed, what hardship has scarred, what weakness has limited, or what comparison has criticized. But David invites us to look deeper. Before culture labeled us, before failure wounded us, before fear silenced us, before sin distorted us, God formed us. Our value does not begin with what we achieve. It begins with the One who made us.<#0.5#> It should also change the way we see others. Every person we meet carries the fingerprints of God. The unborn child, the elderly neighbor, the disabled friend, the difficult coworker, the forgotten prisoner, the refugee, the lonely widow, the confused teenager, and the person who does not yet know the Lord—all are people created by God, known by God, and accountable to God. Human dignity is not granted by society. Human dignity is given by the Creator.<#0.5#> Verse fifteen continues this thought. David says that God watched him as he was being formed in secret, as he was woven together in the dark place of the womb. The language is poetic, but the truth is powerful. The beginning of life may be hidden from public view, but it is not hidden from God. God sees what no doctor, parent, ruler, or priest can yet see. Before David had a public identity, he had divine attention.<#0.5#> The phrase “formed in secret” does not mean forgotten. It means sacred. Some of God’s most important work happens in places no one else notices. Seeds grow underground. Roots strengthen beneath the surface. Character forms in quiet choices. Faith deepens in lonely valleys. Healing begins before anyone sees the evidence. God often does his finest work in hidden places.<#0.5#> That may speak to you today. Perhaps you are in a hidden season. You are serving, but few notice. You are grieving, but few understand. You are changing, but no one sees it yet. You are praying, waiting, learning, and trusting in the dark. Psalm one hundred thirty-nine tells us this: hidden does not mean meaningless. Hidden does not mean abandoned. Hidden does not mean unseen. God watched David in the womb, and God watches over you in the quiet places of formation.<#0.5#> Then, in verse sixteen, David says that God saw him before he was born. Every day of his life was recorded in God’s book before even one day had passed. This is a breathtaking statement. David is not saying he understands every mystery of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. He is not claiming that life will be easy, predictable, or free from sorrow. He is confessing that his life is not accidental. His days are known by God.<#0.5#> In the ancient world, kings kept records. Courts kept scrolls. Names, decisions, judgments, and decrees were written down. In the heavenly-council imagery of Scripture, God is sometimes pictured as the great King whose records are true, whose judgments are righteous, and whose purposes stand. David imagines his life written before it unfolded—not because he was trapped by fate, but because he was held within the wisdom of God.<#0.5#> That is both humbling and comforting. It is humbling because our lives are not ours to waste. Each day is a stewardship. Each breath is a gift. Each opportunity to love, forgive, serve, speak truth, and walk in wisdom matters. But it is also comforting because our lives are not out of control. Even when our days feel confusing to us, they are not confusing to God. Even when we cannot see the path ahead, God is not lost.<#0.5#> This does not mean every event in life is good. Scripture never asks us to pretend that evil is good, suffering is easy, or grief is small. David himself knew danger, betrayal, fear, and failure. Yet, he also knew that God’s knowledge was deeper than his pain. God’s purpose was stronger than his enemies. God’s mercy was greater than his sin. God’s presence was closer than his fear.<#0.5#> Then, in verses seventeen and eighteen, David’s worship rises even higher. After reflecting on the God who formed him, saw him, and knew his days before they unfolded, David considers the thoughts of God. He says that God’s thoughts are precious to him, and that they cannot be numbered. If David tried to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. And when David wakes up, he is still with God.<#0.5#> What a beautiful turn in the psalm. David does not merely say that God thinks. He says God’s thoughts are precious. That means God’s mind is not cold, distant, or mechanical. God’s knowledge is not simply data. God’s thoughts toward his people are weighty, valuable, personal, and full of purpose. The One who knows every detail of our lives also thinks toward us with wisdom beyond measure.<#0.5#> Imagine standing on the shore of the sea, scooping a handful of sand, and trying to count each grain. Then imagine the entire beach, every shoreline, every desert, every hidden place where dust and sand gather across the earth. David says, “That is still not enough to measure the thoughts of God.” The Lord’s wisdom is too vast for calculation. His attention is too deep for comprehension. His care is too constant to exhaust.<#0.5#> For ancient Israel, this was deeply reassuring. They lived in a world where nations feared the movements of stars, signs in the skies, omens, gods of war, gods of fertility, and spirits of the unseen realm. But David does not fear that he is lost in a universe crowded with competing powers. The Lord, the Most High God, knows him fully. The Lord’s thoughts are greater than the heavenly beings,...
Welcome to Day 2896 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory: A Revolutionary Promise in the Ancient Near East. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2896 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2896 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory: A Revolutionary Promise in the Ancient Near East.<#0.5#> The promise of resurrection and glorified embodiment is so central to Judaism and Christianity that it’s easy to overlook how unprecedented the concept was in the world of the Ancient Near East (ANE). In a cultural landscape dominated by bleak afterlife expectations, the biblical vision of a redeemed, reembodied existence shattered prevailing norms. The idea that humans might not only escape the grip of death but rise again in everlasting glory was nothing short of revolutionary.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Death in the Ancient Near East: A Realm of Shadows.<#0.5#> In the cosmologies of Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt, the afterlife was not a place of joy or fulfillment. It was a necessary descent into Sheol, Irkalla, or the Egyptian Duat, a dim and dusty realm where all the dead, good or evil, shared the same fate. This was a land of no return, where the dead were stripped of vitality, feasted on dust, and faded into obscurity. In Mesopotamian myth, even kings and gods wept over this fate, and no one, not even the mighty, escaped.<#0.5#> These views were not born out of nihilism but reflected a spiritual realism shared across the ancient world. Sheol and its counterparts like Irkalla and Duat were not metaphors. They were real destinations in the cosmology of the time, dreaded places where the dead existed as weakened, diminished shades. Life was fragile. Disease, war, and disaster struck without warning. The best a person could hope for was to retain a name among the living. Immortality was not life eternal, but legacy. The gods might live forever, but humans were destined for the shadowlands.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Sheol in the Hebrew Bible: A Shared Inheritance.<#0.5#> Early Hebrew thought shared many features with this ANE worldview. Sheol, as depicted in much of the Old Testament, was not a place of torment or reward but of silence and forgetfulness. Job lamented that the grave was a place where both the righteous and the wicked went. Psalmists cried out to God, not wanting to descend to Sheol where praise was no longer heard.<#0.5#> What made Sheol especially terrifying was the possibility of not just existing in a diminished state, but being utterly destroyed. In the worldview of Israel and its neighbors, some spirits in Sheol could be devoured, consumed by greater powers such as the Rephaim or forgotten entirely. To be erased from memory was to lose all identity and hope. The dead could descend further into oblivion, where no legacy or relationship with the living or with God remained. In this view, Sheol was not a passive waiting area. It was a realm where final annihilation remained a threat.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Bosom of Abraham: Covenant Protection in the Realm of the Dead.<#0.5#> Amid this grim expectation, later Jewish tradition introduced a dramatic contrast. The righteous were not abandoned to dissolution. Instead, they were gathered into what became known as the Bosom of Abraham. Far from being a metaphor, this designation marked out a region of Sheol reserved for those who belonged to the covenant. As seen in Luke 16, the faithful were carried by angels to a place of comfort and remembrance, not terror and erasure.<#0.5#> This was not yet heaven, but it was a protected state. While others faded into silence or were at risk of destruction, those in the Bosom of Abraham were remembered, preserved, and awaited resurrection. It was a place of being known by God, a key distinction from the rest of the underworld. Even in Sheol, Yahweh made a distinction between those who were His and those who were not. This growing expectation set the stage for a greater hope, one not just of preservation, but of reversal.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Breakthrough: Resurrection and Embodied Hope.<#0.5#> The first major crack in the prevailing view comes in Isaiah and Daniel, where we find explicit references to bodily resurrection: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.” These declarations were not metaphors. They were bold theological claims, ones that challenged the despair of the ancient world.<#0.5#> No longer was Sheol the final destination. A day was coming when the faithful would be raised, not as disembodied spirits, but as reembodied beings, fully restored and transformed. The language hints at glory, justice, and joy, completely alien to the sorrowful tones of ANE afterlife texts.<#0.5#> This was a radical theological move. The idea that the righteous would be bodily raised by Yahweh set Israel apart. The divine council rebelled, humanity fell, but God promised not just deliverance, but a glorified future beyond death. The concept did not develop in isolation. It was forged in contrast to the hopeless tomb-worlds of Israel’s neighbors.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: Christianity: From Seed to Splendor.<#0.5#> Christianity, rooted in Judaism, took this concept and revealed its full flowering. The Jewish hope of resurrection was never mere metaphor. It was a literal expectation of bodily restoration, rooted in prophetic texts like Daniel and Isaiah and affirmed in Second Temple writings, including the martyrdom accounts in 2 Maccabees. Christ’s resurrection was not symbolic. It was the historic and physical defeat of death itself. For Paul, this event was not only proof of life after death, but the firstfruits of what all the faithful would experience. Christ’s glorified body was a tangible preview of the embodied glory awaiting those who belong to Him.<#0.5#> Whereas pagan religions occasionally flirted with ideas of apotheosis or immortality for heroes or emperors, the Christian claim was far more subversive. Every faithful believer, slave or free, male or female, Jew or Gentile, was destined to rise again in glorified embodiment. This was not mythic metaphor. It was cosmic revolution.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: Resurrection vs. Reincarnation or Spirit Survival Importantly, this vision differed from reincarnation, where the self dissolves or returns in new form, and from spirit survival, where a ghost or shade lingers. The biblical model insists on the restoration of the person, not merely their essence. The soul is not freed from the body. It is reunited with a perfected one.<#0.5#> This was revolutionary not just in theology, but in anthropology. The human body mattered. The material world was not evil or illusory, as many surrounding philosophies taught. It was made good and would be remade.<#0.5#> In Conclusion.<#0.5#> In a world where death was final, where the grave was silent, and where the gods offered no escape, the biblical vision of resurrection was not merely hopeful. It was defiant. It redefined justice, identity, and destiny. No longer would the dead sleep forever. No longer would dust be the final word. From the ashes of Sheol, the faithful would rise, not as ghosts, but as glorified, embodied, eternal beings in communion with their Creator.<#0.5#> To explore this subject further, please consider these Discussion Questions.<#0.5#> 1. How did Ancient Near Eastern views of the afterlife shape the early Israelite understanding of Sheol, and in what ways did Israel’s theology begin to diverge?<#0.5#> 2. What does Yahweh’s power over Sheol, as depicted in the Hebrew Bible, reveal about His nature compared to the gods of neighboring cultures?<#0.5#> 3. Why was the concept of bodily resurrection considered radical in the context of ANE beliefs about death and the afterlife?<#0.5#> 4. How does the promise of reembodiment challenge modern views that separate spiritual salvation from the physical world?<#0.5#> 5. In what ways does the Christian claim of universal resurrection and glorified embodiment subvert ancient notions of divine privilege and human limitation?<#0.5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory:...
Welcome to Day 2895 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2895 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 139:7-12 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2895 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred ninety-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Shivering in the Omnipresence – No Hiding Places in Cosmic Geography<#0.5#> In our previous expedition along this ancient, sacred trail, we stepped into the breathtaking opening movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine, verses one through six. We explored the terrifying, yet deeply comforting reality of God’s absolute omniscience. We learned that the Creator has meticulously mined the deepest shafts of our hearts, intimately tracking our sitting down, and our standing up. We marveled at how He has hemmed us in, constructing a protective, supernatural perimeter around our vulnerabilities, and resting His hand of covenant blessing firmly upon our heads. We experienced a beautiful sense of spiritual vertigo, realizing that the infinite intelligence of our King completely surpasses our human comprehension.<#0.5#> Today, my friends, we take our next deliberate, awe-inspiring steps up the mountain pass. We are continuing our exploration of this magnificent psalm, focusing our attention on Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine, verses seven through twelve, in the New Living Translation. If the first six verses established that God knows everything about us, this next stanza reveals why that is a cosmic necessity. We are moving from the infinite depth of the divine mind, to the infinite width of the divine presence. David is going to take us on a rapid, macro-cosmic tour across the vertical and horizontal axes of reality, demonstrating that there is absolutely no hiding place in all of cosmic geography. Let us step onto the trail, and discover the beautiful impossibility of escaping the Sovereign King.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Vertical Axis: Piercing the Realms of Heaven and Sheol<#0.5#> Let us listen to the opening lines of this cosmic pursuit, as recorded in verse seven and verse eight.<#0.5#> I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.<#0.5#> In these grouped, contiguous thoughts, David confronts a reality that completely upends the ancient world’s understanding of space and spiritual authority. He cries out, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!”<#0.5#> To fully grasp the radical, polemical nature of verse seven and verse eight, we must view them through the brilliant lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview. In the ancient Near East, the surrounding pagan nations operated under a strict system of cosmic geography. They believed that the spiritual realm was deeply fragmented, carved up into competitive, localized jurisdictions controlled by different, territorial elohim—the rebel sons of God who were assigned to the nations after the Tower of Babel. If you were in Egypt, you were under the eye of Ra and Osiris; if you crossed over into Canaan, you were in the domain of Baal and Asherah. Furthermore, these gods were vertically limited. Baal was the lord of the high skies, but he had no power in the underworld. Mot was the terrifying king of the grave, ruling the domain of death where the living gods could not interfere.<#0.5#> The pagan world assumed that if you traveled far enough, or if you descended into the darkness of death, you could successfully escape the gaze of a specific national deity. But David stands as a theological revolutionary, and he completely demolishes this fragmented, pagan worldview. He looks at the vertical axis of the cosmos and declares, “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.”<#0.5#> Think about the absolute totality of this claim. “Heaven”—the Shamayim—represented the supreme, radiant assembly room of the divine council, the very zenith of cosmic light and order. If David climbs to the highest spiritual heights, Yahweh is effortlessly enthroned there, presiding over the loyal heavenly host. But then David flips the map completely, looking into the pitch-black abyss of the “grave”—or Sheol, the underworld. In pagan thought, Sheol was a garbage dump of forgotten souls, a territory completely isolated from the gods of life. <#0.5#> Yet David declares that if he makes his bed in the deep recesses of the underworld, he will open his eyes and find Yahweh standing right there next to him! There is no independent dark zone, and no demonic underworld, that can construct a legal barrier to lock the Creator out. Yahweh’s jurisdiction is absolute, unmediated, and completely seamless from the highest celestial throne, to the deepest subterranean tomb. The rebel principalities of death have no private closets where they can hide from the King of Glory.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Horizontal Axis: Overruling the Farthest Horizons<#0.5#> Having mapped the vertical dimensions of reality, the psalmist turns his attention to the horizontal limits of the earth, combining his logical thoughts in verse nine and verse ten.<#0.5#> If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.<#0.5#> David paints a breathtaking, cinematic visual of rapid, long-distance transit across the globe: “If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”<#0.5#> In the poetic vocabulary of ancient Israel, the “wings of the morning” referred to the first, blinding rays of the dawning sun, leaping up over the eastern horizon at the speed of light. Conversely, the “farthest oceans” referred to the western horizon, the deep, unpredictable, and highly dangerous waters of the Mediterranean Sea and whatever lay beyond. David is mapping out an extreme, east-to-west trajectory. He is saying, “What if I could capture a sunbeam in the east, fly across the entire planet in a fraction of a second, and drop myself down into the most remote, uncharted wilderness of the western sea?”<#0.5#> In the ancient mind, traveling to the farthest oceans meant crossing the boundary lines into disinherited pagan lands, crossing into territories heavily fortified by the rebel spirits of the nations. It was the ultimate frontier of chaos. In Canaanite mythology, the deep sea was the personal playground of Yamm, the god of primordial chaos and liquid destruction. A traveler who ventured into the far oceans expected to find themselves completely abandoned, left to the cruel whims of foreign elements and hostile deities.<#0.5#> But notice the beautiful, protective reality that intercepts David in verse ten: “even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” The phrase “even there” is a thunderous declaration of cosmic ownership. There are no blank spots on Yahweh’s map. There are no international waters where His sovereignty doesn’t apply. You can travel to the most distant, unchurched, and spiritually dark coordinate on the globe, and you will not find an empty space. <#0.5#> Instead, you will find that the personal, loving hand of your Creator has already beaten you there! He doesn’t just watch you from a celestial distance; His hand is actively present to guide your steps, and His raw, warrior strength is right beside you to support your weariness. The rebel principalities have no exclusive legal zones where they can isolate a child of God from the perimeter defense of the Almighty. The horizontal limits of the earth are merely a carpet unrolled beneath the feet of the King.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Spiritual Shroud: Dismantling the Canopy of Darkness<#0.5#> The narrative moves from the physical limitations of space, to the psychological and spiritual attempt to find a hiding place under the shroud of darkness. The psalmist groups these contiguous thoughts in verse eleven and verse twelve.<#0.5#> I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.<#0.5#> David explores a deeply human, and highly desperate temptation: “I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”<#0.5#>...
Welcome to Day 2894 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2894 – “The Ultimate Close Encounter” based on Luke 9:28-36 Putnam Church Message – 05/31/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “The Ultimate Close Encounter.” Last week’s message was “A Shocking Agenda,” in which we learned to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus, which is not the way to lose our life. According to Jesus, that is the only way to truly find it. Today, we continue with our twenty-sixth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “The Ultimate Close Encounter.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:28--36, on page 1609 of your pew Bibles. The Transfiguration 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a] which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving>Jesus, / Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts. We confess that we often see only what is right in front of us — our problems, our pain, our schedules, our fears, our disappointments. But Your Word reminds us that there is more than what we can see with our eyes. There is glory beyond suffering, resurrection beyond death, and a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Lord Jesus, as we look today at Your transfiguration, open our hearts to see You more clearly. Strengthen our faith. Quiet our fears. Teach us to listen to You. Help us follow You not only when the road is easy, but also when the road leads through sacrifice and suffering. May we leave this place with renewed confidence that Your will, Your way, all the way, is always best. Amen. Introduction: Our Hunger for Something More We live in an interesting age. I think we live in the most exciting age ever. That is why I would love to live another 70 years. We are at the threshold of major breakthroughs in all areas of life. Not everyone agrees with me. On one hand, skepticism is loud. Many people claim that nothing exists beyond what can be measured, tested, touched, or explained by science. They say the material universe is all there is. And yet, at the very same time, interest in the supernatural continues to grow. People watch shows about UFO sightings. They read books about near-death experiences. They watch movies about unseen worlds, spiritual forces, mysterious signs, angels, ghosts, and life beyond death. Even people who say they do not believe in God often feel that there must be something more. Why? Because deep inside the human soul is a longing to know that we are not alone. We want to know that our lives matter. We want to know that suffering is not meaningless. We want to know that death is not the end. We want to know that beyond the visible world lies a greater reality. That longing is not new. It goes back as far as humanity itself. Every culture in every age has looked beyond itself, searching the heavens for someone or something greater. In today’s passage, three disciples receive what we might call the ultimate close encounter. Peter, John, and James are allowed to see behind the curtain. For a brief moment, the veil between earth and heaven is pulled back. They see Jesus in glory. They see Moses and Elijah alive. They hear the voice of God the Father. And they learn something they desperately needed to know. In the previous message, “A Shocking Agenda,” Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised on the third day. Then He said that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him. / That was not what they expected. They expected the Messiah to march into Jerusalem, overthrow Rome, and restore Israel’s glory. Instead, Jesus spoke of suffering, rejection, death, and surrender. So now, about eight days later, Jesus takes three of them up a mountain to pray. There, He gives them a glimpse of the glory on the other side of the cross. The message is clear: The road of Jesus may pass through suffering, but it ends in glory. Let’s look at four truths that will explain this in our bulletin insert. Main Point 1: Jesus Reveals His Glory in the Place of Prayer Luke tells us that about eight days after Jesus said these things, He took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. That detail matters. Luke has repeatedly shown us that Jesus prayed at key moments. He prayed at His baptism. He withdrew often to lonely places to pray. He prayed before choosing the Twelve. He will pray in Gethsemane before the cross. Here again, Jesus goes up the mountain to pray. In Scripture, mountains often become places of divine encounter. Moses met God on Mount Sinai. Elijah heard the gentle whisper of God on Mount Horeb. Later, Jesus would teach on mountains, pray on mountains, and eventually be crucified near Jerusalem on a hill called Golgotha. So, when Luke tells us Jesus goes up a mountain to pray, we should lean in. Something important is about to happen. / As Jesus is praying, His appearance changes. Matthew says His face shines like the sun. Mark says His clothing becomes dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach it. Luke says the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. This is not stage lighting. / This is not imagination. / This is not the sun hitting His robe at just the right angle. / The glory that had always belonged to Jesus begins to shine through His humanity. For most of His earthly life, the glory of the eternal Son of God was veiled. People saw a real man from Nazareth. They saw Him tired. Hungry. Weeping. Sleeping in a boat. Walking dusty roads. Sitting at tables. Touching lepers. Holding children. Teaching crowds. / But on the mountain, for a few moments, the veil is pulled back. The disciples see that the One they follow is not merely a teacher. Not merely a prophet. Not merely a miracle worker. Not merely a wise rabbi. / He is the glorious Son of God. Object Lesson: The Covered Lamp Imagine a lamp covered with a thick cloth. The lamp is shining, but the cloth hides most of the light. You may see a little glow around the edges, but not the full brightness. / Now remove the covering. / The light floods the room. That is a simple picture of what happens on the mountain. Jesus does not become glorious for the first time. His glory is revealed. John later writes that the Word became flesh and lived among us, and “we have seen his glory.” Peter later writes that he was an eyewitness of Christ’s majesty. / This moment stayed with them. Ancient Context For Jewish disciples, shining glory would immediately connect with the presence of God. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after speaking with God, his face shone so brightly that the people were afraid to come near him. / But Moses reflected glory. / Jesus reveals glory. Moses came down from the mountain with God’s law. Jesus stands on the mountain as God’s Son. / That distinction matters. Jesus is greater than Moses. Greater than Elijah. Greater than every prophet,...
Welcome to Day 2893 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2893 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 139:1-6 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2893 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2893 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Sovereign Surveillance of the Soul – Intimacy Beyond Celestial Limits<#0.5#> In our previous expedition along this ancient, sacred trail, we stood on a glorious, sunlit ridge of faith with King David in Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight. We witnessed a staggering, holy audacity as David grabbed his harp and chose to sing his praises to Yahweh directly before the face of the false gods. We explored that cosmic courtroom scene through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine-council worldview, realizing that David was boldly declaring the total illegitimacy of the rebel elohim—those fallen, territorial spiritual principalities who held the disinherited nations under their dark, oppressive spell. We rested in the triumphant guarantee that even when we are completely surrounded by troubles, the raw, warrior strength of Yahweh’s right hand will shatter the rage of our adversaries, flawlessly executing His redemptive blueprints for our lives because His covenant love endures forever.<#0.5#> Today, my friends, we take our next deliberate, breathtaking steps forward on our trek, transitioning into what is universally recognized as one of the most intimately profound, and macro-cosmically sweeping pieces of literature ever penned by human hand. We are entering the opening movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine, verses one through six, in the New Living Translation. If Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight showed us David singing before the celestial council, the opening of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine reveals why the true Creator completely outmatches every single member of that rebellious heavenly assembly. We are shifting our focus from the external, international battlefields of cosmic warfare, and stepping directly into the quiet, absolute, and unmediated sanctuary of our own internal architecture. Let let us step onto this sacred ground, adjust our lenses, and prepare to be completely exposed, and beautifully comforted, by the infinite intelligence of our King.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Sovereign Scrutiny of the Ultimate Mind<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine: verses one, two, and three.<#0.5#> O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up; you know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.<#0.5#> The psalm opens with a deeply personal, almost terrifyingly transparent confession of divine absolute knowledge. “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.”<#0.5#> The Hebrew word used here for “examined,” or “searched,” is chaqar, a technical term that implies a deep, exhaustive, and meticulous excavation. It is the exact same word used in the ancient world for mining operations, where miners would dig deep into the pitch-black shafts of the earth, sifting through the rock to uncover the hidden gems, and secret veins of gold. David looks up at the King of the universe, and he realizes that his internal life has been completely, flawlessly mined. There are no dark corners, no hidden chambers, and no masked motives that have escaped the piercing gaze of the Almighty. Yahweh has bypassed all our carefully constructed public personas, and He knows the raw, unedited truth about everything we are.<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the cosmic warfare, and the radical theological polemic embedded in these three verses, we must contrast this reality with the severe limitations of the divine council’s rebel deities. In the ancient Near Eastern mythologies of Babylon, Canaan, and Egypt, the pagan gods were never viewed as omniscient. They were fundamentally localized, spatial, and limited in their intelligence. To find out what was happening in their empires, or to discover the secret plots of human beings, the false elohim had to actively rely on intricate networks of cosmic spies, spiritual messengers, and the messy, unpredictable data delivered through human divination, or the reading of bird flights.<#0.5#> If a person traveled outside the geographic border of a specific deity's territory, that god became blind and deaf to their movements. The rebel principalities were trapped by space, and blind to the internal motives of the human spirit. They could only judge external behaviors, and guess at the rest.<#0.5#> But David completely shatters that fragmented, pagan worldview in verses two and three: “You know when I sit down or stand up; you know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.”<#0.5#> Notice the beautiful, comprehensive pairings the psalmist uses to describe the totality of human existence. Sitting down and standing up represent the ordinary, routine movements of our daily routines. Traveling and resting at home represent the broad, expansive geography of our life journeys—the public paths of our careers, and the hidden, private sanctuaries of our domestic spaces. Yahweh doesn't need to check a celestial surveillance feed, and He doesn't need to dispatch an angelic messenger to find out where you are, or what you are doing. His presence is immediate, unmediated, and absolute in every single coordinate of time and space.<#0.5#> Even more devastating to the claims of the rebel gods is the phrase, “you know my thoughts even when I’m far away.” The Hebrew text implies that Yahweh perceives our internal processing from a cosmic distance. Before an inkling of a thought is even formulated within the neural pathways of our brains, the Creator has already read it perfectly. He doesn't just see what we do; He understands why we do it. The local boundaries of the disinherited nations mean absolutely nothing to the Most High God. You can travel to the most distant, pagan corners of the planet—completely outside the historical borders of Zion—and you are still intimately, thoroughly known by the Maker of heaven and earth. The spiritual principalities are totally blind inside their own dark territories, but Yahweh’s omniscience is a seamless blanket that covers the entire globe.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Divine Interception and the Protective Perimeter<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine: verses four and five.<#0.5#> You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go ahead of me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.<#0.5#> The psalmist moves from the silent architecture of his thoughts, to the dynamic, physical reality of his words and paths. “You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go ahead of me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”<#0.5#> Verse four introduces a staggering, time-bending dimension to God’s absolute awareness. “You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.” Human speech is the primary vehicle through which we attempt to project our will, build our relationships, or execute our hidden strategies. Often, we use our words to manipulate, to deceive, or to construct a protective wall around our vulnerabilities. But before a single syllable can form on David’s tongue, Yahweh has already heard the entire sentence echo through eternity. He intercepts our communication at its very root. He knows our true intent, long before we ever dress it up in the polite language of human conversation. There is no possibility of spinning the data in the courtroom of the Most High King.<#0.5#> This total, intrusive knowledge could easily produce a crushing sense of paranoia, if it were not balanced by the beautiful, protective reality of verse five: “You go ahead of me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”<#0.5#> The literal Hebrew text for “go ahead of me and follow me” utilizes an exceptionally powerful, military idiom: tsartani, which means “You have hemmed me in,” or “You have besieged me.” It is the exact vocabulary used when an army surrounds a fortress city, cutting off all exits, and establishing a tight perimeter. <#0.5#> In the context of the divine-council worldview, this is an incredibly comforting piece of spiritual defense. David realizes that he is a heavily contested asset. The rebel spiritual principalities, and their earthly proxies, are constantly seeking to ambush, derail, or destroy the anointed line of the true King. But Yahweh has established a hyper-vigilant, supernatural perimeter around His servant....
Welcome to Day 2892 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2892 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 138:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2892 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2892 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for Wisdom-Trek is: Praise in the Face of the Council – Uncompromising Worship Before the Gods<#0.5#> In our previous stop along this ancient, winding trail, we sat in the mud and wept. We explored the devastating, emotionally raw territory of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven, where we found the broken exiles of Israel sitting beside the literal irrigation canals of Babylon. We witnessed them hanging their heavy, silent harps upon the branches of the poplar trees, absolutely refusing to perform the sacred, liturgical songs of Zion for the amusement of their cruel, mocking captors. We felt the intense, dark pressure of cosmic geography, realizing that they were trapped inside the very womb of the ancient serpent’s rebellion—the territory of Babel—where the rebel spiritual principalities gloated over the apparent defeat of Yahweh’s people. It was a season of deep, suffocating shadows, and raw, agonizing cries for ultimate courtroom justice.<#0.5#> But today, my friends, as we step forward onto a brand-new path, the atmosphere completely transforms. We are stepping out of the Babylonian mud, and climbing onto a soaring, sunlit ridge of faith. We are beginning a collection of eight consecutive psalms explicitly attributed to King David, starting today with Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. David provides the ultimate, defiant antidote to the silence of the exile. Instead of hanging his harp on a tree out of fear or sorrow, David grabs his instrument, stands tall in the celestial courtroom, and uses his music as an aggressive weapon of cosmic warfare. Let us step onto the trail, adjust our spiritual focus, and learn how to sing our songs of victory directly into the teeth of the enemy.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Cosmic Defiance and the Architecture of Grace<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight: verses one, two, and three.<#0.5#> I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.<#0.5#> The psalm explodes into reality with a breathtaking, uncompromised pledge of personal devotion. “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the radical, counter-cultural nature of this opening stanza, we must look at it through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In our modern, Western world, we frequently skim past the word “gods,” assuming it refers to empty, psychological idols—like wealth or ego—or that it simply means imaginary figments of human superstition. But in the ancient Near Eastern context, the Hebrew word used here is elohim. David is not singing to thin air; he is standing in the middle of a heavily populated spiritual landscape. He is consciously addressing the lower, rebellious members of the heavenly host—the territorial, fallen principalities who held the disinherited nations under their dark, oppressive jurisdiction.<#0.5#> Think about the sheer, holy audacity of King David! He doesn't wait until he is safely insulated inside a private prayer closet to express his gratitude. He walks directly into the cosmic courtroom, looks the rebel elohim straight in the eyes, and opens his mouth to boast in Yahweh. This is the ultimate act of spiritual polemics. By singing praises before the gods, David is declaring that the rival powers are completely illegitimate. He is mocking their false claims of sovereignty, and demonstrating that his allegiance belongs exclusively to the one true Most High God. His worship is a direct, mocking challenge to the principalities of darkness.<#0.5#> He reinforces this allegiance in verse two, mapping out his physical and spiritual alignment: “I bow before your holy Temple as I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.”<#0.5#> Even if David is physically distant from Jerusalem—perhaps running for his life in the wilderness, or fighting battles on foreign soil—he turns his body and bows toward the holy Temple. In cosmic geography, the Temple on Mount Zion was the unique, earthly footprint of Yahweh’s heavenly throne room. It was the place where heaven and earth intersected. By bowing toward that specific center, David is rejecting the sacred high places of the pagan gods, and locking his spiritual compass onto the true capital of the universe. <#0.5#> And why is he praising Him? For two specific attributes: Hesed and Emet—His unfailing love, and His unshakeable faithfulness. David notes that Yahweh’s promises are backed by all the honor of His Name. In the ancient world, a king’s reputation was bound to his word. If a king failed to keep a promise, his name became a laughingstock among the rival nations. But Yahweh’s character is flawless. He has staked the entire weight of His eternal reputation on His covenant promises, ensuring that the dark powers cannot find a single legal loophole to defeat His redemptive plans. <#0.5#> This cosmic security leads to the intimate, practical reality of verse three: “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.” The rebel gods were distant, capricious, and demanded frantic, exhaustive rituals before they would ever notice their followers. But Yahweh is immediately accessible. The moment the king calls out from the battlefield, the response from the heavenly throne room is instantaneous. The Creator doesn't necessarily remove the physical trouble immediately, but He floods the internal soul of His servant with a supernatural, muscular encouragement, giving him the precise strength required to stand firm against the onslaught.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Reclaiming of the Disinherited Kings<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight: verses four, five, and six.<#0.5#> Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great. Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.<#0.5#> David transitions his song from his personal, defiant testimony, to a grand, prophetic vision of global transformation. “Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great.”<#0.5#> To understand the immense scale of this prophecy, we must recall the foundational tragedy of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine. At the Tower of Babel, because of humanity’s persistent rebellion, Yahweh disinherited the nations of the earth. He gave them over to the rule of lesser spiritual beings, choosing the family of Abraham—Jacob—as His own personal, prized allotment. Ever since that moment, the kings of the earth had been operating under the corrupt, dark inspiration of their territorial, pagan deities. They built empires based on tyranny, slavery, and the worship of the rebel council.<#0.5#> But David looks down the timeline of history, and he foresees a total, spectacular global reclamation. He declares that every king in all the earth will eventually turn, and thank Yahweh! Why? Because “all of them will hear your words.” The voice of the true Creator will penetrate the dark, spiritual borders of the disinherited nations. The Gospel of the Kingdom will shatter the monopoly of the false gods. The earthly rulers will abandon their localized, mute idols, and they will actually begin to sing about the ways of Yahweh, acknowledging that His glory is completely unmatched in any dimension of reality. This is the prophecy of the Great Commission, the final, beautiful restoration where the nations are bought back, and integrated into the true family of God.<#0.5#> David then highlights the unique, stunning character of the true Sovereign in verse six, drawing a sharp contrast with the nature of the false gods: “Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.”<#0.5#> In the ancient Near East,...
Welcome to Day 2891 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – When Myth Remembers: The Case for the Supernatural in History. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2891 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2891 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: When Myth Remembers: The Case for the Supernatural in History.<#0.5#> Modern thinking often treats myths as primitive fiction, old stories made up to explain what ancient people didn’t understand. This is a shallow and deeply flawed view. A myth, in its original form, was never just a tale. It was a framework for understanding reality. Myths carried the collective memory, theology, morality, and worldview of a people group. They encoded truth, not always literal in every detail, but meaningful, historical, and often rooted in real events, places, and supernatural encounters.<#0.5#> To dismiss myths because they involve divine beings or miracles is to miss their purpose. Ancient people did not separate the sacred from the secular. Their myths reflected how they understood the world and how they encountered powers beyond it.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Historical Memory Preserved in Myth<#0.5#> Some myths are poetic versions of real events. The story of the Trojan War, once thought to be legend, gained new weight when archaeological discoveries confirmed the existence of a city that fits Homer’s description of Troy. Likewise, while the legends of King Arthur are wrapped in fantasy, they are likely based on a real post-Roman warlord who resisted Saxon invaders. Even in Scripture, the events that modern critics label “mythic” often show clear signs of historical anchoring. The global flood, the destruction of Sodom, the Tower of Babel, and the conquest of Canaan are presented not as metaphors but as real acts of God in human history. These accounts, though cosmic in scope, are rooted in geography, time, and national memory.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Myth as Cultural Lens<#0.5#> Myths also reveal what mattered most to a people. Norse mythology, shaped by harsh winters and unrelenting violence, emphasizes cold, fate, and struggle. Mesopotamian myths center on divine kingship and cycles of fertility, reflecting the importance of rivers, temples, and crops. These stories do not just preserve events; they preserve the lens through which cultures viewed divine activity.<#0.5#> In the Bible, this same pattern holds. Its creation narrative, flood story, and judgments are not recycled myths but deliberate responses to the surrounding pagan world. Scripture confronts and corrects the worldview embedded in other myths. It does not borrow their gods. It defeats them.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Modern Turn Against the Supernatural<#0.5#> The rejection of mythic material as a source of truth is not ancient. It is modern. It was not the biblical writers or the early Church who dismissed the supernatural. That rejection began in earnest during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when Western intellectual culture began shifting under the influence of the Enlightenment.<#0.5#> The Enlightenment exalted reason, skepticism, and empirical science. Thinkers like David Hume and Immanuel Kant argued that miracles violated the laws of nature and were therefore unreliable as historical events. Supernatural claims were relegated to the realm of fiction or psychological projection. This created a new definition of truth, one that excluded divine intervention, spiritual beings, and cosmic conflict.<#0.5#> In the nineteenth century, these assumptions were applied to the Bible through the historical-critical method. Scholars such as Julius Wellhausen dissected Scripture not as divine revelation but as a collection of evolving mythologies shaped by human communities. The creation narrative, the flood, the Tower of Babel, and the miracles of Jesus were no longer treated as actual events but as religious poetry or borrowed legends. In this model, myth was not something to be trusted. It was something to be deconstructed.<#0.5#> Even movements that sought to preserve the value of myth, such as Romanticism, did so by redefining it. Myths were not allowed to speak about divine realities. Instead, they were reduced to metaphors for the human condition. Their theological and historical weight was stripped away in favor of psychological interpretation.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Augustine’s Overcorrection: From Mysticism to Minimalism<#0.5#> But the groundwork for this modern rejection of mythic material was laid even earlier. Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential theologians in Christian history, had once been deeply involved in Manichaeism, a mystical cult that emphasized a cosmic struggle between light and darkness. After leaving the cult and converting to Christianity, Augustine understandably sought to distance himself from the elaborate supernatural systems he had once embraced.<#0.5#> However, in doing so, he overcorrected. He rejected many established supernatural interpretations of Scripture, favoring more allegorical and philosophical approaches. Influenced by Neoplatonism, Augustine prioritized abstract spiritual realities over tangible supernatural beings. He reinterpreted Genesis 6, for example, not as a rebellion of divine beings, but as a moral tale about the intermarriage of the godly and ungodly. Though Augustine never denied God’s power or the reality of miracles, his discomfort with mythic material and his desire for theological respectability led him to downplay or spiritualize the cosmic conflict found in much of the Bible. His influence steered much of Western theology away from the ancient worldview that accepted divine councils, rebellious spirits, and supernatural intervention as real components of history.<#0.5#> This theological shift made it easier for Enlightenment thinkers to later dismiss myth outright. The supernatural had already been contained and abstracted. In many ways, the modern rejection of myth did not begin with science. It began with Augustine’s reaction against his own past.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: The Myth That Was True and the Myths That Remembered<#0.5#> Not all myths are lies. Many are distorted memories of real events, echoes of a spiritual history that the nations once knew but later twisted. The flood, the divine rebellion, the rise of giants, the war among the gods, these appear in cultures across the globe not because they were invented out of thin air, but because they preserve fragments of true events. The nations remembered the rebellion of the sons of God, but they passed it down in corrupted form. They remembered divine judgments, but attached them to false deities. Their stories are not false because they are myth. They are flawed because they lost the context of Yahweh’s supremacy.<#0.5#> In the twentieth century, this idea was captured powerfully in a conversation between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. At the time, Lewis still considered myths to be beautiful lies, moving, meaningful, but ultimately untrue. Tolkien challenged that view. He explained that myths resonate because they point to something real. Humanity tells stories of gods and sacrifice and resurrection because it dimly remembers. Made in the image of a Creator who speaks through story, we carry within us a longing for the true version of the story all nations once knew.<#0.5#> Tolkien told Lewis, “The story of Christ is a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference: it really happened.” The point was not that the other myths were worthless, but that they were shadows. The gospel is the fulfillment of what all the others pointed toward. It is not myth in the modern sense of fiction, but myth in the ancient sense of divine reality revealed in story.<#0.5#> Where the nations preserved pieces of divine truth wrapped in confusion, Scripture restores the original pattern. Where paganism elevates rebel gods and obscures justice, the Bible reorients the mythic structure around Yahweh, the Most High. It does not erase the mythic imagination. It redeems it.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: Yahweh Is Not Bound by the System He Created<#0.5#> A major reason people reject mythic material is the presence of supernatural events. Miracles, divine appearances, and acts of judgment are written off as fabrications because they do not conform to natural law. But that objection is built on a misunderstanding of who Yahweh is.<#0.5#> If we believe that Yahweh is...
Welcome to Day 2890 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2890 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 137:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2890 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2890 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Tears by the Rivers of Babylon – The Exile’s Anthem of Defiant Remembrance<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand, historical expedition, we stood on the absolute summit of Hebrew liturgy, exploring the magnificent, rhythmic crescendos of the Great Hallel, Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six. Our voices joined the thunderous, ancient procession as we chanted the eternal, unyielding refrain: “His faithful love endures forever.” We celebrated the supreme Sovereign of the cosmic council, who skillfully forged the heavens, pinned down the chaotic primordial waters, and systematically slaughtered the giant rebel kings, Sihon and Og, to hand over the Promised Land as a permanent inheritance to His treasured people. We rested deeply in the comforting assurance that the God of heaven remembers us in our weakness, and fiercely pours out His fatherly compassion upon His servants.<#0.5#> But today, my friends, as we step forward onto Day two thousand eight hundred ninety of our journey, we experience a sudden, violent, and deeply jarring shift in the landscape. We are entering into what is arguably the most heartbreaking, emotionally raw, and controversial poem in the entire Psalter: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. The triumphant, sunlit courts of Jerusalem have vanished. The glorious chords of the temple orchestra have fallen completely silent. Instead, we find ourselves sitting in the mud, weeping in the suffocating shadows of a hostile, foreign empire. The inheritance appears to be entirely lost, the holy city has been burned to ash, and the people of God are trapped inside the geographic epicenter of the cosmic rebellion. Let let us step onto this agonizing section of the trail, adjust our lenses to navigate the dark waters of sorrow, and listen to the defiant song of the exile.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Heavy Harps and the Cruel Taunts of Babel<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven: verses one, two, and three .<#0.5#> Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of the poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors demanded a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”<#0.5#> The poem opens with an incredibly vivid, melancholic scene that captures the profound trauma of displacement. “Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of the poplar trees.”<#0.5#> To fully comprehend the immense spiritual and psychological warfare embedded in these opening lines, we must view this geography through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the cosmic geography of the ancient world, Babylon was not just a powerful human political empire; it was the historical, and spiritual, womb of the cosmic rebellion. This was the territory of Babel, the exact site where humanity originally attempted to build an autonomous empire to make a name for themselves, resulting in Yahweh disinheriting the nations and placing them under the jurisdiction of lesser, rebel spiritual principalities—the fallen sons of God. To be violently dragged away from Judah, and forced to sit "beside the rivers of Babylon," meant that the Israelites were physically sitting within the occupied territory of hostile, rival elohim.<#0.5#> The rivers of Babylon—the complex network of irrigation canals fed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers—were symbols of the empire’s economic might, and the apparent supremacy of their gods. The captives sat by these waters, completely crushed, and they wept. They were not just homesick; they were experiencing a profound theological crisis. Their temple was destroyed, the Ark of the Covenant was gone, and it appeared to the watching world that the rebel gods of Babylon had successfully triumphed over Yahweh. In their deep grief, they performed a symbolic act of architectural silence: they hung their beautiful, stringed harps upon the branches of the weeping poplar trees lining the canals. The music that had once filled the cosmic center of Mount Zion was intentionally shut down. The harps became dead weights, swaying in the foreign wind.<#0.5#> The pain of this silence is violently exacerbated by the psychological cruelty of their captors in verse three: “For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors demanded a joyful hymn: ‘Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!’”<#0.5#> This was not a polite request for cultural exchange or musical entertainment. This was an act of aggressive, mocking spiritual intimidation. The Babylonian soldiers, acting under the dark inspiration of their territorial deities, wanted to humiliate the broken exiles. They wanted the Israelites to perform their sacred, liturgical temple hymns—the grand songs of Zion that celebrated Yahweh’s absolute supremacy over the nations—as a circus act for the amusement of the conquerors. It was a cruel taunt, designed to force the captives to admit defeat, to mock the apparent helplessness of their God, and to pressure them into assimilating into the pagan culture of the empire. The enemy wanted to weaponize their own sacred music against their souls.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Oath of the Unbending Tongue<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven: verses four, five, and six.<#0.5#> But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.<#0.5#> The text responds to the cruel mockery of the captors with a fierce, defiant, and completely unyielding refusal. “But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?”<#0.5#> To the ancient Israelite, singing the shir Yahweh—the song of the Lord—was an act of high, localized covenant sanctuary. The sacred songs were designed exclusively for the cosmic mountain, the holy space where the presence of the Creator uniquely dwelt. To perform these holy liturgies for the amusement of a pagan audience, within the defiled, demonically supervised territory of Babylon, would be an act of supreme spiritual treason. It would be an acknowledgment that Yahweh could be domesticated, transformed into a minor, defeated deity who exists merely to entertain the proxies of the rebel council. The exiles draw a hard, non-negotiable line in the mud. They choose silence over sacrilege.<#0.5#> The psalmist then seals this refusal by swearing a terrifying, double-sided personal oath of absolute, multi-generational remembrance in verses five and six. “If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.”<#0.5#> The writer is a temple musician, an artist whose entire livelihood, status, and identity depend on his right hand’s ability to skillfully pluck the strings of the harp, and his tongue’s ability to articulate the beautiful melodies of the liturgy. He deliberately invokes a self-malediction, a curse upon his own biological tools of expression. He says, “If I ever allow the comfort, the wealth, and the seductive luxury of Babylon to make me complacent, if I ever forget the cosmic center of Mount Zion, if I ever assimilate into this pagan empire and lose my distinct identity, then let my right hand instantly wither, and lose its muscle memory! Let my tongue become paralyzed, permanently sticking to the roof of my mouth, so that I can never sing another note of any song for the rest of my life!”<#0.5#> This is a magnificent display of spiritual resilience. The psalmist realizes that the ultimate danger of the exile is not physical death, but cultural and spiritual amnesia. Babylon wants the exiles to forget who they are, to forget the covenant, and to forget the cosmic blueprint of the Creator. By making Jerusalem his “greatest joy”—even while it sits in smoldering ruins—the exile is performing an act of fierce, defiant loyalty. He anchors his mind to the unshakeable reality of God's future restoration, refusing to let the temporary success of the rebel principalities redefine the true focus of his...
Welcome to Day 2889 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2889 – “A Shocking Agenda” based on Luke 9:12-27 Putnam Church Message – 05/24/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “A Shocking Agenda.” Last week’s message was “Welcome to the War,” in which we learned that as we go about our daily lives, we go in the name of Jesus Christ, who has already won the decisive victory. Today, we continue with our twenty-fourth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: A Shocking Agenda.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:12-27, which is found on page 1608 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah 18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” Jesus Predicts His Death 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with open hearts and honest minds. We thank You for the Good News of Jesus Christ, but we confess that sometimes we want the blessings of Your Kingdom without the surrender of discipleship. We want provision, but not dependence. We want victory, but not the cross. We want comfort, but not transformation. Lord Jesus, teach us today. Show us who You truly are. Help us receive Your provision with humble gratitude, confess You with courage, and follow You with obedient hearts. May we not merely admire You from a distance but walk behind You daily as faithful disciples. In Your holy name, amen. Introduction: When Jesus’ Agenda Shocks Us This passage begins with one of the most familiar miracles in the ministry of Jesus: the feeding of the multitude. In fact, this is the only miracle of Jesus — aside from the resurrection — recorded in all four Gospels. That alone should make us pause. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all say, “You need to see this.” * But they do not merely want us to see bread multiplied. * They want us to see who Jesus is. * They want us to see what kind of King He is. * And they want us to see what it means to follow Him.
In the previous message, “Welcome to the War,” we saw Jesus send the Twelve out with power and authority. / They proclaimed the Kingdom of God. / They healed the sick. / They cast out demons. / They came back excited, exhausted, and full of stories. / They had stepped into the battle. / They had tasted ministry. / They had seen God work through them. But now, before they can fully rest and process what happened, the crowds find Jesus again. Thousands of people come into the wilderness, bringing hunger, sickness, confusion, and need. The disciples had just returned from weeks of powerful ministry, but suddenly they face a need they cannot meet. * They can preach. * They can heal. * They can cast out demons. * But they cannot feed thousands of hungry people with five loaves and two fish.
And Jesus uses this moment to teach them — and us — something vital: The disciple is not the source. /The disciple is the servant. / Jesus is the supply. But then the passage turns sharply. After feeding the crowd, Jesus asks, “Who do the people say I am?” Peter answers correctly: “You are the Messiah sent from God.” But then Jesus shocks them. He says the Messiah must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised. That was not the agenda they expected. * They expected victory. Jesus speaks of suffering. * They expected a throne. Jesus points to a cross. * They expected power over Jesus calls them to deny themselves.
This is why the agenda is shocking. |We will see this agenda in our four truths today. Found in the Bulletin Insert on the side that says “A Shocking Agenda.” Main Point 1: Jesus Uses Our Inadequacy to Reveal His Sufficiency The disciples had gone with Jesus toward Bethsaida for rest. They needed it. Mark tells us that so many people were coming and going that they did not even have time to eat. Can you relate to that feeling? Maybe you have had days when you never quite get to sit down. The phone rings. Someone needs you. A problem appears. A plan changes. One need gets handled, and three more show up. The disciples were tired. They had been ministering. They had been traveling. They were probably physically drained and emotionally full. - Then the crowd arrives. Luke tells us Jesus welcomed them. He taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those who needed healing. That fits everything we have seen in Luke so far. Jesus welcomed the sinful woman in Simon’s house. He welcomed the desperate touch of the suffering woman. He welcomed the cries of Jairus. He welcomed the man tormented among the tombs. He welcomed the crowds even when they interrupted rest. But as evening approaches, the disciples see a practical problem. / The crowd is hungry. / They say, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” That seems reasonable, doesn’t it? They are not being heartless. They are being practical. They are looking at the sun going down, the size of the crowd, the remoteness of the place, and the emptiness of their hands. Then Jesus says something shocking: “You feed them.” Now imagine the disciples looking at one another. “Us?” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” “Do You see how many people are here?” “Even if we had money, where would we buy that much bread?” “Lord, we just came back from ministry. We are tired too.” John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus already knew what He was going to do. He was testing them. / Not tempting them to fail. Testing them to grow. /He wanted them to confront the difference between their resources and His sufficiency. Object Lesson: The Empty Basket ...
Welcome to Day 2888 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2888 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 136:17-26 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2888 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2888 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Land Transfer – Inheritance, Remembrance, and the God of Heaven<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand, historical expedition, we marched through the dramatic midsection of the Great Hallel: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses ten through sixteen. We stood alongside the liberated community of Israel as they witnessed the devastating, courtroom judgment executed against the Egyptian pantheon. We watched the Divine Warrior split the primordial chaos waters of the Red Sea, carving a dry, safe highway right through the abyss, and effortlessly shaking off the arrogant, imperial army of Pharaoh like an annoying insect on His sleeve. We closed our trek by following our heavenly Shepherd into the terrifying, uncreated wilderness wasteland, discovering that His Hesed—His fierce, unyielding, and covenant-keeping faithful love—is uniquely durable enough to sustain us through our most parched, desperate chapters.<#0.5#> Today, we have arrived at the magnificent, soaring crescendo of this ultimate liturgical masterpiece. We are completing our journey through Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, by exploring verses seventeen through twenty-six, in the New Living Translation. The antiphonal chant of the temple choir continues to ring out across the stone courts of Jerusalem, with the massive congregation roaring back the rhythmic drumbeat of faith after every single line. The historical narrative now shifts from the survival of the wilderness, to the violent, supernatural conquest of the Promised Land. The psalmist pulls back the cosmic curtain to show us that our ultimate inheritance was secured by a God who systematically dismantles giant rebel kings, remembers us in our deepest human weakness, and universally sustains every living thing from His heavenly throne room. Let us step onto the final ridge of this specific trail, adjust our cosmic lenses, and listen to the final chords of the Great Hallel.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Dismantling the Giant Proxies of the Underworld Stronghold<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty.<#0.5#> Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever. He slaughtered powerful kings. His faithful love endures forever. Sihon king of the Amorites. His faithful love endures forever. Og king of Bashan. His faithful love endures forever.<#0.5#> The final historical movement of the psalm opens with a thunderous, dual celebration of military and cosmic triumph. “Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings... He slaughtered powerful kings... Sihon king of the Amorites... Og king of Bashan.”<#0.5#> To fully unlock the massive, explosive spiritual warfare embedded in these specific names, we must integrate the profound insights of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. To a modern reader, the mention of Sihon and Og can feel like a repetitive, boring footnote from an ancient Near Eastern border dispute. We might wonder why a psalm focused on the eternal love of God would spend so much time naming dead kings. But to the ancient Israelite pilgrim marching up Mount Zion, these names were filled with holy terror, and monumental cosmic victory. These were not ordinary human rulers; they were the terrifying, giant gatekeepers of the cosmic rebellion.<#0.5#> We must look back to the foundational blueprint of cosmic geography recorded in Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two. When the Most High disinherited the seventy nations at the Tower of Babel due to their rebellion, He placed them under the jurisdiction of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God, the territorial elohim. These principalities subsequently mutinied, demanding worship for themselves, and establishing dark, spiritual strongholds across the earth. But the most concentrated, defiant center of this rebellion was located in the north, in the region of Bashan, at the foot of Mount Hermon—the exact geographic site where the rebel watchers originally descended to stage their coup against the Almighty.<#0.5#> Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan, ruled over this demonic geography. According to the historical records of Moses, Og was a literal remnant of the giant Rephaim, possessing an iron bedstead that was over thirteen feet long! In the ancient mindset, the Rephaim were the physical, and spiritual, anomalies produced by the corruption of the Watchers—the Nephilim lineages designed by the rebel gods to contaminate humanity, and permanently block the chosen family of Yahweh from ever establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. Bashan was poetically recognized as the "place of the serpent," and the literal gate of the underworld.<#0.5#> When the psalmist declares that Yahweh “struck down mighty kings” and “slaughtered powerful kings,” he is describing a spectacular, cosmic cleansing of the geography. The Divine Warrior marched directly into the teeth of the underworld stronghold, confronted the most monstrous, intimidating avatars of the rebel council, and completely obliterated them. He proved that giant physical stature, demonic lineages, and ancient spiritual fortresses are absolutely nothing but chaff before the wind when the High King of the cosmos extends His hand. And why did He slaughter these terrifying giants? The congregation roars the answer after every name: “His faithful love endures forever.” Love for the covenant family required the violent, total eradication of the supernatural forces that sought to destroy them.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Cosmic Land Transfer and the Realignment of Geography<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses twenty-one and twenty-two.<#0.5#> He gave their land as an inheritance. His faithful love endures forever. A special possession to his servant Israel. His faithful love endures forever.<#0.5#> Having executed the giant kings and cleared the spiritual contamination from the landscape, the True King performs a monumental, legal act of property reallocation. “He gave their land as an inheritance... a special possession to his servant Israel.”<#0.5#> This section of the liturgy celebrates the glorious, geographic reversal of the Tower of Babel. The Hebrew word used for inheritance here is nachalah, which refers to a permanent, legally binding family allotment that can never be sold, or stolen. In the cosmic courtroom, the land of Bashan, and the territories of Canaan, had been illegally occupied by the rebel elohim and their corrupt proxies. They had turned the earth into a playground of idolatry, violence, and darkness, claiming that Yahweh had no authority within their boundaries.<#0.5#> But Yahweh executed a magnificent, sovereign eviction notice. He took the very land that the giant kings had fortified, completely stripped the rebel gods of their titles, and transferred the property deeds over to His segullah—His private, prized, and treasured possession, the family of Israel. The text notes that He handed it over to His “servant Israel.” This language of servitude is beautiful; it implies that Israel does not own the land as an autonomous empire, but holds it as a sacred trust, acting as the loyal stewards of Yahweh’s earthly estate.<#0.5#> By turning the land of the giants into an inheritance for Israel, the Creator successfully reestablished a beachhead of Eden right in the middle of a disinherited world. Mount Zion became the centralized command center where heaven and earth intersected, a sacred space where the laws, the justice, and the true cosmic order of the Almighty could safely flourish. When the congregation chants, “His faithful love endures forever” after these verses, they are recognizing that their physical homes, their fields, and their security are the direct, tangible evidence of a love that can redefine the boundaries of the planet to protect the family of God.<#0.5#> The third segment is: From Cosmic Warfare to Intimate Grace and Universal Provision<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses twenty-three, twenty-four, and twenty-five.<#0.5#> He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever....
Welcome to Day 2887 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2887 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 136:10-16 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2887 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2887 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Shattering the Shackles of the Rebel Gods<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand, historical journey, we scaled the opening heights of the Great Hallel: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses one through nine. We immersed our minds in the grand, cosmic architecture of creation. We stood in the celestial courtroom, and we shouted our praise to the God of gods, and the Lord of lords—the absolute, supreme Sovereign who rules over the entire heavenly host. We saw how His Hesed—His fierce, unyielding, and covenant-keeping faithful love—was the precise engine that skillfully forged the heavens, pinned down the chaotic primordial waters beneath the dry land, and masterfully organized the sun, moon, and stars to govern our days and nights. We learned that the very fabric of physical reality is held together, every single microsecond, by this enduring, loyal affection.<#0.5#> Today, the grand temple liturgy takes a dramatic, breathtaking turn. The congregation is still standing in the sunlit courts of Jerusalem, and the antiphonal chant continues to echo off the stone walls. But the focus of the song shifts away from the creation of the cosmos, and steps directly onto the blood-soaked soil of human history. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses ten through sixteen, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist demonstrates that Yahweh’s faithful love is not just an abstract, distant force that manages the stars; it is an active, aggressive, and liberating power that breaks into our physical reality to rescue His people, crush abusive empires, and violently dismantle the rebel spiritual principalities who hold humanity in bondage. Let let us step onto this historic section of the trail, listen to the thunderous roar of the refrain, and watch the Divine Warrior march to war.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Decapitation of the Egyptian Pantheon<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses ten, eleven, and twelve.<#0.5#> Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever. He brought Israel out from among them. His faithful love endures forever. He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever.<#0.5#> The historical narrative explodes into the liturgy with a shocking, deeply unsettling declaration of judgment: “Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.”<#0.5#> To the modern, Western mind, linking the death of the Egyptian firstborn with the phrase “His faithful love endures forever” sounds like a massive, moral contradiction. How can an act of mass fatality be described as an expression of love? To resolve this tension, we must view the Exodus through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. We must look back to the cosmic geography of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, where the nations were disinherited by Yahweh, and handed over to the jurisdiction of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. Egypt was the premier, terrifying superpower of the ancient world, operating under the direct, dark inspiration of these corrupt, territorial elohim.<#0.5#> Pharaoh was not viewed merely as a human politician; he was worshiped as an incarnate god—the living proxy, and the physical avatar, of the rebel principalities. For four hundred years, under the direction of these dark forces, Egypt systematically crushed, enslaved, and attempted to completely erase Yahweh’s personal allotment—the family of Israel. The book of Exodus explicitly states that the plagues were not just a leverage play against human economics; they were an open, aggressive execution of judgment against all the gods of Egypt. <#0.5#> When the Lord struck down the firstborn, He was striking the ultimate, legal root of the empire's legacy, and divine claims. The firstborn son represented the strength, the inheritance, and the future succession of the household, and the throne. By taking the firstborn, Yahweh broke the spiritual backbone of the rebel principalities. He proved that the Egyptian gods were entirely impotent, completely unable to protect their own biological, and spiritual, lineages from the superior authority of the Creator. <#0.5#> For the oppressed slaves, this act of terrifying justice was the ultimate manifestation of Hesed. Love for the victim requires the decisive execution of justice against the abusive tyrant. The text records the immediate, glorious consequence in verses eleven and twelve: “He brought Israel out from among them... He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.” <#0.5#> The language of the “strong hand and powerful arm” is a direct, deliberate polemic against the royal propaganda of Egypt. Pharaoh's monuments always depicted him with an outstretched arm, crushing his enemies. But the psalmist clears the field, declaring that Pharaoh's arm was easily snapped by the true Divine Warrior. Yahweh reached into the dark, heavily fortified territory of the rebel council, grabbed His treasured possession, and physically wrenched them free from the grip of the superpower. He broke the chains of the empire, proving that no spiritual principality can legally hold a prisoner when the Supreme Commander issues a warrant for their release.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Slicing the Abyss and Shaking Off the Tyrant<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen.<#0.5#> Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. He led Israel safely through. His faithful love endures forever. But he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.<#0.5#> The historical procession moves from the borders of Egypt, directly to the edge of the impossible. “Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea... He led Israel safely through... But he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.”<#0.5#> Once again, the congregation responds to each movement of the narrative with the unyielding, rhythmic drumbeat of faith: “His faithful love endures forever.” To fully appreciate the cosmic drama of this moment, we must understand how the ancient world viewed the geography of the sea. In the biblical and ancient Near Eastern mindset, the deep, wild, and untamed waters of the ocean—known as Yamm—represented the terrifying forces of primordial chaos. The sea was considered a chaotic deity, a dark, churning abyss that swallowed human lives, and actively fought against the ordered creation of the Almighty.<#0.5#> When Israel stood trapped between the advancing chariots of Pharaoh, and the roaring waves of the Red Sea, they were caught between the twin jaws of death: the physical might of the empire, and the spiritual chaos of the abyss. But Yahweh executed a masterclass of cosmic subversion. He didn't just build a bridge over the sea; He violently parted the waters. The literal Hebrew text says He sliced the sea into distinct pieces. He drove back the chaotic deep, carved a highway right through the middle of the abyss, and transformed the very realm of death into a dry, safe corridor of life for His covenant family. He led them safely through, insulating them from the walls of water on either side.<#0.5#> Then, in verse fifteen, the trap slams shut: “But he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.” <#0.5#> The Hebrew word for “hurled” is na'ar, which carries the visceral graphic meaning of shaking off a bug, or flipping dirt off your clothes. This is a brilliant, mocking piece of historical sarcasm. Pharaoh had mobilized the entire military industrial complex of the ancient world—hundreds of iron chariots, elite horsemen, and weapons of terror. It was an intimidating display of imperial pride. <#0.5#> But to the Creator of the cosmos, this terrifying army was nothing more than an annoying insect crawling on His sleeve. With one effortless flick of His wrist, Yahweh simply shook Pharaoh off into the water. The tyrant who had arrogantly commanded that every Hebrew baby boy be drowned in the Nile river, was himself drowned, along with his entire army, in the very chaos waters that his rebel gods claimed to control. The empire was swallowed by the abyss, completely neutralized, and buried beneath the waves, providing an eternal, undeniable proof that the loyal Hesed
Welcome to Day 2886 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Problem of Evil: Free Will, Imagership, and The Divine Design Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2886 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2886 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: THE PROBLEM OF EVIL: FREE WILL, IMAGERSHIP, AND THE DIVINE DESIGN.<#0.5#> Though humanity is gifted with free will, we are not omniscient. This limitation creates a fragile balance. We are moral agents with the ability to act, but we often do so without full knowledge of the consequences. This gap between intention and outcome is fertile ground for evil to grow. Some evil is the result of direct rebellion, but much of it emerges from ignorance, misjudgment, or unintended consequences.<#0.5#> Yahweh alone possesses omniscience. If humans knew all outcomes in advance, their choices would not reflect genuine trust or faith. The decision to follow Yahweh, even with limited knowledge, is a demonstration of allegiance, one that mirrors the loyalty He desires from His divine family as well.<#0.5#> The first segment is: THE DIVINE REBELLION: WHEN SPIRITUAL IMAGERS TURNED.<#0.5#> The problem of evil is not limited to humanity. Scripture reveals that spiritual beings, members of Yahweh’s heavenly host, also rebelled. These divine imagers, given authority over the nations (Deuteronomy 32 verses eight and nine and Psalm 82), turned from their mandate and led humanity into darkness. Some, like the sons of God in Genesis 6, crossed boundaries and corrupted creation itself. Others accepted worship and manipulated entire cultures into idolatry, violence, and occult practices.<#0.5#> These rebellious elohim introduced a different kind of evil, ideological and systemic. They corrupted truth, promoted false gods, and weaponized spiritual influence. Humanity’s rebellion was inflamed by their lies. The result was a world fragmented, oppressed, and bound to powers that were never meant to rule.<#0.5#> To restrain the damage these beings caused, Yahweh gave Israel the Torah. The Law was not just a set of moral rules. It was a divine firewall. Its rituals, boundaries, and covenant structure created space for holiness and identity amid spiritual chaos. Among the most profound of these rituals was the Day of Atonement, where two goats were chosen: one sacrificed to cleanse the people, and the other sent into the wilderness, symbolically carrying the sins of the nation back to Azazel, a name associated with the wilderness-dwelling rebels.<#0.5#> This was not superstition. It was spiritual warfare through sacred practice. The Law showed that Yahweh was not passive in the face of evil. He acted decisively to reclaim His people and mitigate the influence of the divine traitors until the fullness of His plan could be revealed in the Messiah.<#0.5#> The second segment is: WHY YAHWEH ALLOWED THIS SYSTEM.<#0.5#> The presence of evil in creation is not a sign that Yahweh lost control. Rather, it underscores how seriously He takes relationships. He is not interested in programmed obedience. He desires a family, both human and divine, who freely love Him. The alternative would be a world without evil but also without relationship, without love, without the ability to choose the good.<#0.5#> The biblical story is filled with the tension between human freedom and divine sovereignty. This tension is not a flaw. It is the setting in which loyalty, repentance, and transformation become meaningful. Yahweh has allowed evil for a time, knowing that through it, those who choose Him do so authentically.<#0.5#> The third segment is: EVIL, SOVEREIGNTY, AND THE HIGH STAKES OF AGENCY.<#0.5#> Evil exists not because God is weak, but because He values freedom. His sovereignty is not undermined by our agency. It is demonstrated by His willingness to allow it and still accomplish His purposes. From Eden to the Cross to the final judgment, Scripture presents a God who allows rebellion, intervenes to redeem, and ultimately restores.<#0.5#> The reality of evil magnifies the seriousness of the decisions we make. We are not passive recipients of fate but active participants in a divine drama. Every moral decision reflects our allegiance. We were created to image Yahweh in how we steward creation, treat others, and respond to evil with courage, righteousness, and hope.<#0.5#> In CONCLUSION: There is A COSMIC STRUGGLE, A DIVINE INVITATION.<#0.5#> The existence of evil should not cause despair. Instead, it reminds us of the stakes involved in being made in Yahweh’s image. It reminds us that we live in a story where freedom is real, decisions matter, and redemption is possible.<#0.5#> Evil is not the final word. Yahweh is not surprised by rebellion, and His plan has always included its defeat. Through the Messiah, humanity is invited into a restored relationship, empowered to reflect the goodness of God even in the presence of darkness. The struggle against evil is the arena in which imagers of God are tested, shaped, and revealed.<#0.5#> To explore this in further details, consider these DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.<#0.5#> 1. Why is free will necessary for genuine love and relationships?<#0.5#> 2. How does the concept of humans as imagers of Yahweh affect how we understand moral responsibility?<#0.5#> 3. What are some examples where limited knowledge contributes to the existence of evil?<#0.5#> 4. What role did the rebellion of spiritual beings play in the expansion of evil on Earth?<#0.5#> 5. How did the Torah, and especially the scapegoat ritual, help Israel resist the influence of the rebellious elohim?<#0.5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn When Myth Remembers: The Case for the Supernatural in History.<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’<#0.5#> Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.<#0.5#> As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:<#0.5#> Liv Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, Leave a Living Legacy Each Day, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2885 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2885 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 136:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2885 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2885 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Anthem of Enduring Love<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand, poetic landscape, we scaled the magnificent, soaring finale of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, verses fifteen through twenty-one. We witnessed a devastating, razor-sharp polemical assault against the silent, breathless idols of the nations. We watched the psalmist ruthlessly strip away the mystical propaganda of the pagan cultures, exposing their silver and gold statues as completely mute, blind, and deaf. We confronted the terrifying law of spiritual assimilation—realizing that those who place their trust in hollow, manufactured systems will inevitably become just as hollow and spiritually dead as the idols they worship. We closed our trek by stepping into the vibrant, living courts of Jerusalem, joining the unified, roaring anthem of the true assembly, shouting Hallelujah to the living King who dynamically rules the cosmos from His embassy on Mount Zion.<#0.5#> Today, we transition directly from that daytime temple victory into what is universally recognized as the absolute mountain peak of Hebrew liturgy. We are entering the opening movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Jewish tradition, this masterpiece is known as the “Great Hallel”—the supreme song of praise, traditionally sung during the Passover seder. This psalm takes the theological truths we uncovered in our last episode, and sets them to a beautiful, rhythmic, and antiphonal chant designed to reshape our entire understanding of reality. As we step onto this new trail, we will hear the thunderous voice of the congregation responding to every single line of divine truth with an unyielding, cosmic refrain. Let let us adjust our lenses, quiet our hearts, and join the grand procession.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Supreme Sovereign of the Celestial Council<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses one, two, and three.<#0.5#> Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.<#0.5#> The liturgy opens with a majestic, triadic call to worship that establishes the absolute, unrivaled supremacy of the Creator. We hear the temple leader shout the declaration, and the massive congregation roars back the eternal echo: “His faithful love endures forever.”<#0.5#> To fully unlock the immense, explosive weight of these opening verses, we must view this language through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In our modern, Western theological context, we often read terms like “God of gods,” or “Lord of lords,” as mere rhetorical hyperbole—poetic ways of saying God is the biggest and the best. But to the ancient Near Eastern mind, this was a highly technical, legal description of celestial hierarchy. The psalmist is explicitly naming the Elohei ha-elohim—the supreme, uncreated Sovereign who presides over the entire assembly of heavenly beings.<#0.5#> We must recall the foundational cosmic geography of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine. When the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He allocated the different people groups to the oversight of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God, the territorial elohim. These spiritual principalities subsequently rebelled, becoming corrupt, demanding worship for themselves, and plunging the pagan world into darkness. They set up their own rival thrones, claiming absolute lordship over their respective empires.<#0.5#> The psalmist stands in the temple courts and hurls a massive, polemical challenge into the unseen realm. By commanding the people to give thanks to the “God of gods,” and the “Lord of lords,” he is legally reasserting Yahweh’s supreme authority over the entire cosmic rebellion. He is stating that the rebel principalities of Babylon, Egypt, and Rome are merely created entities, middle-management spirits who owe their very existence to the High King. They may claim to be gods, but Yahweh is the Sovereign over their council. Their authority is localized and temporary; His supremacy is absolute and universal.<#0.5#> Notice the specific engine that powers this supreme governance. Why does the universe remain secure under the God of gods? Because “His faithful love endures forever.” The Hebrew word used here is our foundational, majestic anchor word: Hesed. It refers to a loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping affection that refuses to let go. The psalmist is making a radical claim: the ultimate, structural fabric of the cosmos is not blind power, chaotic fate, or erratic anger—which is what the pagan nations believed about their capricious deities. The bedrock of the universe is the relentless, fiercely loyal Hesed of Yahweh. Every star hangs in space, and every legal decree of the divine council is issued through the filter of this enduring love.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Miraculous Architect of Cosmic Order<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses four, five, and six.<#0.5#> Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who placed the earth on the water. His faithful love endures forever.<#0.5#> The anthem transitions from the composition of the celestial council, to the initial acts of creation, demonstrating that Yahweh’s Hesed is the driving force behind the physical architecture of our world. We are commanded to praise the One “who alone does mighty miracles.”<#0.5#> The use of the word “alone” is another intentional, razor-sharp polemic against the rebel spirits. The pagan cultures credited their localized deities with all kinds of supernatural feats, believing that Baal brought the rain, or that Ra managed the sun. But the psalmist clears the stage, declaring that when it comes to true, cosmic, and foundational miracles, Yahweh operates completely without rivals. He needs no help from the divine assembly; His own voice is entirely sufficient to organize the void.<#0.5#> He proves this by pointing to the skies: “Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.” The Hebrew text implies that the heavens were designed with deep, mathematical wisdom and artistic precision. In the ancient biblical worldview, the creation of the heavens was an act of establishing boundaries, building a beautifully ordered home where life could safely flourish, completely insulated from primeval chaos.<#0.5#> The psalmist then moves his focus down to the geography of our home in verse six: “Give thanks to him who placed the earth on the water.” To the ancient Near Eastern mind, this imagery was filled with intense, dramatic tension. They believed that the dry land was established, and anchored, directly over the dark, deep, and roaring waters of the primordial ocean—the realm of Yamm, which represented the terrifying forces of unmitigated chaos. Left to themselves, the wild waters would instantly rise up to swallow the land, flooding the world back into a formless void.<#0.5#> But Yahweh executed a mighty miracle of stabilization. He flattened the earth, drove back the roaring tides, and placed the dry ground securely "on the water," pinning the chaotic deep beneath His feet. He built a structural breakwater for humanity. When the congregation chants, “His faithful love endures forever” after this verse, they are recognizing that the very ground they stand upon is a direct gift of divine mercy. The earth remains solid, and the chaos waters are kept at bay, simply because the loyal Hesed of the Creator actively maintains the boundaries of creation every single second.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Overruling the Astral Principalities<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses seven, eight, and nine.<#0.5#> Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures forever. the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever. and the moon and stars to...
Welcome to Day 2884 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2884 – “Welcome to the War” based on Luke 9:1-11 Putnam Church Message – 05/17/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Welcome to the War.” Last week’s message was “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost,” in which we learned that the crowd may overlook you. Fear may accuse you. Shame may silence you. Death may threaten you. But Jesus says, “You matter to Me.” Today, we continue with our twenty-third message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: Welcome to the War.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:1-11, which is found on page 1608 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. 10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful that Your Kingdom is still advancing in this world. We confess that we often forget we are part of a spiritual battle. We become distracted by comfort, criticism, fear, busyness, and self-reliance. Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see Your mission clearly. Teach us to trust Your authority, / depend on Your provision, / endure rejection with grace, / and return often to You for rest and renewal. May Your Word shape us today, not only as listeners, but as faithful disciples sent into the world with good news. In Jesus’ name, amen. Introduction: The War We Did Not Start, But Are Called to Enter Today, we continue in Luke’s Gospel with the twenty-third message in our New Testament series, and the title is “Welcome to the War.” That may sound strong at first. We may think, “War? I thought we were talking about the Good News.” But Luke has been showing us from the beginning that the Good News of Jesus is not merely a comforting message for private spiritual reflection. It is the announcement that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus Christ, and that means the dominion of evil is being overthrown. When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Nazareth, He announced good news to the poor, freedom for captives, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. When He healed the sick, forgave sinners, calmed the storm, delivered the demon-possessed man, restored the woman who had suffered for twelve years, and raised Jairus’ daughter, He was not simply doing random acts of kindness. He was showing that the Kingdom of God was breaking into a broken world. In our previous messages, we have watched Jesus minister with compassion and authority. / We saw Him show love and grace to a sinful woman in the Pharisee’s house. / We asked, “Where Are You in This Picture?” -> as Jesus taught about the soils of the heart. / We saw “Freedom From Bondage” when Jesus delivered the man among the tombs. / We saw that no one is “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost” when Jesus stopped for the suffering woman and raised Jairus’ daughter. Now, in Luke 9:1–11, something shifts. Up until now, the disciples have been watching, learning, assisting, asking, and following. They have seen Jesus preach. They have seen Jesus heal. They have seen Jesus command demons. They have seen Jesus calm nature itself. But now Jesus calls the Twelve together and sends them out. * The students become participants. * The observers become messengers. * The apprentices enter the battle.
Jesus does not merely gather followers to sit near Him. He forms disciples to join His mission. So today, let’s walk through Luke 9:1–11 under four main truths. Main Point 1: Jesus Sends Ordinary Disciples with His Power and Authority Luke tells us that Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. Then He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. / This is remarkable. These are the same disciples who were afraid in the storm. These are the same men who often misunderstood Jesus. These are not polished professionals. They are fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary men and women from ordinary places. And yet Jesus sends them. / That should encourage us. God's mission does not depend on perfect people. It depends on the authority of a perfect Savior. / Luke uses two important words here: power and authority. Power refers to ability — the strength to accomplish what could not be accomplished naturally. Authority refers to the right to act on behalf of another. A police officer directing traffic is a helpful picture. The officer may not have the physical power to stop a moving vehicle with his bare hands. But when he raises his hand, cars stop because he carries delegated authority. He acts on behalf of a higher government. Jesus gives His disciples both. He gives them divine ability and delegated authority. / They are not going out in their own names. They are going out in His name. / And what are they sent to do? They are sent to proclaim the Kingdom of God and demonstrate the mercy of the Kingdom through healing and deliverance. In ancient times, a herald would enter a town square and speak on behalf of the king. The herald’s message carried weight because it did not originate with the herald. He spoke with delegated authority. That is the picture here. The disciples are heralds. They are announcing that God’s Kingdom has drawn near in Jesus. / This connects directly with the broader story of Scripture. In Genesis, humanity was created to live under God’s good rule. But sin brought rebellion, brokenness, death, and bondage. Throughout the Old Testament, God promised that His Kingdom would come, His enemies would be defeated, and His people would be restored. The prophets looked ahead to a day when captives would be freed, the sick would be restored, and God’s reign would be made known among the nations. Jesus is that fulfillment. And now He sends His disciples to announce it. Object Lesson: The Badge and the Battery Hold up two objects: a badge and a battery. A badge represents authority. It says, “I have been authorized to act.” A battery represents power. It supplies energy to do what needs to be done. A badge without power may represent a title but no ability. A battery without authority may have energy but no direction. Jesus gives His disciples both. For us today, not all of us have the same calling as the Twelve. Their mission in Luke 9 was specific to that moment in Jesus’ ministry. But the larger principle remains: Christ still sends His people into the world as witnesses. * We go not because we are impressive, / but because Jesus is King. * We speak not because we know everything, / but because we know Him. * We serve not because we have unlimited strength, / but because His strength is made perfect in weakness.
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Welcome to Day 2883 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2883 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 135:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2883 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2883 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Silent Idols and the Living King of Zion<#0.5#> In our previous stop along this grand, poetic landscape, we explored the powerful, historical midsection of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, verses eight through fourteen. We watched the temple liturgy transform into a dramatic victory march through time. We looked back at how Yahweh systematically dismantled the greatest earthly empires, and broke the power of the dark spiritual principalities operating behind the scenes. We stood in awe as the Divine Warrior shattered the gods of Egypt, and slaughtered the terrifying giant rebel kings, Sihon of the Amorites, and Og of Bashan, who ruled over the demonic stronghold of the underworld gates. We celebrated the truth that Yahweh vindicates His people, and pours out His fierce, fatherly compassion upon His treasured heritage.<#0.5#> Today, we have arrived at the magnificent, soaring finale of this great temple hymn. We are completing our journey through Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, by exploring verses fifteen through twenty-one, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist shifts his strategy one final time. He has already proven Yahweh’s supremacy over nature, and His absolute dominance over history. Now, he launches a devastating, mocking, and highly sarcastic assault against the very nature of the gods worshiped by the surrounding nations. He forces the congregation to confront the ultimate, ridiculous contrast between a living, speaking, and history-shaping Creator, and the dead, manufactured metal status symbols of the rebel powers. Let us step onto the trail, open our minds, and listen to the final verdict of the cosmic courtroom.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Pathetic Anatomy of Manufactured Gods<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verses fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen.<#0.5#> The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe.<#0.5#> The final indictment begins with a brutally honest, reductionist look at the objects of pagan devotion. “The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe.”<#0.5#> To fully unlock the brilliant sarcasm, and the intense spiritual warfare embedded in these three verses, we must look through the lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient Near East, the surrounding pagan nations did not believe their gods were only pieces of wood or metal. They knew the statues were made by craftsmen. However, they practiced a highly elaborate, mystical ritual known as the "Washing of the Mouth," or the "Opening of the Mouth." <#0.5#> Through these esoteric ceremonies, pagan priests believed they could enchant the physical statue, prompting a territorial spiritual entity—a rebel elohim of the divine council—to actually come down, inhabit the metal image, and animate it. The idol was viewed as a localized, physical conduit for a supernatural power. The pagans believed that through these animated statues, their gods could look at their sacrifices, hear their prayers, and speak prophetic directions over their empires.<#0.5#> The psalmist stands in the courts of Yahweh, looks at these highly intimidating, gold-plated cultural icons, and completely exposes them as a cosmic fraud. He strips away the mystical propaganda, and mocks the absolute helplessness of the material. He says, “Look closer at these terrifying gods of Babylon, Egypt, and Canaan. What are they, really? Strip away the smoke and mirrors, and they are merely static pieces of silver and gold. They are completely dependent upon the very humans who built them. If a human hand didn't shape them, they wouldn't even exist!”<#0.5#> He then executes a brilliant, sensory takedown of their anatomy. He catalogs their organs, matching them against their total lack of functionality. “They have beautifully carved mouths, yes, but they are utterly mute. They cannot speak a single word of comfort, or declare a single true prophecy. They have glistening, jeweled eyes, but they are completely blind. They cannot see the suffering of their followers, or perceive the movements of history. They have elaborate ears, but they are totally deaf to the cries of the oppressed. They have a second mouth carved on their faces, but there is absolutely no ruach—no breath of life, no spirit—inside their lungs.”<#0.5#> This is a devastating, logical checkmate. In the ancient world, breath was the defining evidence of life. Yahweh is the self-existent, living God who breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of humanity, and who effortlessly controls the winds of the cosmos. But the gods of the nations are spiritually suffocating. They are paralyzed, inanimate prisoners trapped inside their own expensive silver and gold armor. Why would an intelligent, eternal human being bow down to a physical object that possesses less vitality than a common insect?<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Ontological Decay of the Idolater<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verse eighteen.<#0.5#> And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.<#0.5#> Having exposed the pathetic nature of the false gods, the psalmist delivers a chilling, psychological, and spiritual law of human nature. “And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.”<#0.5#> This is one of the most profound, terrifying warnings in the entire Old Testament. It outlines the law of spiritual assimilation: you will inevitably become just like the object of your ultimate alignment. You cannot give your worship, your devotion, and your deepest trust to a specific spiritual system without taking on the ontological characteristics of that system. <#0.5#> In the biblical worldview, human beings were uniquely created to be the tselem—the physical images and reflections—of the living God, Yahweh. We were designed to mirror His life, His speaking truth, His clear-seeing justice, and His active compassion into the physical realm. But when a human being turns away from the Creator, and locks their loyalty onto the dead, manufactured systems of the rebel principalities, a horrific process of spiritual deformation begins. <#0.5#> The psalmist is saying, “If you trust in a mute, blind, deaf, and breathless god, your own soul will slowly become mute, blind, deaf, and breathless.” The craftsmen who forge these idols, and the cultures that depend upon them, suffer a catastrophic degradation of their humanity. They lose their spiritual perception. They develop mouths, but they can no longer speak words of true wisdom or justice. They have eyes, but they become entirely blind to the cosmic reality of God’s sovereignty. They have ears, but they become totally deaf to the warnings of divine judgment. They become spiritually dead, hollowed out, and as lifeless as the silver and gold statues they worship. To worship a fraud is to transform your own life into a permanent illusion.<#0.5#> The Third segment is: The Unified Anthem of the True Council<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verses nineteen and twenty.<#0.5#> O family of Israel, praise the Lord! O family of Aaron, praise the Lord! O family of Levi, praise the Lord! All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!<#0.5#> In stark, brilliant contrast to the silent, suffocating isolation of the idolaters, the psalmist turns back to the vibrant, living congregation of Zion. He organizes the assembly into concentric circles of roaring, unified praise, calling upon each sacred order to testify against the darkness. <#0.5#> “O family of Israel, praise the Lord! O family of Aaron, praise the Lord! O family of Levi, praise the Lord! All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!”<#0.5#> Notice the beautiful, structured hierarchy of this liturgical call. He begins with the widest circle of covenant identity: the “family of Israel.” This is the entire nation, the collective segullah—the private, prized treasure of Yahweh. They are commanded to raise their voices to boast in the God who physically pulled them out of the jaws of Egypt. <#0.5#> Then,...
Welcome to Day 2882 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2882 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 135:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2882 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2882 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Sovereign of History – Dismantling the Rebel Giant Kings<#0.5#> In our previous stop along this grand, poetic landscape, we explored the opening movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, where we witnessed a magnificent temple liturgy that unmasked the false gods of the nations. We watched as Yahweh effortlessly demonstrated His total, seamless mastery over nature—commanding the clouds, directing the lightning, and releasing the wind from His royal celestial storehouses. We saw how the psalmist executed a brilliant, razor-sharp polemical attack against Baal, stripping the Canaanite storm god of his fraudulent resume. We discovered the comforting truth that Israel is Yahweh’s segullah—His private, prized, and treasured possession, chosen out of the chaotic landscape of a disinherited world.<#0.5#> Today, the temple liturgy takes a powerful, dramatic turn. The psalmist shifts his focus away from Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty over nature, and directs our eyes to His absolute, undeniable sovereignty over human history and spiritual geography. He takes the traveling assembly on a historical tour, demonstrating that the True King doesn’t just manage the weather; He systematically dismantles the greatest earthly emp’res, and violently crushes the giant rebel kings who attempt to block the expansion of His kingdom. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, verses eight through fourteen, in the New Living Translation. Let us step onto the trail, adjust our cosmic lenses, and watch the Righteous Judge execute justice against the principalities of darkness.<#0.5#> The First Segment is: The Judgment of Egypt’s Incarnate Gods<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verses eight and nine.<#0.5#> He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home, both people and animals. He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and all his people.<#0.5#> The historical narrative begins in the dark, oppressive brick-kilns of Egypt, tracing the opening lines of Israel’s great cosmic liberation. “He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home, both people and animals. He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and all his people.”<#0.5#> To fully comprehend the sheer scale of the spiritual warfare embedded in these familiar words, we must look past our modern, secular history books, and view the Exodus through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the book of Exodus, chapter twelve, verse twelve, Yahweh explicitly declares the ultimate, underlying purpose of the plagues. He states, “Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; I am Yahweh.” <#0.5#> The Exodus was not merely a political dispute over human labor; it was an open, aggressive courtroom trial, and a declaration of war against the corrupt, territorial elohim of the Nile. Egypt was the premier superpower of the ancient world, operating under the direct spiritual inspiration of powerful, rebellious members of the heavenly host. Pharaoh himself was not viewed merely as a human politician; he was worshiped as an incarnate god—the living proxy, and the supreme avatar, of the rebel spiritual principalities. When Pharaoh oppressed the chosen family of God, he was acting as the mouthpiece for the cosmic rebellion.<#0.5#> Therefore, when Yahweh unleashed His miraculous signs and wonders, He was systematically target-shooting the Egyptian pantheon. He turned the Nile into blood to humiliate the river gods; He blocked out the sun to blind the sun god, Ra; and He paralyzed the land with darkness. <#0.5#> The terrifying, ultimate climax of this cosmic execution occurred when the Lord destroyed the firstborn of both people and animals. In the ancient Near East, the firstborn son represented the strength, the legal inheritance, and the future legacy of the household. By striking down the firstborn—including the firstborn son of Pharaoh himself—Yahweh permanently broke the spiritual back of the empire. He demonstrated that the gods of Egypt were utterly helpless, completely unable to protect their own biological and spiritual lineages from the superior authority of the Creator. The proud, arrogant principalities of the Nile were weighed in the celestial balances, found wanting, and publicly stripped of their power.<#0.5#> The Second Segment is: Dismantling the Gatekeepers of the Underworld<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verses ten through twelve.<#0.5#> He struck down great nations and slaughtered mighty kings— Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the rulers of Canaan. He gave their land as an inheritance, a special possession to his people Israel.<#0.5#> The historical tour moves from the waters of the Red Sea, to the rugged, bloody battlefields on the eastern side of the Jordan River. “He struck down great nations and slaughtered mighty kings—Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the rulers of Canaan. He gave their land as an inheritance, a special possession to his people Israel.”<#0.5#> To the casual reader, the names Sihon and Og might seem like obscure, boring footnotes from ancient military history. But to the ancient Israelite pilgrim singing this song, these two names triggered a profound sense of awe, and holy terror. These were not ordinary human kings; they were the terrifying, giant gatekeepers of the cosmic rebellion. <#0.5#> Let us unpack the spiritual geography of these territories through Doctor Heiser's research. In the book of Deuteronomy, we discover that Og, the king of Bashan, was a literal remnant of the giant Rephaim. His massive iron bedstead was over thirteen feet long! In the ancient Near Eastern mindset, the Rephaim were not just tall people; their lineage was directly connected to the Nephilim—the hybrid offspring resulting from the spiritual corruption of the Watchers recorded in Genesis chapter six. They were the physical, and spiritual, anomalies produced by the rebel gods to contaminate the human race, and block the redemptive plans of Yahweh.<#0.5#> Furthermore, the region of Bashan was universally recognized as the geographic and spiritual epicenter of darkness. Located at the foot of Mount Hermon—the exact site where the rebel angels originally staged their mutiny—Bashan was poetically referred to as the "place of the serpent," and the literal "gate of the underworld." Sihon and Og ruled over this demonic stronghold, acting as a massive, supernatural wall designed to intimidate Israel, and prevent them from ever entering the Promised Land.<#0.5#> When Yahweh struck down great nations, and slaughtered these mighty giant kings, He was not just clearing a physical highway for Israel. He was executing a spectacular, cosmic cleansing of the geography. The Divine Warrior marched into the very territory of the dead, confronted the most terrifying, monstrous proxies of the rebel council, and completely obliterated them from the face of the earth. He proved that giant stature, demonic lineages, and ancient spiritual fortresses are absolutely nothing but dust in the presence of the Almighty.<#0.5#> And look at the ultimate, glorious result of this victory in verse twelve: “He gave their land as an inheritance, a special possession to his people Israel.” <#0.5#> This is the beautiful, geographic reversal of the Tower of Babel. At Babel, humanity was disinherited, and handed over to the rule of the lesser elohim. But here, Yahweh violently reclaims the land from the rebels, completely evicts the demonic tenants, and hands the territory over to His segullah—His special possession. The Promised Land becomes a restored beachhead of Eden, a sacred space where the cosmic order, truth, and righteousness of the true King can finally flourish.<#0.5#> The Third Segment is: The Eternal Courtroom Verdict<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verses thirteen and fourteen.<#0.5#> Your name, O Lord, endures forever; your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation. For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.<#0.5#> Having demonstrated Yahweh’s absolute mastery over history, the psalmist transitions into a magnificent, courtroom declaration of praise, drawing a sharp contrast between the mortality
Welcome to Day 2881 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – The Bible as a Polemic: Confronting the Powers that Rebelled Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2881 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2881 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: The Bible as a Polemic: Confronting the Powers that Rebelled<#0.5#> To modern readers shaped by pluralism and academic detachment, the confrontational tone of the Bible may seem abrasive. But this response overlooks what the Bible truly is. It is not a disinterested theological reflection. It is a weapon. It is a series of books forged in the heart of a spiritual and historical rebellion. Its message was not formed in a vacuum but in the aftermath of Babel and the divine treason of the bene elohim who had been placed over the nations. Understanding the polemical nature of the Bible begins by understanding the world it was written to confront.<#0.5#> The first segment is: What Is a Polemic? And Why the ANE Was Full of Them<#0.5#> A polemic is a targeted argument or critique meant to expose, undermine, or discredit a rival idea, practice, or system. Unlike a simple disagreement or neutral description, a polemic is written to confront. It deliberately challenges an existing claim and seeks to replace it. In the ancient world, polemics were often theological, political, and cultural all at once. The gods, kings, and cities of rival nations were not treated as irrelevant. They were treated as threats that had to be addressed.<#0.5#> In the context of the Ancient Near East, polemics were deeply embedded in the stories nations told about themselves. Every origin story, temple hymn, or divine genealogy was not just a description of how things came to be. It was a claim of legitimacy. To say your god created the world or defeated the sea monster or chose your king was to declare supremacy over other peoples and their gods. It was to say, “Our story is the true one. Yours is a counterfeit.”<#0.5#> For example, when Babylon claimed that Marduk created the world by killing the goddess Tiamat, it was not just promoting cosmology. It was justifying Babylon’s imperial authority as the city of the supreme god. When Egypt said that Ma’at held the universe together through the Pharaoh’s divine rulership, it was declaring that Egyptian order was the divine ideal, and everyone else lived in chaos.<#0.5#> In such a world, writing something like Genesis 1 was not a quiet religious reflection. It was a direct challenge to every claim made by Egypt, Babylon, and Canaan. It was a polemic. And in the Bible, this polemical instinct is not occasional. It is foundational. Israel’s Scriptures were not meant to fit within the theological frameworks of other nations. They were meant to shatter them.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Babel and the Reordering of the World<#0.5#> Genesis 11 describes a human rebellion that goes far deeper than building a tower. At Babel, humanity attempted to unify under its own authority and defy Yahweh’s mandate to fill the earth. But the judgment that followed did more than scatter languages.<#0.5#> According to Deuteronomy 32, verses eight and nine, when Yahweh divided the nations, He appointed the bene elohim, divine sons of God, to oversee them. Only Israel would remain His direct possession.<#0.5#> The nations were not abandoned without guidance. But over time, the spiritual beings given authority over them failed in their stewardship. They began to crave worship and corrupted the justice they were meant to uphold. Psalm 82 records Yahweh standing in judgment over these divine rulers, declaring that they would fall like mortals. This cosmic judgment sets the stage for the mission of Israel and the tone of Scripture itself.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Israel: The Counter-Nation<#0.5#> Unlike the nations that inherited rebellious rulers, Israel was created from scratch. Yahweh did not reform an existing people. He called Abram from among the disinherited nations and made a new people who would be His portion. Israel was not simply chosen for privilege but created for purpose. As stated in Exodus 19 verse six, they were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.<#0.5#> This priestly identity means Israel’s role was inherently polemical. Their laws, festivals, temples, and scriptures were not private religious expressions. They were public declarations that the gods of the nations were false, the powers behind them were corrupt, and that Yahweh alone was Most High over all the earth. The Bible, as the written witness of Israel’s calling, reflects this purpose.<#0.5#> The Fourth Segment is: Polemics in the Biblical Texts<#0.5#> The polemical nature of the Bible is woven deeply into its stories, laws, songs, and prophecies. These are not culturally isolated documents. They are intentional confrontations with the dominant worldviews shaped by the fallen gods of the nations.<#0.5#> The Fifth segment is: Creation and the Flood<#0.5#> Genesis one is not merely an account of beginnings. It is a direct response to Mesopotamian creation myths such as Enuma Elish, which portray creation as the result of divine violence and chaos. In contrast, the biblical God creates through speech, with order and intention. There is no struggle, no divine bloodshed, no pantheon. It is a declaration that the gods of Babylon are not creators but pretenders.<#0.5#> Likewise, the flood account in Genesis six through nine subverts the flood stories of the surrounding cultures. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods send the flood in terror and regret it. In the Bible, the flood is just, purposeful, and moral. It is a surgical judgment on a world corrupted by human violence and divine rebellion, not the panicked act of unstable deities.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: Conquest and the Defeat of the Gods<#0.5#> When Israel enters the land of Canaan, the conquest is not simply a political campaign. It is a cosmic battle against the corrupted spiritual rulers of the land. The defeat of Pharaoh in Egypt is explicitly described as Yahweh executing judgment on the gods of Egypt. The plagues are not random punishments but targeted humiliations of Egypt’s divine protectors.<#0.5#> Jericho’s fall, the silencing of Baal on Mount Carmel, the defeat of Dagon before the Ark in 1 Samuel 5, and the crushing of Leviathan imagery in the Psalms all follow the same pattern. The text is not just reporting history. It is declaring war on the false gods and the unseen rulers who manipulated the nations into darkness.<#0.5#> The seventh Segment is: Psalms and Prophets as Weapons<#0.5#> The Psalms, often viewed only as worship poetry, are filled with divine council imagery and subversion of Canaanite theology. Psalm 29, for instance, uses storm language that sounds like a Baal hymn but places Yahweh as the one who rides the storm and subdues the waters. In Ugaritic myth, Baal defeats Yam to earn his throne. In the Bible, Yahweh sits enthroned above the flood before it ever lifts its head.<#0.5#> The prophets likewise deliver blistering critiques of the nations and their gods. Isaiah 19 declares judgment not just on Egypt but on its idols, priests, and necromancers. Ezekiel 28 mocks the divine claims of the Prince of Tyre, unmasking him as a fallen being in Eden. These are not veiled jabs. They are open condemnations of spiritual rebellion embedded in political empires.<#0.5#> The Eighth segment is: The New Testament: The War Reaches Its Climax<#0.5#> By the time of Christ, the powers of the nations had not been dethroned. The world remained under their sway. Jesus refers to Satan as the ruler of this world and frames His ministry as a battle to bind the strong man and plunder his house. Every healing, exorcism, and storm-calming miracle is a polemic in action. Jesus is not just showing compassion. He is confronting the gods.<#0.5#> The cross itself is the ultimate polemic. It appears to be a defeat but is actually a triumph. As Paul writes in Colossians 2:15, Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame. This is courtroom and battlefield language. The spiritual powers that once ruled unchallenged were publicly exposed as weak, condemned, and temporary.<#0.5#> The apostles carry this mission forward. Paul sees the preaching of the gospel as a cosmic declaration to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. The church is not merely a new religious community. It is the living proof that
Welcome to Day 2880 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2880 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 135:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2880 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred eighty of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Unmasking the Idols – Yahweh’s Unrivaled Cosmic Supremacy<#0.5#> In our previous stop along this grand, poetic landscape, we witnessed the beautiful, atmospheric conclusion to the Songs of Ascents. In Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Four, we stood under the starlit canopy of Jerusalem at midnight, watching the weary pilgrims prepare to descend the mountain. Before disappearing into the darkness, they exchanged a parting blessing with the temple guards and the Levites, who kept watch through the treacherous night. We learned that while the surrounding pagan world cowered in terror of the nocturnal shadows—fearing the chaotic whims of the rebel spiritual principalities—the guardians of Yahweh raised their hands in holiness, enforcing the spiritual borders of the Creator’s earthly embassy. We left that trail with the comforting assurance that the Maker of heaven and earth issues an unshakeable benediction from Mount Zion, a blessing that follows us into every dark corner of our exile.<#0.5#> Today, we transition into a grand, sweeping temple liturgy that takes the flickering spark of that midnight praise, and explodes it into a glorious, daytime anthem of cosmic victory. We are stepping onto a new trail, exploring the opening movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, verses one through seven, in the New Living Translation. This psalm is historically categorized as a “Hallel”—a great song of praise—and it serves as a spectacular, polemical unmasking of the false gods of the nations. The psalmist pulls back the cosmic curtain, calling the assembly to praise the unrivaled, absolute sovereignty of Yahweh. Let us step onto the path, adjust our focus, and prepare to encounter the High King of the celestial council.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Call to the Courts of the Most High<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verses one through three.<#0.5#> Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Praise him, you who serve the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.<#0.5#> The psalm opens with a thunderous, rhythmic command that shatters the morning silence of the temple courts. “Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord!”<#0.5#> In the original Hebrew, this opening blast is Hallelujah—a direct, imperative shout commanding the entire assembly to boast in Yahweh. Notice the specific target of this adoration: “the name of the Lord.” In the ancient Near East, and throughout the biblical narrative, a deity’s name was not just a convenient label or a linguistic tag. The name represented the very essence, the character, the reputation, and the active presence of the person. In the books of Moses, Yahweh explicitly stated that His "Name" would dwell in the sanctuary. Therefore, to praise the Name is to actively execute an assignment of cosmic allegiance. It is declaring that the reputation of the God of Jacob is superior to any other entity in existence.<#0.5#> The psalmist specifically addresses the leaders of this worship in verse two: “Praise him, you who serve the Lord, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.”<#0.5#> This bridges perfectly with our previous study of the final Song of Ascent. The watchmen who stood by night are now joined by the full daytime staff of priests, musicians, and gatekeepers, standing in the expansive, sunlit courts of the sanctuary. To "stand" in the ancient courtly language did not mean merely to be on one’s feet; it was a technical term for serving as an official minister in a royal court. The priests were the human counterparts to the loyal, heavenly host. Just as the angels stand in the celestial throne room to execute the decrees of the King, the priests stand in the earthly copy of that throne room, maintaining the cosmic order through worship and sacrifice. <#0.5#> The motivation for this unceasing service is detailed in verse three: “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.”<#0.5#> The goodness of Yahweh is the absolute bedrock of biblical theology. The surrounding pagan nations lived in constant, paralyzing anxiety because their gods—the rebel elohim of the divine council—were fundamentally fickle, malicious, and self-serving. They had to be constantly appeased with blood, bribes, and frantic rituals just to keep them from throwing a cosmic temper tantrum. But the God of Israel is immutably, beautifully good. His Name is "lovely"—meaning sweet, pleasant, and deeply satisfying to the soul. The community is commanded to celebrate this goodness with music, using the rhythmic resonance of harps, lyres, and voices to align the atmosphere of the earth with the harmonious songs of the heavenly host.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Sovereign Allotment and the Treasured Heritage<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verse four.<#0.5#> For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.<#0.5#> The psalmist shifts from the general goodness of God, to a specific, historical act of cosmic boundary-setting. “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.”<#0.5#> To unlock the massive, explosive weight of this single verse, we must view it through the brilliant lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. We must look back to the foundational blueprint of cosmic geography recorded in Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine. That text reveals that when the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He scattered humanity into separate language groups, allocating them to the oversight of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. Those territorial elohim subsequently rebelled, choosing to demand worship for themselves, and plunging the pagan world into darkness. But the text explicitly states that Yahweh’s personal portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.<#0.5#> By repeating this reality in Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five, the writer is launching a devastating polemical attack against the claims of the rebel nations. He is stating that Israel’s existence is not a geopolitical accident. While the rest of the world was disinherited, and handed over to the dominion of corrupt, angelic governors, Yahweh reached down into history, called Abraham out of paganism, and birthed a unique nation “for himself.” <#0.5#> He calls Israel His “own special treasure.” The Hebrew word used here is segullah, which refers to a monarch’s private, personal wealth. In the ancient world, a king would collect taxes that went into the public treasury to run the empire; but he also possessed a private vault of priceless jewels, gold, and treasures that belonged uniquely to him. Israel is Yahweh’s segullah. The Creator of the universe looks at this small, historically persecuted group of exiles, and He says, "You are My private jewels. You are the specific family through whom I am going to launch My rescue mission to reclaim the entire planet from the rebel gods."<#0.5#> The third segment is: Stripping the Power of the Rebel Council<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Five: verse five.<#0.5#> I know the greatness of the Lord— that our Lord is greater than any other god.<#0.5#> The corporate song suddenly shifts into a bold, personal testimony of cosmic discernment. “I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god.”<#0.5#> In our modern, Western theological framework, we often read a verse like this and assume the psalmist is talking about psychological idols—things like money, career, or self-esteem. Or, we assume he is stating that the pagan gods are completely non-existent figments of human imagination. But in the ancient Near Eastern context, the statement is far more radical, and far more dangerous. The psalmist is not an abstract monotheist in the modern sense; he is a fierce monolatrist. He fully recognizes that the "other gods"—the elohim of the nations—are real, active, and powerful supernatural entities operating in the unseen realm. They are the rebel principalities that inspire human empires to commit systemic injustice and violence. <#0.5#> But the psalmist stands in the temple courts, looks out at the towering structures of the pagan world, and delivers a definitive...
Welcome to Day 2879 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2879 – “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost” based on Luke 8:22-39 Putnam Church Message – 05/10/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost.” Last week’s message was “Freedom from Bondage,” in which we learned that, regardless of the storms of life we face or the bondage we have experienced, through Christ we can withstand them and live free because believers fight on the winning side. Today, we continue with our twenty-second message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost.” Our core passage today is Luke 8:40-56, which is found on page 1607 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman 40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[a] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” 49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” 53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today as people who sometimes feel rushed, overlooked, unclean, afraid, delayed, or disappointed. We confess that we often measure people by status, strength, influence, or usefulness, but Jesus never does. Lord, open our hearts to Your Word today. Help us see that no one is too little for Your attention, and no one is too lost for Your grace. Teach us to trust You when life is urgent, when hope seems delayed, and even when it feels like death has spoken the final word. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing to You, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Introduction: Jesus Looks at the One I read a story about the former president of Taylor University, Jay Kesler, who once said with a smile, “I have an office full of pictures in which I’m shaking hands with great dignitaries, all of whom are looking at someone else.” That line makes us laugh because we know exactly what he means. We have all seen it. Someone important shakes your hand, but their eyes are scanning the room. They are already looking for the next person, the next opportunity, the next more important conversation. But Jesus is never like that. If Jesus were to shake your hand, He would not be looking past you. He would not be distracted by the crowd behind you. He would look into your eyes, into your soul, into the places you hide from everybody else, and He would say, “You matter to Me.” That is the heartbeat of our message today: Never Too Little, Never Too Lost. We are continuing in Luke 8:40–56, and I encourage you to read the full passage from the New Living Translation. Luke places two stories together that belong together: the dying daughter of Jairus and the suffering woman who touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. One is a young girl from a respected household. / The other is an unnamed woman pushed to the edges of society. One has a father who can publicly plead her case. / The other has no public advocate at all. One is twelve years old. / The other has suffered for twelve years. One is loved in the center of the community. / The other has lived on the outside, isolated by illness, shame, and ceremonial uncleanness. And Jesus moves toward both of them. That is good news. Which brings us to the first of four truths today. Main Point 1: Jesus Is Never Too Busy for the Broken Luke tells us that when Jesus returned to Galilee, the crowd welcomed Him because they had been waiting for Him. This is important. In the previous passage, Jesus had crossed the lake into Gentile territory. There, He delivered a man who was possessed, tormented, isolated, and living among the tombs. We called that message “Freedom from Bondage.” The people of that region saw a transformed man sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind — and they asked Jesus to leave. Now Jesus comes back across the lake, likely to the area around Capernaum, and this crowd is waiting. Can you imagine the scene? People are pressing forward. Some are hoping for healing. Some are curious. Some are desperate. Some just want to see what Jesus will do next. And then a respected man steps out of the crowd. His name is Jairus. Luke calls him a leader or official of the synagogue. He was probably not a rabbi, but a lay elder — the kind of man who helped oversee worship, teaching, building care, and community matters. / In a Jewish village, the synagogue was not merely a church building. It was the center of communal life. Jairus would have been known, respected, and influential. But on this day, Jairus is not standing tall as a dignified religious leader. He falls at Jesus’ feet. Why? Because his only daughter is dying. Parents understand this scene immediately. There are few fears deeper than the fear of losing a child. Jairus does not come to debate theology. He does not come to protect his reputation. He does not come wondering whether being seen with Jesus might damage his standing among other leaders. His daughter is dying, and suddenly nothing else matters. It reminds us of the centurion in Luke 7, whose beloved servant was near death. It reminds us of the widow of Nain, whose only son had died, and Jesus stepped into her grief before she even asked. In that message, we said, “There is Always Hope.” Here again, Luke shows us that Jesus moves toward human sorrow. And notice this: Jesus goes with Jairus. * He does not say, “I am too busy.” * He does not say, “There are too many people here.” * He does not say, “You synagogue leaders have not always supported Me.” * He does not say, “I just came back from a stormy voyage and a difficult rejection.”
Jesus goes. Object Lesson: The Calendar and the Empty Space Imagine holding up a packed calendar or a long to-do list. Every line is filled. Every hour is claimed. There is no margin. Then hold up a blank sticky note and place it in the middle. That blank space represents the interruption. Most of us do not like interruptions. We say, “I was on my way to something important.” But Jesus shows us that sometimes / the interruption is the ministry. Jairus interrupted Jesus’ public welcome. / The suffering woman will interrupt Jairus’ emergency. /...
Welcome to Day 2878 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2878 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 134:1-3 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2878 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2878 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Midnight Benediction of the Cosmic Mountain<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand, generational expedition, we explored the fourteenth Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Three. We peered inside the seamless walls of Jerusalem to witness the radiant, supernatural atmosphere of the kingdom. We discovered that holy harmony among the family of God is an aggressive, defensive weapon that actively subverts the chaotic fragmentation of the Tower of Babel. We felt the fragrant, vertical cascade of Aaron’s precious anointing oil, and we marveled at the cosmic inversion of the landscape, where the life-giving dew of Mount Hermon—the ancient, dark stronghold of the rebel gods—was hijacked, and redirected by Yahweh to refresh the holy mountain of Zion. We rested in the ultimate, sovereign decree of life everlasting.<#0.5#> Today, my friends, we have reached the final step of this specific trail. We are standing at the absolute conclusion of the fifteen pilgrim psalms, exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Four, verses one through three, in the New Living Translation. This final Song of Ascent is a short, dramatic, and intensely atmospheric liturgy. The great festival in Jerusalem has ended, the crowds are dispersing, and the pilgrims are preparing to descend the mountain under the cover of darkness, to return to their ordinary lives in a compromised world. But before they lose sight of the temple, they turn back one last time to exchange a beautiful, midnight blessing with the guardians of the sanctuary. Let us step onto the final ridge, look into the glowing courts of the Lord, and receive the parting benediction of the cosmos.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Midnight Vigil of the Royal Guardians<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Four: verses one and two.<#0.5#> Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord. Lift your hands in holiness, and praise the Lord.<#0.5#> The final psalm opens with a stirring, midnight call to worship, issued by the departing pilgrims to the staff of the temple. “Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the cinematic, mysterious beauty of this moment, we must paint the physical, and spiritual, picture. The annual feast is over. The campfires on the hillsides around Jerusalem are dying down, and the thousands of pilgrims are packing their bags to begin the long trek back to their distant homes. As they step out into the cold night air, leaving the safety of the inner courts, they look back at the dark, towering silhouette of the temple standing against the starlit sky. The city is quiet, but the temple is still alive with activity. They see the flickering orange glow of the altar fires, and they spot the shadows of the Levites and the priests moving through the corridors. <#0.5#> The pilgrims shout out a final, parting charge to these nocturnal ministers: “Praise the Lord... you who serve at night.” In the ancient Hebrew framework, the night watch was a position of immense responsibility. While the rest of the nation slept, these specific servants were commanded to keep the sacred fires burning, to guard the thresholds, and to maintain a continuous, unceasing rhythm of prayer and vigilance within the courts of Yahweh.<#0.5#> We must look at this nocturnal service through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient Near Eastern mindset, the night was not just a time for rest; the night was the domain of chaos. The darkness was considered the primary operating hour for the rebel spiritual principalities—the fallen elohim who ruled over the disinherited nations. The pagan world lived in constant, paralyzing terror of the night, believing that evil spirits and demonic forces prowled the earth when the sun went down, seeking to undo the order of creation.<#0.5#> But inside the house of the Lord, the darkness is completely neutralized. The temple watchmen are not cowering in fear; they are standing on duty as royal guardians of the cosmic gateway. The temple is the earthly embassy of the Supreme Commander of the heavenly armies. By keeping the lights burning and the praises rising through the midnight watches, these priests are actively enforcing the spiritual borders of God’s domain. They are asserting Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty over the night, demonstrating to the unseen, rebellious realm that the true King never slumbers, and His fortress is never undefended. <#0.5#> The departing pilgrims instruct these guardians exactly how to execute their spiritual defense in verse two: “Lift your hands in holiness, and praise the Lord.”<#0.5#> The lifting of the hands is the ancient, universal posture of complete surrender, intense appeal, and open-hearted adoration. The priests are told to lift their hands “in holiness”—or, as other translations render it, “toward the sanctuary.” They are aiming their worship directly at the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant rests beneath the wings of the cherubim. By raising their hands in the dark, the watchmen are acting as human lightning rods, drawing the supernatural sanctity and the protective power of the heavenly throne room straight down into the earthly realm, creating a continuous barrier of holy light that keeps the forces of chaos at bay.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Return Blessing from the Creator of the Cosmos<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Four: verse three.<#0.5#> May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.<#0.5#> In the final sentence of the entire Songs of Ascents collection, the direction of the voice shifts. The temple watchmen, standing on the high, illuminated battlements of the sanctuary, hear the parting shout of the pilgrims. They look out into the darkness at the departing travelers, raise their own holy hands over the crowd, and speak a majestic, reciprocal blessing back down upon them: “May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.”<#0.5#> This closing benediction is a masterpiece of covenant theology and cosmic polemics. Notice the specific, dual title given to Yahweh: “the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” <#0.5#> In the Deuteronomy chapter thirty-two worldview, the surrounding pagan nations believed that the universe was carved up into separate, localized jurisdictions. The gods of Babylon claimed the rivers; the gods of Egypt claimed the Nile; and the gods of Philistia claimed the coastal plains. These rebel spirits asserted that their authority was absolute within their own geographic boundaries, and they demanded total compliance from any human who entered their territory.<#0.5#> But the priests of Israel shatter that illusion with their final blessing. They remind the departing pilgrims that the God they serve is not a minor, regional spirit of the hills. He is not a localized deity trapped inside the stone walls of Jerusalem. He is the absolute, supreme Architect of the entire macrocosm. He spoke the heavens into existence, and He formed the earth from the void. <#0.5#> Therefore, there is no place on the planet that is outside of His jurisdiction. When the pilgrims leave Jerusalem to return to their homes in the distant, compromised corners of the world, they are not leaving the territory of their God. They can walk confidently into any environment, knowing that every square inch of dirt they step upon belongs exclusively to the Maker of heaven and earth.<#0.5#> And look at the launching pad of this blessing: “from Zion.” As we have learned on this fifteen-stop mountain climb, Mount Zion is the designated cosmic mountain, the official footprint of Yahweh’s heavenly throne room in the human realm. The blessing that the priests pronounce is not a cheap, temporary wish for good luck. It is a massive, supernatural transmission of Shalom—complete, flourishing wholeness and divine favor—cascading down directly from the centralized command center of the universe.<#0.5#> The pilgrims are told that this blessing from Zion will follow them down the mountain trail. It will go with them as they navigate the treacherous roads, as they return to their families, and as they face the daily, suffocating hostility of the pagan cultures. Zion’s light will go with them into the darkness of their exile. The final step of the ascent is actually the beginning of the descent, where the travelers are sent back out into the world, transformed into living extensions of the cosmic mountain,...
Welcome to Day 2877 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2877 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 133:1-3 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2877 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2877 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Cosmic Dew of Holy Harmony<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand, multi-generational expedition, we scaled the breathtaking, final heights of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two. We listened in hushed, reverent awe as the human voices of the pilgrims receded, and Yahweh Himself took the cosmic microphone to deliver His final, unyielding oracle. We witnessed the High King of heaven plant His royal flag upon Mount Zion, declaring it to be His permanent, centralized command center forever. We marveled at His glorious, sovereign promises to completely erase hunger by satisfying the poor with bread, to wrap his priests in the defensive armor of salvation, and to cause the royal power of David’s ultimate Descendant to sprout like a living horn, radiating a blooming, immortal crown of victory that completely humiliates the rebel powers of darkness.<#0.5#> Today, we step forward onto the fourteenth, and penultimate, ridge of this magnificent pilgrim trail. We are immersing our souls in the second-to-last Song of Ascent: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Three, verses one through three, in the New Living Translation. This short, brilliant masterpiece, written by King David, contains only three brief verses. Yet, what it lacks in physical length, it more than makes up for in profound, world-altering spiritual depth. It provides the perfect, beautiful relational resolution to the epic structural themes we explored in the previous psalm. Once the Divine Warrior has completely secured His cosmic headquarters on the mountain, and once His righteous King is securely enthroned, we are finally permitted to look inside the fortress walls to witness the internal, radiant atmosphere of the kingdom. We are moving from the grand architecture of the throne room, directly into the intimate, fragrant, and refreshing fellowship of the family of God. Let us step onto this sacred section of the trail, and discover the true, supernatural anatomy of holy harmony.<#0.5#> Segment one is: The Sacred Assembly and the Subversion of Babel<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Three: verse one.<#0.5#> How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!<#0.5#> The song opens with an ecstatic, heartfelt exclamation of delight: “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!”<#0.5#> The Hebrew vocabulary used here is incredibly rich. The word for “wonderful” is tov, which means inherently good, functional, and in perfect alignment with the original design of creation. It is the exact same word the Creator used in the opening chapters of Genesis when He looked at His newly organized cosmos and declared it “good.” The word for “pleasant” is na’im, implying something that is deeply delightful, sweet, and aesthetically beautiful to experience. The psalmist is looking at a specific human reality, and recognizing it as a literal slice of heaven on earth.<#0.5#> To fully comprehend the immense weight of this opening verse, we must view this gathering through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. We must remember that the natural state of the world outside of Zion was characterized by fierce fragmentation, hostility, and relentless warfare. In the Deuteronomy chapter thirty-two worldview, when humanity rebelled at the Tower of Babel, Yahweh disinherited the nations, scattering them across the face of the earth, and placing them under the jurisdiction of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. Those territorial elohim subsequently rebelled, corrupting their assignments, and driving their respective human empires to constantly fight, exploit, and destroy one another. Chaos, division, and tribal hatred were the native operating systems of the fallen world.<#0.5#> But here, on the slopes of Mount Zion, a supernatural miracle is taking place. The scattered tribes of Israel—who often suffered from internal rivalries and external political stress—have left their separate territories behind. They have marched up the mountain pass, passed through the seamless gates of Jerusalem, and they are now sitting down together, side-by-side, as one unified family. The Hebrew phrase for “together in harmony” is gam yachad, which implies an absolute, indivisible unity of purpose, heart, and soul. <#0.5#> This holy harmony is a direct, aggressive subversion of the dark principalities. Yahweh’s heavenly council is defined by perfect, unified execution of the divine will, and humanity was originally created to serve as the earthly extension of that loyal celestial family. When the brothers live together in harmony on Zion, they are restoring the original blueprint of Eden. They are demonstrating to the watching, rebel spirits that the unifying love of the Creator is completely breaking the power of the Babel fragmentation. Holy harmony is not just a nice, sentimental feeling; it is a declaration of cosmic victory, showing that the true King has successfully gathered His scattered children into one unshakeable, loving household.<#0.5#> Segment two is: The Fragrant Overflow of Vertical Sanctity<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Three: verse two.<#0.5#> For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the collar of his robes.<#0.5#> To describe the invisible, spiritual reality of this brotherly harmony, David deploys a highly specific, deeply sacred, and intensely sensory metaphor: “For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the collar of his robes.”<#0.5#> To the modern, Western reader, the image of thick oil running down a man’s face, soaking into his beard, and dripping onto his clothing might sound messy, or even unappealing. But to the ancient Near Eastern mind, this was a picture of ultimate luxury, supreme consecration, and overwhelming divine favor. The psalmist is referring explicitly to the shemen hatob—the unique, holy anointing oil described in Exodus chapter thirty. This was not ordinary cooking oil; it was a highly concentrated, priceless compound of pure olive oil infused with massive amounts of liquid myrrh, fragrant cinnamon, sweet cane, and cassia. It was strictly forbidden for common use. When this oil was poured out, its rich, majestic, and intoxicating fragrance would instantly fill the entire environment, completely overriding the smells of the physical world.<#0.5#> Look at the specific directional movement of the oil in the text: it is poured over Aaron’s head, it runs down his beard, and it flows directly onto the collar of his priestly robes. This represents a magnificent, vertical cascade of holiness. Aaron was the High Priest, the designated human mediator who was authorized to step into the Holy of Holies to stand before the Ark of the Covenant—the literal footstool of Yahweh’s throne. When Aaron was anointed, the oil was poured out with radical, wasteful abundance. <#0.5#> This vertical flow symbolizes the downpouring of heavenly sanctity from the King of the cosmos into the physical realm. The oil starts at the head—the seat of divine authority—and it completely saturates the mediator, flowing down until it covers the entire body of the priesthood, which represents the collective community of Israel. <#0.5#> David is teaching us a profound theological truth: true, holy harmony is not something that human beings can manufacture from the bottom up through political treaties, or social engineering. Holy harmony is a supernatural gift that cascades from the top down. It originates from the throne room of the true Sovereign, flows through our ultimate Mediator, and completely saturates the body of the faithful. The rich, fragrant oil of unity marks the covenant family as a sacred, set-apart space, completely distinct from the profane, defiled territories of the rebel gods. When we walk in harmony, we are literally covered in the intoxicating fragrance of heaven’s holiness.<#0.5#> Segment three is: Subverting the Dark Mountain and the Ultimate Decree of Life<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Three: verse three.<#0.5#> Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.<#0.5#> The psalmist introduces a...
Welcome to Day 2876 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Progressive Christianity and the Northern Kingdom: A Repeated Rebellion. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2876 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2876 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Progressive Christianity and the Northern Kingdom: A Repeated Rebellion.<#0.5#> After the division of Israel, Jeroboam feared losing his kingdom if the people continued worshiping in Jerusalem. Rather than abolish religion, he reshaped it. He placed golden calves at Dan and Bethel and declared, “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (First Kings 12, verse twenty-eight). He kept the name of Yahweh but changed the worship to fit political and cultural needs.<#0.5#> Progressive Christianity walks the same path. It keeps the language of faith while redefining the terms. Jesus becomes a moral teacher rather than the risen Lord. Sin becomes injustice rather than rebellion. Salvation becomes social healing rather than spiritual redemption. Just like the Northern Kingdom, modern progressives offer a god who is familiar in name but foreign in nature.<#0.5#> The First Segment is: “Open-Minded” Idolatry<#0.5#> The people of Israel did not see themselves as rejecting Yahweh. They simply wanted to be open to other spiritual options. Baal was worshiped for rain, Asherah for fertility, and Molech for prosperity. The land was filled with high places, groves, and alternate shrines. In their minds, it was not apostasy. It was balance. It was maturity.<#0.5#> Progressive Christianity mirrors this impulse. Its leaders are often proud to affirm all religions as valid paths to the divine. Jesus is presented as one example among many. Interfaith services blend Scripture with mantras, chakras, and meditation. This “open-mindedness” is not new. It is the same spiritual adultery that the prophets condemned as whoredom. God does not share His throne.<#0.5#> The second Segment is: Pagan Intrusion in Sacred Clothing<#0.5#> The Israelites introduced forbidden elements into their worship. They practiced divination, consulted mediums, and used cultic rituals they learned from their Canaanite neighbors. They may have justified these things as “spiritual tools,” but the prophets saw clearly what was happening. Paganism was creeping into the house of God.<#0.5#> Today, angel cards, energy healing, astrology, aura readings, and manifesting are all being imported into churches, especially those influenced by progressive and New Apostolic Reformation theology. These practices are often wrapped in Christian language. They speak of light, Spirit, and destiny. But they are no different from the forbidden rituals of ancient days. Their power does not come from the Holy Spirit. It comes from the same deceiving spirits that always wait behind the idols.<#0.5#> The Third Segment is: The Rise of Prophetic Theater<#0.5#> In the Northern Kingdom, the prophets became professional performers. They declared victory and blessing without requiring repentance. They contradicted the true prophets, promising peace while ignoring rebellion. Jeremiah lamented, “They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’” (Jeremiah 23, verse seventeen).<#0.5#> Today’s “prophecy schools,” such as Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry, follow a disturbingly similar pattern. They claim to train individuals to “activate” prophetic gifts, to decree and declare realities into being, and to access heaven’s secrets at will. But true prophecy in Scripture was never a skill to be mastered or a sensation to be invoked. It was a calling given by God to speak His Word with fear and trembling.<#0.5#> At Bethel and similar movements, prophecy becomes performance. It centers on personal revelation, emotional experience, and “manifesting” outcomes rather than repentance, obedience, and holiness. Like the prophets of the Northern Kingdom, these teachers proclaim peace where there is no peace and glory without the cross. The emphasis on “prophetic activation” closely mirrors the divination condemned by Moses, where the divine is manipulated for human ends rather than received with reverent submission.<#0.5#> The Fourth Segment is: Cultural Syncretism Rebranded as Revival<#0.5#> Ancient Israel thought it could have both Yahweh and Baal. It thought it could use Canaanite worship styles to honor the God of Abraham. But Yahweh had already spoken at Sinai. His worship was not negotiable. Israel’s attempt to blend cultures resulted in divine rejection.<#0.5#> Progressive Christianity makes the same mistake. It borrows the language of self-help, the values of humanism, and the practices of mysticism. It attempts to wrap them in Christian terms, calling it “revival” or “awakening.” But Yahweh does not share His glory. He is not worshiped on the high places. He is not accessed through emotion, technique, or personal preference. He demands covenant faithfulness.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: The Prophets Were Never Popular<#0.5#> In the Northern Kingdom, the true prophets were persecuted. Elijah was hunted. Amos was silenced. Hosea was scorned. They did not tell people what they wanted to hear. They told them what God said. The people preferred the false prophets who promised peace, affirmation, and national greatness.<#0.5#> Today, biblical voices that warn against false spirituality are called judgmental. They are told they are stifling the Spirit. They are accused of division and fear-mongering. But their words match the prophets of old. God does not change, and neither does the nature of rebellion.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: The Consequence of Compromise<#0.5#> The Northern Kingdom fell. Assyria crushed it, and its people were scattered. The fall was not just political. It was spiritual. The gods they welcomed could not save them. The prophets they trusted led them into ruin. God gave them over to what they had chosen.<#0.5#> Progressive Christianity is on the same path. It trades revelation for reinvention. It welcomes what God forbids. It builds golden calves and calls them Jesus. Its trajectory is not renewal but collapse. A house built on sand will fall.<#0.5#> In Conclusion The Northern Kingdom did not fall because it rejected religion. It fell because it redefined it. It kept the name of God while reshaping everything else. It embraced the gods of the age and called it progress. Progressive Christianity is repeating this rebellion. It is time to choose whom we will serve.<#0.5#> For further study, consider these Discussion Questions<#0.5#> 1. Why do you think Jeroboam chose to redefine Israel’s worship rather than abolish it outright? How does this reflect the way progressive Christianity reshapes faith today?<#0.5#> 2. What are the dangers of being “open-minded” about spiritual truth? At what point does openness become compromise, and how can we recognize the difference?<#0.5#> 3. How do modern practices like angel cards, manifesting, and prophetic activation parallel ancient forbidden rituals? Can these practices ever be redeemed or are they inherently incompatible with biblical faith?<#0.5#> 4. Why were the true prophets in Israel often unpopular and rejected? How does this help us evaluate popular spiritual leaders today?<#0.5#> 5. If the Northern Kingdom’s downfall was theological more than political, what does that suggest about the long-term consequences of doctrinal compromise in the Church today?<#0.5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn The Bible as a Polemic: Confronting the Powers that Rebelled Kingdom:.<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’<#0.5#> Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.<#0.5#> As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:<#0.5#>
Welcome to Day 2875 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2875 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 132:13-18 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2875 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2875 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Blooming Horn of Zion’s King<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand pilgrimage, we marched alongside the ancient Israelite community in the second movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses six through twelve. We witnessed the historical, corporate joy of locating the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, which had been neglected in the wooded, overgrown fields of the countryside. We joined the grand procession as the Ark was carried up the slopes of Mount Zion, and we heard the priests raise that dramatic, ancient battle cry: "Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place!" We explored the cosmic weight of the Ark as the physical footstool of Yahweh’s heavenly throne, and we stood in awe as the Creator responded to David’s restless devotion by swearing an unbreakable, unconditional oath to establish the Davidic dynasty forever.<#0.5#> Today, we have reached the magnificent, soaring finale of this epic psalm. We are completing our exploration of the longest Song of Ascent by diving deep into Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses thirteen through eighteen, in the New Living Translation. The human voices of the pilgrims, and the earthly liturgy of the procession, now recede into a quiet, reverent silence. The stage is completely cleared, and we hear the direct, first-person decrees of Yahweh Himself. The Sovereign Commander of the heavenly armies takes the microphone to deliver His final, unyielding oracle regarding the destiny of His holy city, His anointed king, and the entire cosmos. Let us step onto the final ridge of this specific trail, open our ears, and listen to the voice of the Almighty.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Cosmic Headquarters and the Eternal Rest<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses thirteen and fourteen.<#0.5#> For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home. “This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.”<#0.5#> The climax of the psalm opens with a foundational declaration of divine selection: "For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home."<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the absolute explosion of theological and cosmic weight embedded in these words, we must view this geography through the lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. We must recall the grand narrative of Deuteronomy chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine, which reveals that when the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He allocated the different people groups to the oversight of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. Those territorial elohim subsequently rebelled, corrupting their assignments, and demanding worship for themselves, plunging the pagan world into spiritual darkness. But Yahweh claimed one specific people, and one specific piece of geography, as His own personal, prized allotment.<#0.5#> That prized allotment is Zion. By declaring that He has "chosen Jerusalem," Yahweh is executing a monumental act of cosmic boundary-setting. He is looking at the entire planet—which has been carved up by rebel spiritual forces—and He is planting His royal flag on this specific, modest hill. The surrounding pagan cultures believed their gods ruled from massive, physically imposing mountains, like Mount Zaphon or the towering heights of Mount Hermon. But Yahweh bypasses the arrogant, towering peaks of the rebels, and He chooses Jerusalem. He "desired it for his home."<#0.5#> He then seals this choice with an absolute, eternal decree in verse fourteen: "‘This is my resting place forever,’ he said. ‘I will live here, for this is the home I desired.’"<#0.5#> The phrase "resting place"—or menuchah in the Hebrew—carries a deep, ancient Near Eastern royal meaning. A king's resting place was not where he went to take a nap; it was his palace. It was the centralized command center from which he issued decrees, administered justice, and ruled his empire after completely defeating his enemies. When Yahweh says Zion is His resting place "forever," He is announcing that Jerusalem is the permanent, unchangeable headquarters of the cosmos. He is completely evicting the claims of the rebel principalities. He says, "I will live here." The High King of heaven has moved His primary residence down into the human realm, establishing His divine council administration right in the midst of His people, and creating an unshakeable fortress of truth that can never be overthrown by the powers of chaos.<#0.5#> The second segment is! The Overflowing Feast and the Garments of Victory<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses fifteen and sixteen.<#0.5#> I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food. I will clothe its priests with salvation; its loyal servants will sing for joy.<#0.5#> Because the ultimate Source of life and cosmic order has taken His seat on the mountain, the blessings of His presence immediately begin to cascade down, radically transforming the socioeconomic and spiritual reality of the city. Yahweh promises, "I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food."<#0.5#> The rebel spiritual forces and their arrogant, earthly proxies governed the pagan empires through exploitation, greed, and systemic cruelty. In Babylon, Egypt, and Canaan, the wealthy elite built their palaces by grinding the faces of the poor into the dirt, while their corrupt gods demanded heavy sacrifices from the starving masses. But the government of Yahweh operates on an economy of absolute Shalom—complete, flourishing wholeness and restorative justice. <#0.5#> When the King of Zion prospers His city, the blessing is not hoarded by a select few at the top. It ripples all the way down to the margins of society. He promises to "satisfy its poor with food." In the ancient world, satisfying the poor with bread was the ultimate sign of a righteous, legitimate monarch. Yahweh’s presence ensures that hunger is eradicated, oppression is broken, and the vulnerable are fiercely protected. The cosmic center becomes a place of abundant, overflowing life for everyone who dwells within its gates.<#0.5#> The divine blessing then moves from the physical needs of the community, to their spiritual armor in verse sixteen: "I will clothe its priests with salvation; its loyal servants will sing for joy."<#0.5#> We must look back to verse nine of this same psalm to see the beautiful, reciprocal nature of this verse. In the previous processional prayer, the pilgrims petitioned God, saying, "May your priests be clothed in godliness and righteousness." Now, Yahweh answers that prayer, but He expands the vocabulary. He doesn't just promise to clothe them in righteousness; He says, "I will clothe its priests with salvation." <#0.5#> The Hebrew word for salvation here is yesha, implying deliverance, victory, and safety. The priests, who serve as the crucial human mediators between the heavenly council and the earthly congregation, are completely wrapped in the defensive armor of the Divine Warrior. They become walking advertisements of God's saving power. And because the leadership is securely wrapped in victory, the effect on the congregation is instantaneous: "its loyal servants will sing for joy." The hasidim—the covenant-keeping exiles—break out into uninhibited, ecstatic shouting. Their worship becomes an auditory shield, completely drowning out the deceptive lies and the mocking laughter of the surrounding culture.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Sprouting Horn and the Resplendent Crown<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses seventeen and eighteen.<#0.5#> Here I will increase the power of David; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a resplendent king.”<#0.5#> The psalm reaches its grand, prophetic finale by focusing entirely on the destiny of the Davidic monarch, the human vice-regent of God's earthly kingdom. Yahweh decrees, "Here I will increase the power of David; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one."<#0.5#> The phrase "increase the power of David" uses an incredibly vivid, old-world idiom. The literal Hebrew text says, "There I will cause a horn to sprout for David." In ancient Near Eastern iconography, the horn of a wild ox represented raw, undefeated military strength,...
Welcome to Day 2874 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2874 – “Freedom From Bondage” based on Luke 8:22-39 Putnam Church Message – 05/03/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Freedom from Bondage” Last week’s message was: “Where Are You in This Picture?” We reflected on what type of soil our lives represent and whether we are hiding the light of Christ rather than sharing it with others. Today, we continue with our twenty-first message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Freedom from Bondage.” Our core passage today is Luke 8:22-39, which is found on page 1606 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Calms the Storm 22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man 26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[a] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. 30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. 32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for Your living Word and for the Gospel of Luke, which continues to show us more clearly who Jesus is. Thank You that You did not leave this fallen world to sink under the weight of sin, fear, and evil, but You sent Your Son into our darkness. As we come to this passage today, open our eyes to the power of Christ, open our hearts to trust Him more fully, and open our lives to the freedom only He can give. Calm what is storming within us. Break what has held us captive. Strengthen what has grown weak. And let us leave today with a deeper confidence that Jesus is Lord over every force that terrifies us. In His name we pray, amen. As we continue with our twenty-first message in this Luke series, we come to a dramatic turning point. Up to this point, Luke has shown Jesus healing diseases, cleansing lepers, forgiving sins, raising the dead, and receiving the broken. We have watched Him touch individual lives with compassion and power. But in Luke 8:22–39, the curtain pulls back even farther. Here, Jesus does not merely ease suffering. / He confronts the larger powers behind suffering. / He speaks to the wind and the waves. / He commands demons. / He crosses into hostile territory. / He delivers a man no one else could help. / And then He sends that healed man home as a witness. This is not just a story about weather and one troubled man. This is a revelation of the King who has come to reclaim enemy-held ground. The world we live in is not the world God originally made it to be. Genesis tells us that God created a good world, ordered, fruitful, beautiful, and fit for human flourishing. But because of sin, our world has become a place of storms, sorrow, chaos, fear, bondage, disease, death, and decay. We all know this, not just from theology, but from experience. We have all ridden through storms. * We have all seen chaos. * We have all known people in bondage. * And if we are honest, some of us know bondage from the inside.
So, this passage asks us a very important question: When the forces of chaos and darkness rise, who is Jesus really? Luke’s answer is clear: * He is Lord over the storm. * He is Lord over the demons. * He is Lord over the broken human heart. * And He is Lord over the mission that turns the delivered / into witnesses.
A Simple Object Lesson Hold up a small chain connected to a padlock and a set of keys. “This is what bondage looks like. Sometimes it is visible, sometimes invisible. Sometimes it is addiction. Sometimes fear. Sometimes bitterness. Sometimes shame. Sometimes torment of mind.” Hold up the keys and say, “Chains are strong, but keys represent authority. The chain may look powerful, but the one with the key has the final word.” Luke 8 shows us a man whom everyone else tried to bind with chains. Those chains failed. But when Jesus arrived, no chain, no demon, no storm, and no chaos could stand against Him. Christ has the key. That leads us to our first of four truths. Main Point 1: Jesus has authority over the chaos that terrifies us. Luke tells us that Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So, they got into a boat and set out. Then, as they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. A fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat began to fill with water. The disciples panicked and woke Him, crying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” Now pause there and feel the scene. These were not children afraid of a little rain. / Several of these men were seasoned fishermen. / They knew this lake. / They had read the sky before. They had handled boats before. But the Sea of Galilee could turn violent in moments. Sitting far below sea level, surrounded by hills, and cut by sudden winds, it could quickly become dangerous. Ancient people often saw the sea not merely as water, but as a symbol of disorder and threat. To them, the sea represented what could not be controlled. The mighty sea serpent. So, when experienced men panic, this was no small inconvenience. And where is Jesus? / Asleep. That detail matters. It reveals both His humanity and His calm. He is weary enough to sleep through danger, and secure enough to rest in the middle of it. Then Jesus rises and rebukes the wind and the raging waves. Immediately, the storm stops, and the lake becomes calm. What a moment that must have been. One instant: shrieking wind, crashing water, frantic bailing, shouted voices, terror in the eyes. The next instant: stillness. Silence. Water settling. Hearts pounding. The disciples staring at Jesus in stunned fear and wonder. And then Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?” / Not, “Why were there waves?” / Not, “Why were you surprised that life got hard?” / But, “Where is your faith?” This passage does not teach that real...
Welcome to Day 2873 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2873 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 132:6-12 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2873 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2873 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Enthronement of the Ark on the Holy Mountain<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we stepped onto the thirteenth ridge of our fifteen-part pilgrim journey through the Songs of Ascents. We explored the opening section of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses one through five. We witnessed the unyielding, sleepless passion of King David. Even though he had a quiet, weaned soul within himself, he refused to enjoy the private luxury of his cedar palace while the Ark of the Covenant remained neglected in a temporary tent. We examined his solemn vow to the Mighty One of Jacob, a vow of deliberate restlessness, where he refused to sleep until he found a permanent, sacred space—a cosmic embassy—where the True King of heaven and earth could establish His earthly footstool.<#0.5#> Today, we take our next historic step forward, continuing directly from that narrative. We are entering into the second movement of this grand, processional anthem, exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses six through twelve, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist shifts our focus from David’s private, intense vow, to the corporate, joyful experience of the entire nation as they actually locate, recover, and march with the symbol of God’s presence up the mountain. Let us step onto the rugged trail, join the ancient procession, and watch the Divine Warrior ascend His throne.<#0.5#> The first segment is:The Discovery and the Procession to the Footstool<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses six and seven.<#0.5#> We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar. Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.<#0.5#> The narrative transitions from David’s intense, singular obsession, to the collective voice of the Israelite community, singing together on the road to Jerusalem. “We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the deep, emotional relief embedded in these two names—Ephrathah and Jaar—we must recall the tragic, historical backstory. Decades earlier, during the chaotic days of Eli the priest, the Israelites had foolishly treated the Ark of the Covenant like a magical good-luck charm, dragging it onto the battlefield against the Philistines. The rebel spiritual forces operating behind the Philistine armies achieved a temporary, mocking victory; the Ark was captured, and the glory of God seemed to depart from Israel. Even after the Philistines returned the Ark due to divine plagues, it sat neglected, stashed away in the obscure, overgrown, and wooded fields of Kiriath-jearim—which the psalmist poetically calls the “distant countryside of Jaar.” It was hidden in the brush, largely forgotten by the general public, while the nation drifted spiritually.<#0.5#> But David mobilized the nation. The pilgrims recount the great rally: “Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.”<#0.5#> We must view this through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient Near East, a supreme monarch sat on a high, elevated throne, and his feet rested upon a beautifully crafted footstool. The footstool was the critical point of contact where the heavenly, royal realm physically touched the lower, earthly domain. In cosmic geography, the Ark of the Covenant, positioned inside the Holy of Holies beneath the outstretched wings of the golden cherubim, was recognized as the literal footstool of Yahweh’s heavenly throne room. <#0.5#> When the pilgrims say, “let us worship at the footstool of his throne,” they are not merely engaging in formal temple rituals. They are entering the earthly embassy of the Supreme Commander of the cosmos. They are stepping into the direct presence of the High King, joining the heavenly assembly of loyal angels, and declaring that Yahweh’s authority completely eclipses the claims of the rebel spiritual principalities who rule over the surrounding, disinherited nations.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Divine Warrior Takes His Seat<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses eight through ten.<#0.5#> Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power. May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy. For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.<#0.5#> The procession reaches its absolute climax as the Ark is physically carried up the slopes of Mount Zion. The king and the priests raise a dramatic, liturgical shout to the heavens: “Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.”<#0.5#> This phrase, “Arise, O Lord,” is a direct, intentional echo of the ancient wilderness battle cry recorded in Numbers, chapter ten. Whenever the Ark of the Covenant set out from the camp to lead the tribes through the desert, Moses would stand and shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered!” It was the invocation of Yahweh Sabaoth—the Lord of Hosts, the Commander of the heavenly armies. <#0.5#> But notice the fascinating, beautiful shift in Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two. The Divine Warrior is no longer marching out to do battle in the wilderness; He is marching in to take His seat. He is entering His “resting place.” In the Deuteronomy Thirty-Two framework, the rebel gods claimed ownership over the nations, but Yahweh has chosen Zion as His permanent, centralized cosmic mountain. By placing the Ark—the symbol of His power—on Mount Zion, Yahweh is establishing an unshakeable, eternal fortress. The warfare is completed; the King is officially taking His seat on the throne.<#0.5#> This supreme, cosmic installation requires an entirely transformed community to serve the King. Verse nine petitions: “May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.”<#0.5#> The priests, who act as the human mediators between the heavenly council and the earthly congregation, must not wear the corrupt, manipulative garments of the pagan fertility cults. They must be literally wrapped, clothed, and saturated in tsedeq—true, uncompromised godliness and righteousness. When the leadership is holy, the entire community flourishes. The "loyal servants"—the hasidim, the covenant-keeping exiles—break out into uninhibited, roaring songs of joy. Their worship becomes a defensive shield, keeping the chaos of the world outside the walls of the sanctuary.<#0.5#> The processional prayer concludes with a crucial plea for the continuation of the dynasty: “For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.”<#0.5#> The human king, the Mashiach, the anointed one, serves a vital function in the Divine Council worldview. He is designated as Yahweh’s earthly vice-regent. He is the human representative who executes the justice, and the cosmic order of the High King, within the physical realm. The pilgrims pray that God will look at the faithful, historical sacrifices of David, and refuse to reject the current, fragile human king who sits on David’s throne. They need the line of the vice-regent to remain unbroken, so that the connection to the cosmic mountain remains secure.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Reciprocal Oath of Eternity<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses eleven and twelve.<#0.5#> The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: “I will place one of your descendants on your throne. If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them, then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”<#0.5#> In the final section of today’s trail, the direction of the song flips completely. The pilgrims have finished speaking to God, and now, Yahweh speaks back to the pilgrims. He responds to David’s historic, restless vow with a massive, unyielding oath of His own. “The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: ‘I will place one of your descendants on your throne.’”<#0.5#> This is the beautiful, reciprocal irony of the Davidic covenant. In the first five verses of this psalm, David...
Welcome to Day 2872 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2872 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 132:1-5 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2872 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2872 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – Securing the Cosmic Footstool<#0.5#> Today, we are lacing up our boots, and setting our feet firmly onto the thirteenth step of our fifteen-part pilgrimage, through the beautiful, ancient collection known as the Songs of Ascents. We are entering into a magnificent, epic narrative found in Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. In our previous episode, we rested on a quiet, sunlit ridge of this alphabetical mountain range, exploring the beautiful, intimate sanctuary of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-One. In that short, brilliant song, King David modeled the rare, supernatural art of a quiet, weaned soul. We witnessed him completely abdicate cosmic hubris, choosing to step out of the frantic, status-driven games of the surrounding pagan empires. We saw him rest peacefully upon the lap of Yahweh; content, quiet, and still, like a fully satisfied child content simply to be in its mother’s loving presence.<#0.5#> But today, as we transition into Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, we encounter a stunning, brilliant paradox in the life of King David. While he possessed a deeply quiet, fully content internal soul, his external life was driven by a fierce, restless, and completely unyielding passion for the glory of God. He was a man who absolutely refused to settle for comfortable, private spirituality, while the presence of the Creator remained neglected. This psalm takes us deep into the history of the kingdom, reminding the traveling pilgrims exactly why they are marching up this hill toward Jerusalem in the first place. It pulls back the cosmic curtain, exposing the intense spiritual warfare, and the grueling, historical sacrifices, required to secure the Holy City as the definitive center of the universe. Let us step onto the rugged trail, look back at the origins of our sanctuary, and explore the terms of David’s historic vow.<#0.5#> Let us listen closely to the opening lines of this powerful anthem. <#0.5#> Lord, remember David and all that he suffered. He made a solemn promise to the Lord. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,<#0.5#> The song begins with a direct, legally framed petition to the heavenly throne room: “Lord, remember David and all that he suffered.” Other translations render this as “all his afflictions,” or “all his humility.” This is a corporate plea from the community, reminding Yahweh of the heavy price David paid to establish the worship of God on earth. To fully understand the nature of David’s suffering, we must look past our modern, shallow political histories, and look through the brilliant lens of the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the Deuteronomy Thirty-Two worldview, when the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He scattered humanity into seventy separate nations, placing them under the jurisdiction of lesser, rebel spiritual principalities—the fallen sons of God. But Yahweh set apart Israel as His own personal, treasured allotment.<#0.5#> Because Israel was the direct beachhead of the true Kingdom of God on earth, the rebel gods held a deeply rooted, cosmic grudge against David. The surrounding pagan tribes—like the Jebusites who originally controlled the fortress of Jerusalem—were the earthly proxies of these dark, spiritual entities. When David fought to capture the stronghold of Zion, he wasn't just engaged in a secular military campaign; he was actively marching into the teeth of territorial, demonic principalities. He was violently reclaiming a physical piece of earth from cosmic rebels to establish a sanctuary where the True King could rule. His suffering included years of running from assassins, fighting brutal wars, and enduring the intense pressure of spiritual warfare, driven by a singular, burning vision.<#0.5#> The text explains the exact engine that drove David through this multi-year gauntlet of affliction: “He made a solemn promise to the Lord. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,”. In the Hebrew text, this title for God is exceptionally powerful—Abir Ya'aqob, meaning the “Mighty One of Jacob.” This ancient, patriarchal title is full of heavy cosmic significance. By invoking the Mighty One of Israel, the psalmist makes an aggressive, polemical statement against the surrounding nations. While pagan cultures bragged about the raw power of their gods—like Baal or Chemosh—David directs his oath exclusively to the supreme, unrivaled Warrior of Jacob. He enters into a binding covenant with the only spiritual Being who possesses the ultimate authority to completely dispossess the rebel principalities and claim the earth for Himself.<#0.5#> Let us now listen to the dramatic, radical terms of David’s vow, as recorded in verses three through five. <#0.5#> “I will not go home; I will not let myself rest. I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber, until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”<#0.5#> The words of David's vow ring out with an absolute, shocking lack of moderation. He declares, “I will not go home; I will not let myself rest. I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber,”. This is the language of holy, hyper-focused obsession. David had built himself a magnificent, luxurious palace made of expensive cedar wood. He had achieved political security, defeated his immediate military rivals, and secured an earthly throne. By all human standards, it was time for him to sit back, relax, and enjoy the sweet fruit of his labor. The world told him he had earned the right to sleep soundly in his comfortable bed.<#0.5#> But David looked across his kingdom, and his heart was deeply grieved. While he slept in a palace of cedar, the Ark of the Covenant—the literal footstool of Yahweh’s heavenly throne, the mobile cosmic mountain where the presence of the True King uniquely manifested on earth—was hidden away, neglected in a simple tent in the distant countryside. He refused to tolerate a reality where his own private comfort was superior to the public honor of his God. He viewed his luxurious palace not as a place of rest, but as a place of distraction, until a permanent, secure beachhead could be established for the Lord.<#0.5#> He placed an intense, physical embargo upon his own body, denying himself the basic human comforts of home, rest, and sleep until his mission was accomplished. This is the absolute opposite of spiritual lethargy. The rebel spiritual forces want nothing more than for the leaders of God’s people to become comfortable and complacent. If the enemy can lure the warrior into a deep, lazy sleep of private luxury, the territory remains un-reclaimed. But David weaponized his own insomnia. He chose restlessness, deliberately keeping his eyelids open, forcing his body to stay in a state of high-alert, active combat until a space could be secured for the presence of the Most High.<#0.5#> Look at the ultimate goal of this sleepless pursuit in verse five: “until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.” The Hebrew word for “place” here is maqom, which carries a deep, sacred meaning. It doesn't just mean any random piece of real estate. In ancient Near Eastern literature, a maqom was a holy site, a specific, divinely appointed intersection where heaven and earth met. David was looking for the precise geographic spot where Yahweh desired to plant His feet, establishing a permanent, unshakeable embassy for the Divine Council right in the middle of human history.<#0.5#> He calls it “a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.” This house was not meant to trap the infinite, omnipresent Creator within stone walls. Rather, the sanctuary was designed to be a visible, physical monument of divine ownership over the earth. It was a proclamation to the seventy disinherited nations, and to the corrupt, territorial elohim ruling over them, that Yahweh had definitively returned to reclaim His property. Jerusalem, specifically Mount Zion, would serve as the centralized headquarters of cosmic order, truth, and restorative justice. David was willing to bleed, sweat, and completely sacrifice his own rest, simply to lay the first stones of that eternal, global empire.<#0.5#> As we look at this text from the high vantage point of our Wisdom Trek today, we must integrate the profound lessons of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-One and Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two. In the previous psalm, we learned to cultivate a weaned, quiet soul—completely free from the anxious striving of our own egos. But today, we learn that a quiet soul should never lead to a passive life. True biblical humility does not make a person indifferent to the spiritual condition of their culture. In fact,
Welcome to Day 2871 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Welcome to Day 2866 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Interacting with the Spirit: Discernment and Devotion. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2871 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2871 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Does “Be Not Afraid” Really Appear 365 Times in the Bible?<#0.5#> Upon closer examination, this claim falls apart. While the Bible certainly emphasizes trust in God and regularly urges believers not to be afraid, the specific phrase count does not match the poetic number. The truth is more nuanced and perhaps even more meaningful than the myth.<#0.5#> Our first segment is: What the Text Actually Says<#0.5#> When we examine the biblical text across multiple translations, the number of occurrences is far lower than 365. Although the Bible consistently calls God’s people to trust Him, the phrase “be not afraid,” along with its close equivalents such as “fear not” or “do not be afraid,” shows up far less frequently than the popular claim suggests.<#0.5#> New International Version (NIV): Fewer than 100<#0.5#> English Standard Version (ESV): Around 80<#0.5#> New King James Version (NKJV): Slightly over 70<#0.5#> These variations come from differences in translation philosophy, sentence structure, and idiomatic rendering. But across the board, none of them even come close to the fabled 365. Even when generously including all possible rephrasings and scattered verses that convey the idea indirectly, the number still does not reach that mark.<#0.5#> Our second segment is: How the Myth Spread<#0.5#> The origin of the 365-phrase myth is difficult to pin down, but it likely arose from a sincere desire to encourage. The number fits neatly into our calendar, and the message aligns with central biblical themes of faith, courage, and divine reassurance. In sermons, devotionals, or motivational talks, it serves as a tidy and memorable way to inspire trust in God’s daily presence.<#0.5#> But what begins as a poetic summary often becomes misunderstood as fact. Over time, the statement was repeated so often that many assumed it was grounded in textual reality. The emotional impact of the claim allowed it to bypass the usual filters of verification. It became popular because it felt true, not because it was true.<#0.5#> Our Third Segment is: Why Accuracy Still Matters<#0.5#> Some might argue that the exact number does not matter as long as the message is uplifting. But in matters of faith, accuracy is not a luxury. It is a responsibility. When a believer discovers that a frequently repeated claim is false or exaggerated, it can lead to disappointment, confusion, or even doubt. Trust in Scripture should not be built on clever slogans or numerical myths, but on the richness of what the text actually says.<#0.5#> The deeper danger is not the mistake itself but the habit it encourages. Repeating unverified claims, even with good intentions, trains people to depend on secondhand summaries instead of firsthand study. It makes them more susceptible to emotional appeals and less equipped to test what they hear. Truth may not always be as poetic, but it is always more powerful.<#0.5#> Our fourth segment is: What the Bible Really Emphasizes<#0.5#> The beauty of Scripture is that it does not need embellishment. Even though the phrase “be not afraid” does not appear 365 times, the theme of divine reassurance is woven throughout the entire narrative. From Genesis to Revelation, God tells His people not to fear. Not because trouble will not come, but because He is with them in the midst of it.<#0.5#> Abraham is told not to fear because God is his shield. Moses is told not to fear Pharaoh. Joshua is told not to fear the enemies in Canaan. The prophets speak words of courage to a nation in exile. Jesus tells His disciples not to be afraid of those who kill the body. And the final chapters of Revelation show a people who overcome fear through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.<#0.5#> The command not to fear is not a one-time sentiment. It is a constant posture of faith in the face of a broken world. And while it may not be repeated every single day in exact words, it is echoed on nearly every page.<#0.5#> In Conclusion<#0.5#> The claim that the Bible says “be not afraid” 365 times may sound nice, but it simply is not true. That does not mean the message is wrong, only that it should not rely on a false statistic. The call to trust God and live without fear is one of the Bible’s most persistent and powerful themes. Rather than grounding our confidence in a feel-good myth, we are invited into something more enduring. A life shaped by real engagement with the Word, where faith grows through truth and not through repetition.bWhat God has actually said is more than enough.<#0.5#> For further study, consider these Discussion Questions<#0.5#> 1. How does learning the true frequency of “be not afraid” in Scripture impact your view of the phrase’s importance?<#0.5#> 2. Why do you think people are so drawn to neat or poetic claims like “365 times for 365 days”?<#0.5#> 3. Can sincere but inaccurate statements weaken a person’s trust in biblical teaching? Why or why not?<#0.5#> 4. What are some ways we can guard against spreading misinformation while still encouraging others?<#0.5#> 5. How does personal study of the Bible help believers grow in both truth and discernment?<#0.5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Progressive Christianity and the Northern Kingdom: A Repeated Rebellion.<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’<#0.5#> Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.<#0.5#> As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:<#0.5#> Liv Abundantly. Love Unconditionally. Listen Intentionally. Learn Continuously. Lend to others Generously. Lead with Integrity. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2870 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2870 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 131:1-3 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2870 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2870 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Sanctuary of the Quiet Soul<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand pilgrimage, we crawled through the dark, suffocating currents of the eleventh Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Thirty. We stood at the very bottom of the spiritual abyss, De Profundis, crying out from the depths of personal and corporate guilt. We witnessed the hyper-vigilant sentry straining his eyes on the city battlements, waiting with absolute, unshakeable certainty for the first radiant rays of the dawn. We celebrated the staggering reality of Yahweh’s celestial ledger-erasing forgiveness, and we anchored our lives to a redemption that completely overflows, buying our souls back from the legal custody of the dark powers.<#0.5#> Today, we step forward onto the next section of the mountain pass, moving into the twelfth song of this ancient pilgrim collection. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-One, verses one through three, in the New Living Translation. This masterpiece, written by King Solomon’s father, King David, is one of the shortest psalms in the entire Bible, containing only three brief verses. Yet, what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for in profound, world-altering psychological depth. It provides the perfect, beautiful emotional resolution to the desperate cry of the previous psalm. Once a soul has been lifted out of the depths of the abyss, and completely cleansed by the overflowing mercy of the King, the frantic striving, the exhausting pride, and the paralyzing anxieties of this life simply melt away. Let us step onto this quiet, sunlit ridge of the trail, and learn the rare art of a quiet soul.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Abdication of Cosmic Hubris<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-One: verse one.<#0.5#> Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.<#0.5#> The song opens with an intimate, raw, and deeply transparent confession made directly to the Creator. “Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty.”<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the staggering nature of this statement, we must look at the identity of the writer. This is King David speaking. David was not a quiet, sheltered monk living far away from the realities of the world. David was a towering giant of human history. He was a ruthless warrior who slaughtered tens of thousands on the battlefield, a brilliant political strategist who unified a fractured nation, and a wealthy monarch who established an empire. He was a man who possessed every earthly reason to be consumed by arrogance. <#0.5#> Yet, as he walks the pilgrim road to Jerusalem, stripping off his royal robes and marching shoulder-to-shoulder with the lowliest peasants, he looks up to the heavenly throne room and declares, “Lord, my heart is not proud.” The Hebrew word for proud here implies being swollen, inflated, or lifted up above your proper station. David refuses to let his heart be infected by the toxic gas of self-importance.<#0.5#> He adds, “...my eyes are not haughty.” Haughty eyes are visually raised eyes. It is the posture of a person who constantly looks down their nose at others, treating fellow image-bearers with condescension and contempt. We remember from our trek through Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three how deeply the pilgrims suffered from the contempt of the proud and the arrogant proxies of the culture. David actively abdicates that posture. He refuses to participate in the competitive, status-driven games of the world.<#0.5#> He then provides the practical, operational definition of his humility: “I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.”<#0.5#> Other translations render this phrase, “Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too wonderful for me.” The Hebrew phrase for “too awesome” or “too wonderful” is b’nifla’ot mimeni, which refers to things that are hidden, supernatural, or beyond human jurisdiction.<#0.5#> We must view this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient Near East, the great temptation for human rulers was cosmic hubris. The rebel spiritual principalities—the fallen elohim of the nations—rebelled against Yahweh precisely because they wanted to overstep their assigned boundaries. They wanted to hoard forbidden knowledge, manipulate cosmic events, and ascend to heights that were reserved exclusively for the Most High God. They infected human empires with this same madness, driving pagan kings to perform dark, esoteric rituals to uncover the hidden secrets of the gods, frantically trying to control the future through sorcery and political manipulation.<#0.5#> David looks at the chaotic, overreaching ambition of the rebel gods and their earthly empires, and he completely opts out. He says, “I am not an elohim. I am a human being made of dust. I am a servant, not the Master. I do not need to understand the hidden, complex mechanics of how Yahweh governs the unseen spiritual realm. I do not need to stay awake at night frantically worrying about the turning of the cosmic gears, or trying to decipher every single hidden mystery of the universe.” <#0.5#> True wisdom lies in knowing your limitations within God’s created order. It is the peace of acknowledging that you do not have to be omniscient, because you serve a King who is. David abdicates the burden of trying to run the cosmos, choosing instead to manage the small, specific territory of his own obedience.<#0.5#> The second segment is:The Sanctuary of the Weaned Child<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty-One: verse two.<#0.5#> Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.<#0.5#> Having cleared away the noisy, exhausting clutter of pride and cosmic anxiety, the psalmist introduces one of the most beautiful, tender, and emotionally resonant metaphors in all of Holy Scripture. “Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”<#0.5#> Notice the active verbs used here: “I have calmed and quieted myself.” This tells us that a peaceful soul is not something that happens to us automatically or accidentally. It requires aggressive, intentional self-discipline. The natural human heart is a raging storm of desires, appetites, and demands. Left to itself, your soul will scream for attention, throwing continuous tantrums for more control, more validation, and more security. To calm and quiet the soul means you have to actively take the reins of your inner life, speaking the authoritative words of the Creator over your own internal chaos: “Peace, be still.”<#0.5#> To illustrate this quietness, David invites us to look at a mother and her child. But pay close attention to the specific stage of development he highlights: it is a weaned child. <#0.5#> In the ancient Near East, a child was typically not weaned until they were three, or even four, years old. An unweaned, nursing infant operates on a purely transactional, high-stress relationship with its mother. When that tiny baby is hungry, it doesn't care about the mother's comfort, the time of night, or the surrounding environment. It experiences a physical craving, and it screams. It scratches, it claws, and it treats the mother not as a person to be loved, but as a utility to be consumed. The moment it gets what it wants, it falls asleep; the moment the milk is delayed, the frantic, red-faced panic returns.<#0.5#> This is a profound, accurate description of how many of us naturally relate to the Creator. We live as spiritual infants, completely unweaned from the world. Our relationship with Yahweh is entirely transactional. We approach His throne room only when we want something, when we are desperate for a blessing, hungry for a breakthrough, or terrified of a crisis. We scratch and claw at His hand, demanding that He fulfill our immediate desires according to our precise timeline. And if the answer is delayed, or if the blessing is withheld, we immediately throw a spiritual tantrum, accusing God of abandoning us, and allowing our hearts to spin into a frenzy of anxiety.<#0.5#> But look at the weaned child. This older child has gone through the painful, difficult process of having the immediate gratification of the milk removed. They have survived the transition. And now, they come to...
Welcome to Day 2869 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2869 – “Where Are You in This Picture” based on Luke 8:1-21 Putnam Church Message – 04/26/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Where Are You in This Picture?” Last week’s message was: “The Love and Grace of Jesus.” We explored how Jesus’s Love and Grace extend to those others reject. Today, we continue with our twentieth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “Where Are You in This Picture?” Our core passage today is Luke 8:1-21, which is found on page 1605 of your pew Bibles. The Parable of the Sower 8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. 4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’[a] 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. A Lamp on a Stand 16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore, consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has / will be given more; / whoever does not have, / even what they think they have, / will be taken from them.” Jesus’ Mother and Brothers 19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Thank You for the Gospel of Luke, which continues to show us the beauty, authority, compassion, and truth of Jesus. As we open this passage today, we ask You to open our hearts as well. Let the seed of Your Word fall on good soil within us. Remove what is hard, shallow, distracted, or resistant. Give us ears to hear, minds to understand, and hearts ready to obey. Lord, do more than inform us today—transform us. Show each of us where we are in this picture, and by Your grace, lead us into deeper faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen. As we continue in this twentieth message in our journey through Luke’s Gospel, we come to a passage that feels almost like a mirror. In recent weeks, Luke has shown us again and again who Jesus is. * He has authority over sickness. * He has authority over death. * He has authority over sin. * He receives the broken. * He forgives the guilty. * He welcomes the outsider.
And after all of that, Luke now brings us to a very personal question: What are we doing with Jesus? Or to put it in the title of today’s message: Where are you in this picture? Because Luke 8:1–21 is not merely information about other people long ago. It is a spiritual portrait gallery. Somewhere in this scene, we will find ourselves. * Are we like the women who served Jesus with grateful devotion? * Are we like the crowds who listen but do not really change? * Are we like the shallow soil that sprouts quickly but wilts under pressure? * Are we like the thorny soil, slowly choked by worry and worldly cares? * Or are we becoming good soil—receiving the Word, holding fast to it, and bearing fruit with perseverance? That is the question.
And it is such an important question because in this passage, Jesus teaches us that ministry success, spiritual growth, and genuine discipleship do not begin “out there” somewhere. They begin in here—in the heart. A Simple Object Lesson I have four pictures here today: One is of hard-packed dirt—soil that has been walked on until it is stiff and unyielding. / One is a thin layer of dirt over a rock. / one is soil mixed with weeds and thorny roots. And one is soft, rich, prepared soil. What will happen if I spread seed over each of these plots of land? The seed would be the same. / The Sower would be the same. / The difference would be the soil. / That is the heart of this passage. The great issue is not whether God’s Word is powerful enough. It is. The great issue is not whether the gospel is true enough. It is. The question is: What kind of heart receives it? And that leads us to our first of four truths for today. Main Point 1: Genuine faith expresses itself in practical devotion. Luke begins this section by reminding us that Jesus was traveling from town to town proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and so were a number of women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others—who supported His ministry out of their own means. That opening matters. Right before this, in Luke 7, we saw a sinful woman pouring out her love at Jesus' feet. Now Luke shows us more people whose faith is not merely emotional or theoretical—it is practical, visible, and costly. The disciples had left nets, boats, tax tables, and ordinary routines. These women were giving their resources, their loyalty, their time, and their reputations. That would have been striking in the first-century Jewish world. Rabbis were followed by disciples, yes—but Luke makes a point of mentioning women here, not as background decorations. They are active participants in Jesus' mission. Some had been healed, some delivered, some redeemed from brokenness. And now their gratitude has become service. Mary Magdalene had been set free from demonic bondage. Joanna lived in close proximity to political power through her husband’s position at Herod’s court. Susanna is largely unknown to us, but not to Jesus. That in itself is comforting. Some names are well-known in the story of God, and some are not. But obscurity does not mean insignificance. The Lord sees every quiet act of faithfulness. This has been one of Luke’s major themes all along. The people who truly receive...
Welcome to Day 2868 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2868 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 130:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2868 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2868 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – Out of the Depths of the Cosmic Abyss<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand pilgrimage, we traveled along the rugged trails of the tenth Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Nine. We confronted the gritty, painful reality of the survivor. We looked at the deep, bloody furrows plowed across the back of the covenant community by the wicked—the earthly agents of the rebel spiritual principalities. Yet, we celebrated the triumphant, sharp justice of Yahweh, who stepped onto the field and sliced the harnesses of oppression in half. We saw that while the haters of Zion look elevated, they are ultimately nothing more than shallow roof-grass, destined to wither into worthlessness under the heat of divine judgment.<#0.5#> Today, we take our next deliberate, introspective steps up the mountain pass toward Jerusalem. We are exploring the eleventh song in this ancient collection: Psalm One Hundred Thirty, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. Historically, this deeply moving psalm has been known in the Christian tradition by its opening Latin words, De Profundis, which translate to, "Out of the Depths." The psalmist shifts our focus from the external persecution of worldly enemies, to the internal, suffocating weight of personal and corporate guilt. We are moving from the battlefield of physical survival, into the profound spiritual depths of the human soul, learning how to cry out for mercy when we are drowning in our own brokenness. Let us step onto the trail, and listen to the desperate cry for redemption.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Crying from the Chaotic Waters of Despair<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty: verses one and two.<#0.5#> Out of the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Listen to my prayer.<#0.5#> The song opens not with a shout of triumph, but with a muffled, echoing cry from the dark. "Out of the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Listen to my prayer."<#0.5#> To truly comprehend the terrifying weight of this opening, we must view the imagery through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. The Hebrew word for "depths" is ma'amaqim. In the ancient Near East, the deep, dark, and churning waters of the ocean were not viewed merely as a geographic feature; they represented primeval chaos, the cosmic abyss, and the terrifying domain of death. The sea was the playground of Leviathan, and the watery throat of Sheol—the underworld. To be in "the depths" meant you were drowning, completely overwhelmed by cosmic forces, suffocating in total darkness, and entirely cut off from the land of the living.<#0.5#> But what has dragged the psalmist down into this spiritual abyss? It is not the armies of Babylon this time; it is the realization of his own sin. The depths of despair represent the suffocating environment of guilt. When you recognize how far you have fallen from the cosmic blueprint of the Creator, the psychological weight can feel like a multi-ton tidal wave, pinning you to the ocean floor.<#0.5#> Yet, look at the direction of his cry. Even from the bottom of the chaotic abyss, wrapped in the dark currents of his own failure, the pilgrim directs his voice straight upward. He calls out to the Name of Yahweh. He begs, "Hear my cry, O Lord. Listen to my prayer." <#0.5#> This is an act of fierce, desperate faith. The rebel spiritual forces—the corrupt elohim of the Divine Council—want the guilty soul to believe that it is permanently abandoned, that the abyss has claimed them forever. But the psalmist refuses to listen to the blackmail of the enemy. He knows that the voice of the Creator can penetrate the deepest, darkest waters of the cosmic void. When you are drowning in your own brokenness, you must use your final breath to send an SOS straight to the heavenly throne room.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Celestial Ledger and the Scandal of Grace<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty: verses three and four.<#0.5#> Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.<#0.5#> Standing before the cosmic courtroom of heaven, the psalmist poses a chilling, rhetorical question that seals the fate of all humanity. "Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?"<#0.5#> In the ancient Near Eastern worldview, it was believed that the gods kept rigorous, celestial ledgers. The rebel principalities kept meticulous books, recording every infraction, every mistake, and every failure of mankind, utilizing those records to extort, torture, and condemn human beings. They demanded absolute, flawless perfection, but provided absolutely no grace. If Yahweh operated on the same system, the cosmic trial would be over before it even started. The Hebrew word for "survive" here means to stand. If God brought out the unedited ledger of our hidden thoughts, our compromised motives, and our outright rebellions, every single human being, every angel, and every member of the council would instantly collapse under the weight of perfect justice. No one could stand.<#0.5#> But then, the psalmist introduces a staggering, paradigm-shifting truth that completely shatters the cosmic legal system of the enemy. Verse four declares, "But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you."<#0.5#> This is a beautiful, supernatural paradox. In our human way of thinking, we assume that if a judge lets a criminal off the hook, the criminal will lose all respect for the law. We think that punishment produces fear, and forgiveness produces carelessness. But in the economy of the Most High God, the exact opposite is true. <#0.5#> The rebel gods of the pagan nations used fear and guilt to manipulate their followers into slavery. They never offered true, total forgiveness; they only offered temporary, expensive truces. But Yahweh performs a miracle of grace. He skims off the record of our sins, completely erasing the ledger through His covenant love. <#0.5#> When a human being, drowning at the bottom of the abyss, experiences the overwhelming, unmerited release of divine forgiveness, it triggers a profound, holy shockwave in their soul. They don't become careless; they become utterly captivated. They develop a deep, trembling, and reverential awe—the true "fear of the Lord." They realize they are dealing with a King who is too good, too powerful, and too merciful to ever be trifled with. Forgiveness doesn't produce license; it produces absolute, unswerving loyalty to the true Sovereign of the cosmos.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Hyper-Vigilant Vigil for the Sun of Righteousness<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Thirty: verses five and six.<#0.5#> I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.<#0.5#> Having received the assurance of forgiveness, the psalmist transitions into a posture of patient, yet hyper-vigilant, waiting. "I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word."<#0.5#> The Hebrew word for "counting on," or "waiting," is qavah, which carries the visceral idea of twisting cords together to make a strong rope. It implies an active, muscular tension. The pilgrim is not waiting passively, like a person sitting bored in a doctor's office. He is binding his soul tightly to the promises of God, bracing himself for the long watch. He has anchored his hope exclusively to the "word"—the cosmic decrees and covenant oaths of Yahweh.<#0.5#> He illustrates the intensity of this waiting with a beautiful, hauntingly repetitive military metaphor in verse six. "I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn."<#0.5#> To understand this, we must remember our previous treks through the Songs of Ascents, specifically Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven, where we learned about the vital role of the watchman guarding the city walls. Imagine a sentry stationed on the high stone battlements of Jerusalem during the ancient night watch. The darkness around him is heavy, absolute, and infested with hidden dangers. The enemy principalities and their human proxies do their most destructive work...
Welcome to Day 2867 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2867 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 129:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2867 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2867 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Scars of Survival and the Broken Cords<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand journey, we rested in the warm, beautiful, and deeply comforting sanctuary of the family hearth. We explored Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Eight, which painted a magnificent picture of domestic Shalom. We saw the profound blessing of a life that fears the Lord, where our daily labor is protected, our marriages flourish like fruitful grapevines, and our children grow like vigorous young olive trees around our tables. We celebrated the multi-generational peace that cascades directly down from the cosmic summit of Mount Zion, anchoring our families to the eternal timeline of God’s grace.<#0.5#> But as any seasoned traveler knows, the pilgrim trail does not stay in the safety of the cozy home forever. The road of faith is a rugged mountain pass, and it frequently cuts through dangerous, hostile territory. Today, we are stepping onto the next section of the trail, exploring the tenth song in this ancient collection: Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Nine, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist abruptly shifts our focus away from the peaceful agricultural blessing of a fruitful home, and forces us to confront a shocking, highly painful agricultural metaphor. We are moving from the shade of the olive tree, directly onto the blood-soaked soil of a battlefield, learning what it means to carry the deep scars of survival, while trusting in the ultimate justice of the King. Let us step onto the path, and listen to the resilient song of the survivor.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The History of Pain and the Plowman's Furrows<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Nine: verses one through three.<#0.5#> From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me— let all Israel repeat this. From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me. My back is covered with furrows, as if a plowman had plowed long trenches.<#0.5#> The song opens with a raw, collective cry that echoes down through the centuries. The psalmist demands that the entire gathered community join in a corporate chant of survival: "From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me—let all Israel repeat this."<#0.5#> When the psalm speaks of "earliest youth," it is not referring to the childhood of an individual writer; it is describing the corporate infancy of the nation of Israel. The historical memory of this people is deeply saturated with trauma. From the moment they were born as a distinct community, down in the brick-making tyranny of Egypt, they were hunted. They were oppressed by the Amalekites in the wilderness, harassed by the Philistines during the era of the Judges, assaulted by the superpower of Assyria, and ultimately, violently dragged away into the crushing captivity of Babylon. Suffering is woven directly into the fabric of Israel’s historical identity.<#0.5#> To truly understand why this tiny nation has faced such a relentless, systemic, and multi-generational hatred, we must look through the lens of cosmic geography, and the Divine Council worldview, as taught by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. In the Deuteronomy Thirty-Two worldview, when the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He allocated them to the oversight of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. These territorial elohim subsequently rebelled, becoming corrupt, and demanding worship for themselves. But Yahweh set apart Jacob—the people of Israel—as His own personal, treasured allotment. Israel was designed to be the beachhead of the true Kingdom of God on earth, the line through which the Messiah would eventually come to reclaim the entire planet.<#0.5#> Therefore, the rebel spiritual principalities have a deeply rooted, cosmic grudge against Israel. The surrounding pagan nations are their earthly proxies, moving under their dark inspiration, constantly attempting to crush, assimilate, or entirely erase the people of Yahweh from the face of the earth. The persecution is not a series of random political misunderstandings; it is a calculated, supernatural conspiracy to thwart the redemptive plan of the Creator.<#0.5#> The sheer brutality of this cosmic assault is revealed in the shocking, graphic metaphor of verse three: "My back is covered with furrows, as if a plowman had plowed long trenches."<#0.5#> Imagine the horrifying visual. The back of the nation is treated like an open, empty field. The enemies of God do not just strike them; they drive a heavy, iron-tipped agricultural plow right across their flesh. The lash of the oppressor cuts deep, tearing open long, bloody trenches of pain, leaving permanent, raised scars of trauma across generations. It speaks of systemic, agonizing abuse. <#0.5#> Yet, even with their backs plowed open, verse two contains a stunning, defiant pivot that shatters the power of the enemy: "...but they have never defeated me." The scars are real, the pain is undeniable, and the trenches are deep—but the survival is absolute. The rebel gods bared their fangs, and deployed their massive empires, but they could not finish the job. The covenant community still stands, stubbornly breathing, and singing on the trail to Jerusalem.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Righteous Deliverer and the Severed Harness<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Nine: verse four.<#0.5#> But the Lord is good; he has cut the cords that bound me to the wicked.<#0.5#> After staring directly into the graphic trauma of the plowman's trenches, the psalmist introduces the ultimate reason for Israel's miraculous survival. "But the Lord is good; he has cut the cords that bound me to the wicked."<#0.5#> Other translations render the opening phrase as, "The Lord is righteous." This is a crucial theological distinction in the cosmic courtroom. Yahweh is not an indifferent spectator, watching the abuse from a safe distance. He is the perfectly just, Sovereign Commander. He looks down at the field of pain, sees the wicked driving their heavy plow across the backs of His people, and He decides that the legal boundaries of the covenant have been violated.<#0.5#> To understand the imagery of cutting the cords, we must examine ancient agricultural technology. An ox was attached to the heavy wooden or iron plow by a complex system of thick leather cords, ropes, and harnesses. If those cords remained intact, the plowman could keep driving the beast forward, forcing the plowshare deeper into the dirt, tearing up the field indefinitely. The wicked, and the dark spiritual principalities behind them, intended to keep plowing Israel's back forever. They wanted permanent, eternal enslavement.<#0.5#> But the Righteous Judge steps directly onto the field. With one swift, authoritative, and supernatural stroke, He slices the leather harnesses in half. He cuts the cords! The connection between the driving beast and the weapon of oppression is instantly severed. The plow stops dead in its tracks. The mechanism of slavery is completely shattered.<#0.5#> This is a magnificent declaration of cosmic liberation. When God cuts the cords, the human oppressors lose their leverage, and the rebel spiritual forces lose their grip. Think about the Exodus from Egypt—God cut the cords of Pharaoh’s chariots. Think about the return from Babylon—He snapped the iron chains of the empire. The survivor does not escape through their own cleverness, or their own military might; they walk free simply because the razor-sharp justice of Yahweh sliced through the ropes that bound them to the darkness.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Helpless Doom of the Haters of Zion<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Nine: verses five through eight.<#0.5#> May all who hate Jerusalem be turned back in shameful defeat. May they be as helpless as grass growing on a roof, withering before it can grow. It can’t be harvested by the reaper or bound into sheaves by the harvester. May those who pass by refuse to say to them, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.”<#0.5#> Having celebrated the broken cords of the past, the psalmist turns his attention to the final destiny of those who continue to oppose the kingdom of light. He issues a prophetic, imprecatory prayer: "May all who hate...
Welcome to Day 2866 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Interacting with the Spirit: Discernment and Devotion. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2866 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2866 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Interacting with the Spirit: Discernment and Devotion.<#0.5#> In a time when spiritual experiences are common but theological clarity is often lacking, many believers are left wondering how to rightly interact with the Holy Spirit. Should every spiritual prompting be obeyed without question? Can pastors or teachers claim the Spirit’s authority and remain above critique? And how can we know when something is truly from God or when it is a counterfeit?<#0.5#> Scripture answers these concerns not with vague encouragement but with strong instruction. The Holy Spirit is real, personal, and present. Yet we are commanded to test the spirits, to examine prophetic claims, and to remain anchored in the Word. This lesson explores both who the Holy Spirit is and how the people of God are called to respond to His voice with reverence, wisdom, and truth.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Who Is the Holy Spirit? Yahweh Among Us<#0.5#> The Holy Spirit is not a mystical force or a divine power switch. He is the third Person of the Trinity, fully God, fully eternal, and fully personal. From the very first pages of Scripture, we see Him present in creation, hovering over the waters as the breath of Yahweh. He does what only God can do. He speaks, commands, empowers, and gives life.<#0.5#> The New Testament affirms this divine identity. Peter tells Ananias in Acts 5 that he has lied to the Holy Spirit, and then immediately states he has lied to God. Paul in Second Corinthians 3 refers to the Spirit as “the Lord.” The Spirit is not a created being nor an impersonal wind. He is Yahweh, and to interact with Him is to encounter the living God.<#0.5#> In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon judges, prophets, and kings to empower them for specific roles. He anointed artisans, guided leaders, and spoke through messengers. Yet He did not dwell permanently within all of God’s people. His presence was selective and often temporary. This was not due to any deficiency, but because the covenant had not yet reached its fulfillment. The temple was sacred space. Only after the atoning work of Christ could human hearts become that temple.<#0.5#> At Pentecost, this changed. The Spirit descended not on a mountain or a sanctuary but on the gathered body of believers. He came to dwell within them, not just with them. This marked a new chapter in the life of God’s people. Every believer now becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit. The same God who descended on Sinai and filled the Tabernacle now fills the hearts of those who belong to Christ.<#0.5#> This matters deeply for discernment. When we speak of testing the spirits, we are not dealing with vague impressions or spiritual atmospheres. We are discerning whether what we are hearing or experiencing aligns with the character, authority, and truth of the One who is Yahweh, the Spirit of God.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Call to Discernment<#0.5#> John gives a direct and sobering command: do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. This is not a warning against all supernatural experiences. It is a call to distinguish between what is truly from the Spirit of God and what is false. The early church faced false prophets, counterfeit visions, and teachings that claimed divine authority. Today is no different.<#0.5#> Paul writes to the Thessalonians, urging them not to quench the Spirit and not to despise prophecy, but to test everything and hold fast to what is good. The balance is clear. We must be open to the Spirit’s work while remaining grounded in discernment. Testing is not opposition to the Spirit. It is obedience to Him.<#0.5#> Testing involves examining whether a message or experience lines up with Scripture. The Spirit never contradicts the Word He inspired. Isaiah tells the people of his day that if someone does not speak according to the law and the testimony, there is no light in them. This remains true. The Spirit of truth does not speak lies or encourage rebellion against God’s Word.<#0.5#> We also test by fruit. Jesus said a tree is known by its fruit. Does the spiritual experience or message produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control? Or does it bring division, fear, pride, and confusion? The Spirit builds up the Church in holiness and unity. He does not lead people into chaos or flattery.<#0.5#> Another test is whether the Spirit glorifies Christ. Jesus said the Spirit would not speak on His own authority but would take what belongs to Christ and declare it. The Spirit always lifts up Jesus. Any voice or experience that shifts attention away from Him is not of God.<#0.5#> Finally, discernment happens in community. Paul instructed the Corinthians that prophetic words should be weighed by others. Even sincere believers can mishear, misunderstand, or be misled. A healthy church does not operate on private revelations that cannot be tested. The Bereans were praised for examining Paul’s words against the Scriptures. True spiritual leadership invites scrutiny because it is committed to the truth, not to control.<#0.5#> The Third Segment is: Spiritual Abuse and the Misuse of Authority<#0.5#> One of the most dangerous distortions of the Spirit’s work is when spiritual leaders use His name to shield themselves from accountability. If a pastor or teacher tells the congregation that their words must be accepted without question because they are Spirit-led, something is deeply wrong. No one is above testing. Not even Paul was exempt. In Galatians, Peter is corrected publicly for behavior that contradicted the gospel. True authority submits to the Word of God. When leaders resist examination, they are not protecting the Spirit. They are protecting themselves.<#0.5#> The Holy Spirit does not bless pride, manipulation, or spiritual intimidation. He convicts sin but never controls through fear. He leads but does not coerce. He exalts Christ, not personalities. Discernment is not rebellion. It is loyalty to the One who gave us His Spirit and called us to walk in truth.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Blaspheming the Holy Spirit: The Sin That Will Not Be Forgiven<#0.5#> Jesus’ warning about the unforgivable sin has caused confusion and fear for generations. In Matthew 12, after the Pharisees accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus responds with a grave rebuke. Every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, He says, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. That sin will not be forgiven in this age or in the age to come.<#0.5#> To understand this, we must consider the context. The religious leaders had witnessed undeniable evidence of the Spirit’s power through Christ. A man was healed and delivered right before their eyes. But instead of responding in humility, they hardened their hearts and claimed the work of the Holy Spirit was demonic.<#0.5#> This was not a one-time slip. It was a willful rejection of the truth. They saw the Spirit at work and chose to call Him evil. Their hearts were not just mistaken; they were closed off to repentance. That is what makes the sin unforgivable. It is not a single act. It is a settled posture of rejection that cuts a person off from the very One who brings conviction, faith, and renewal.<#0.5#> Blaspheming the Holy Spirit means knowingly and persistently attributing the work of God to the enemy, resisting the Spirit’s witness to Christ, and rejecting the truth with full knowledge of what is being denied. It is not a careless word or a moment of doubt. It is a defiant rejection of the Spirit’s testimony.<#0.5#> For believers who fear they may have committed this sin, that very fear is evidence that they have not. The unforgivable sin is not something someone accidentally stumbles into. It is a deliberate and final refusal of God’s offer of mercy. Those who grieve over sin, seek forgiveness, and desire to walk with the Spirit are not guilty of blaspheming Him.<#0.5#> This warning matters deeply in our age. When discernment becomes slander, when people mock what is genuinely from God because it does not fit their tradition, when leaders reject conviction and call it attack, they risk silencing the Spirit they claim to serve. The warning is not just for the ancient Pharisees. It is for anyone who hardens their heart and declares what is holy to be unclean.<#0.5#> We must test
Welcome to Day 2865 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2865 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 125:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2865 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2865 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Blessed Hearth – Cultivating Cosmic Peace in the Home<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this ancient pilgrim path, we climbed through the eighth Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven. That profound psalm, written by King Solomon, delivered a striking warning about the total futility of human ambition. We learned that unless the Lord builds the house, and unless the Lord guards the city, our frantic, anxious, early-morning-to-late-night labor is completely wasted. We explored the beautiful martial metaphor of children being shaped like arrows in the hands of a warrior, designed to be launched directly into the cultural battlefield to push back the darkness. We resolved to surrender our personal blueprints to the Divine Architect, resting securely in His sovereign provision.<#0.5#> Today, we take our next rhythmic, joyful steps up the trail toward the Holy City. We are immersing ourselves in the ninth Song of Ascent: Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Eight, verses one through six, in the New Living Translation. This psalm serves as the perfect, beautiful twin to the one we just left behind. If Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven warned us against the dangerous traps of building an autonomous empire, Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Eight shows us the breathtaking, positive reality of what happens when a household is properly aligned with the cosmic order of the Creator. We are moving from the construction site, and the battlefield, directly into the warmth of the family hearth. Let us step onto the trail, and discover the true anatomy of a blessed life.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The True Anatomy of Joy and Uncorrupted Labor<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Eight: verses one and two.<#0.5#> How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!<#0.5#> The psalm opens with a resounding, universal declaration of flourishing. “How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways!”<#0.5#> The Hebrew word used here for “joyful,” or “blessed,” is Ashrei. As we have discovered on our long trek through the Psalter, Ashrei is not a fleeting, superficial happiness. It is not an emotional high based on good luck, or comfortable circumstances. Ashrei is a state of deep, structural well-being. It is the profound satisfaction of a human life that is working exactly the way the Designer intended it to work. <#0.5#> And how do you achieve this state of cosmic alignment? The psalmist gives a dual-sided answer: by fearing the Lord, and by following His ways. The “fear of the Lord” is not the cowering, paralyzed terror of a slave shrinking from a cruel tyrant. It is the deep, trembling reverence of a creature who recognizes the supreme, unrivaled majesty of the Creator. <#0.5#> We must view this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, specifically regarding the Divine Council theology taught by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. The surrounding pagan nations lived in constant, anxious terror of their localized deities. The rebel gods of Canaan, Babylon, and Egypt were capricious, demanding, and unpredictable. The pagans had to constantly manipulate these spiritual forces through frantic sacrifices, just to avoid their wrath. <#0.5#> But Yahweh is entirely different. He is the Holy, Righteous Sovereign. To fear Him means to recognize His ultimate authority, to reject the deceptive claims of the rebel principalities, and to lock your loyalty exclusively onto His covenant. This internal reverence naturally manifests in external action: you follow His ways. You map your daily footsteps according to the cosmic blueprint of His Torah.<#0.5#> When your life is properly aligned with the King, the blessing immediately overflows into your daily work. Verse two promises, “You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!”<#0.5#> This is a profound, beautiful reversal of the ancient curse of Genesis Chapter Three. After the rebellion in Eden, human labor was corrupted. The ground was cursed, yielding thorns and thistles, and humanity was condemned to eat their food through anxious, sweat-soaked sorrow. Furthermore, in a chaotic world ruled by rebel spirits, a farmer could work hard all season, only to have a hostile foreign army raid his fields and steal his entire harvest right before his eyes.<#0.5#> But under the protective, sovereign guard of Yahweh, the curse is neutralized. The pilgrim who fears the Lord is granted a rare, magnificent privilege: he actually gets to sit down, rest, and enjoy the direct fruit of his own hard work. Your labor is no longer an exercise in futility. It becomes meaningful, productive, and deeply satisfying. You become prosperous, not necessarily in the shallow, materialistic sense of amassing millions in gold, but in the true, biblical sense of having more than enough to sustain a joyful, flourishing life.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Living Metaphors of the Fruitful Hearth<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Eight: verses three and four.<#0.5#> Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.<#0.5#> The psalmist moves from the public sphere of the fields and the marketplace, and walks right into the private sanctuary of the home. He uses two of the most powerful, evocative agricultural metaphors in the entire ancient Near East to describe the inner circle of the family. <#0.5#> First, he declares, “Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.”<#0.5#> In the ancient Mediterranean world, the grapevine was the ultimate symbol of joy, celebration, and abundant life. Wine was not just a beverage; it was the essential element that gladdened the human heart during feasts and covenant celebrations. A grapevine required careful, long-term cultivation, pruning, and protection. <#0.5#> By comparing a wife to a fruitful grapevine flourishing within the innermost parts of the home, the psalmist is painting a picture of deep intimacy, security, and intoxicating joy. She is not a slave, or a piece of property, as women often were in the surrounding pagan empires. She is the very source of life, beauty, and relational warmth at the center of the household. Her presence fills the domestic sanctuary with a rich, nourishing vitality that causes the entire family structure to blossom.<#0.5#> Second, he looks down at the next generation: “Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.”<#0.5#> Think about the unique nature of the olive tree. In ancient Israel, the olive tree was the absolute cornerstone of the economy. Olive oil was used for cooking, for fueling the lamps that pushed back the darkness, and for anointing priests and kings. But an olive tree is an exercise in extreme, multi-generational patience. A newly planted olive shoot can take anywhere from ten to fifteen years before it begins to bear a significant harvest of fruit. However, once that tree matures, its root system becomes virtually indestructible. It can live, flourish, and produce rich, valuable oil for centuries.<#0.5#> When the psalmist looks at the children sitting around the family dinner table, and calls them “vigorous young olive shoots,” he is looking far past the present moment. He is describing a generational investment. These children are currently small, requiring constant watering, protection, and pruning according to the wisdom of God’s Word. They are the arrows we learned about in Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven. <#0.5#> But because they are being raised within the secure perimeter of a household that fears Yahweh, they are developing deep, unshakeable spiritual roots. They are being prepared to stand firm against the chaotic storms of the culture, ensuring that long after the parents have returned to the dust, the family legacy will continue to produce the rich oil of truth, light, and righteousness in a dark world.<#0.5#> The psalmist pauses to secure this domestic imagery with a final, sealing declaration in verse four: “That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.” He wants to make sure we do not miss the connection. This beautiful, flourishing picture of a joyful wife and vigorous children is not an accident. It is not a stroke of good luck. It is the direct, intentional, and covenantal reward...
Welcome to Day 2864 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2864 – “The Love and Grace of Jesus” based on Luke 7:36-50 Putnam Church Message – 04/19/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “The Love and Grace of Jesus.” Last week’s message was: “In Defense of a Doubter,” and we learned that “There is room near Christ for a doubter who still wants the truth.” Today, we continue with our nineteenth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “The Love and Grace of Jesus.” We will explore how Jesus’s Love and Grace extend to those others reject. Our core passage today is Luke 7:36-50, which is found on page 1604 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman 36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, which is living, true, and full of grace. Thank You for sending Jesus, who does not turn away the broken, the ashamed, the doubting, or the weary. As we open this passage today, open our hearts as well. Let us see ourselves honestly, see Jesus clearly, and receive Your mercy gladly. Break down our pride, soften our judgment, and teach us again what real love and real grace look like. May Your Holy Spirit speak to each person here in a personal way. And may we leave this place forgiven, changed, and filled with peace. In Jesus’ name, amen. As we continue in this nineteenth message in our journey through Luke’s Gospel, we come to one of the most tender, powerful, and unforgettable scenes in the ministry of Jesus. Luke has already been showing us who Jesus is. * He is the One with authority to teach. * He is the One with power to heal. * He is the One who speaks hope into impossible situations. * He is the One who raises the widow’s son. * He is the One who reassures the doubter. * And now here in Luke 7:36–50, He is the One who receives the sinner.
This is not just a story about a woman with a bad reputation. This is not just a story about a Pharisee with a hard heart. This is a story about the love and grace of Jesus. And if we are honest this morning, every one of us needs this story. Because some of us know what it is to feel like that woman—ashamed, wounded, carrying a past we wish we could erase. And some of us, if we are really honest, know what it is to sound a little too much like Simon—composed on the outside, religious on the surface, but cold in the heart. This story meets both kinds of people. It confronts the proud, and it comforts the broken. It exposes false religion, and it magnifies the beauty of grace. So let us walk into Simon’s house and watch what happens when love and grace sit at the same table. A Simple Object Lesson Here are two jars, one beautifully polished and sealed on the outside, and the other cracked open and spilling perfume. Most of us would naturally be drawn first to the neat one. It looks respectable. It looks controlled. It looks presentable. But the truth is, the sealed jar may hold nothing that blesses anyone. The broken jar, however, fills the whole room with fragrance. That is our story in today’s message. Simon looks polished. The woman looks broken. But Simon offers Jesus almost nothing. The woman pours out everything. Sometimes the people who look the most put together are the least aware of their need for grace, while the people who know they are broken become the very ones through whom the beauty of Christ fills the room. That brings us to our first of four truths or points in our message today. In your bulletin insert on the side, it says The Love and Grace of Jesus. Main Point 1: Jesus welcomes the people; / religion pushes people away. Luke tells us that a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to his home for dinner. Jesus accepted the invitation. Even that is grace. Jesus was willing to go into the home of a man who did not really understand Him and may not even have honored Him properly. Then suddenly, into that carefully managed dinner walks a woman the text calls “a sinful woman.” That phrase tells us everything about how the town saw her. * She had a label. * She had a reputation. * She had a history. * People did not say her name first; they said her shame first.
And yet she comes. * She comes into a place where she is unwelcome. * She comes into a room where eyes will judge her. * She comes near Jesus with tears, perfume, humility, and love.
Now, in that first-century setting, this would have been a shocking scene. Meals among the wealthy would sometimes take place in semi-open courtyards, where others might observe from the edges. But this woman does not stand at the edge. She moves toward Jesus. / She falls at His feet. She wets His feet with tears. / She uncovers and lets down her hair. / She wipes his feet with her hair. / She kisses them. / She anoints them with perfume. Imagine this picture – in polite society, it would have been scandalous. What a picture. / The Pharisees saw contamination. / Jesus saw a heart. The religious world saw a problem to manage. / Jesus saw a soul to restore. This is the pattern we have seen throughout Luke. Jesus speaks to fishermen, touches lepers, heals servants, raises the dead, encourages doubters, and now receives a woman with a ruined reputation. Again and again, Luke shows us that Jesus moves toward the very people others avoid. This reminds us of the woman at the well in John 4. Society had pushed her to the margins, but Jesus met her there and offered living water. It reminds us of the woman caught in sin in John 8, when others reached for stones, but Jesus reached for redemption. It reminds us of Matthew 9, when Jesus sat at the table with tax collectors and sinners and said, “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (NLT). Now let’s bring that into our day. As hard as we might try otherwise, we still label people, do we not? Divorced. Addicted. Difficult. Political. Unstable. Rich. Poor. Tattooed. Lazy. Obese. Uneducated. Too far gone. We may think they are not our kind of people. We may
Welcome to Day 2863 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2863 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 127:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2863 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2863 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Architect, the Watchman, and the Warrior<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the seventh Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six. We stood in the tension of the “already, but not yet,” remembering the unbelievable, dream-like rescue of God’s people from exile, while desperately praying for a fresh outpouring of His grace. We learned the profound, agricultural lesson of the sower. We discovered that in the contested territory of this fallen world, we often have to plant our seeds in tears, exhausted by the spiritual warfare around us. Yet, we anchored our souls to the unbreakable, cosmic guarantee that those who weep as they plant will eventually return singing, carrying a massive, joyful harvest.<#0.5#> Today, we take our next deliberate steps upward on this ancient pilgrim trail. We are exploring the eighth song in this magnificent collection. We are turning our attention to Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. Interestingly, this specific psalm is attributed to King Solomon. Solomon was the ultimate builder of the ancient world; he built the glorious Temple, fortified cities, and amassed unprecedented wealth. Yet, in this psalm, he pauses to deliver a sobering warning about the futility of human ambition. He teaches us that building a physical empire, or a lasting family legacy, is entirely useless if the Architect of the cosmos is not the one holding the blueprints. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to build a legacy that actually lasts.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Futility of Autonomous Ambition<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven: verses one and two.<#0.5#> Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.<#0.5#> This magnificent stanza opens with a definitive, double-sided declaration of human limitation. “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.”<#0.5#> To truly grasp the weight of these words, we must view them through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, specifically regarding the Divine Council and the cosmic rebellion. When human beings attempt to build a house, a dynasty, or a fortified city without the authorization and the active presence of Yahweh, they are essentially repeating the catastrophic sin of the Tower of Babel. At Babel, humanity sought to build a localized empire, a massive tower to reach the heavens, in order to make a great name for themselves, completely autonomous from the Creator. <#0.5#> That act of autonomous ambition resulted in God disinheriting the nations, confusing their languages, and placing them under the jurisdiction of lesser, rebel spiritual principalities, the fallen elohim. Therefore, any city, or any human institution, built outside the cosmic order of God, is inherently vulnerable. It belongs to the chaotic, unstable realm of the rebel gods. You can hire the greatest architects, lay the thickest foundation stones, and post the most highly trained sentries on the walls, but if the Most High God is not the active Protector of that territory, the entire enterprise is spiritually bankrupt. It is destined to collapse into the dust.<#0.5#> This reality brings us to the deeply psychological, and practical, observation in verse two. “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”<#0.5#> The rebel gods of the surrounding pagan cultures demanded endless, anxious labor from their followers. The deities of Canaan, Egypt, and Babylon were viewed as cruel taskmasters, requiring constant sacrifices and frantic appeasement just to ensure the rains would fall, and the crops would grow. The kingdom of darkness thrives on human anxiety. It wants you waking up before dawn, terrified of failure, and going to bed late, exhausted and consumed by the stress of basic survival.<#0.5#> But Solomon, the wisest king of Israel, calls this frantic, autonomous striving “useless.” It is vanity. It is chasing the wind. He draws a sharp, beautiful contrast between the oppressive systems of the world, and the loving economy of Yahweh. “For God gives rest to his loved ones.”<#0.5#> Other translations say, “He provides for His beloved even in his sleep.” The God of the Bible is not a cruel taskmaster. He is the loving Father who provides Shalom—complete, restful wholeness. This does not mean that believers are called to be lazy. We are called to be diligent, responsible stewards of creation. But the motivation changes entirely. We do not work out of a suffocating, paralyzing fear of starvation, or a desperate need to build our own autonomous empires. We work from a place of profound rest, knowing that the Sovereign Lord is the ultimate Provider, and that He is intimately guarding the house we are building.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Divine Gift and the Rejection of the Fertility Cults<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven: verse three.<#0.5#> Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.<#0.5#> Suddenly, the psalm pivots. Solomon shifts the metaphor from building a physical house out of stones and cedar, to building a household, a dynasty, made out of human lives. He declares, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”<#0.5#> In our modern culture, we might read this simply as a sweet, sentimental statement about the joy of parenting. But in the ancient Near East, this was a massive, aggressive theological claim. It was an act of profound spiritual warfare.<#0.5#> The nations surrounding Israel were deeply entrenched in fertility cults. They worshiped gods like Baal and Asherah, believing that these localized, rebel deities controlled the womb, the rain, and the harvest. When a couple wanted to conceive a child, they would participate in the corrupt, often deeply immoral, rituals of the pagan temples, frantically trying to manipulate the gods into granting them fertility.<#0.5#> By stating that “Children are a gift from the Lord,” the psalmist is explicitly stripping all power and authority away from the false gods of Canaan. He is reminding the pilgrims that Baal has absolutely no jurisdiction over human life. The womb is not controlled by the chaotic forces of nature; it is the exclusive, sovereign domain of Yahweh. Every single child is a direct, intentional inheritance, and a precious reward, handed down by the Creator of the universe. To build a family legacy, you do not turn to the frantic, anxious practices of the world; you look upward, to the Giver of all good things.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Warrior’s Quiver and the Expansion of the Kingdom<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Seven: verses four and five.<#0.5#> Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.<#0.5#> Having established the divine origin of the family, Solomon introduces one of the most striking, martial metaphors in the entire Psalter. “Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.”<#0.5#> Why does he compare children to weapons of war? Because, in the biblical worldview, raising a family is not a neutral, passive activity. It is an act of strategic, generational combat. The world is contested territory, deeply infected by the lies, the injustice, and the chaotic rebellion of the dark spiritual principalities. When you raise children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, you are intentionally shaping imagers of God, preparing them to push back against the darkness.<#0.5#> Consider the nature of an arrow. An arrow is not meant to be kept safely inside the quiver forever. A warrior carefully shapes the shaft, balances the weight, sharpens the arrowhead, and attaches the fletching. All of this meticulous, grueling preparation is done for one specific purpose: to launch the arrow outward, into enemy...
Welcome to Day 2862 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2862 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 126:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2862 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2862 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Dream of Restoration and the Harvest of Joy<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we stood in the protective shadow of the cosmic center. We explored Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five, where we learned a profound, stabilizing truth. We discovered that those who place their absolute trust in Yahweh take on the permanent, immovable qualities of Mount Zion itself. We marveled at the spiritual geography of the holy city, realizing that, just as the physical mountains surround Jerusalem, the Creator intimately and fiercely surrounds His people. We rested in the prophetic guarantee that the oppressive scepter of the wicked—the ruling power of the dark, rebellious principalities—has a strict expiration date. We anchored our souls in the unshakeable peace of God’s protective perimeter.<#0.5#> Today, we continue our upward climb on the ancient pilgrim trail, stepping into the seventh song of this magnificent collection. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six, verses one through six, in the New Living Translation. As the weary travelers ascend the mountain pass, they raise their voices to sing a song of stunning contrasts. It is a song that looks backward with unbelievable, intoxicating joy, while simultaneously looking forward through the blurry lens of tears and sorrow. It is the ultimate anthem of the exile, beautifully capturing the tension of living in a world that has been saved, yet still waits for its final redemption. Let us step onto the trail, and listen to the song of the harvest.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Unbelievable Reality of the Cosmic Rescue<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six: verses one through three.<#0.5#> When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!<#0.5#> The stanza opens with a glorious, overwhelming memory of divine intervention. "When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!"<#0.5#> To fully comprehend the sheer euphoria of this opening verse, we must remember the devastating reality of the Babylonian exile. The nation of Israel had been conquered, their holy city burned to ash, and the people violently dragged away into a foreign, pagan empire. In the context of the Divine Council worldview, this was not just a political defeat; it appeared to be a massive, cosmic victory for the kingdom of darkness. The rebel gods of Babylon seemed to have triumphed over the Creator. For seventy long, agonizing years, the Israelites wept by the rivers of Babylon, convinced that they would die in the suffocating grip of their captors.<#0.5#> But then, the Sovereign of the universe moved His hand. He orchestrated the rise and fall of entire empires, moving the heart of the Persian king to release the captives. Yahweh reached into the dark, hostile territory of the disinherited nations, and He physically pulled His people out.<#0.5#> The deliverance was so sudden, so massive, and so humanly impossible, that the returning exiles could hardly process reality. "It was like a dream!" Have you ever woken up from a nightmare, and felt that crushing wave of relief when you realized you were safe in your own bed? That is the exact emotion the psalmist is trying to capture. The rescue was so magnificent, it bypassed their logical comprehension.<#0.5#> This supernatural deliverance produced an involuntary, physical reaction. "We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy." The heavy, suffocating silence of their captivity was shattered by the ringing, defiant sound of holy laughter. Their joy was a weapon, actively testifying to the faithfulness of their King.<#0.5#> And the surrounding pagan world was forced to watch. "And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them.’"<#0.5#> This is a staggering moment of cosmic vindication. The surrounding nations, who were governed by the rebel, lesser elohim, had to publicly confess the supreme, unrivaled power of Yahweh. The dark, spiritual principalities were humiliated on the global stage. The pagan cultures looked at the joyful, returning exiles, and they had to admit that the God of Israel had orchestrated a masterclass of redemption. The rescue was so undeniable, that even the enemies of the cosmic order had to acknowledge the majesty of the Creator.<#0.5#> The pilgrims echo this confession, turning it into a roaring anthem: "Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!" They look backward at the great salvation of their past, and they allow that memory to fuel their present journey.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Desperate Plea for the Desert Streams<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six: verse four.<#0.5#> Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.<#0.5#> Suddenly, the tone of the psalm shifts dramatically. The intoxicating laughter of the past fades, and the stark, difficult reality of the present moment sets in. The psalmist cries out, "Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert."<#0.5#> Why this sudden plea for restoration, if they had already been rescued from exile? Because the ancient believers understood the tension of the "already, but not yet." Yes, Yahweh had miraculously brought them back to the physical city of Jerusalem. The great, initial rescue had occurred. But the world was still broken. The land was still devastated, the enemies were still lurking outside the walls, and the exhausting, grueling work of rebuilding their civilization lay before them.<#0.5#> They had been delivered from the nightmare, but they woke up to a harsh, demanding reality. They needed a second wave of divine grace. Therefore, they pray for a restoration that is "as streams renew the desert."<#0.5#> Other translations use the term, "like the watercourses in the Negev." The Negev is the arid, unforgiving, southern desert region of Israel. Most of the year, its riverbeds, or wadis, are completely dry, baked hard by the relentless sun. The landscape looks entirely dead, incapable of sustaining life. <#0.5#> But when the seasonal rains finally fall in the distant mountains, something miraculous happens. Without any warning, a sudden, violent flash flood comes roaring down the dry riverbeds. The rushing waters carve through the parched earth, instantly bringing explosive, vibrant life to the desert. Dormant seeds sprout, and the barren wasteland is transformed into a blooming oasis overnight.<#0.5#> This is exactly what the psalmist is asking God to do in the spiritual realm. He is saying, "Lord, our current circumstances feel like a dry, scorched desert. Our souls are parched. The work of rebuilding is draining our strength. We need You to send a sudden, overwhelming flash flood of Your Holy Spirit. We need the rushing waters of Your grace to carve through our spiritual drought, and bring vibrant, unexpected life back to our community." He is asking the Creator to intervene with the same undeniable power He used to bring them out of Babylon.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Grueling Warfare of the Sower<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Six: verses five and six.<#0.5#> Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.<#0.5#> To illustrate the agonizing process of waiting for that restoration, the psalmist turns to the powerful, ancient metaphor of agriculture. "Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy."<#0.5#> To a modern reader who buys their food at a grocery store, planting a garden is often a relaxing, pleasant hobby. But in the ancient Near East, planting was an act of desperate survival, fraught with terror and physical pain. We must view this through the lens of the curse in Genesis Chapter Three. The ground had been cursed, heavily contested by the forces of chaos. The earth yielded thorns, thistles, and hard, unforgiving rock.<#0.5#> Imagine a poor, ancient farmer. The winter has been long, and his family’s food supply is almost entirely gone. He holds a small, precious sack of grain in his hands. He could feed that grain to his starving children today, and satisfy their...
Welcome to Day 2861 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Testing All Things: Why Respecting Pastors Includes Accountability Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2861 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2861 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Testing All Things: Why Respecting Pastors Includes Accountability.<#0.5#> In many churches today, there is an expectation that pastors be given honor and respect. Scripture affirms this respect, but it does not call for blind obedience. Some leaders suggest that questioning their teaching is a form of rebellion or a refusal to submit to authority. Yet the Bible makes a different claim. Holding leaders accountable to the Word is not undermining their authority, but honoring the authority of Christ to whom they themselves must answer. The real issue is not whether we respect pastors, but whether we allow anyone’s words to stand above Scripture.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Commendable Discernment of the Bereans.<#0.5#> Acts 17 verse eleven praises the Bereans because they listened eagerly to Paul and then turned to the Scriptures daily to confirm what they had heard. Paul was an apostle who had encountered the risen Christ, yet even he was not beyond examination. The Bereans were not skeptics undermining his authority. They were faithful believers guarding against error. Their discernment was a form of respect, showing that they valued the truth of God’s Word above all else. That same principle applies today: questioning what a pastor teaches is not rebellion, but obedience to God’s call to weigh everything by Scripture.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Testing Teachers and Spirits.<#0.5#> John warned the church, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). This assumes that false teachers would exist, even within the church. Paul echoed the same truth when he wrote, “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (first Thessalonians 5 verse twenty one). These commands are given to every believer, not just church leaders. If pastors were meant to be unquestioned authorities, these passages would be meaningless. Instead, Scripture shows that discernment is part of faithful obedience. To test teaching is not to reject authority, but to protect it by making sure it remains under Christ.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Pastors as Servants, Not Masters<#0.5#> Pastors and elders are entrusted with the care of the church. They are to lead, teach, and shepherd, but their authority is not absolute. It only exists when it aligns with the Word of God. Titus 1 verse nine says a leader must hold firmly to the trustworthy word and be able to refute error. James 3 verse one warns that teachers will be judged more strictly, reminding us that they are accountable to God for their words. Even Hebrews 13 verse seventeen, a passage often cited to demand unquestioning obedience, frames leadership in terms of accountability. Leaders “will have to give an account” to God. True authority in the church is never independent. It is always grounded in Scripture and subject to Christ.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Even Apostles Faced Correction<#0.5#> Galatians 2 records a striking moment when Paul confronted Peter publicly for compromising the gospel. Peter, one of Christ’s closest disciples, withdrew from Gentile believers out of fear of criticism. Paul opposed him “because he stood condemned.” This was not a rejection of Peter’s authority but a defense of the truth he was called to uphold. If even Peter could be corrected for straying from the gospel, then no modern leader can claim to be beyond question. Correction is not rebellion. It is an act of faithfulness that preserves both authority and truth.<#0.5#> The fifth segments is: Christ’s Warning Against Elevating Leaders<#0.5#> Jesus warned His disciples not to seek titles or exalted positions, saying, “You are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers” (Matthew 23, verses eight through ten). Authority belongs to Christ alone. Pastors are not mediators between God and man. That role belongs to Christ. Instead, leaders are to shepherd with humility, “not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5 verses two and three).<#0.5#> The danger is not in respecting leaders, but in elevating them above their proper place. When pastors are treated as unquestionable, they cease to reflect the servant leadership of Christ.<#0.5#> In Conclusion<#0.5#> The Bible never calls believers to submit blindly to a pastor’s words. Instead, it calls the church to test all things and to hold fast to what is true. This is not a rejection of authority but a recognition of where true authority lies, in Christ and His Word. Pastors are to be respected, encouraged, and followed when they lead rightly. But they are also accountable, and when their teaching strays, questioning it is an act of obedience to God.<#0.5#> A healthy church is not one where questions are silenced, but where questions are welcomed as part of keeping leaders and people alike rooted in Scripture. To test teaching is not to dishonor a pastor, but to honor the Lord who gave His Word as the final standard for all.<#0.5#> For additional study, consider these Discussion Questions.<#0.5#> 1. Why does Acts 17 verse eleven praise the Bereans for testing Paul’s teaching, and how does this show that discernment strengthens rather than rejects authority?<#0.5#> 2. How does First John 4 verse one call every believer to responsibility in testing the spirits, and what would happen if this responsibility were ignored in the church?<#0.5#> 3. In Galatians 2, Paul rebuked Peter for compromising the gospel. How does this account demonstrate that correction is not rebellion but a way of preserving true authority?<#0.5#> 4. What dangers arise when a congregation confuses loyalty to a leader with loyalty to Christ and His Word?<#0.5#> 5. How can a church create a culture where questioning teaching is welcomed as faithfulness to God’s Word, while still showing respect for pastoral leadership?<#0.5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Testing All Things: Why Respecting Pastors Includes Accountability.<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’<#0.5#> Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.<#0.5#> As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly. Love Unconditionally. Listen Intentionally. Learn Continuously. Lend to others Generously. Lead with Integrity. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2860 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2860 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 125:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2860 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2860 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – Surrounded by the Unshakeable Mountain<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we looked back with a shuddering sense of gratitude. In Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four, we confronted a terrifying, hypothetical question: what would have happened if the Maker of heaven and earth had not been on our side? We realized that without the intervention of Yahweh, the raging, chaotic waters of the rebel gods would have swallowed us alive. We celebrated the glorious truth that the Divine Warrior stepped in, snapped the fowler’s snare in half, and set our souls free to fly. We anchored our survival entirely to the Name of the Lord.<#0.5#> Today, we continue our upward climb on the ancient pilgrim trail. The traveler has survived the wilderness, and is now gazing at the magnificent, geographical reality of the Holy City. We are exploring the sixth song in this collection, which is Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist shifts our focus from the fleeting, fragile nature of our earthly struggles, to the massive, permanent, and unshakeable geology of God’s cosmic headquarters. Let us step onto the trail, look at the mountains, and discover what it means to be eternally secure.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Cosmic Center and the Immovable Saint<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five: verse one.<#0.5#> Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.<#0.5#> The stanza opens with a profound, stabilizing comparison. The psalmist declares, "Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion."<#0.5#> To fully appreciate the immense weight of this statement, we must understand the concept of cosmic geography in the Ancient Israelite worldview. In the ancient Near East, mountains were not just piles of rock and dirt; they were the meeting places of the divine. The pagan nations surrounding Israel believed that their gods ruled from towering, majestic peaks, like Mount Hermon or Mount Zaphon. The rebel spiritual principalities, the fallen members of the Divine Council, demanded worship on these high places.<#0.5#> In stark contrast, Mount Zion, the hill upon which Jerusalem was built, is not a particularly tall or physically intimidating mountain. Compared to the snow-capped peaks of the north, Zion is relatively modest. Yet, Yahweh chose this specific, unremarkable hill to be the cosmic center of the universe. It is the earthly footprint of His heavenly throne room. Because the Most High God dwells there, Mount Zion cannot be moved. It is immune to the chaotic storms of the rebel gods. It stands firm, defying the spiritual gravity of a fallen world.<#0.5#> The psalmist makes a breathtaking theological leap. He states that the human being who places their absolute, unyielding trust in Yahweh, actually takes on the geological characteristics of Mount Zion itself. When you anchor your soul to the Creator, you become immovable. You become a living, breathing extension of the cosmic mountain.<#0.5#> He promises that those who trust "will not be defeated but will endure forever." In a world where human empires rise and fall in the blink of an eye, and where our personal circumstances constantly fluctuate, this is an anchor for the soul. The forces of darkness may swirl around you, and the culture may attempt to push you off balance, but if your trust is in the King, you are eternally secured to the bedrock of reality.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Divine Perimeter<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five: verse two.<#0.5#> Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.<#0.5#> As the pilgrim approaches Jerusalem, he observes the physical topography of the region. "Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people."<#0.5#> Jerusalem is uniquely situated. It sits on a hill, but it is enveloped by a ring of slightly higher mountains, such as the Mount of Olives to the east. In ancient warfare, this natural terrain provided an incredible, strategic advantage. The surrounding mountains acted as a massive, geological shield, breaking the force of incoming winds, and forcing approaching armies to navigate treacherous, uphill bottlenecks before they could ever reach the city walls.<#0.5#> The psalmist takes this physical reality, and transforms it into a stunning picture of spiritual protection. He is saying, "Look at the hills wrapping their arms around this city. That is exactly what Yahweh is doing for you." <#0.5#> We are not left exposed on an open, spiritual plain. The Lord Himself forms a thick, impenetrable perimeter defense around the covenant community. When the chaotic, rebel forces of the unseen realm attempt to launch an attack against your soul, they cannot simply walk up to your front door. They must first go through the Sovereign Commander of the universe. He encompasses His people. He is the vanguard, the rearguard, and the towering, protective wall on every side.<#0.5#> And notice the duration of this protection: "both now and forever." This is not a temporary, seasonal security contract. The mountains do not get tired, and they do not clock out at the end of a shift. In the same way, the protective, surrounding presence of Yahweh is a permanent, eternal reality, spanning across the ages, long after the current, earthly conflicts have faded into dust.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Expiration Date of Evil<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five: verse three.<#0.5#> The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.<#0.5#> Suddenly, the psalmist addresses a deep, painful tension that exists within the hearts of the pilgrims. He says, "The wicked will not rule the land of the godly."<#0.5#> Other translations render this phrase, "For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land allotted to the righteous." This language is deeply rooted in the Divine Council theology of Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty-Two. The world is currently contested territory. The rebel gods, and the wicked, human rulers who act as their avatars, hold scepters of power over the disinherited nations. They constantly try to extend their dark, chaotic jurisdiction into the land allotted to Yahweh's people.<#0.5#> When the pilgrim looks around the world, it often seems like the wicked are winning. Corrupt politicians prosper, deceitful systems thrive, and the righteous are marginalized. But the psalmist steps in with a divine, prophetic guarantee. He declares that the scepter of the wicked has a strict, non-negotiable expiration date. Yahweh will not permit the forces of chaos to establish permanent, uncontested rule over His inheritance. The occupation is temporary.<#0.5#> Why does God place this limit on the power of evil? The psalmist gives us a profound, psychological reason: "for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong."<#0.5#> Literally, the Hebrew text suggests that if the oppression lasts too long, the righteous might reach out their hands to iniquity. The Creator intimately understands the fragility of the human frame. He knows that we are made of dust. If we are subjected to the crushing, unrelenting pressure of injustice, generation after generation, without any hope of relief, even the most faithful, devoted believer might eventually snap. The temptation to assimilate, to adopt the corrupt practices of the pagan culture just to survive, would simply become too great.<#0.5#> Therefore, out of His fierce, Fatherly compassion, Yahweh intervenes. He breaks the scepter of the wicked, and limits the duration of the trial, ensuring that the burden never outweighs the grace He provides to endure it. He protects His people from the breaking point.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Fork in the Road and the Final Blessing<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Five: verses four and five.<#0.5#> O Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you. But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord. Take them away with those who do evil. May Israel have peace!<#0.5#> In the final verses of the song, the psalmist offers a powerful, dual-sided prayer, clearly marking the division between the two paths of humanity. First, he...
Welcome to Day 2859 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2859 – “In Defense of a Doubter” based on Luke 7:18-35 Putnam Church Message – 04/12/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “In Defense of a Doubter.” Last week’s message was: “He is Risen Indeed!” We will celebrate the resurrected Christ and the assurance we have in the salvation that He brings. Today, we return to Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “In Defense of a Doubter.” We will explore the doubts of Jesus’s cousin, known as John the Baptizer. Our core passage today is Luke 7:15-35, which is found on page 1603 of your pew Bibles. Jesus and John the Baptizer 18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. / Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” 24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’[b] 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) 31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Opening Prayer Father, thank You that You are not threatened by our questions and not surprised by our weakness. Thank You that in Jesus Christ You meet us not only in strength, but also in struggle. As we open Your Word today, give us honesty, humility, and hope. Help us to see that doubt does not have to destroy faith, and that Your Son is still enough / even when life does not make sense. In Jesus’ name, amen. Introduction There is a kind of faith that sounds strong but is actually fragile. It never asks hard questions. It never admits confusion. It never confesses pain. It smiles through gritted teeth and calls that spirituality. But the Bible gives us something far more honest than that. The Bible gives us John the Baptizer. The same John who leaped in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of Christ. The same John who thundered in the wilderness. The same John who said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The same John who pointed away from himself and toward Jesus. And now in Luke 7, that same man is in prison, and he is asking a question he never expected to ask: “Are You the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Luke 7:19) That question surprises us. But Luke includes it because he wants us to learn something important: A season of doubt does not automatically mean the death of faith. Sometimes doubt is rebellion. Sometimes doubt is unbelief. But sometimes doubt is the cry of a wounded believer trying to reconcile what he knows about God with what he is living through. And that is where many believers live at one point or another. You may trust God and still have questions. You may love Christ and still ache. You may believe deeply and still struggle honestly. So today we are going to stand in defense of a doubter—not to glorify doubt, but to understand what Jesus does with it. Main Point 1: Faith Can Be Shaken Without Being Destroyed Luke 7:18–20 John’s disciples come to Jesus and ask the question straight out: “Are You the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Let’s not rush past how astonishing that is. John was not a casual observer. He was not a spiritual dabbler. He was not a man who had built his beliefs on rumors. He knew the prophecies. He had heard the voice of God. He had publicly identified Jesus. He had baptized Jesus. He had seen the Spirit descend. And yet now, from a prison cell, John is trembling. Why? Because circumstances can shake even the strongest believers. John expected the Messiah to come with power, to cleanse, to judge, and to bring visible kingdom change. And yet Herod still sits on the throne, evil still seems to prosper, and John himself—the faithful prophet—sits forgotten in a dungeon. If Jesus is truly the Expected One, why does the world still look so wrong? That is not a foolish question. That is an agonizing one. And many of us know something about it. A praying parent watches a child drift farther from God. A faithful wife buries a husband too soon. A godly man loses his job while dishonest people advance. A believer fights disease, grief, betrayal, or depression and quietly wonders, “Lord, where are You?” That does not mean the believer has become an unbeliever. It may mean the believer has run out of easy answers. Object Lesson — The Storm-Bent Tree Imagine a strong tree in a storm. The wind bends it. The branches whip. Leaves tear loose. For a while, it looks unstable. But when the storm passes, the roots remain. That is John. He is bent, but not uprooted. He is shaken, but not blown away. And that is a needed reminder. A believer can be deeply troubled and still deeply rooted. Matthew’s Parallel Helps Us Matthew 11 records this same incident. Matthew gives us the same question, the same prison setting, and the same answer from Jesus. That tells us this was not a minor moment in Christ's ministry. The Spirit wanted the church to remember that even the greatest prophet of that generation went through a dark night of the soul. So, if you are in a season of doubt, do not assume that the struggle itself means your faith is fake. Some doubt is corrosive. But some doubt is the painful honesty of a real disciple asking, “Lord, help me understand.” Related Scriptures * Psalm 73 — Asaph struggling with the prosperity of the wicked. * Habakkuk 1 — “How long, O Lord?” * Mark 9:24 — “I...
Welcome to Day 2858 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2858 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 124:1-8– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2858 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2858 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – Surviving the Raging Waters of Chaos<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we explored the fourth Song of Ascent, Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three. We stood safely within the seamless walls of Jerusalem, yet we realized that our souls were still carrying the heavy, agonizing scars of the wilderness. We felt the crushing, suffocating weight of cultural contempt. In response, we adopted the posture of a hyper-vigilant servant. We chose to lift our eyes above the earthly mockery of the arrogant, and we fixed our gaze firmly upon the hand of the Master, waiting desperately for His unmerited, vindicating mercy.<#0.5#> Today, we are exploring the fifth song in this ancient pilgrim collection. We are turning our attention to Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist shifts our perspective dramatically. Instead of looking upward in exhaustion, he demands that we look backward, and stare directly into the terrifying abyss of what could have been. He forces the congregation to confront a chilling, hypothetical question, imagining a reality where the Creator had ignored their upward gaze. Let us step back onto the trail, and examine the raging waters from which we have been saved.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Horrifying Hypothetical and the Maw of the Underworld<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four: verses one through three<#0.5#> What if the Lord had not been on our side? Let all Israel repeat: What if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us? They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger.<#0.5#> The stanza opens with a dark, shuddering question: "What if the Lord had not been on our side?" The psalmist is not asking this lightly; he commands the entire gathered congregation of Israel to repeat the phrase. He wants the collective community to mentally strip away the protection of Yahweh for just a moment, and truly comprehend their own agonizing vulnerability. <#0.5#> Imagine a universe where the Most High God was neutral, apathetic, or simply absent. Imagine facing the hostility of the surrounding pagan nations without the covering of the Divine Shield. The psalmist describes the attackers not merely as human politicians, or enemy soldiers, but as forces of cosmic destruction. He says, "They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger."<#0.5#> To fully grasp the terror of this imagery, we must understand the Ancient Near Eastern, and biblical, worldview. The language of being "swallowed alive" is heavily rooted in the mythology of the Canaanite god of death, Mot. In the ancient world, death was not just an inevitable biological event; death was a predatory, insatiable entity. The underworld, Sheol, was often depicted as a monstrous beast with a gaping maw, a throat that stretched from the dirt all the way up to the heavens, eager to swallow humanity whole.<#0.5#> When the psalmist says the attacking armies would have swallowed them alive, he is revealing the spiritual reality behind the human conflict. The nations attacking Israel are the earthly proxies of the rebel elohim—the fallen spiritual principalities of the Divine Council. The ultimate goal of the kingdom of darkness is not just to win a military skirmish; it is to consume, devour, and entirely erase the imagers of God from the face of the earth. Without the intervention of Yahweh, the burning, demonic anger of the rebel gods would have dragged the entire covenant community down into the belly of the grave.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Torrent of Cosmic Chaos<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four: verses four and five<#0.5#> The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us. Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives.<#0.5#> The terrifying metaphors continue to escalate. The psalmist shifts from the gaping jaws of the underworld, to the devastating, unstoppable force of a flash flood. "The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us."<#0.5#> In the arid, rocky landscape of the Middle East, a sudden rainstorm in the distant mountains can create a deadly, roaring wall of water that completely floods a dry riverbed, or wadi, in a matter of minutes. Anyone caught in its path is violently swept away. But once again, the physical imagery points directly to a massive, cosmic reality. <#0.5#> In the biblical worldview, stretching all the way back to Genesis Chapter One, the raging, untamed waters represent primordial chaos. The sea—known as Yamm in the ancient Ugaritic texts—was viewed as a hostile, chaotic deity, a dark, churning realm that constantly threatened to undo the beautiful, organized creation of Yahweh. The rebel spiritual forces use the chaotic waters as their primary weapon against the order of God. <#0.5#> When the psalmist says, "the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives," he is describing a spiritual tsunami. Have you ever felt that sensation in your own life? Have you ever felt the toxic culture, the deceptive lies, and the sheer hostility of the world rising up like a dark flood, threatening to sweep you off your feet, and pull you under? That is the exact experience of the exile. <#0.5#> The enemy does not just want to defeat you; they want to drown you in despair. They want to engulf your soul in chaos, until you can no longer breathe. And the chilling truth that the psalmist wants us to acknowledge is this: on our own, we are no match for the flood. Human willpower cannot hold back the raging waters of cosmic fury. If the Lord had not been standing as a breakwater on our behalf, the torrent would have absolutely overwhelmed our very lives.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Escaping the Teeth of the Beast and the Fowler's Snare<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four: verses six and seven<#0.5#> Praise the Lord, who did not let their teeth tear us apart! We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s snare. The snare is broken, and we are free!<#0.5#> Suddenly, the dark, suffocating tension of the hypothetical question breaks, and the psalm explodes into a brilliant, breathless shout of triumphant gratitude. "Praise the Lord, who did not let their teeth tear us apart!"<#0.5#> The psalmist looks back at the jaws of the predator, and he realizes that the mouth of the beast was forcibly slammed shut. Just as God famously shut the mouths of the lions for Daniel in the pit, Yahweh intervened for His people. The rebel gods bared their fangs, the chaotic nations moved in for the kill, but the Creator simply said, "No." He would not permit His beloved exiles to be torn to pieces. <#0.5#> He then uses an incredibly delicate, beautiful metaphor to describe our deliverance. "We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s snare. The snare is broken, and we are free!"<#0.5#> Imagine a small, fragile bird, desperately fluttering its wings, caught tightly in a hidden net laid by a cruel fowler. The bird has absolutely no strength to break the thick ropes of the snare. It is completely helpless, exhausted, and awaiting its execution. This perfectly describes our condition when we are trapped by the deceptive, arrogant schemes of the wicked.<#0.5#> But then, the massive, capable hands of the Divine Warrior reach down. God does not just untangle the bird; He violently snaps the trap in half. "The snare is broken!" This is the ultimate, cosmic rescue mission. The rebel spirits set their intricate traps of idolatry, fear, and cultural compromise, hoping to permanently bind the believers. But Yahweh shatters their mechanisms of control.<#0.5#> And the result of that divine intervention is absolute, soaring liberty. "...and we are free!" In the biblical sense, freedom is not the ability to do whatever your sinful flesh desires. True freedom is the glorious release from the suffocating, chaotic traps of the enemy, allowing you to fly upward, and live joyfully within the safe, ordered boundaries of God's cosmic blueprint. You have been liberated from the snare of death, so that you can sing in the branches of the Tree of Life.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Cosmic Anchor of the Creator<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Four: verse...
Welcome to Day 2857 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2857 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 123:1-4– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2857 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2857 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2857 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Wisdom-Trek: The Song of Ascent – The Upward Gaze of the Exhausted Exile<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we experienced the profound, overwhelming joy of arrival. We explored Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two, the third Song of Ascent. We stepped off the dangerous, contested trails of the wilderness, and we finally passed through the massive, seamless gates of Jerusalem. We marveled at the unity of the tribes, the beauty of the walls, and the reassuring presence of the thrones of David, which represent the ultimate, restorative justice of the Creator. We prayed fiercely for the Shalom of the cosmic center, asking for peace within its walls, and prosperity within its palaces, for the sake of our families, and for the magnificent reputation of the house of our God.<#0.5#> Today, as we settle into the holy city, the adrenaline of the journey begins to fade. The pilgrim is safe within the walls, but a deep, lingering exhaustion settles into his bones. We are exploring the fourth song in this pilgrim collection: Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three, verses one through four, in the New Living Translation. This is a short, but intensely emotional, psalm. It captures the reality that, even when we are safe in God's presence, the scars of the world's hostility still ache. It is a profound transition from the outward celebration of the city, to the inward, desperate, upward gaze of the soul. Let us step onto this quiet, reflective section of the trail, and learn where to look when we have had our fill of the world's mockery.<#0.5#> * The Upward Gaze to the Cosmic Throne<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three: verse one NLT)<#0.5#> I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.<#0.5#> The psalm opens with a singular, deliberate physical and spiritual motion: “I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.”<#0.5#> If you remember back to Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One, the weary traveler looked up to the mountains, acknowledging the intimidating, pagan high places, and immediately declared that his help came not from the hills, but from the Maker of the hills. Now, in Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three, the pilgrim is physically standing on the holy mountain of Zion. He is surrounded by the magnificent architecture of Jerusalem, and he is likely looking directly at the impressive structure of the temple itself.<#0.5#> Yet, even with the earthly temple right in front of him, he lifts his eyes higher. He looks past the physical stones, past the earthly priesthood, and past the walls of the city. He directs his gaze straight into the unseen realm, to the ultimate, unshakeable reality: “O God, enthroned in heaven.”<#0.5#> This is a massive declaration of cosmic geography, deeply rooted in the Ancient Israelite worldview. The surrounding pagan nations believed that their gods were localized, limited to specific geographic territories, or physically housed within their handmade, wooden idols. But the psalmist knows that Yahweh cannot be contained by human architecture. Yahweh is the Supreme Commander of the Divine Council. He is enthroned above the heavens, ruling over the lesser spiritual beings, the rebel principalities, and the chaotic forces of the universe.<#0.5#> When the psalmist lifts his eyes to the One enthroned in heaven, he is bypassing all the middle-management of the world. He is not looking to earthly politicians, he is not looking to human armies, and he is not even relying on the physical safety of Jerusalem’s walls. He is anchoring his soul directly to the highest authority in existence. When your earthly circumstances are exhausting, you must lift your eyes above the horizon of your pain, and fix them upon the Sovereign King who oversees it all.<#0.5#> * The Posture of the Hyper-Vigilant Servant<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three: verse two NLT)<#0.5#> We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.<#0.5#> Having directed his gaze to the heavens, the psalmist explains the exact nature of this upward look. It is not a casual, passing glance. It is a posture of intense, sustained, and hyper-vigilant dependence. He compares our relationship with God to the dynamic of a household servant in the ancient Near East.<#0.5#> “We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.”<#0.5#> To fully understand the weight of this metaphor, we must step into the culture of the ancient world. In a wealthy or royal household, the master and mistress did not typically shout orders across a crowded banquet hall. They communicated with subtle, almost imperceptible, physical cues. A slight nod of the head, a subtle wave of the hand, or a quick glance of the eye, would instantly command a servant to pour more wine, remove a plate, or defend the door.<#0.5#> Therefore, a good servant could never afford to be distracted. They could not look down at their feet, or stare out the window. They had to keep their eyes absolutely locked onto the hands and the face of their master, waiting for the “slightest signal.” Furthermore, in the ancient world, a servant was entirely dependent upon the master for their very survival. The master provided their food, their shelter, their clothing, and their legal protection against the outside world. To look to the master’s hand was to look to the source of your life.<#0.5#> The psalmist is saying, “This is exactly how we must look at Yahweh.” In a world ruled by the chaotic, rebellious forces of darkness, we have absolutely no independent capacity to survive. We are completely dependent upon the hand of the Creator. We must watch His hand for provision, when we are starving in the wilderness. We must watch His hand for protection, when the enemies are closing in. And we must watch His hand for guidance, ensuring that we are stepping exactly where the cosmic blueprint dictates.<#0.5#> Notice what specific thing the servant is looking for: “We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy.” <#0.5#> He is not demanding a paycheck. He is not claiming that he deserves a reward based on his own flawless performance. He is looking for grace. The Hebrew concept here is tied to favor, and deep, unmerited compassion. We stare at the throne of the universe, knowing that our only hope for survival in this hostile exile, is the compassionate, merciful movement of the Master’s hand.<#0.5#> * The Suffocating Weight of Cultural Contempt<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Three: verses three and four NLT)<#0.5#> Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant.<#0.5#> The quiet, disciplined vigilance of the servant suddenly breaks into a raw, desperate, and exhausted plea. “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt.”<#0.5#> The repetition of the phrase “have mercy” reveals the intensity of the pain. The psalmist is spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically worn out. Why? Because he, and the covenant community of Israel, have “had our fill of contempt.”<#0.5#> The Hebrew idiom for “had our fill” literally means to be absolutely glutted, saturated, or stuffed to the point of nausea. Imagine eating until you are physically sick, and then being forced to consume even more. That is how the psalmist feels about the mockery of the world. He is up to his neck in it. He cannot swallow another drop of their hostility.<#0.5#> He clarifies the exact source of this nausea in verse four: “We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant.”<#0.5#> We must view the “proud” and the “arrogant” through the lens of the Divine Council worldview. These are not just people who are a little bit conceited. These are the human proxies, the avatars, of the rebel spiritual principalities. The fallen elohim rebelled against God out of sheer pride, demanding worship for themselves. Therefore, the human cultures that worship these false gods are characterized by a profound, aggressive arrogance.<#0.5#> These pagan nations looked at Israel, and they scoffed....
Welcome to Day 2856 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – When Death Becomes Policy: How Christians Must Respond to a Dehumanizing System. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2856 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2856 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: When Death Becomes Policy: How Christians Must Respond to a Dehumanizing System.<#0.5#> The biblical view of human life begins with the most foundational truth in Scripture: “God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1 verse twenty-seven). Unlike the surrounding cultures of the ancient Near East, where only kings reflected divinity, Israel declared that every human being bore the image of Yahweh. This principle shaped the covenant people’s moral and legal systems. The Law commanded care for the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. It forbade the sacrifice of children. Justice was not a privilege for the strong. It was a duty toward the weak.<#0.5#> The prophets reinforced this ethic repeatedly. Isaiah, Amos, Jeremiah, and Micah rebuked rulers not merely for idol worship, but for oppressing the poor, neglecting the sick, and perverting justice. Human life was sacred not because of economic output, but because it belonged to the Creator.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Jesus and the Early Church<#0.5#> Jesus expanded and embodied this ethic perfectly. He healed the sick, welcomed the outcast, and affirmed the dignity of the forgotten. He did not divide people by status or function. He saw them as lost sheep, image-bearers in need of restoration. This was not sentiment. It was theology in action.<#0.5#> The early Church followed His example with startling results. In a Roman culture where the disabled were abandoned, the elderly discarded, and infants exposed to die, Christians responded with radical mercy. They rescued infants from trash heaps. They nursed the sick during plagues, often at the cost of their own lives. And most notably, they created something the world had never seen before: the hospital.<#0.5#> The first true hospital was founded in the late fourth century by St. Basil the Great in Caesarea, Cappadocia. The Basilias was a large complex that included housing for the poor, medical treatment for the sick, and care for lepers. It was not a tool of state power or military strategy, but a direct expression of Christian love for those society rejected. Basil believed that if Christ healed the broken, then His followers must do the same.<#0.5#> Other Christians followed his lead. St. Fabiola in Rome founded one of the first hospitals in the West. Monasteries across Europe established infirmaries, not only for monks, but for pilgrims, travelers, beggars, and the dying. The very word hospital comes from hospitalis, Latin for “guest,” reflecting the belief that in caring for the sick, Christians were receiving Christ Himself.<#0.5#> This was revolutionary. The Greco-Roman world had temples for the healthy and private physicians for the elite, but no institutions devoted to caring for the poor and dying until Christians built them. Their actions were not driven by utility. They were driven by conviction: life matters because it is made by God, seen by Christ, and destined for eternity.<#0.5#> That is the root. That is the legacy. And when modern systems again begin to measure lives by what they cost instead of what they are, Christians must not be silent. They must remember who they are.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Hospice Is Not the Enemy<#0.5#> It is important to be clear: this is not an argument against hospice or genuine palliative care. Hospice reflects the biblical ethic of compassion. It affirms that life has value even in suffering, and that dignity is preserved not by hastening death, but by honoring a person’s final days with comfort and presence.<#0.5#> The danger arises when that sacred view of life is replaced by a cold calculation. Instead of seeing the end of life as a transition, society begins to treat it as a solution to systemic and financial problems. When the vulnerable are seen as obstacles, death becomes a policy tool, and compassion is used to justify elimination.<#0.5#> The third segment is: A Troubling Shift in Canada<#0.5#> Nowhere is this more visible than in Canada. What began as Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) for those suffering from unbearable physical pain has quickly expanded into something far broader. In 2016, just over 1,000 Canadians ended their lives through MAiD. By 2022, that number had surged to over 13,000. It is now reportedly the sixth leading cause of death in the country.<#0.5#> Even more troubling is who is now eligible. Increasingly, MAiD is offered not to those with terminal illness, but to those who are poor, mentally ill, or socially isolated. Some have requested euthanasia because they cannot afford housing or support services. Others have been told that medical treatment is not available, but MAiD is.<#0.5#> Doctors have reported being pressured to bring up euthanasia as an option, even in cases where it would never have been considered before. And some policy experts have openly acknowledged that the healthcare system is overloaded and needs a centralized solution. Quietly, and without ever officially declaring it, death is being presented as that solution.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Death as an Economic Decision<#0.5#> One of the most disturbing elements of Canada’s MAiD system is how these deaths are recorded. In several provinces, including British Columbia and Ontario, official guidance instructs physicians to list the person’s underlying illness or condition as the cause of death, even when the immediate act involved a medically administered lethal substance.<#0.5#> This is not a clerical oversight. In British Columbia, the College of Physicians and Surgeons directs providers to list MAiD in Part I(a) of the Medical Certificate of Death, but the manner of death is still to be recorded as “natural.” The underlying illness remains the official cause. In Ontario, physicians providing MAiD are required to notify the Office of the Chief Coroner, and the death certificate process generally follows similar lines, emphasizing the condition rather than the procedure.<#0.5#> At the federal level, Health Canada’s monitoring and reporting system collects MAiD data separately, but the death certificates provided to families and registered in provincial statistics are shaped by these regional protocols. In public datasets and vital statistics, a MAiD death may appear indistinguishable from a natural death.<#0.5#> The effect is not only statistical. It reframes euthanasia as a quiet extension of medical care, rather than a deliberate, policy-driven act of ending life. This framing can soften moral and public resistance, making it easier to expand eligibility without backlash.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: When Consent Looks Like Coercion<#0.5#> While MAiD is legally defined as voluntary, the real-world conditions under which many of these decisions are made raise serious ethical concerns. Patients have increasingly reported seeking MAiD due to poverty, homelessness, mental illness, or chronic but non-terminal suffering. When essential care is delayed or denied, and when death is positioned as the one guaranteed option, consent begins to look less like a choice and more like surrender.<#0.5#> * In 2022, a Canadian Forces veteran suffering from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury approached Veterans Affairs for help. Instead of receiving mental health support, he was offered MAiD.<#0.5#> * A woman named Denise, suffering from multiple chemical sensitivities, chose MAiD because she could not find safe housing. She was not terminally ill, but her pleas for accommodation went unanswered.<#0.5#> * A man with a degenerative brain condition applied for MAiD after struggling to get the in-home care he needed. His doctor admitted that with proper support, he would not have sought death.<#0.5#> * A 51-year-old woman with long COVID applied due to unrelenting pain and fatigue. She said she would have preferred to live, but her condition had become intolerable without treatment options.<#0.5#> * Roger Foley, a man with a neurological condition, recorded hospital staff suggesting assisted death would cost less than long-term care.<#0.5#> * A woman with scoliosis and fibromyalgia applied after she could no longer afford her medications. Poverty, not disease, drove her request.<#0.5#> * A homeless man in Ontario with schizophrenia requested MAiD, saying he could not bear another...
Welcome to Day 2854 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2854 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 122:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2855 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2855 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Wisdom-Trek: The Song of Ascent – Stepping Through the Cosmic Gates<#0.5#> In our previous episode, we walked the treacherous, dusty trails of Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One. We learned to lift our eyes away from the high places, where the pagan cultures worshiped their rebel gods, and fix our gaze entirely upon the Maker of heaven and earth. We discovered the profound comfort of the Guardian who never slumbers, and never sleeps. We realized that, even when the journey is steep, and the wilderness is infested with dark, spiritual forces, the Lord Himself is our protective shade, guarding our souls as we come and go. <#0.5#> Today, the long, arduous journey up the mountain pass finally yields its greatest reward. We have arrived. We are exploring the third song in this pilgrim collection: Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. The dust of the road is still on our boots, but the danger of the wilderness is now behind us. The traveler has transitioned from the vulnerability of the open, contested terrain, into the ultimate, secure fortress of the Most High God. Let us step through the gates, and experience the joy of the cosmic center.<#0.5#> * The Invitation and the Arrival<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two: verses one and two NLT)<#0.5#> I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.<#0.5#> The psalm opens with a beautiful, retrospective memory of an invitation. The psalmist remembers the exact moment back in his hometown, perhaps out in the distant, hostile territories of Meshech or Kedar, when his fellow Israelites turned to him and said, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”<#0.5#> Notice his reaction. He says, “I was glad.” This is not the mild, polite happiness of receiving a dinner invitation. This is a profound, soul-deep relief. To understand this joy, we must view the geography through the lens of the Divine Council worldview. The world outside of Jerusalem was heavily influenced by the fallen, rebel spirits—the elohim who demanded worship from the disinherited nations. Living out in the countryside meant living in contested territory, constantly battling the oppressive, chaotic atmosphere of the pagan culture.<#0.5#> But the “house of the Lord” was different. Jerusalem was the cosmic mountain. It was the intersection of heaven and earth, the literal footprint of Yahweh’s throne room in the human realm. When the invitation came to go up to Jerusalem, it was an invitation to leave the oppressive domains of the rebel gods, and return to the safe, centralized headquarters of the Creator. It was a call to come home.<#0.5#> Then, in verse two, the memory shifts to the breathtaking present reality: “And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.”<#0.5#> Imagine the sheer, physical relief of this moment. After days, or even weeks, of sleeping with one eye open, guarding against bandits and predators, the pilgrim finally steps over the threshold. The massive, reinforced gates of the city close behind him. The wilderness is shut out. The anxiety of the journey instantly evaporates, replaced by the overwhelming, sensory experience of the holy city. He is standing securely within the boundary lines of God’s protected domain.<#0.5#> * The Architecture of Unity and the Gathering of the Exiles<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two: verses three and four NLT)<#0.5#> Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached. All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people— make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord, as the law requires of Israel.<#0.5#> As the pilgrim stands inside the gates, he looks around, marveling at the architecture of his surroundings. He declares, “Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached.”<#0.5#> Other translations render this, “Jerusalem is built as a city that is bound firmly together.” This is not just a compliment to the local stonemasons. In the ancient world, a city with seamless, tightly bound walls was a fortress that could withstand the most brutal siege. But there is a deeper, spiritual metaphor at play here. The physical stones of the walls reflect the spiritual unity of the people standing within them.<#0.5#> This unity is beautifully described in verse four: “All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people—make their pilgrimage here.”<#0.5#> Remember the story of the Tower of Babel. When humanity rebelled, God confused their languages, divided them into seventy nations, and scattered them across the earth, placing them under the authority of the lesser spiritual beings. Babel was the ultimate act of division, and scattering. <#0.5#> But here, in Jerusalem, we see the glorious reversal of Babel. Instead of being scattered into chaos, the scattered tribes of Israel are magnetically drawn back together. They converge from the north, the south, the east, and the west, ascending the mountain to become one unified, seamless people again. The tribes leave their separate, localized identities behind, and they bind themselves firmly together within the walls of the holy city.<#0.5#> And what is their unified purpose? “They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord, as the law requires of Israel.”<#0.5#> They do not gather to celebrate their own military achievements, or to build a monument to their own greatness, as the rebels did at Babel. They gather for the sole purpose of expressing profound, collective gratitude to the Name of Yahweh. The Name represents God's reputation, His character, and His supreme, unrivaled authority over the Divine Council. By giving thanks to His Name, the unified tribes are actively testifying to the surrounding, pagan nations that Yahweh alone is the True King of the cosmos.<#0.5#> * The Thrones of Cosmic Justice<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two: verse five NLT)<#0.5#> Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David.<#0.5#> The pilgrim’s eyes move from the defensive walls of the city, to the ultimate center of authority: “Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David.”<#0.5#> In the biblical worldview, true justice is the foundation of cosmic order. In Psalm Eighty-Two, God holds a trial in the midst of the Divine Council, condemning the rebel gods because they judge unjustly, show partiality to the wicked, and fail to defend the weak and the fatherless. The spiritual rulers of the darkness have corrupted the earth with their chaotic, abusive legal systems.<#0.5#> But Jerusalem is designed to be the absolute antithesis of that corruption. Here, inside these seamless walls, stand the thrones of David. God entered into an eternal covenant with David, promising that his dynasty would represent Yahweh’s righteous rule on earth. These thrones are not places of exploitation, tyranny, or self-serving power. They are the seats of tsedeq—true, restorative, unbending righteousness.<#0.5#> For the weary pilgrim, who has just spent months living in the unjust, chaotic territories of the world, seeing these thrones brings immense comfort. He knows that here, in the cosmic center, the oppressed will find a fair hearing. The marginalized will be protected. The wicked will be held accountable. The thrones of David are the earthly guarantee that the Creator has not abandoned His universe to the lawless forces of chaos.<#0.5#> * The Weaponized Prayer for Shalom<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two: verses six and seven NLT)<#0.5#> Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces.<#0.5#> Having soaked in the beauty, the unity, and the justice of the city, the psalmist transitions from observation, into active, targeted intercession. He issues a command to his fellow pilgrims: “Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.”<#0.5#> The Hebrew word for peace is our familiar, heavy, and profound anchor word: Shalom. He asks us...
Welcome to Day 2854 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2854 – “He is Risen Indeed!” based on 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 Putnam Church Message – 04/05/2026 Resurrection Sunday – “He is Risen Indeed!” Last week’s message was: “Behold He Comes!” This covered the entire Passion Week, with the launching point of Zechariah 9:9 Today, our focus is on Resurrection Sunday. Today’s message is: “He is Risen Indeed!” We will celebrate the resurrected Christ and the assurance we have in the salvation that He brings. Our core verses this week are 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-23 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. Opening Prayer Father in heaven, on this Resurrection Sunday, we come with gratitude, wonder, and praise. Open our eyes to see the glory of Your Son. Open our hearts to receive the power of the empty tomb. For those who are joyful, deepen their joy. For those who are weary, strengthen their faith. For those who are grieving, breathe hope again. For those who are uncertain, make the truth of Christ’s resurrection clear and living. May this not be just a familiar holiday to us, but a holy encounter with the risen Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Introduction This morning our message is titled: “He Is Risen Indeed!” That is more than a phrase. It is more than a tradition. It is more than a beautiful greeting to exchange on Easter morning. Across the centuries, believers in many lands have greeted one another with words like these: “Christ is risen!” - “He is risen indeed!” Why has the church loved that greeting so much? Because Easter is not simply about springtime, flowers, new grass, warmer days, or the turning of the seasons. Easter is not the church’s way of saying, “Things will probably get better.” Easter is not vague optimism. Easter is not religious cheerfulness. Easter is the declaration that Jesus Christ, who was crucified, buried, and mourned, has bodily risen from the dead. That changes everything. The four Gospels all testify to this glorious truth. Matthew tells us about the earthquake, the angel, and the guards' fear. Mark emphasizes the shock and amazement of the women at the tomb. Luke draws us into the confusion, the angelic reminder, and the burning hearts on the Emmaus Road. John gives us the intimacy of Mary Magdalene in the garden, Peter and John running to the tomb, and the risen Christ calling His sheep by name. Each Gospel brings its own emphasis, but together they proclaim one great truth: The tomb is empty because Jesus is alive. And because He is alive, we do not merely have a memory to cherish. We have a Savior to trust, a Lord to follow, and a living hope to sustain us. Main Point 1: The Resurrection Is a Real Event, Not a Religious Idea At the center of Easter is not a mood, but a miracle. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark or just at dawn, the women came to the tomb. That detail matters. They were not coming to celebrate a victory. They were coming to mourn a death. They brought spices. They expected a sealed grave. They were not looking for resurrection. They were looking for a body. That is why the empty tomb startled them so deeply. Matthew says the stone was rolled away. Mark says they wondered who would move the stone. Luke says they found the stone rolled away and did not find the body. John says Mary Magdalene saw the stone had been moved and ran to tell the disciples. This is not the language of people inventing a legend to comfort themselves. This is the language of startled witnesses who encountered something unexpected. Expanded Narrative In the first-century Jewish world, burial mattered deeply. Graves were places of finality. Bodies were wrapped, laid to rest, and mourned. A large stone meant closure. For Jewish families, proper burial was an act of honor and reverence. No one visited a tomb on the third day expecting a loved one to walk out. That is what makes Easter morning so startling. The women go in sorrow, not anticipation. Peter runs in confusion. John stoops and sees the linen wrappings lying there. Mary stands outside weeping, thinking someone has taken the Lord away. This is not fantasy. This is eyewitness faith born out of astonishment. And the church, that matters because Christianity stands or falls on this. If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is empty. But if He has been raised, then everything He said is true, everything He accomplished on the cross is complete, and everything He promised is secure. Illustration Sometimes people want Easter to mean only that “hope rises” in a poetic sense. But that is like saying a check is valuable because it is beautifully written, even if there is no money in the account. The beauty of the words means little without the reality behind them. The power of Easter is not that it sounds inspiring. The power of Easter lies in the fact that it happened. Object Lesson Bring a sealed envelope and an open envelope. Say: “A sealed envelope means the message is still hidden. But an opened envelope means the message has been revealed. The tomb was sealed, but on Easter morning it was opened. God was declaring to the world that His Son had conquered death.” Related Scriptures * 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17 – If Christ has not been raised, our faith is useless. * Psalm 16:10 – God would not allow His Holy One to rot in the grave. * Acts 2:24 – It was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. * Romans 1:4 – Jesus was shown to be the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead.
Summary of Main Point 1 Easter is not built on religious imagination but on a real, historical resurrection. The empty tomb, the startled witnesses, and the transformed disciples all point to the same conclusion: Jesus truly rose from the dead. Our faith is not resting on symbolism alone, but on a risen Savior. Main Point 2: The Resurrection Gives Us a Living Hope Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:3: "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, A better phrase is this: a living hope. Not a dead hope. Not a faint hope. Not a wishful hope. Not a seasonal hope. A living hope. Why is it living? Because it is tied to a living Christ. If Jesus were only a memory, then hope would eventually fade into sentiment. But because Jesus is alive, hope lives too. Expanded Narrative Peter knew what he was talking about. He had failed Jesus publicly. He had denied Him three times. He had wept bitterly. By Friday night, Peter’s courage was gone. By Saturday, his hope must have felt shattered. But then came Sunday morning. Then came the empty tomb. Then came the risen Christ. The man who once cowered before a servant girl would later stand and preach Christ boldly. Why? Because the resurrection changed him. And Peter later wrote to believers who were suffering. They were not living easy lives. They were facing pressure, hardship, misunderstanding, and persecution. Peter did not tell them to pretend life was simple. He did not tell them to smile more and think positively. He pointed them to the resurrection. That is Christian realism. The New Testament does not deny trouble. It...
Welcome to Day 2853 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2853 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 121:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2853 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2853 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Guardian Who Never Sleeps<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we took our very first steps onto the ancient pilgrim trail. We opened the collection known as the Songs of Ascents, beginning with Psalm One Hundred Twenty. There, we felt the suffocating exhaustion of living among deceitful people, dwelling in the hostile, spiritual wastelands of Meshech and Kedar. We realized that true peace, true biblical Shalom, cannot be found by negotiating with the empire of lies. That painful realization served as the ultimate catalyst for our journey. We packed our bags, left our tents in the chaotic lowlands, and began our steep, deliberate ascent toward Jerusalem, seeking the presence of the True King.<#0.5#> Today, we take our next determined strides up the mountain pass. We are exploring the second song in this pilgrim collection: Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. As the traveler leaves the safety of his home, and steps out onto the dangerous, open road, a profound sense of vulnerability sets in. The journey is long, the terrain is treacherous, and the wilderness is infested with bandits, predators, and dark spiritual forces. To survive the ascent, the pilgrim needs absolute assurance that he is not walking alone. Let us step onto the trail, lift our eyes to the horizon, and meet the Guardian of our souls.<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One: verses one and two.<#0.5#> I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!<#0.5#> The psalm opens with one of the most iconic, yet frequently misunderstood, questions in all of Scripture: “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there?”<#0.5#> In our modern, romanticized view of nature, we often read this verse and think the psalmist is drawing peace from the majestic beauty of the mountain peaks. We imagine a serene, snow-capped range inspiring a sense of divine comfort. But to the Ancient Israelite mind, the mountains were deeply intimidating, and spiritually contested, territory. <#0.5#> Physically, the mountains were where the bandits hid. They were the places of ambush, rockslides, and wild beasts. But more importantly, we must view this through the lens of the Divine Council worldview. In the ancient Near East, the high places—the peaks of the mountains—were universally recognized as the dwelling places of the gods. The rebel spiritual principalities, the fallen elohim of the disinherited nations, demanded worship on the high places. The Canaanites built their altars to Baal, and their shrines to Asherah, on the elevated hills. <#0.5#> Therefore, as the weary pilgrim looks up at the towering, shadow-filled mountains surrounding the road to Jerusalem, he is acknowledging a profound temptation. The pagan culture whispers, "The journey is too hard. The road is too dangerous. Why don't you stop at this local shrine? Why don't you offer a quick sacrifice to the gods of these hills, just to ensure your safe passage?"<#0.5#> The psalmist asks the question, “Does my help come from there?” And he answers it with a resounding, cosmic rejection of the rebel gods. “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”<#0.5#> He completely bypasses the localized, lesser deities of the hills. He declares that he will not seek protection from the dark powers that claim jurisdiction over the mountains. Instead, he appeals directly to Yahweh, the Supreme Architect, who actually created the dirt, the rocks, and the sheer cliffs of those very mountains. Why would he beg for help from a created, rebel spirit, when he has direct access to the Uncreated Maker of the entire cosmos? His help is anchored not in the terrain, but in the Creator of the terrain.<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One: verses three and four.<#0.5#> He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.<#0.5#> Having established the identity of his Helper, the psalmist begins to sing an anthem of profound assurance over his own soul, and over the souls of his fellow travelers. He promises, “He will not let you stumble.”<#0.5#> On a steep, rocky, and unpaved mountain trail, a single stumble could mean a sprained ankle, a broken leg, or a fatal fall into a ravine. A stumble meant you became easy prey. But the psalmist assures us that the Creator is actively involved in the micro-movements of our lives. Yahweh is not a distant, clockmaker God who wound up the universe and walked away; He is intimately engaged, ensuring that our feet find solid purchase on the treacherous path of obedience.<#0.5#> And why is God's protection so flawless? Because, “the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.”<#0.5#> In this beautiful repetition, the psalmist draws a sharp, mocking contrast between the God of Israel and the false gods of the surrounding nations. In pagan mythology, the gods were fundamentally limited. They got tired. They needed to eat, and they needed to sleep. If you remember the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel, he famously mocked the prophets of Baal when their god failed to send fire. Elijah taunted them, saying, “Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and needs to be awakened!”<#0.5#> A sleeping god is a useless god. If your deity takes a nap, you are entirely vulnerable to the chaotic forces of the world. But the Commander of the heavenly armies does not experience fatigue. He does not require a night watchman to relieve Him of His post. Because Yahweh never closes His eyes, the pilgrim can safely close his. In a world fraught with nocturnal terrors, and dark spiritual forces that prowl in the night, the absolute, unbroken vigilance of the Creator is our ultimate source of rest.<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One: verses five and six<#0.5#> The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.<#0.5#> The promises of protection become even more intimate, and incredibly specific. “The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.”<#0.5#> The Hebrew word used repeatedly throughout this psalm for “watches over,” or “keeps,” is shamar. It means to guard, to protect, to build a hedge around, or to carefully attend to. The psalmist is emphasizing that Yahweh does not delegate your ultimate security to a lower-ranking angel; the Lord Himself is your personal bodyguard. He stands at your right hand, which was the traditional position of a military defender, holding a shield to protect a warrior’s exposed side.<#0.5#> He acts as a "protective shade." In the scorching, relentless heat of the Middle Eastern desert, shade was not just a luxury; it was a matter of life and death. But once again, we must read verse six through the eyes of the ancient, cosmic worldview: “The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.”<#0.5#> To the surrounding pagan cultures, the sun and the moon were not just celestial bodies; they were powerful, ruling deities. Shamash was the Babylonian sun god, representing blistering, judging heat. Yarih, or Sin, was the moon god, often associated with the terrors of the night, madness, and disease. When the psalmist declares that the sun and the moon will not harm you, he is making a massive theological claim. <#0.5#> He is stating that Yahweh exercises absolute sovereignty over the celestial realm. The rebel gods of the sky have been stripped of their power to destroy the faithful exile. The oppressive, scorching trials of the daytime cannot break you, and the creeping, psychological terrors of the moonlight cannot drive you to despair. The Lord, your protective shade, completely neutralizes the most powerful, threatening elements of the natural, and supernatural, world.<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One: verses seven and eight<#0.5#> The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.<#0.5#> The psalm reaches its crescendo with a sweeping, comprehensive guarantee of...
Welcome to Day 2852 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2852 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 120:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2852 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2852 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – Waking Up in the Empire of Lies<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we reached the absolute summit of the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm One Hundred Nineteen. We explored the final "Taw" stanza, where the psalmist placed his definitive seal upon his life's work. We learned that true spiritual maturity does not mean pretending we are flawless; rather, it means humbly crying out to the Divine Shepherd, admitting that we sometimes wander like lost sheep, yet fiercely holding onto the cosmic blueprint of His Word. We rested at that towering peak, fully anchored in the eternal, unshakeable instructions of Yahweh.<#0.5#> Today, we are lacing up our boots for an entirely new phase of our journey. We are stepping off the massive mountain of the Torah, and we are stepping onto the pilgrim’s trail. Today, we begin a collection of fifteen specific, incredibly powerful psalms, known as the "Songs of Ascents." These are Psalms One Hundred Twenty, through One Hundred Thirty-Four. In the ancient world, faithful Israelites sang these specific songs as they traveled from their scattered homes, walking upward, ascending geographically and spiritually, toward the holy city of Jerusalem for the three great annual festivals.<#0.5#> But the journey upward does not begin in a place of joy. It begins in a place of deep, suffocating distress. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Twenty, verses one through seven, in the New Living Translation. Let us step onto the trail, and learn what it means to wake up, look around, and realize that we are living behind enemy lines.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Cry from the Chaos, and the Native Tongue of the Enemy<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty: verses one and two.<#0.5#> I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.<#0.5#> The Song of Ascents begins with a backward glance at a moment of desperate crisis. The psalmist declares, "I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer."<#0.5#> Notice that the journey to the presence of God does not start when everything in your life is perfectly organized. The pilgrimage begins in the trenches of human trouble. The Hebrew word used here for "troubles" implies being squeezed into a tight, restrictive, and suffocating space. The psalmist was trapped, entirely out of earthly options, and so, he directed his voice upward. He cried out to the Sovereign of the universe, and he confidently testifies that the Creator bent down, and answered his plea.<#0.5#> But what exactly was the nature of this suffocating trouble? He reveals the source of his agony in verse two: "Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people."<#0.5#> In our modern context, we often view lying as a relatively minor, common ethical failure. We expect politicians to spin the truth, we expect advertisements to exaggerate, and we tolerate small deceptions as a normal part of doing business. But in the Ancient Israelite worldview, deception was not a minor flaw; it was cosmic warfare. <#0.5#> To fully grasp this, we must look through the lens of the Divine Council, as taught by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. When the rebel spiritual beings—the fallen sons of God—rebelled against Yahweh, they did not use physical swords; they used deception. The serpent in the Garden of Eden weaponized a lie to sever humanity from the Source of Life. Therefore, lying is the native tongue of the kingdom of darkness. <#0.5#> When the psalmist cries out to be rescued from "deceitful people," he is not just complaining about annoying neighbors. He is recognizing that his surrounding culture is operating under the oppressive, manipulative influence of dark, spiritual principalities. The air he breathes is toxic with the propaganda of the rebel gods. The world is trying to deceive him into abandoning his loyalty to the cosmic order of Yahweh, and the spiritual pressure of these constant lies is absolutely suffocating his soul.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Divine Warrior's Arsenal Against the Lie<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty: verses three and four<#0.5#> O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you? How will he increase your punishment? You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals.<#0.5#> Having identified the weapon of the enemy, the psalmist turns and addresses the deceitful tongue directly. He uses a rhetorical, legal format, asking, "O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you? How will he increase your punishment?"<#0.5#> He is essentially serving notice to the agents of chaos. He is reminding the liars, and the rebel spirits empowering them, that the universe has a Supreme Judge. The cosmic courtroom of Yahweh will not tolerate the vandalism of truth forever. There is a deeply rooted, unshakeable justice built into the fabric of creation, and those who weaponize deception will ultimately reap a terrifying harvest.<#0.5#> The psalmist details this impending, divine justice in verse four. "You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals."<#0.5#> This is the majestic, terrifying imagery of Yahweh acting as the Divine Warrior. In the ancient Near East, a deceitful tongue was often compared to a sharp, deadly arrow, shot in secret to assassinate a person's character. Or, it was compared to a destructive, spreading fire that burns down a community. <#0.5#> God's justice is often described as a perfectly measured, reciprocal response. Since the wicked used arrows of lies, the Divine Warrior will string His own cosmic bow. He will pierce the deception with the sharp, unyielding arrows of His truth. Because the wicked used words to start destructive fires, they will be subjected to the "glowing coals" of divine judgment.<#0.5#> Other translations specify these as "coals of the broom tree." The roots of the desert broom tree burned with an incredibly intense, white-hot heat, and they retained their fire for a very long time. This signifies that God’s judgment against the cosmic rebellion will not be a brief, passing flash. It will be an intense, enduring, and utterly consuming fire that permanently purifies the cosmos, burning away every last remnant of the serpent’s lies.<#0.5#> The Third Segment is: The Spiritual Geography of Exile<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty: verse five.<#0.5#> How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar.<#0.5#> The psalmist suddenly shifts from the fiery imagery of divine judgment, to a profound, melancholic reflection on his current, earthly reality. "How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar."<#0.5#> To understand the emotional weight of this verse, we must look at a map of the ancient world. Meshech was a territory located in the extreme, rugged north, in the region of modern-day Turkey, or southern Russia. The people of Meshech were known as brutal, barbarous warriors. Kedar, on the other hand, was located in the extreme, scorching south. It was a region of the Arabian desert, populated by nomadic, often hostile tribes. <#0.5#> Meshech and Kedar were thousands of miles apart. It was geographically impossible for the psalmist to be living in both places at the exact same time. Therefore, he is not giving us his literal mailing address; he is mapping his spiritual geography.<#0.5#> By naming Meshech in the far north, and Kedar in the far south, he is drawing a massive circle around the known, pagan world. He is declaring, "I am surrounded by hostility. I am living in the dark, chaotic fringes of the earth." In the Deuteronomy Thirty-Two worldview, these are the territories of the disinherited nations. These are the lands ruled by the lesser, fallen elohim, where the worship of false gods, brutality, and deception are the established laws of the land.<#0.5#> The psalmist is expressing a crushing, overwhelming sense of spiritual homesickness. He is an exile. He belongs to the kingdom of light, but he is forced to pitch his tent in the empire of darkness. It causes him actual, physical pain to wake up every morning in a culture that violently rejects the beautiful, life-giving order of his Creator.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Exhaustion of Seeking Peace in a World of War<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Twenty: verses six and...
Welcome to Day 2851 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theosis and Its Counterfeit: How Hermeticism, Gnosticism, and Their Heirs Distorted Deification. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2851 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2851 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Theosis and Its Counterfeit: How Hermeticism, Gnosticism, and Their Heirs Distorted Deification.<#0.5#> The Eastern Orthodox Church preserves one of the most profound teachings of Christianity: theosis, or deification. This doctrine is not about erasing the line between Creator and creation but about God drawing humanity into His own life. Through Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection, believers become partakers of the divine nature, not by nature but by grace. Athanasius expressed it clearly: “God became man so that man might become god.” By this, the Fathers never meant that humanity becomes equal to Yahweh in essence. Rather, theosis means that through grace we are healed, restored, and glorified in Christ, sharing in His life while always remaining His creatures. The Counterfeit in Eden The serpent in Eden also offered a form of deification. His words, “You will be like gods,” suggested that humanity could seize by rebellion what God intended to give through communion. The Eastern Orthodox vision of theosis fulfills God’s purpose, while the serpent’s promise distorts it. Throughout history, this distortion has reappeared in many guises, most notably in Hermeticism and Gnosticism. Echoes of Antediluvian Rebellion Many occult systems, whether ancient mystery religions or modern esoteric revivals, could have drawn their perceived legitimacy from the idea that they recover lost knowledge from before the Flood. Traditions surrounding the Watchers, the Apkallu, or figures like Prometheus all involve heavenly beings imparting forbidden wisdom to humanity in defiance of divine boundaries. This knowledge, which included arts, sciences, and sorcery, was not neutral. It was given with the intent to corrupt and destroy. After the Flood, while the physical giants perished, their spirits, what later literature calls demons, remained. These disembodied spirits could have been the source of insight or inspiration for occult practitioners throughout history, masquerading as guides to hidden wisdom while promoting rebellion against God. Whether through direct contact or mythic lineage, many esoteric movements trace their roots back to this primeval transgression. Hermeticism: Optimistic Gnosis The Corpus Hermeticum, composed in the early centuries of the Christian era, fused Egyptian religion with Greek philosophy. It taught that humans contain a divine spark that can be awakened through hidden wisdom. Salvation came not through God’s grace but through gnosis, mystical ascent, and the realization of one’s innate divinity. Unlike Gnosticism, Hermeticism viewed the cosmos more positively, as a reflection of divine order, but its end goal was the same: erasing the line between Creator and creation. Gnosticism: Dualistic Gnosis Gnosticism developed in the same cultural environment and shared Hermeticism’s focus on hidden wisdom and the divine spark in man. But it was far more pessimistic. Many Gnostic systems taught that the material world was a prison fashioned by a false or ignorant creator, the Demiurge. Salvation meant escaping matter entirely and returning to the realm of spirit. Its texts, like the Apocryphon of John or the Gospel of Thomas, presented elaborate myths of aeons, archons, and cosmic struggles that reframed rebellion as enlightenment. Parallel Streams of Corruption Though different in tone, Hermeticism optimistic and Gnosticism pessimistic, both traditions proclaimed salvation by gnosis. Both claimed man was divine by nature. Both promised deification apart from Christ. And both blurred or destroyed the Creator–creature distinction. Where Orthodoxy taught communion by grace, Hermeticism and Gnosticism promised exaltation by hidden knowledge. Renaissance Rediscovery and Transmission In the Renaissance, Hermetic and Gnostic writings were rediscovered and hailed as the prisca theologia, a supposed universal truth older than Moses. Figures like Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola embraced these texts as revelations of timeless wisdom. Their influence spread through alchemy, astrology, and ritual magic, setting the stage for later esoteric societies. Hermetic optimism and Gnostic dualism together nourished the roots of Western occultism. Freemasonry Freemasonry grew out of the esoteric ferment of the Renaissance and Enlightenment, which were themselves shaped by the rediscovery of the Hermetic and Gnostic writings. While the fraternity presents itself publicly as a system of moral improvement and brotherhood, its inner symbolism and ritual language reveal a strong dependence on Hermetic and alchemical traditions. The Masonic use of sacred geometry, the emphasis on hidden degrees of initiation, and the maxim “as above, so below” all trace back to the Corpus Hermeticum and related Hermetic texts. The Renaissance had already reintroduced these ideas into European culture, presenting Hermeticism and Gnosticism as prisca theologia, a supposed ancient wisdom that underlay all religions. These concepts filtered into Rosicrucian manifestos in the seventeenth century, which combined mystical Christianity with alchemy and Hermetic philosophy. Rosicrucian influence, in turn, fed directly into the development of modern Freemasonry in the eighteenth century. The lodge thus became an heir to the Hermetic worldview, reframing gnosis not in overtly pagan terms but as moral allegory and ritual drama. Freemasonry’s initiation system reflects the Gnostic idea that truth is revealed progressively to an inner circle of the enlightened. The candidate begins in ignorance, is symbolically “raised” to new life, and ascends through degrees of increasing illumination. The rituals employ veiled symbols and allegories rather than explicit teaching, echoing the Hermetic conviction that divine truths must be concealed from the unworthy and revealed only to initiates. This places Freemasonry in continuity with both Hermetic mysteries and Gnostic elitism. Although Freemasonry claims to honor God, it deliberately leaves the identity of God undefined. Its universalist ethos allows men of any faith to participate, so long as they acknowledge a Supreme Being. This broad inclusivity is not biblical covenantal faith but a continuation of Hermetic universalism, which treated all religions as partial reflections of a hidden wisdom tradition. By blending fragments of biblical language with Hermetic symbols and Gnostic structures, Freemasonry offers a path of human self-perfection and enlightenment apart from Christ. Mormonism Mormonism reflects both the Hermetic worldview and Masonic ritual structure. Long before Joseph Smith entered a Masonic lodge in Nauvoo, he was already immersed in practices rooted in Hermetic and occult traditions. In his youth, Smith participated in treasure-seeking expeditions using a divining rod, seer stones, and ritual circles. These tools and practices were drawn from the folk-magic culture of early America, which itself was saturated with ideas that had filtered down from Renaissance Hermeticism and alchemical traditions. The belief that hidden knowledge could be accessed through special instruments, secret formulas, and visionary techniques fits neatly within the Hermetic framework of unlocking the unseen world. When Smith later became a Mason in 1842, he layered these Hermetic practices with Masonic structures. Within weeks of his initiation, he introduced LDS temple ceremonies that bore striking resemblances to Masonic rituals, including secret handshakes, symbolic clothing, and oaths of secrecy. Just as Freemasonry framed its degrees as progressive revelations of hidden wisdom, so too did Smith present Mormon temple ordinances as the means by which believers gained access to the mysteries of exaltation. Doctrinally, Mormonism’s teaching of eternal progression mirrors the Hermetic promise of apotheosis. God the Father is said to have been a man who became a god, and faithful men may follow the same path. This collapses the biblical distinction between Creator and creature and transforms salvation into a process of exaltation through hidden rites and teachings. The Mormon vision of countless gods presiding over countless worlds echoes the multiplicity of divine beings in Hermetic and Gnostic systems, while its temple ceremonies function as initiatory mysteries in which knowledge is revealed step by step. From his earliest magical experiments...
Welcome to Day 2849 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2849 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:169-176 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2850 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2850 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Taw of the Summit – The Shepherd’s Final Seal<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we hiked through the twenty-first stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the "Shin" section. We stood our ground on a treacherous battlefield, facing the intense pressure of powerful earthly princes. We recognized that these human rulers were merely proxies, acting as the avatars for the rebel gods of the Divine Council. Yet, instead of surrendering to their terrifying threats, we chose to tremble exclusively before the Word of the Most High God. We discovered that when our hearts are captivated by the treasure of the cosmic blueprint, we are granted a profound, indestructible Shalom—a great peace that prevents us from stumbling, regardless of the chaos surrounding us.<#0.5#> Today, my friends, we have reached the summit. After a long, arduous, and breathtaking climb, we are taking our final steps to the absolute peak of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the twenty-second, and final, stanza. This is the "Taw" section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred sixty-nine through one hundred seventy-six, in the New Living Translation.<#0.5#> In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter "Taw," or "Tav," is the very last letter. In the oldest pictographic scripts, it was drawn as a cross, or a definitive mark. It represents a seal, a covenant signature, a monument, and the absolute culmination of a journey. As we stand at the summit of this colossal psalm, the writer does not offer us a boastful speech of human triumph. Instead, he places a final, humble mark upon his life, surrendering himself entirely to the rescue of the Divine Shepherd. Let us take these final steps together, and learn what it means to bear the seal of the King.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Culminating Cry in the Cosmic Throne Room<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred sixty-nine and one hundred seventy.<#0.5#> O Lord, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised.<#0.5#> The final stanza begins with an urgent, pressing petition. The psalmist stands at the very threshold of the heavenly throne room, and he lifts his voice: "O Lord, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised."<#0.5#> The literal Hebrew translation paints a vivid picture of proximity. It says, "Let my cry come before Your face, O Yahweh." After traversing the valleys of affliction, surviving the traps of the wicked, and enduring the suffocating darkness of the night watches, the psalmist is finally presenting his accumulated grief directly to the Sovereign of the Divine Council. He is not shouting into the void; he is placing his petition right in front of the face of the Creator.<#0.5#> And what does he ask for in this ultimate audience? He does not ask for vengeance against the princes who harassed him. He asks for a "discerning mind." He knows that the spiritual warfare of this world is fought, and won, on the battlefield of the intellect. The rebel principalities thrive on human ignorance, confusion, and deception. To survive their relentless campaigns, the believer desperately needs the supernatural discernment that only the King can provide.<#0.5#> He immediately pairs this request for internal understanding with a plea for external deliverance. "Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised."<#0.5#> Once again, the literal text says, "Let my supplication come before Your presence." He is piling his prayers upon the altar. Notice that both of these requests—the plea for a discerning mind, and the cry for rescue—are anchored directly to the covenant. He repeats the phrase, "as you promised." He is holding God to His own cosmic contract. He is reminding the Creator that He has given His word to protect, and to guide, the loyal members of His earthly family.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Eruption of the Living Fountain<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred seventy-one and one hundred seventy-two.<#0.5#> Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.<#0.5#> As the psalmist stands in the presence of Yahweh, anticipating the fulfillment of those promises, something beautiful happens. His desperation transforms into an uncontrollable eruption of worship. "Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees."<#0.5#> The Hebrew word for "flow" is naba, which means to bubble up, to gush forth, or to pour out like a geyser. This is not a manufactured, rigid, or forced religious exercise. When you truly understand that the Maker of the universe has personally stooped down to teach you His cosmic decrees, praise becomes the natural, unavoidable byproduct. It bubbles up from the deepest reservoirs of the soul. The heavy, stagnant waters of exile are suddenly flushed out by a rushing, living spring of gratitude.<#0.5#> This bubbling spring quickly becomes a resounding, melodic anthem. "Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right."<#0.5#> In the biblical worldview, singing is not merely an emotional release; it is an act of spiritual warfare, and theological declaration. The pagan nations sang songs to glorify the chaotic, bloodthirsty exploits of their rebel gods. They sang of power, domination, and selfish indulgence. <#0.5#> But the faithful exile sings a completely different tune. He sings about the inherent, flawless righteousness of God’s instructions. He declares that "all your commands are right," or perfectly just. By singing the truth into the atmosphere, he is actively pushing back the darkness. He is using his voice to reclaim the contested territory of the earth, announcing to the unseen realm that the laws of Yahweh are supreme, beautiful, and worthy of total adoration.<#0.5#> The Third segment is: The Open Hand and the Deliberate Choice<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred seventy-three and one hundred seventy-four.<#0.5#> Stand ready to help me, for I have chosen to follow your commandments. O Lord, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight.<#0.5#> Having poured out his praise, the psalmist turns back to the practical, daily reality of his survival. "Stand ready to help me, for I have chosen to follow your commandments."<#0.5#> Literally, the text asks, "Let Your hand become my help." We saw earlier in this grand psalm how the psalmist recognized that he was carefully fashioned by the hands of God. Now, he asks those same, powerful, creative hands to remain open, and ready to intervene on his behalf. <#0.5#> He justifies this bold request with a profound statement of human agency. "For I have chosen to follow your commandments." In the cosmic rebellion, neutrality is a myth. Every human being must make a definitive choice. The rebel spiritual forces constantly tempt humanity to choose the path of autonomy, offering the illusion of freedom in exchange for spiritual slavery. But the psalmist has exercised his free will, and he has deliberately, consciously selected the precepts of the Creator. He has drawn a line in the sand, and he is asking God to defend the territory he has chosen.<#0.5#> He emphasizes this loyalty in verse one hundred seventy-four. "O Lord, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight."<#0.5#> The Hebrew word for rescue here is Yeshua, meaning salvation, deliverance, and ultimate victory. He is homesick for the consummation of God's kingdom. He longs for the day when the Divine Council will finally execute justice, completely overthrowing the rebel principalities, and restoring the earth to its Edenic perfection. But as he waits for that final Yeshua, he does not sit in idle misery. He finds his present, sustaining delight in the instructions of the King. The cosmic blueprint is the joyful map that keeps him moving forward, even while he longs for his final home.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Lost Sheep and the Enduring Mark<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred seventy-five and one hundred seventy-six<#0.5#> Let me live so
Welcome to Day 2849 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2849 – “Beholds He Comes!” based on Zechariah 9:9 Putnam Church Message – 03/29/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News – “Behold He Comes!” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “There is Always Hope!” We learned that the heart of discipleship is: Where Jesus is, hopelessness is never final. Today, we are switching from our study of Luke for two weeks to focus on Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday. Today’s message is: “Behold He Comes!” covers the entire Passion Week, and our launching point today is Zechariah 9:9: Zion’s Coming King 9 Rejoice, O people of Zion![a] Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious,[b] yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt. Opening Prayer Lord Jesus, as we gather around Your Word, quiet our hearts and open our eyes. Help us to see more than a parade, more than a cross, more than an empty tomb. Help us to see You as You truly are: the promised King, the suffering Savior, and the risen Lord. Take the familiar story and make it fresh again. Speak to the weary, awaken the distracted, convict the proud, comfort the grieving, and call all of us to follow You more fully. In Your holy name we pray. Amen. Introduction Over the next two weeks, we step away briefly from Luke for a special journey—from Palm Sunday to Easter/Resurrection Sunday, from the shouts of “Hosanna!” to the cry of “It is finished,” and then to the glorious announcement, “He is not here; He is risen!” The title of this message is “Behold He Comes!” That is really the heartbeat of Passion Week. Behold, He comes into Jerusalem. Behold, He comes to the temple. Behold, He comes to the table with His disciples. Behold, He comes into Gethsemane. Behold, He comes before Pilate. Behold, He comes to the cross. Behold, He comes out of the grave. The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell this story in harmony, though each gives us a different camera angle. Matthew highlights prophecy fulfilled. Mark emphasizes the movement and urgency of the King’s mission. Luke gives us the tears of Jesus and the tragedy of a city that did not recognize its moment of visitation. John reminds us that many in the crowd were stirred because Jesus had raised Lazarus, and now excitement was running through Jerusalem like wildfire. But Palm Sunday is not just a happy parade. It is the beginning of holy collision. Hope and misunderstanding meet on the same street. Praise and rejection are only days apart. The palms wave on Sunday, but the cross stands on Friday. And yet through it all, one truth remains: Jesus is not swept along by events. He comes deliberately. He comes knowingly. He comes lovingly. He comes for us. Main Point 1: He Comes as the Promised King When Jesus approached Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives near Bethphage and Bethany, He sent disciples to bring a donkey and its colt. This was not accidental. This was not random transportation. This was revelation. Matthew 21 points us directly to Zechariah 9:9 “Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey.” Now, in the ancient world, kings often arrived in one of two ways. If they came on a war horse, they came in conquest. If they came on a donkey, they came in peace. Jesus is King, yes—but not the kind of king the crowds fully expected. The Jews wanted a throne. -> Jesus came with humility. The Jews wanted Rome overthrown. -> Jesus came to overthrow sin and death. The Jews wanted political rescue. -> Jesus came for eternal redemption. Can you picture the scene? The road is dusty. Cloaks are spread down like a makeshift royal carpet. Branches are cut and waved. Psalm 118 is rising from the crowd: “Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” And John tells us specifically that these were palm branches—symbols of joy, victory, and national hope. Similar to us waving an American flag during a parade. Expanded Narrative For first-century Jews, Jerusalem was not merely a city. It was the city of promise, the city of David, the city of the temple. And when Jesus comes riding down the slope of the Mount of Olives, every prophetic nerve in Israel starts to tremble. The prophets had spoken. The covenant had promised. The generations had waited. -> And now Behold He Comes! But notice the manner of His coming. There is no sword in His hand. No army behind Him. No chariot rumbling over stone. Only a borrowed animal, willing disciples, and a crowd that understands just enough to cheer—but not enough yet to surrender. That still happens today, doesn’t it? People are often happy to celebrate Jesus when they think He will fit their expectations. We welcome Him when He seems useful to our plans. We praise Him when the blessings are flowing. But when He comes humbly, when He confronts us, when He does not serve our agenda, we do not always know what to do with Him. Illustration It is a little like someone expecting the President to arrive in a black limousine with security and flashing lights—but instead he shows up alone, in plain clothes, and sits down at the table to listen. Some would miss the significance because they expected power to look louder. Jesus comes with authority, but it is wrapped in humility. Object Lesson Hold up a gold-looking crown in one hand and a simple rope halter or small wooden yoke in the other. Say: “Which one looks more like a king? Most of us would choose the crown. But Palm Sunday tells us that God’s King often comes in a form we do not expect. The crown is real—but the path to it runs through humility.” Related Scriptures * Genesis 49:10–11 hints at kingship tied to the colt. * Psalm 118:25–26 gives us the language of “Hosanna” and blessing. * Zechariah 9:9 declares the humble King. * Philippians 2:6–8 tells us Christ humbled Himself.
Summary of Main Point 1 Palm Sunday announces that Jesus is not merely a teacher entering a city. He is the long-awaited King entering His rightful place. But He comes with humility, peace, and purpose. He does not come to match human expectations; He comes to fulfill divine promises. The question for us is not, “Will we admire this King?” but “Will we receive Him on His terms?” Main Point 2: He Comes and Sees What Others Cannot See Luke gives us one of the most moving moments in the triumphal entry. While the crowd rejoices, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Luke 19:41 says, “But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.” Think about that. The crowd is shouting. The disciples are praising God for the miracles they have seen. The Pharisees are telling Jesus to quiet the people. And in the middle of all that noise—Jesus is crying. Why? Because He sees what they do not see. They see a parade. -> He sees a city on the brink of judgment. They see excitement. -> He sees hardened hearts. They see what they want Him to do. -> He sees what He must do. John tells us that many in the crowd were stirred because of the raising of Lazarus. That miracle had electrified public imagination. “If He can call a dead man out of the grave after four days, surely, He can take Jerusalem! Surely, He can establish the kingdom now!” But Jesus knows that many voices shouting “Hosanna” do not yet understand holiness, repentance, surrender, or the cost of redemption. Expanded Narrative Jerusalem had a history. It was the city of priests, sacrifice, pilgrimage, Scripture, memory, and hope. To an ancient Israelite, it was the place where heaven and earth seemed to meet. Yet it had also become a place where religious familiarity could hide spiritual...
Welcome to Day 2848 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2848 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:161-168 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2848 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2848 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Wisdom-Trek: The Shin of Shalom – Great Peace Amidst Powerful Princes<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we hiked through the twentieth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the “Resh” section. We stood in the cosmic courtroom, exhausted by the relentless attacks of the wicked. But instead of surrendering, we appealed to the Highest Authority. We asked the Creator, the Supreme Judge of the Divine Council, to step down and act as our personal Advocate. We learned that the sum total of God’s Word is absolute truth, and that His perfect justice will stand firm, long after the chaotic noise of this world has faded away into dust.<#0.5#> Today, we take a deep, steadying breath, and we step forward into the twenty-first, and penultimate, stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Shin” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred sixty-one through one hundred sixty-eight, in the New Living Translation.<#0.5#> In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Shin” was originally depicted as two front teeth, or a consuming flame. It represents something that presses down, consumes, or destroys. But it is also the first letter of one of the most beautiful and profound words in the entire Hebrew language: Shalom, meaning peace, wholeness, and cosmic order. In this stanza, the psalmist is facing the intense, pressing weight of powerful earthly rulers. Yet, instead of being consumed by fear, he is consumed by a blazing love for the truth. He discovers an unshakeable, indestructible Shalom that no human prince can ever take away. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to find perfect peace on a battlefield.<#0.5#> * Trembling Before the True King<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred sixty-one and one hundred sixty-two NLT)<#0.5#> Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word. I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.<#0.5#> The stanza opens with a chilling, intimidating reality. “Powerful people harass me without cause.” Other translations render this as, “Princes persecute me without a cause.” <#0.5#> We must look at this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. In the ancient Near East, princes and kings were not merely political figures. They were considered the earthly avatars, the human representatives, of the rebel gods who governed the disinherited nations. To be harassed by princes meant that you were facing the absolute pinnacle of earthly, and spiritual, power. These rulers possessed armies, wealth, and the legal authority to execute their enemies. And they are targeting the psalmist “without cause,” simply because his loyalty to Yahweh exposes the corruption of their dark, chaotic kingdoms.<#0.5#> When the most powerful people on earth are trying to destroy you, the natural human response is absolute, paralyzing terror. But look at the staggering, defiant posture of the psalmist: “...but my heart trembles only at your word.”<#0.5#> He effectively looks at the menacing princes, heavily armed and breathing threats, and he shrugs. He refuses to give them the satisfaction of his fear. He reserves his trembling, his profound, bristling awe, exclusively for the Creator of the universe. He knows that these earthly princes are temporary pawns, destined to return to the dust. Why should he fear a mortal ruler, when he serves the Immortal King who spoke the galaxies into existence? The awe of God completely neutralizes the fear of man.<#0.5#> This shift in perspective produces an incredible emotional high. “I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.”<#0.5#> The literal Hebrew translation is incredibly vivid: “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil.” This is the language of warfare. Spoil, or plunder, is the massive, accumulated wealth that a victorious army captures after defeating an enemy empire. The psalmist is surrounded by hostile princes, yet he feels like a conquering general. He realizes that possessing the truth of God’s cosmic blueprint is infinitely more valuable than any treasure those earthly princes could ever offer him. He has already won the war, simply by holding the Word of Yahweh in his hands.<#0.5#> * The Rhythm of Perfection and the Hatred of the Lie<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred sixty-three and one hundred sixty-four NLT)<#0.5#> I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions. I will praise you seven times a day because all your regulations are just.<#0.5#> Because his heart is captivated by the magnificent treasure of God’s truth, he experiences a violent, visceral reaction to deception. “I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions.”<#0.5#> Notice the intensity of the verbs. He does not just dislike falsehood; he hates and abhors it. In the Divine Council worldview, falsehood is the native language of the serpent. It is the dark, deceptive operating system of the rebel spiritual principalities. Falsehood is not just a polite fib; it is the cosmic lie that humanity can flourish independently from the Creator. It is the lie that causes wars, oppression, and death. <#0.5#> When you truly love the instructions of God, you naturally develop a holy, righteous allergy to the lies of the enemy. You cannot remain neutral. You must actively abhor the deception that is currently destroying the world, in order to fiercely protect the truth that saves it.<#0.5#> To actively guard his mind against the constant barrage of these cultural lies, the psalmist implements a strict, spiritual discipline. “I will praise you seven times a day because all your regulations are just.”<#0.5#> In biblical numerology, the number seven, or sheva, represents completion, perfection, and covenant fulfillment. By stating that he praises God seven times a day, the psalmist is not necessarily describing a rigid, legalistic schedule. He is describing a state of perpetual, complete, and unceasing worship. <#0.5#> When the powerful princes harass him, and the culture screams its falsehoods, he purposefully interrupts the noise. He stops what he is doing, looks up to the heavens, and praises the perfect justice of Yahweh. He creates a continuous, sevenfold rhythm of gratitude that completely drowns out the threats of the enemy.<#0.5#> * The Fortress of Shalom<#0.5#>
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse one hundred sixty-five NLT)<#0.5#> Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.<#0.5#> This single verse serves as the absolute, beating heart of the “Shin” stanza. It contains the magnificent promise of the Creator. “Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.”<#0.5#> The Hebrew phrase for “great peace” is Shalom rab. To our modern ears, peace usually implies a quiet afternoon, a relaxing vacation, or the temporary absence of conflict. But the biblical concept of Shalom is far heavier, and infinitely more powerful. Shalom means absolute wholeness, completeness, health, and total alignment with the cosmic order of God. <#0.5#> Remember, the psalmist is currently being hunted by powerful people. His external world is chaotic, dangerous, and violent. Yet, internally, he possesses Shalom rab—abundant, overflowing wholeness. <#0.5#> How is this possible? Because his peace is not tethered to his circumstances; it is tethered to his love for God’s instructions. When you love the Torah, you align your soul with the unshakeable architecture of the universe. The political systems may collapse, the economy may fail, and the princes may rage, but your internal foundation remains absolutely secure.<#0.5#> Because of this profound, stabilizing peace, the psalmist declares that they “do not stumble.” Literally, the text says, “and for them there is no stumbling block.”<#0.5#> The wicked are constantly laying traps, snares, and tripwires to bring the believer down. But when your eyes are fixed on the cosmic blueprint, and your heart is filled with Shalom, those stumbling blocks lose their power. You see the traps of greed, fear, and arrogance for what they really are, and you simply step over them. You walk forward...
Welcome to Day 2846 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2846 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:153-160 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2847 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2847 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Resh of Revival – The Divine Advocate in the Cosmic Courtroom<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we hiked through the nineteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the "Qoph" section. We sat with the psalmist during the terrifying, vulnerable hours of the night watch. We heard his wholehearted cry for rescue as the lawless ones drew near. But in the midst of that approaching darkness, we discovered a breathtaking reality: the enemy may be close, but the Creator is closer. We learned to anticipate the dawn, anchoring our exhausted souls to the eternal, unshakeable laws of the King.<#0.5#> Today, we take a deep breath, brush the dust from our boots, and take our next deliberate step upward. We are entering the twentieth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the "Resh" section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred fifty-three through one hundred sixty, in the New Living Translation.<#0.5#> In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter "Resh" was depicted as the head of a man. It represents that which is chief, the summit, the beginning, or the highest authority. This imagery is woven brilliantly into the fabric of these verses. The psalmist is exhausted from the relentless attacks of his enemies, and he realizes that he cannot win this battle in the earthly courts of public opinion. He needs to go straight to the top. He appeals to the highest authority in the cosmos, asking the Supreme Judge of the Divine Council to act as his personal defense attorney. Let us step onto the trail, and enter the cosmic courtroom.<#0.5#> The First Segment is: The The Plea for the Divine Advocate<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred fifty-three and one hundred fifty-four.<#0.5#> Look down upon my sorrows and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instructions. Argue my case; take my side! Protect my life as you promised.<#0.5#> The stanza opens with a desperate, deeply personal petition. "Look down upon my sorrows and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instructions."<#0.5#> The psalmist is carrying an immense burden of affliction. The Hebrew word for "sorrows" implies a state of being completely wretched, humbled, and beaten down by external circumstances. He asks Yahweh to look down from the heavenly throne room and witness his misery. But he does not just ask for pity; he grounds his request in his covenant loyalty. He says, "I have not forgotten your instructions." Despite the intense pressure to compromise with the rebel gods of the surrounding culture, he has maintained his allegiance to the cosmic blueprint.<#0.5#> Because he has remained loyal, he dares to make a staggering legal demand in verse one hundred fifty-four: "Argue my case; take my side! Protect my life as you promised."<#0.5#> To fully grasp the magnitude of this request, we must understand the Ancient Israelite worldview. The psalmist is standing in the spiritual courtroom of the Divine Council. The Accuser, representing the hostile, chaotic forces of the world, is standing against him, demanding his destruction. The psalmist knows he cannot adequately defend himself against these dark, supernatural principalities.<#0.5#> So, he calls upon Yahweh to act as his Go'el. In ancient Israel, a Go'el was a kinsman-redeemer, a powerful family member who would step into a legal dispute, pay off debts, and advocate for a vulnerable relative. The psalmist is essentially saying, "Lord, step down from the judge's bench, walk over to the defense table, and act as my Advocate. Plead my cause! Fight my legal battle against the rebel forces, and redeem my life, just as Your covenant promises!" He is asking the highest authority in the universe to take his side.<#0.5#> The Second Segment is: The Great Chasm of Mercy<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred fifty-five and one hundred fifty-six.<#0.5#> The wicked are far from rescue, for they do not bother with your decrees. Lord, how great is your mercy; let me be revived by your regulations.<#0.5#> As the psalmist looks around the cosmic courtroom, he observes the tragic fate of his oppressors. "The wicked are far from rescue, for they do not bother with your decrees."<#0.5#> The rebel forces, and the arrogant humans who serve them, believe they are autonomous. They think they can orchestrate their own salvation through wealth, military might, and political deception. But the psalmist reveals the objective reality: they are incredibly far from rescue. Why? Because salvation is not a magic trick; it is a byproduct of alignment with the Creator. Because the wicked "do not bother" to seek out God's decrees, they have completely disconnected themselves from the only Source of life. They have built their fortress on a fault line, and their destruction is inevitable.<#0.5#> In sharp, beautiful contrast to the distance of the wicked, the psalmist marvels at the proximity of God's compassion. "Lord, how great is your mercy; let me be revived by your regulations."<#0.5#> The Hebrew word for mercy here is rachamim, which we have seen before. It is rooted in the word for a mother's womb, implying a fierce, protective, nurturing compassion. The psalmist says that God's mercies are "great," or exceedingly abundant. The rebel gods are cruel, demanding, and distant, but Yahweh is overflowing with tender compassion for His exhausted exiles.<#0.5#> Because of this abundant mercy, he asks to be "revived." He needs the breath of life—chayah—to be pumped back into his fainting soul. He recognizes that God's regulations are not just rigid legal codes; they are the very mechanism of revival. The Word of the Advocate brings the defendant back to life.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Standing Firm in the Face of Treason<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred fifty-seven and one hundred fifty-eight.<#0.5#> Many persecute and trouble me, yet I have not swerved from your laws. Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart, because they care nothing for your word.<#0.5#> The psalmist reminds the Divine Advocate of the sheer volume of the opposition. "Many persecute and trouble me, yet I have not swerved from your laws."<#0.5#> He is not just fighting a single adversary; he is facing a swarm. The persecutors are the earthly proxies of the dark realm, and they are relentlessly trying to push him off the path. But he testifies to his own stubborn resilience. "I have not swerved." He has not compromised his integrity. He has kept his eyes fixed on the "Resh"—the Head, the Chief Authority—and refused to bow to the idols of the culture.<#0.5#> But this resilience comes with a heavy emotional cost. He confesses in verse one hundred fifty-eight: "Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart, because they care nothing for your word."<#0.5#> Other translations say, "I look at the faithless with disgust," or "I behold the transgressors, and am grieved." The word "traitors" is incredibly important. In the biblical worldview, humanity was created to image God, to partner with the Creator in ruling the earth. When humans abandon that high calling, and align themselves with the destructive, chaotic forces of the rebel gods, they are committing cosmic treason. <#0.5#> When the psalmist looks at these traitors, he does not feel a smug, self-righteous superiority. He feels sick at heart. He is overcome with grief and nausea. Why? Because he loves the Creator so deeply, that it physically hurts him to watch people vandalize God's beautiful design. He feels the very grief of the Holy Spirit. He is mourning the fact that these individuals care absolutely nothing for the life-giving Word of the King.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Sum of All Truth<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred fifty-nine and one hundred sixty.<#0.5#> See how I love your commandments, Lord. Give back my life because of your unfailing love. The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.<#0.5#> As the stanza draws to a close, the psalmist
Welcome to Day 2846 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – The Covenant and the Messiah: How Israel and the Nations Find Salvation in Yahweh. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2846 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2846 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: The Covenant and the Messiah: How Israel and the Nations Find Salvation in Yahweh.<#0.5#> The God who spoke to Abraham is the same God who walked among men as Jesus of Nazareth. There has never been a shift in divine identity. From Genesis to Revelation, Yahweh is the name revealed to Israel, and Jesus is shown to be Yahweh incarnate. This continuity is critical. If Jesus is not Yahweh in the flesh, then His claims have no weight, and the cross is powerless. But if He is, then the covenants He made before His incarnation still hold, and the standard for faithfulness has not changed.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Abrahamic Covenant Still Stands<#0.5#> God’s promise to Abraham was everlasting. That covenant included a land, a people, and a mission to bless the nations. It was not conditioned on perfect obedience but on God’s own faithfulness. While Israel at times fell under judgment due to breaking the later Mosaic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant was never revoked. Paul reaffirms this in Romans and Galatians, explaining that the promise to Abraham came first and was fulfilled in Christ, who is both the seed of Abraham and the true Israelite. That means Israel still has a place in God’s plan, not by ethnicity alone, but through covenant loyalty to Yahweh, now fully revealed in Christ.<#0.5#> The Sinai covenant, given after Israel’s redemption from Egypt, was never a means of salvation. Yahweh had already saved His people. The Law was given to shape them into a holy nation, to guard them from corruption, and to point forward to the Messiah. Paul makes clear that the Law, which came centuries after Abraham, did not annul the promise. Salvation was always grounded in believing loyalty to Yahweh, not in legal observance, but the Law served as a guardian until Christ came.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Jesus Is Yahweh in the Flesh<#0.5#> Jesus was not a new deity or a created being sent by another god. He was and is the visible image of the invisible God. When He spoke, He used phrases that only Yahweh had used. When He forgave sins, calmed seas, and raised the dead, He did so with divine authority. His role was not to replace the God of the Old Testament, but to make Him known fully. This is what Israel had been waiting for, even if many could not recognize it at the time.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Covenant Loyalty Before Full Revelation<#0.5#> Before Christ came in the flesh, salvation was still possible. Those who followed Yahweh in faithful loyalty, trusting in His mercy and living in obedience to what had been revealed, were counted as righteous. This is why Abraham, Moses, and David are not outside of salvation even though they lived before the Incarnation. They were not saved by their works, but by their loyalty to the God who would ultimately fulfill the covenant through the Messiah.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: God’s Justice Toward the Unevangelized Gentile<#0.5#> The Bible acknowledges the reality that not every Gentile hears the good news in their lifetime. Yet it also shows that Yahweh is perfectly just in dealing with them. His judgment is not limited to external circumstances, but penetrates the heart and its inclinations.<#0.5#> Jesus said that if His miracles had been performed in Tyre, Sidon, or even Sodom, those cities would have repented. This shows that God knows not only what people actually did but what they would have done under different circumstances. Likewise, when David asked God about Saul’s pursuit at Keilah, God revealed what would happen if David stayed, even though David’s choice altered the outcome. These passages reveal that Yahweh’s knowledge includes both actual history and potential history.<#0.5#> Gentiles who never heard the name of Christ are not outside this justice. Paul explained that their consciences bear witness to the law written on their hearts, and that God will judge the secrets of all through Christ Jesus (Romans 2:14–16). This means Yahweh knows the full posture of a person’s heart toward Him, even in the absence of explicit revelation.<#0.5#> God does not strip anyone of free will. But He knows perfectly how each person leans, what possibilities they considered, and what their response would have been if given more light. No one who would have been loyal is condemned unfairly. Whether through providence, as with Cornelius who was sent Peter, or through His perfect judgment at the end of the age, Yahweh ensures His justice is true.<#0.5#> These examples also remind us that Tyre, Sidon, and even Sodom were not completely ignorant of Yahweh. Through Israel’s presence in the land, trade, conflict, and even alliances, His name was known. The difference was that they never experienced Yahweh physically walking among them, healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom. Jesus’s comparison drives home the weight of rejecting greater revelation: the outsiders with limited knowledge would have repented if given more, while those with full access to God’s presence in Christ still turned away.<#0.5#> The fifth segment is: Jews and Gentiles Are Both Accountable<#0.5#> Once the Messiah came, the truth was revealed to all, Jew and Gentile alike. This did not erase Israel’s story or uniqueness, but it clarified the path of salvation. The same Jesus who fulfilled the Law and the Prophets also opened the door for Gentiles to be grafted in. However, that same door still swings on the hinge of loyalty to Yahweh, who is now revealed as Jesus.<#0.5#> Salvation was never about merely belonging to a group. Many Israelites perished in the wilderness despite being covenant members by birth, because their hearts were not loyal. The prophets consistently warned that outward signs like circumcision meant nothing without inner faithfulness. In the same way, Gentiles cannot assume that church membership or moral standing alone secures salvation. What God has always required is believing loyalty, faith expressed in trust, obedience, and allegiance to Him.<#0.5#> For Israelites, covenant loyalty to Yahweh has always been the basis of salvation. Now that Yahweh has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus, rejecting Christ is no different from rejecting Yahweh. Yet the prophets also foresaw a day when Israel would recognize Him at last. Zechariah declared that they will look on the one they pierced and mourn for Him, and Revelation affirms that this moment will come on the day of the Lord. This shows that God has not abandoned His people. Many who do not yet see clearly will one day weep in repentance when their Messiah is revealed.<#0.5#> The sixth segment is: There Are Not Two Paths, But One Fulfillment<#0.5#> This is not about supersessionism, which teaches that the Church replaced Israel. It is also not pluralism, which claims that all faiths lead to God. Nor is it Marcionism, which pits the God of the Old Testament against the God of the New. Instead, it is a biblical unity that affirms Jesus as the fulfillment of what God always promised. Salvation has always come through faithful trust in Yahweh. Now that He has come in the flesh, that faith must include recognition of Jesus as Lord.<#0.5#> The seventh segment is: The Danger of Getting This Wrong<#0.5#> To deny that Jesus is Yahweh is to reject the gospel. To claim that Jews can be saved apart from Christ is to invent a second way of salvation. To pretend that the Church has replaced Israel is to ignore the promises of God. Each of these errors leads to a distortion of the gospel, whether it’s by undermining the covenants, corrupting the character of God, or redefining salvation. The goal is not to create separate categories of who is in and who is out, but to proclaim the one true God, revealed in Christ, to all people.<#0.5#> The eighth segment is: A Difficult and Divisive Topic<#0.5#> The relationship between Israel, the Church, and salvation is one of the most debated subjects in Christian theology. Over the centuries, believers have held different perspectives, with some stressing replacement, others continuity, and still others proposing parallel covenants. At times these debates have been clouded by political concerns or even...
Welcome to Day 2845 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2845 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:145-152 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2845 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2845 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Qoph of Calling – The Nearness of the King in the Dark Watch<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the eighteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Tsadhe” section. We found a massive, unyielding anchor for our souls in the absolute, unbending justice of the Creator. We learned that when the pressure and stress of this hostile world bear down upon us like a vice grip, we do not have to panic. Instead, we can retreat into the thoroughly tested, perfectly refined promises of Yahweh, finding a supernatural, defiant joy in His eternal righteousness.<#0.5#> Today, we take a deep breath, adjust our packs, and continue our ascent into the nineteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Qoph” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred forty-five through one hundred fifty-two, in the New Living Translation.<#0.5#> In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Qoph” was often depicted as the back of a head, or the eye of a needle. It carries the imagery of calling out, of drawing near, and of things coming full circle. This stanza is intensely atmospheric. The psalmist takes us into the darkest, most vulnerable hours of the night. He is surrounded by the approaching footsteps of his enemies. He is exhausted, and he is crying out with every ounce of strength he has left. But in the midst of this terrifying darkness, he makes a breathtaking discovery about the proximity of God. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to call out to the King when the shadows close in.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Wholehearted Cry for Rescue<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-five and one hundred forty-six.<#0.5#> I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord! I will obey your decrees. I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws.<#0.5#> The stanza opens with an intense, raw explosion of spiritual desperation. “I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord!”<#0.5#> We must remember the context of the previous stanzas. The psalmist has been hunted by the arrogant, smeared with lies, and pushed to the absolute limits of his endurance. When you reach this level of exhaustion, polite, casual prayers evaporate. You do not offer God a half-hearted request. You cry out with the totality of your being. To pray “with all my heart” means that his intellect, his emotions, and his will are entirely unified, and laser-focused on the throne of Yahweh.<#0.5#> Notice the beautiful symmetry in his bargaining. He says, “Answer me, Lord! I will obey your decrees. I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws.”<#0.5#> Many times, when human beings are in pain, we cry out for rescue simply because we want the pain to stop. We want relief, comfort, and an easy life. But the psalmist elevates his prayer far beyond mere self-preservation. He is asking for deliverance with a highly specific, cosmic goal in mind. He wants to be rescued, precisely so that he can continue his mission as an obedient imager of the Most High God.<#0.5#> He is saying, “Lord, if my enemies destroy me, my voice of obedience is silenced in this world. Save my life, cut the ropes of the wicked, and deliver me from this trap, so that I can get back to the business of walking in Your cosmic blueprint. My rescue is tied directly to Your glory.”<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Vigil of the Night Watches<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-seven and one hundred forty-eight.<#0.5#> I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.<#0.5#> The psalmist details the grueling, physical reality of his spiritual vigil. He is caught in a cycle of sleepless desperation. He declares, “I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.”<#0.5#> Literally, the Hebrew text says, “I anticipate the dawn.” Before the first rays of light crest the horizon, before the rest of the camp is awake, the psalmist is already on his knees. He beats the sun to the battlefield. He knows that if he waits until the chaotic noise of the day begins, his mind might be hijacked by fear. So, he preemptively anchors his soul, crying out for help in the predawn stillness, and forcibly attaching his hope to the solid rock of God’s words.<#0.5#> But the battle is not just in the morning; it consumes his nights as well. “I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.”<#0.5#> In the ancient world, the night was divided into military watches. It was the time of greatest vulnerability. The darkness was considered the domain of chaos, the hunting ground of predators, and the operational hour of the dark, rebellious spiritual forces of the Divine Council. The wicked, who operate under the influence of these rebel gods, do their best work in the dark.<#0.5#> The psalmist cannot sleep because the threat is so imminent. His eyes are wide open through every single watch of the night. But instead of letting his mind spin into a vortex of anxiety, he engages in active, defensive warfare. He stays awake, “thinking about your promise.” Other translations say, “meditating on your word.” He uses the quiet, terrifying hours of the darkness to chew on the eternal promises of the Creator. He weaponizes his insomnia, turning his midnight terror into a sanctuary of deep, theological reflection.<#0.5#> The third segment is: The Plea for Hesed and the Approaching Threat<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-nine and one hundred fifty.<#0.5#> In your unfailing love, hear my prayer; Lord, revive me by your justice. Lawless people are coming to attack me; they live far from your instructions.<#0.5#> As the night drags on, the psalmist makes his ultimate appeal. “In your unfailing love, hear my prayer; Lord, revive me by your justice.”<#0.5#> Once again, we encounter the bedrock word of the Old Testament: Hesed. The psalmist does not demand a hearing based on his own perfect performance; he asks for an audience based entirely on God’s loyal, covenant-keeping affection. He is exhausted, and his spirit is fainting, so he asks Yahweh to “revive” him. He needs the breath of life—chayah—to be pumped back into his collapsing lungs. And he trusts that God’s justice, His unbending commitment to making things right, will act as the defibrillator for his dying hope.<#0.5#> The urgency of this revival is suddenly made clear in verse one hundred fifty. The abstract fears of the night have materialized into a terrifying, physical reality. He whispers, “Lawless people are coming to attack me; they live far from your instructions.”<#0.5#> Literally, the Hebrew says, “They draw near who follow after wickedness.” The footsteps are getting louder. The shadows are moving. The enemy is closing the distance. <#0.5#> Notice how the psalmist describes these attackers. They are not just political opponents; they are “lawless people.” They have severed themselves from the Torah of God. To live “far from your instructions” is to live in the chaotic, rebellious wasteland of the fallen world. By rejecting the cosmic blueprint of the Creator, these individuals have become willing agents of the dark principalities. They are bringing the chaos of the void directly to the psalmist’s doorstep. The threat is imminent, and the trap is about to spring.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: The Ultimate Proximity and the Eternal Foundation<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred fifty-one and one hundred fifty-two.<#0.5#> But you are near, O Lord, and all your commands are true. I have known from my earliest days that your laws will last forever.<#0.5#> In the very moment when the lawless attackers draw near, when the tension is at its absolute peak, the psalmist experiences a stunning, supernatural revelation. He looks past the approaching shadows, and he declares a massive, paradigm-shifting truth: “But you are near, O Lord, and all your commands are true.”<#0.5#> The wicked are drawing close, but Yahweh is...
Welcome to Day 2844 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2844 – There is Always Hope – Luke 7:1-17 Putnam Church Message – 03/22/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News – “There is Always Hope!.” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “The Twelve and Their Marching Orders.” We learned that discipleship is: Building a life on His words until His kingdom becomes more real to us than the world around us. Today, we continue with the seventeenth message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “There is Always Hope!” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 7:1-17, found on page 1602 of your Pew Bibles. The Faith of the Centurion 1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son 11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. Opening Prayer Father, thank You that You are the God of hope. When our strength runs out, when our wisdom fails, when our circumstances overwhelm us, You remain faithful, present, and powerful. As we open Your Word today, lift our eyes above what we can see. Strengthen those who are weary. Encourage those who are grieving. Help us to trust that with Jesus, there is always hope. Speak to our hearts through Your Spirit and shape us by Your truth. In Christ’s name we pray, amen. Introduction — The Thing People Cannot Live Without There are some things human beings simply cannot do without for very long. We need water. /We need food. /We need shelter. /And in a way that is harder to measure /but no less real, /we need hope. Hope is one of those invisible necessities of life. A person can survive longer without food than we might imagine. A person can endure terrible cold, staggering pain, and crushing loss as long as hope remains alive. But when hope dies, the human spirit begins to collapse. That is why despair is so dangerous. Despair does not merely make us sad; it drains us of motion, imagination, prayer, and endurance. * Hope is what keeps the stranded person scanning the horizon. * Hope is what keeps the grieving mother praying one more prayer. * Hope is what keeps the exhausted unemployed worker filling out one more application. * Hope is what keeps the suffering saint from surrendering to the lie that nothing will ever change.
And Luke 7:1–17 is a passage about hope. Not vague optimism. Not wishful thinking. Not positive self-talk. Hope anchored in Jesus. Luke gives us two stories and places them side by side very carefully. In one story, a Gentile centurion has a beloved servant at the point of death. In the other, a widowed mother is walking behind the body of her only son. One story is full of urgent fear; the other has moved all the way into open grief. One person sends for Jesus; the other never even asks. One situation is desperate; the other, humanly speaking, is final. And Luke sets them side by side so that we will see the same truth in both directions: When Jesus steps into the situation, hopelessness does not have the last word. So if you came this morning carrying discouragement, grief, uncertainty, or some private ache that has worn your heart thin, hear this clearly at the start: There is always hope when Jesus is near. Main Point 1 — Hope Begins When We Trust Jesus Beyond What We Can See Luke 7:1–10 Luke tells us that after Jesus finished teaching the people, He returned to Capernaum. And there, the first story begins. A Roman centurion had a servant who was very sick and near death. Now that fact alone is striking. This is not a Jewish elder. This is not one of the Twelve. This is not a synagogue leader’s child. This is a Roman officer. A centurion commanded roughly one hundred soldiers. He was not at the very top of the military chain, but he was significant. He had authority, experience, discipline, and social standing. He was a man used to being obeyed. And yet here he is in a place of need. That is an important reminder already: rank does not prevent sorrow. Influence does not shield the heart. Power does not protect a person from pain. This centurion has a servant he deeply values, and that servant is close to death. Now Luke gives us another surprising detail. The centurion sends Jewish elders to Jesus. That tells us something about the delicacy of the situation. A Roman officer understood enough about Jewish customs to know that asking Jesus to enter a Gentile home could create a cultural and ceremonial problem. So, he sends respected Jewish men to speak on his behalf. And these elders come to Jesus, saying, “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.” Their argument is based on worthiness. “He’s a good man.” “He’s been generous.” “He has done good things.” “He deserves kindness.” And humanly speaking, we understand that argument. We all talk that way. We say, “If anyone deserves a break, it’s her.” Or, “If anyone deserves help, it’s him.” But then the centurion interrupts that whole line of thinking. As Jesus approaches the house, the centurion sends another message: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet You. Just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed.” (Luke 7:6–7, NLT) That is extraordinary. The Jewish elders say, “He is worthy.” The centurion says, “I am not worthy.” That difference matters. The elders looked at the man’s résumé. The centurion looked at Jesus. The elders were weighing merit. The centurion was resting on mercy. A Man Who Understood Authority Then he says something remarkable: “I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” (Luke 7:8, NLT) This man understood authority. He knew what it meant for a word backed by real authority to produce immediate action. And he believed Jesus had that kind of authority over disease. He is saying, in effect: “I do not need You to touch him. I do not need You to enter the room. I do not need a visible ritual. I do not need a dramatic display. If Your authority is what I believe it is, then distance is irrelevant. Just speak.” That is deep faith. And Jesus marvels. Luke says:...
Welcome to Day 2843 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2843 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:137-144 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2843 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2843 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Tsadhe of Righteousness – Unbending Justice in a Crushing World<#0.5#> In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the seventeenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Pe” section. We witnessed a profound, emotional outpouring. We learned what it means to open our mouths and pant for the life-giving oxygen of God’s instructions. We asked the Creator to turn His radiant, smiling face toward us, establishing our footsteps so that evil would not gain dominion over our lives. And finally, we allowed our hearts to break for the brokenness of the world, shedding rivers of tears because humanity has so violently rejected the cosmic blueprint of the King.<#0.5#> Today, we wipe the tears from our eyes, and we take our next firm, unyielding step upward. We are entering the eighteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Tsadhe” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred thirty-seven through one hundred forty-four, in the New Living Translation.<#0.5#> In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Tsadhe,” or “Tsade,” is the first letter in the Hebrew word for righteousness, which is tsedeq. It carries the imagery of a fishhook, or an anchor, pulling things back into their proper alignment. This entire stanza is a masterful, towering monument to the absolute, unbending justice of Yahweh. After weeping over the chaotic rebellion of the world, the psalmist needs to anchor his soul to something that will not move. He finds that anchor in the flawless, tested, and eternal righteousness of the Creator. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to stand firm when the pressure of the world threatens to crush us.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Bedrock of Cosmic Justice<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred thirty-seven and one hundred thirty-eight.<#0.5#> O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair. Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy.<#0.5#> The stanza opens with a foundational, cosmic declaration: “O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair.”<#0.5#> To truly appreciate the magnitude of this statement, we must view it through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. The surrounding pagan nations believed that the universe was governed by a pantheon of erratic, selfish, and deeply flawed deities. The rebel gods of the Divine Council did not operate on a standard of objective fairness; they operated on a system of bribery, appeasement, and chaotic whims. If a famine struck, or a plague broke out, the people assumed the gods were simply throwing a temper tantrum.<#0.5#> But the biblical worldview presents a radical, stabilizing alternative. Yahweh, the Most High God, is inherently, immutably righteous. His justice is not a mood; it is the very core of His character. Because the Lawgiver is perfectly righteous, it naturally follows that “your regulations are fair.” The Hebrew word for “fair” implies straightness, or uprightness. God does not have a crooked legal system. He does not show favoritism to the wealthy, nor does He accept bribes from the powerful.<#0.5#> The psalmist continues to build on this bedrock in verse one hundred thirty-eight: “Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy.”<#0.5#> Other translations render this, “You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness.” When God decreed His cosmic blueprint, He did not do it as a haphazard experiment. He appointed His laws with absolute precision, and unshakeable fidelity. In a world where human governments are constantly shifting, and where cultural morality changes like the wind, the believer possesses a massive, strategic advantage. We can anchor our lives to a set of laws that are completely trustworthy. They will never mislead us, they will never betray us, and they will never collapse under the weight of human history.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Consuming Fire and the Refined Word<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred thirty-nine and one hundred forty.<#0.5#> I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.<#0.5#> As the psalmist reflects on the perfect justice of God, his emotional state shifts dramatically. In the previous stanza, he was weeping rivers of tears. Now, those tears have evaporated into a burning, blazing zeal. “I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words.”<#0.5#> The literal Hebrew translation is incredibly intense: “My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words.” This is not a petty, personal anger. This is righteous, holy indignation. It is the exact same consuming zeal that drove Jesus Christ to overturn the tables of the moneychangers in the temple courts. <#0.5#> Why is he so consumed? Because his enemies have “disregarded,” or forgotten, the words of the Creator. In the biblical framework, forgetting the Word of God is an act of spiritual treason. These enemies, acting as the earthly proxies for the rebel spiritual forces, are actively ignoring the cosmic boundary lines. They are treating the perfect, trustworthy laws of the King as if they are entirely irrelevant. To a heart that fiercely loves the Creator, watching the world vandalize His beautiful design triggers a profound, protective fury.<#0.5#> But how does he channel this consuming zeal? He does not lash out in violence. He turns his intense focus directly back to the purity of the Scriptures. “Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.”<#0.5#> The imagery here is drawn directly from the ancient metallurgical process of smelting. The Hebrew text literally says, “Your word is exceedingly refined.” Just as raw silver or gold is placed into a blistering hot furnace to burn away all the dross, the impurities, and the slag, the Word of God has been subjected to the ultimate heat. It has been tested by centuries of human rebellion, tested by the fires of cultural opposition, and tested by the mocking laughter of the rebel gods.<#0.5#> And after all that testing, what is the result? The Word emerges from the furnace absolutely pure. There are no flaws, no contradictions, and no empty promises. It is solid, refined,, and infinitely valuable. The psalmist looks at the pristine beauty of this tested truth, and his heart overflows: “...that is why I love them so much.” His righteous anger toward the world is perfectly balanced by his blazing romance with the Word.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Insignificance in the Shadows of Eternity<#0.5#> Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred forty-one and one hundred forty-two.<#0.5#> I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments. Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true.<#0.5#> Having declared his love for the refined Word, the psalmist makes a stark, vulnerable confession about his social standing. “I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments.”<#0.5#> In an honor and shame culture, this is a painful reality to admit. The Hebrew word for “insignificant” means small, young, or of little account. The word for “despised” means held in contempt, or considered worthless. The world looks at this believer, clinging to his invisible God, and it laughs. The wealthy, powerful elite—the people who compromise with the pagan systems—view him as a pathetic, naive fool. He has no political leverage, no massive army, and no impressive social status.<#0.5#> Yet, despite being pushed to the absolute margins of society, he refuses to surrender his spiritual memory. “...but I don’t forget your commandments.” While his enemies actively disregard the truth, he stubbornly retains it. He knows that true significance is not determined by the applause of a corrupt culture; true significance is determined by your alignment with the Creator.<#0.5#> He justifies his stubborn loyalty in verse one hundred forty-two: “Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true.”<#0.5#> This is the ultimate perspective shift. The psalmist may be small and despised in the present moment, but he belongs to a legal system that outlasts the stars. The...
Welcome to Day 2842 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2842 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:129-136 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2842 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2842 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Pe of Revelation – Panting for the Light In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the sixteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Ayin” section. We stood on the high walls of our exile, our eyes burning, blurring, and straining, as we searched the horizon for the cosmic justice of Yahweh. We learned how to petition the Divine Council, boldly asking the Creator to step in as our Guarantor against the arrogant, rebel forces of this world. We declared that despite our profound exhaustion, we value the eternal, life-giving instructions of God infinitely more than the finest gold the world has to offer. Today, we take a deep breath, and we step forward into the seventeenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Pe” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred twenty-nine through one hundred thirty-six, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Pe,” or “Peh,” was originally depicted as an open mouth. It is the letter that represents speech, breath, revelation, and the act of opening a doorway. As we will see, this imagery is brilliantly woven throughout this entire stanza. The psalmist is going to talk about the opening of God’s Word, the panting of his own mouth in desperate thirst, and the radiant, smiling face of the Creator. He moves from the exhausting vigil of the previous stanza, into a place of awe, desperate petition, and ultimately, a profound, weeping lament over the brokenness of the world. Let us step onto the trail, open our hearts, and drink deeply from the truth. The first segment is: The Supernatural Wonders and the Open Door Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred twenty-nine and one hundred thirty. Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. The stanza begins with a breathless declaration of awe. “Your laws are wonderful.” The Hebrew word used here is pele, which carries a much heavier weight than our modern English word “wonderful.” It means a miracle, a marvel, or something that is undeniably supernatural. The psalmist is looking at the Torah, the cosmic blueprint of Yahweh, and he realizes that it is not merely a dry, ancient civic code. It is a supernatural revelation. It contains the very architecture of the universe, drafted by the Maker of the heavens and the earth. Because he recognizes the divine, miraculous origin of these instructions, his reaction is entirely logical: “No wonder I obey them!” Or, literally, “Therefore my soul keeps them.” When you recognize that the instructions you hold in your hands are a direct transmission from the Supreme Commander of the Divine Council, obedience is no longer a burden; it is the only rational response. He then explains exactly how this supernatural word operates in verse one hundred thirty. “The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.” Other translations say, “The unfolding of your words gives light.” Here, we see the concept of the Hebrew letter “Pe.” The unfolding is an opening, like the opening of a doorway in a dark room. When the doorway of God's Word is opened, brilliant, illuminating light spills out into the darkness of human ignorance. Notice who benefits from this light: “even the simple can understand.” In the ancient Near Eastern pagan cultures, religious knowledge was entirely esoteric. The rebel gods, and their corrupt, earthly priests, hoarded their supposed wisdom. You had to be an elite insider, a wealthy prince, or a trained magician to access their dark secrets. But the God of Israel operates with radical, beautiful transparency. Yahweh opens the door of His truth for the “simple”—the open-minded, the humble, and the vulnerable. You do not need an advanced degree to understand the path of life. You simply need a humble heart, and a willingness to step into the light of the Creator’s open door. The second segment is: The Panting Mouth and the Plea for Covenant Mercy Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred thirty-one and one hundred thirty-two. I pant with expectation, longing for your commands. Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name. The imagery of the open mouth reaches its absolute peak in verse one hundred thirty-one. “I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.” Literally, the Hebrew text says, “I opened my mouth and panted.” The psalmist compares himself to an exhausted, dehydrated animal in the scorching desert heat, opening its mouth wide, desperately gasping for air, and panting for a drop of water. This is an incredibly visceral, physical description of spiritual hunger. In the previous stanzas, he told us how the arrogant and the wicked were hunting him, digging pits, and laying traps. The chase has left him completely winded. But notice what he is panting for. He is not just panting for an escape from his enemies; he is panting for the commands of God. He craves the sustaining, life-giving oxygen of the Torah. He knows that without the steady intake of God's cosmic truth, his spirit will asphyxiate in the toxic, chaotic atmosphere of the rebel world. With his mouth wide open in desperate expectation, he makes a bold, historically grounded petition. “Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name.” Other versions translate this as, “Turn to me and be gracious to me.” He is asking Yahweh to pivot, to face him directly, and to intervene. He bases this request on legal, covenantal precedent. He essentially says, “Lord, look at Your historical track record. Look at how You have consistently dealt with every single person who loves Your Name. You have always provided grace. You have always shown mercy. I love Your Name, so please, apply that same, unbending rule of grace to my current situation.” To “love His name” is to love His reputation, His character, and His supreme, unrivaled authority over the spiritual realm. The psalmist wants the mercy of God, precisely so that the Name of God will be vindicated in the eyes of his enemies. The third segment is: Guided Steps and the Defeat of the Oppressor Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred thirty-three and one hundred thirty-four. Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Rescue me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments. While he pants for spiritual oxygen, he asks for highly specific, practical guidance. “Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.” Literally, the text reads, “Establish my footsteps in Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” The word for “dominion” is crucial here. In the biblical worldview, sin and evil are not just bad habits or ethical mistakes; they are predatory forces. In Genesis Chapter Four, God warned Cain that sin was crouching at his door, desiring to rule over him. Evil wants to master you. It wants to conquer your will, and enslave you to the chaotic rebellion of the dark principalities. The psalmist realizes that he cannot fight off this domineering force with his own willpower. If his footsteps are established in his own logic, or the shifting sands of cultural trends, evil will easily overwhelm him. The only way to maintain his freedom is to have his footsteps locked firmly into the solid bedrock of God’s Word. The cosmic blueprint is his only defense against the dominion of chaos. He then asks for external deliverance. “Rescue me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments.” We see this familiar pattern again. The “evil people” are the human proxies of the rebel gods, and they use oppressive tactics to crush the faithful. They use economic pressure, political power, and public slander to wear the believer down. But once again, look at the psalmist's motivation for rescue. Why does he want the oppression to stop? Does he want to get revenge? Does he want to take their power for himself? No. He says, “Rescue me... then I can obey your commandments.” He wants liberty for the sole purpose of unhindered loyalty. He desires freedom from his human oppressors, simply so he can more fully submit to his Divine Master. The fourth segment is: The Radiant Face and the Rivers of Grief Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred thirty-five and one hundred thirty-six. Look down on me with
Welcome to Day 2841 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – The Marcionism Heresy: When Jesus was Separated from Yahweh. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2841 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2841 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: The Marcionism Heresy: When Jesus was Separated from Yahweh.<#0.5#> In the second century, one of the earliest and most dangerous heresies in Church history took root. It was not a denial of Jesus’s divinity, nor was it a misunderstanding of the resurrection. It was something far more subtle and insidious. Marcionism was an attempt to rewrite the very character of God by separating Jesus from the Old Testament and cutting Christianity off from its roots in Israel. This false teaching did not come from paganism. It came from within the Church, and it forced early believers to clarify what they believed about Scripture, salvation, and the God they worshiped.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Marcion’s Vision of Two Gods.<#0.5#> Marcion of Sinope arrived in Rome around 140 AD. He was wealthy, persuasive, and deeply disturbed by what he saw as contradictions between the God of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. In his view, the God of the Hebrew Scriptures was harsh, legalistic, and obsessed with justice and wrath. By contrast, Jesus preached love, forgiveness, and grace. Marcion could not reconcile these two visions. His solution was to claim that the God of the Old Testament was a different being entirely from the Father of Jesus Christ.<#0.5#> In Marcion’s theology, the Old Testament God was a lesser deity, a creator god who imprisoned people under law and punishment. Jesus, sent by a higher god of pure love, came to rescue humanity from this legalistic tyrant. As a result, Marcion rejected the entire Old Testament and attempted to create a new Christian canon. He kept only an edited version of the Gospel of Luke and ten of Paul’s letters, removing any reference to the Hebrew Scriptures or to Jesus fulfilling the Law and the Prophets.<#0.5#> This was not just a matter of preference. It was a full rejection of the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and with it, a rejection of the unity of God’s revelation. It fractured the biblical story into competing narratives and turned Jesus into a stranger to Israel rather than her promised Messiah.<#0.5#> The Second Segment is: The Church Responds<#0.5#> The early Church recognized that Marcionism was not a minor mistake but a full-blown heresy. Church Fathers like Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Justin Martyr wrote extensive refutations. They understood that Marcion’s teachings struck at the very heart of Christianity. If Jesus was not the fulfillment of Yahweh’s promises to Israel, then the gospel had no foundation.<#0.5#> Tertullian famously responded in his work Against Marcion, arguing that the God of Jesus and the God of the Old Testament are one and the same. Jesus did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. The gospel is not a rejection of Israel’s Scriptures but their climax. The justice and mercy of God are not at odds. They are united perfectly in Christ, whose mission is unintelligible apart from the covenant story that began in Genesis.<#0.5#> The Church’s rejection of Marcionism also had another important consequence. It pushed early Christian leaders to define more clearly which writings were authoritative. Marcion had tried to create his own canon, so the Church responded by affirming the full body of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. The process of canonization did not begin with Constantine or centuries of debate. It was driven, in part, by the need to defend the faith from distortions like Marcionism and protect the integrity of the gospel message.<#0.5#> The third segment is: Jesus Is Not a New God.<#0.5#> At the core of Marcion’s error was a failure to understand who Jesus is. Jesus is not a new god with a different character than Yahweh. He is Yahweh in the flesh. Every act of grace and healing in the gospels reflects the same God who rescued Israel from Egypt, gave the Law at Sinai, and promised restoration through the prophets. Jesus did not come to save us from the Old Testament God. He came as the embodiment of that God’s covenant love.<#0.5#> When Jesus calmed the sea, He acted like the storm-tamer of Psalm 107. When He fed the multitudes, He echoed the provision of manna in the wilderness. When He declared the year of the Lord’s favor, He was announcing the arrival of Jubilee, rooted in Leviticus. The New Testament makes sense only when read as the fulfillment of the Old.<#0.5#> This does not mean that the Father and the Son are the same person. Christianity affirms the Trinity, meaning there is one God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we say that Jesus is Yahweh, we are affirming that He shares in the same divine identity and essence, not that He replaces or is identical to the Father. The New Testament presents Jesus as distinct from the Father while also fully and truly God, working in perfect unity with Him.<#0.5#> Paul, whom Marcion admired, did not reject the Old Testament. He quoted it constantly. He called the Law holy, righteous, and good. He described the Scriptures as pointing to Christ. When he wrote that all Scripture is God-breathed, he was speaking about what we call the Old Testament. Paul’s gospel was not detached from the Hebrew Bible. It was built on it, saturated with its symbols, promises, and patterns.<#0.5#> The Fourth Segment is: The Old Heresy in New Clothes.<#0.5#> Although Marcion was eventually excommunicated and his teachings denounced, his ideas never fully disappeared. They have resurfaced in every generation under new names and new justifications.<#0.5#> Whenever a preacher says that the Old Testament no longer matters, Marcionism is speaking again. When someone claims the God of the Old Testament was cruel but Jesus is kind, that is the same heresy in softer tones. When Christians speak as if Israel was completely replaced by the Church and God’s promises to the Jewish people are obsolete, they echo Marcion’s contempt for the Scriptures Jesus Himself read, taught, and fulfilled.<#0.5#> Some modern pastors have openly stated that Christians need to “unhitch” their faith from the Old Testament. They may mean well, often trying to make the faith more accessible, but the result is a gospel with no roots, a Jesus with no backstory, and a Christianity that forgets who Yahweh is. It is not a small shift in emphasis. It is a return to a condemned error.<#0.5#> The Fifth segment is: The Danger of Disconnection.<#0.5#> What made Marcionism so dangerous was that it offered a version of Christianity that seemed easier to accept. No wrath. No judgment. But in severing Jesus from Yahweh, Marcion also severed Jesus from His mission, His identity, and His authority. A Jesus who is not Yahweh cannot save. A gospel without the Law and the Prophets is no gospel at all.<#0.5#> The biblical story begins in Genesis, not Matthew. The covenant made with Abraham is the foundation of the promise fulfilled in Christ. The God who speaks from the burning bush is the same One who says, “Before Abraham was, I am.” To follow Jesus is to follow the God of Israel. To know Christ is to know Yahweh.<#0.5#> We must never pit one part of the Bible against another. The story is one. The Author is one. And He does not change.<#0.5#> In Conclusion.<#0.5#> Marcionism was not just a theological mistake. It was a direct challenge to the identity of God, the authority of Scripture, and the unity of the gospel. By trying to divide Jesus from Yahweh, it created a false Christ and a false message of salvation. The early Church rightly recognized it as heresy, and its legacy serves as a warning for every generation.<#0.5#> The temptation to simplify Christianity by cutting ties with the Old Testament still exists today. But a faith without roots will wither. The God of Israel is the God revealed in Jesus Christ. The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings all point to Him. Rejecting them means rejecting the very story that gives the gospel its meaning.<#0.5#> If we want to proclaim the true Jesus, we must know the God who spoke at Sinai, who walked with Abraham, who judged Pharaoh, who promised a new covenant, and who came in the flesh to fulfill every word He had spoken. The Church cannot afford to forget that Jesus is Yahweh. Marcionism was wrong then, and its modern echoes are just as dangerous...
Welcome to Day 2840 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2840 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:121-128 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2840 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2840 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Ayin of Anticipation – Eyes Straining for Cosmic Justice In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we navigated the fifteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Samekh” section. We witnessed the psalmist draw a hard, unyielding boundary line in the sand. He declared his absolute hatred for divided loyalties, and he begged the Creator to prop him up, acting as a sturdy pillar and a protective shield against the relentless pressure of a compromised culture. We learned what it means to tremble in the holy, bristling awe of God’s justice, realizing that the Sovereign Lord will ultimately skim the wicked off the earth, just like dross is skimmed from a boiling crucible of silver. Today, we take our next courageous step forward, transitioning from the imagery of a sturdy shield, to the piercing reality of human vision. We are entering the sixteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Ayin” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred twenty-one through one hundred twenty-eight, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Ayin” was originally depicted as an eye. It represents seeing, perceiving, understanding, and even weeping. This visual imagery is woven perfectly into the very fabric of this stanza. The psalmist is standing on the edge of his endurance. He is looking out at a world that is deeply broken, straining his eyes to see the promised rescue of Yahweh. He is begging for the spiritual vision, the discernment, to understand the cosmic blueprint, and he is watching, with righteous indignation, as the rebel forces violate the Creator’s laws. Let us step onto the trail, open our eyes, and learn how to watch for the intervention of the King. The first segment is: The Plea for a Cosmic Guarantor Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred twenty-one and one hundred twenty-two. Don’t leave me to my enemies, for I have done what is right and just. Please guarantee a blessing for me. Don’t let the arrogant oppress me! The stanza opens with a bold, legally framed petition. The psalmist stands before the throne of the universe, and he submits his record for inspection: “I have done what is right and just.” This is not a boast of sinless perfection. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, doing what is “right and just” meant maintaining covenant loyalty. It meant that, despite the overwhelming pressure to adopt the idolatrous practices of the surrounding pagan nations, the psalmist had maintained his integrity. He had refused to participate in the corrupt, oppressive systems governed by the rebel gods of the Divine Council. Because he has maintained his allegiance to Yahweh, he asks for the reciprocal protection of the covenant: “Don’t leave me to my enemies.” He then makes a fascinating, highly specific request: “Please guarantee a blessing for me.” The Hebrew word translated as “guarantee” is 'arab, which means to act as a surety, to pledge, or to co-sign. In the ancient commercial world, if a person owed a massive debt they could not pay, or faced a powerful opponent they could not defeat, a wealthier, stronger individual could step in as their surety. The guarantor would place their own reputation, and their own assets, on the line to protect the vulnerable person. The psalmist realizes that he is completely outmatched by his enemies. The “arrogant” individuals oppressing him are not just schoolyard bullies; they are the wealthy, powerful proxies of the dark spiritual realm. Therefore, he looks up to the Most High God, and essentially prays, “Lord, I need You to co-sign my life. I need You to step in as my cosmic Guarantor. Put the infinite weight of Your reputation between me and my oppressors, so that they cannot destroy me.” The second segment is: The Exhaustion of the Watchman Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse one hundred twenty-three. My eyes strain to see your rescue, to see the truth of your promise fulfilled. Here, we encounter the direct connection to the Hebrew letter “Ayin,” the eye. The psalmist confesses, “My eyes strain to see your rescue.” Other translations render this, “My eyes fail, looking for your salvation.” This paints a vivid, heartbreaking picture of spiritual and physical exhaustion. Imagine a watchman standing on the high wall of a besieged city. The enemy army has surrounded the gates, the food supplies are running out, and the watchman is staring out at the distant horizon, looking for the dust cloud of a rescuing army. He stares for hours, days, and weeks, until his eyes burn, blur, and literally begin to fail from the sheer intensity of the vigil. This is the agonizing reality of living in the “already, but not yet” phase of God’s redemption. The psalmist knows that God has promised deliverance. He knows the character of Yahweh. But the waiting is taking a devastating toll on his physical body. He is straining to see the truth of the promise materialize in real time. It is a profound comfort to realize that the Bible does not gloss over the fatigue of the faithful. It is incredibly tiring to live a life of integrity in a world that rewards corruption. It is exhausting to keep your eyes fixed on the horizon of God’s justice, when the present moment is filled with the taunts of the arrogant. Yet, even as his eyes fail, the psalmist refuses to stop looking. He will not lower his gaze to the mud; he keeps his vision locked on the heavens, anticipating the arrival of the King. The third segment is: The Privileges of the Servant Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred twenty-four and one hundred twenty-five. I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws. In the midst of his exhaustion, the psalmist re-establishes his identity. Twice in these two verses, he declares, “I am your servant.” In our modern, democratic culture, we often view the title of “servant” as something degrading, or lowly. But in the ancient Near East, to be the direct servant of a sovereign king was a position of immense privilege, authority, and protection. A king was legally and morally obligated to provide for, and protect, the members of his royal household. By claiming the title of “servant,” the psalmist is invoking the royal obligations of Yahweh. He is saying, “Lord, I belong to Your administration. I work for Your kingdom. Therefore, deal with me in unfailing love.” Here is our bedrock, anchor word once again: Hesed. He is not asking God to deal with him based on his own merit, or his own strength, because his strength is currently failing. He asks God to treat him according to His loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping affection. And what does this weary servant request from his Master? He does not ask for gold, silver, or an immediate, magical escape from his problems. He asks for education. “...and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me... then I will understand your laws.” The psalmist realizes that his physical eyes might be failing, but his spiritual eyes desperately need to be sharpened. The Hebrew word for discernment means to separate, to distinguish, or to perceive with clarity. He wants the ability to look at the chaotic, confusing events of his life, and perceive the underlying, cosmic architecture of God’s plan. He knows that true comfort does not come from a change of circumstances; true comfort comes from a deep, profound understanding of the Creator’s laws. The fourth segment is: The Courtroom Demand for Cosmic Justice Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse one hundred twenty-six. Lord, it is time for you to act, for these evil people have violated your instructions. This single verse is one of the most remarkable, audacious prayers in the entire Psalter. The psalmist shifts from the posture of a weary servant, to the posture of a prosecuting attorney in the divine courtroom. He looks up at the throne, and declares, “Lord, it is time for you to act.” This is a direct, legal petition to the Divine Council. The psalmist is not being disrespectful; he is being intensely prophetic. He is surveying the cultural landscape, and he sees that the rebellion of the arrogant has reached a critical, unsustainable tipping point. He presents his evidence: “...for these evil people have violated your instructions.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “They...
Welcome to Day 2839 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2839 – "The Twelve" and Their Marching Orders – Luke 6:12-49 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2839 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2839 of our trek. <#0.5#> The purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#0.5#> Each Tuesday, I will share the messages I have delivered at Putnam Congregational Church this year. <#0.5#> This is the sixteenth message in a year-long series covering the Good News as narrated by Luke. <#0.5#> Today’s message covers Luke six, verses twelve through forty-nine, and is titled “"The Twelve" and Their Marching Orders” <#0.5#>. I pray it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement for you. Putnam Church Message – 03/15/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Twelve and Their Marching Orders” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “The Defiant Messiah.” We learned that He is not defiant against the Father. He is defiant against anything that misrepresents the Father. Today, we continue with the sixteenth message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “The Twelve and Their Marching Orders.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 6:12-49, found on page 1600 of your Pew Bibles. The Twelve Apostles 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Blessings and Woes 17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. 20 Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. Love for Enemies 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Judging Others 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. A Tree and Its Fruit 43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. The Wise and Foolish Builders 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Opening Prayer Father, thank You for Your Word and for the Lord Jesus Christ, who not only saves us but teaches us how to live as citizens of His kingdom. Open our minds to understand, soften our hearts to receive, and strengthen our wills to obey. Teach us what real discipleship looks like. Guard us from being hearers only and make us doers of Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen. Introduction For a number of years, “discipleship” became a kind of Christian buzzword. Conferences were built around it. Books were written about it. Churches made programs for it. Seminar speakers diagrammed it on whiteboards and filled binders with methods for it. And some of that was very good. Many believers can look back and say, “Somebody poured into me. Somebody noticed me. Somebody taught me not just Bible facts, but how to walk with Christ.” That is a beautiful thing. For me, that would be primarily my parents. But discipleship did not begin in the 1970s. It did not begin in a seminar notebook. It did not begin in a curriculum. It began in the heart of Jesus. And when we come to Luke 6:12–49, we see something crucial: Jesus did not merely gather crowds. / He made disciples. / And He did not merely make disciples in general. / He first chose twelve men, and then He began to shape them for mission. / One thing we don’t want to miss as we focus today on the twelve is that there were many others who traveled with Jesus during His ministry, including several women, who assisted in funding the ministry. That matters, because crowds are impressed by miracles,...
Welcome to Day 2838 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2838 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:113-120 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2838 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2838 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Samekh of Support – An Undivided Loyalty In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we navigated the dark and treacherous trails of the fourteenth stanza in Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Nun” section. We learned that to survive the suffocating darkness of a hostile world, we must carry the lamp of God’s Word. We discovered that the Creator does not typically give us a massive searchlight to illuminate the next twenty years, but rather, a small, flickering clay lamp that provides just enough truth for the very next step. We promised to keep walking, carefully avoiding the tripwires of the wicked, and we claimed the eternal testimonies of the Lord as our greatest, permanent heritage. Today, we take our next courageous step forward, transitioning from the imagery of a lamp, to the reality of a fortress. We are entering the fifteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Samekh” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred thirteen through one hundred twenty, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Samekh” was originally depicted as a prop, a pillar, or a sturdy shield. It represents something that you can lean your entire weight against when you are utterly exhausted, knowing that it will not collapse. This imagery forms the absolute backbone of this entire stanza. The psalmist is tired of the spiritual compromise around him. He is drawing a hard line in the sand, rejecting the cultural pressure to mix his faith with the idolatry of the world. He is declaring an undivided loyalty to Yahweh, and in return, he is asking the Creator to prop him up, and shield him from the fallout. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to lean on the pillar of truth. The first segment is: The Hatred of the Divided Heart and the Divine Shield Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred thirteen through one hundred fifteen. I hate those with divided loyalties, but I love your instructions. You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God. The stanza opens with a jarring, absolute declaration: “I hate those with divided loyalties.” Other translations render this as, “I hate the double-minded.” To modern ears, this sounds harsh, perhaps even unloving. But to understand this, we must look through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. In the ancient Near East, the greatest threat to Israel was not atheism; it was syncretism. Syncretism is the blending of different religions. The surrounding pagan nations, governed by the rebel gods of the Divine Council, constantly pressured the Israelites to compromise. The temptation was to worship Yahweh on the Sabbath, but then sacrifice to Baal on Tuesday to ensure a good harvest, or pray to Asherah for fertility. A person with "divided loyalties" is someone who limps between two opinions. They want the blessings of the Creator, but they also want to participate in the corrupt, chaotic systems of the rebel principalities. The psalmist hates this double-mindedness, because it is spiritual treason. It is a fundamental betrayal of the cosmic order. You cannot serve two masters. In stark contrast, he declares, “...but I love your instructions.” He refuses to mix his devotion. He wants the pure, unadulterated blueprint of the Most High God. Because he refuses to compromise, he immediately makes himself a target. The culture does not tolerate exclusive loyalty to Yahweh. So, he runs to his defense: “You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.” Here is the “Samekh” in action. A refuge is a place to hide, and a shield is a mobile defense that deflects incoming arrows. The psalmist realizes that his own human willpower is not a sufficient defense against the spiritual warfare of his culture. If he is going to stand firm against the pressure of double-mindedness, he must hide his mind behind the massive, impenetrable shield of the Creator. This fierce loyalty leads to a drastic, practical boundary. “Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “Depart from me, you evildoers.” The psalmist recognizes that bad company corrupts good character. The “evil-minded people” are those who have fully embraced the chaotic rebellion of the world. They are the agents of compromise. The psalmist is not just being antisocial; he is executing a spiritual quarantine. He knows that if he allows these voices of compromise to constantly whisper in his ear, his own heart might become divided. He draws a firm, unyielding boundary, protecting his environment so that he can fulfill his singular intention: obeying the commands of his God. The second segment is: The Plea to be Propped Up Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred sixteen and one hundred seventeen. Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed. Sustain me, and I will be rescued; then I will meditate continually on your decrees. After boldly drawing his boundaries and evicting the evildoers, the adrenaline fades, and the psalmist feels his own profound human weakness. He cries out, “Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live!” The Hebrew word used here for “sustain” is samakh, which is the exact verbal root of the letter “Samekh.” It literally means to lean your hand heavily upon something, to prop up, to uphold, or to brace. Think of a timber pillar holding up the collapsing roof of a mine shaft. The psalmist feels the crushing, gravitational weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. He has chosen the hard path of undivided loyalty, and the pressure is threatening to cave his chest in. He begs Yahweh, “Step under this weight with me. Be my pillar. Prop me up, because if You do not uphold me, I am going to collapse, and my life will be extinguished.” He anchors this desperate plea to the covenant, asking God to intervene “as you promised.” He adds a poignant, emotional request: “Do not let my hope be crushed.” Or, “Do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” He has bet everything on the invisible reality of the Creator’s kingdom. He has alienated the powerful, evil-minded people of his community to stay true to the Torah. If God fails to support him, his entire worldview will shatter, and the mockers will have won. He repeats the plea for emphasis: “Sustain me, and I will be rescued; then I will meditate continually on your decrees.” Notice the cause and effect. He does not say, “I will meditate, and therefore I will rescue myself.” He acknowledges that salvation comes entirely from the external, upholding power of God. The rescue must happen first. When Yahweh steps in and braces the collapsing walls of his life, it frees the psalmist's mind. Once he is secure, leaning safely against the pillar of grace, he can return to his favorite occupation: meditating continually on the eternal decrees of the King. The Third segment is: The Dross of the Earth and the Purity of Justice Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred eighteen and one hundred nineteen But you have rejected all who wander from your decrees. They are only fooling themselves. You skim off the wicked of the earth like scum; no wonder I love to obey your laws! From the safety of his divine refuge, the psalmist looks out at the fate of the double-minded. He makes a sobering, objective observation about cosmic justice: “But you have rejected all who wander from your decrees. They are only fooling themselves.” The rebel gods promise freedom and power to those who wander off the path, but the psalmist reveals the ultimate, tragic reality: wandering leads to rejection. The Most High God will not permit the universe to remain in a state of chaotic rebellion forever. The people who think they are outsmarting the system, playing both sides with divided loyalties, are entirely deceived. The literal translation is, “their deceit is falsehood.” They are living in an illusion, a house of cards that is destined to fall. The psalmist then uses a startling, industrial metaphor to describe God’s judgment: “You skim off the wicked of the earth like scum.” The Hebrew word here is sig, which refers to dross, or slag. In the ancient metallurgical process of refining silver or gold, the raw ore was placed in a...
Welcome to Day 2837of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2837 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:105-112 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2837 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2837 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Nun of Illumination – A Lamp in the Cosmic Dark In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we scaled the thirteenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the “Mem” section. We submerged our minds entirely in the flowing, life-giving waters of God’s Word. We discovered a profound truth: meditating on the instructions of the Creator gives us a supernatural advantage. By swimming in the deep waters of His cosmic blueprint, we gained more insight than our human teachers, and we became vastly wiser than the enemies who tried to destroy us. We tasted the absolute sweetness of divine truth, which naturally produced a holy, fierce hatred for every false and deceptive path in this world. Today, we take our next courageous step forward, transitioning from the internal realm of meditation, into the external reality of navigation. We are entering the fourteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are exploring the “Nun” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses one hundred five through one hundred twelve, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Nun” was originally depicted as a sprouting seed, or a fish swimming through the water. It carries the idea of continuous life, perpetuation, and forward movement in a challenging environment. This imagery perfectly aligns with the verses we are about to explore. The psalmist has left the safety of his quiet contemplation, and he is now actively walking through a dark, treacherous, and deeply hostile wilderness. He needs to move forward, but he is surrounded by the suffocating darkness of a world ruled by rebel spiritual forces. How does the exile survive the night? He must carry a lamp. Let us step out onto the darkened trail, and learn how to walk in the light. The first segment is: The Cosmic Flashlight and the Oath of Allegiance Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred five and one hundred six. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations. This stanza opens with what is arguably the most famous, and frequently quoted, verse in the entire chapter: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” To truly appreciate the weight of this metaphor, we must strip away our modern conveniences. We live in a world flooded with artificial light. Streetlamps, headlights, and neon signs push the darkness away with overwhelming force. But in the ancient Near East, once the sun went down, the darkness was absolute, heavy, and terrifying. The night was considered the domain of chaos, predators, thieves, and the dark spiritual principalities of the unseen realm. When the psalmist speaks of a “lamp,” he is not talking about a massive, high-powered searchlight that illuminates the path for miles ahead. An ancient Israelite lamp was a small, fragile, clay bowl filled with a little bit of olive oil, holding a tiny, flickering flax wick. It produced just enough light to illuminate the space immediately in front of the traveler’s foot. This is a profound theological reality. God’s Word rarely gives us a floodlight to see the next twenty years of our lives. Yahweh does not usually reveal the entire, grand map of our future. Instead, He gives us a small, handheld clay lamp. He gives us just enough instruction, just enough truth, and just enough illumination to take the very next step in obedience without tripping. This requires continuous, moment-by-moment trust. You cannot run recklessly into the dark; you must walk at the pace of the Light. Because he is relying on this singular light source for his very survival, the psalmist makes a fierce, binding declaration in verse one hundred six: “I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.” Literally, the Hebrew text says, “I have sworn an oath, and I will confirm it.” In the context of the Divine Council worldview, taking an oath is an act of supreme cosmic loyalty. The surrounding pagan nations were swearing oaths to Baal, to Chemosh, and to the rebellious gods who promised them wealth and power in the dark. But the psalmist looks at the flickering flame of God’s truth, and he publicly swears his allegiance to Yahweh. He is drawing a line in the sand, declaring that he will not navigate by the deceptive, false lights of the culture. He will follow the righteous regulations of the Most High God, regardless of the cost. The second segment is: Life on the Edge of the Blade Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred seven through one hundred nine. I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised. Lord, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. The cost of following that light is intensely high. The psalmist cries out, “I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised.” Walking through the darkness, constantly fighting off the influence of the rebel gods, and standing firm in your oaths, will inevitably take a severe physical and emotional toll. The psalmist is deeply afflicted. He is brought incredibly low by the hostility of his environment. Therefore, he begs for the breath of life to be restored to his exhausted lungs. He leans heavily upon the promises of God, knowing that Yahweh is the only Source of genuine, sustaining vitality. And yet, in the very epicenter of this agonizing suffering, he does something beautifully counter-intuitive. He says, “Lord, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations.” The phrase “offering of praise” literally translates as “the freewill offerings of my mouth.” In the ancient tabernacle system, an Israelite could bring a freewill sacrifice—an animal from their flock—simply out of spontaneous gratitude and devotion, not because it was legally required for a specific sin. Here, the psalmist does not have an animal to sacrifice; he is likely running for his life in the wilderness. So, he brings the only thing he has left: the words of his mouth. He offers his prayers, his songs, and his declarations of trust, as a fragrant, burning sacrifice to the Creator. Even while he is suffering, he begs the Divine Teacher to continue instructing him. The pain has not made him bitter; it has made him incredibly hungry for deeper wisdom. He then reveals the terrifying reality of his daily existence: “My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions.” The Hebrew idiom used here is hauntingly vivid: “My soul is continually in my palm.” Imagine holding a delicate, fragile bird, or a handful of water, in the open palm of your hand. One sudden bump, one strong gust of wind, and it is gone forever. That is how the psalmist feels about his own life. He is living on the absolute razor’s edge of mortality. The threat of death is constant, visible, and hovering over his every step. But notice his reaction. When your life is hanging by a thread, the natural human instinct is to panic, to compromise your morals, or to do whatever it takes to survive. But the psalmist is anchored by a heavier reality. “...but I will not stop obeying your instructions.” He refuses to drop the lamp. He knows that his physical life might be incredibly fragile, but the cosmic order of God is eternally secure. He would rather walk into the next life holding the truth, than survive in this life by embracing a lie. The third segment is: The Tripwires in the Dark and the Eternal Treasure Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred ten through one hundred twelve. The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments. Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight. I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end. The psalmist explains exactly why his life is in such imminent danger. “The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments.” We encounter the “wicked” once again. These are the human agents who have aligned themselves with the chaotic, rebel principalities of the spiritual world. They know that they cannot defeat the psalmist in a fair, open fight of ideas. So, they resort to the cowardice of the darkness. They set literal and metaphorical snares. They lay...
Welcome to Day 2836 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Fencing the Torah: When Guardrails Become a Cage Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2836 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2836 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.<#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Fencing the Torah: When Guardrails Become a Cage.<#0.5#> The Mosaic Law was never meant to be a burden. It was a covenantal gift from Yahweh, designed to keep Israel from being consumed by the idolatry and sin of the nations around them. Its commands were meant to cultivate holiness, justice, and a faithful relationship between Yahweh and His people. However, in the generations following the Babylonian exile, something began to shift. Out of a fear of repeating the sins of the past, religious leaders began to surround the Law with extra rules, commonly known as “fences around the Torah.” These were man-made traditions designed to prevent even accidental violations of the Law. While the intent may have been preservation, the result was often distortion.<#0.5#> The first segment is: The Growth of Extra Regulations.<#0.5#> After the exile, leaders such as the Pharisees sought to ensure that Israel would never again provoke divine judgment. They added extensive interpretations and safeguards, believing they were honoring the Law by keeping people far from even the edge of disobedience. For example, the Sabbath commandment, which was meant to provide rest and space to reflect on God’s provision, was expanded with dozens of additional rules specifying what constituted work. These additions turned a gift into a source of stress.<#0.5#> The system became increasingly intricate. Laws were applied in every possible situation with minute precision, yet the heart of the Law, faithful devotion to Yahweh, was often lost in the process. The goal had shifted from walking with God to avoiding missteps. The fences were built so high and wide that they began to obscure the path they were meant to protect.<#0.5#> The second segment is: The Burden of Legalism.<#0.5#> Though rooted in a desire for holiness, these extra laws often led to legalism. External behavior was emphasized over internal transformation. What mattered was checking the boxes, not cultivating a heart of loyalty and love for God. Jesus exposed this problem throughout His ministry. In Matthew 23 verses 23-24, He rebuked the Pharisees for focusing on the smallest details of tithing while neglecting the weightier matters of the Law, justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He accused them of straining out gnats while swallowing camels.<#0.5#> One striking example is the practice of Corban, described in Mark 7 verses 11-13. Religious leaders allowed people to dedicate their money or possessions to God as a loophole to avoid using those resources to care for their aging parents. It technically followed the rules, but in doing so, it directly violated the commandment to honor one’s father and mother. What was permitted by tradition became a contradiction of Scripture.<#0.5#> The third segment is: From Relationship to Ritual.<#0.5#> The deeper tragedy of these added laws was how they shifted the focus from relationship to ritual. Ritual purity took the place of heart purity. Elaborate handwashing ceremonies and detailed rules about cleanliness became central, as seen in Mark 7: verses 1-8. But Jesus made clear that the real impurity was in the heart, not on the hands. The Law had become a system of external conformity that missed its own spiritual core.<#0.5#> These traditions also created barriers for Gentiles. What was meant to be a light to the nations became a maze of regulations that few could navigate. Rather than making Yahweh known to the world, the Law became a source of exclusion. Holiness was measured by performance, not by devotion, and people who genuinely sought after God were often discouraged or kept at a distance.<#0.5#> The fourth segment is: Jesus and the Fulfillment of the Law.<#0.5#> Jesus did not reject the Law. He fulfilled it. He brought clarity to its purpose and corrected the man-made traditions that had clouded its meaning. When asked what the greatest commandments were, He answered simply: love God and love your neighbor. Everything else depended on those two truths. His healings on the Sabbath, His rebukes of legalism, and His teachings on mercy all pointed to this deeper purpose.<#0.5#> The Law was meant to shape a people who reflected Yahweh’s character. Jesus demonstrated that true obedience flows from a transformed heart, not rule-following. He showed that the Law, at its best, reveals the holiness of God and calls His people into faithful relationship with Him—not burdensome perfectionism, but believing loyalty.<#0.5#> In Conclusion.<#0.5#> The additional rules created by Jewish authorities were an attempt to safeguard holiness, but in practice, they often concealed the heart of the Law rather than preserving it. They turned what was meant to be a guide into a trap. When Jesus came, He tore down the fences to restore the original intent. The Law was not given to generate pride or exclusion. It was a path to walk with God, grounded in love, justice, mercy, and faithfulness.<#0.5#> Faithful devotion to Yahweh has never been about meticulous compliance. It has always been about trust, worship, and a life oriented around His holiness. The lesson is clear. Whenever man-made rules overshadow the heart of God’s Word, we risk building fences that trap instead of guide.<#0.5#> To explore this study further, consider these Discussion Questions.<#0.5#> 1. What motivated Jewish leaders to create fences around the Torah, and why did these intentions sometimes go wrong?<#0.5#> 2. How did these added regulations affect people’s ability to draw near to Yahweh?<#0.5#> 3. In what ways did Jesus challenge the legalism of His day, and what does that reveal about the true purpose of the Law?<#0.5#> 4. Can modern religious traditions sometimes fall into the same trap? How can we guard against it?<#0.5#> 5. How do love, justice, and mercy help us interpret and live out God’s commands today?<#0.5#>
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn The Marcionism Heresy: When Jesus was Separated from Yahweh.<#0.5#> If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’<#0.5#> Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.<#0.5#> As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly. Love Unconditionally. Listen Intentionally. Learn Continuously. Lend to others Generously. Lead with Integrity. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2835 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2835 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:97-104 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2835 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2835 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Mem of Meditation – Wiser Than the World In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we scaled the twelfth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Lamed” section. We witnessed a breathtaking shift in perspective. After feeling like a shriveled wineskin choking in the smoke of his afflictions, the psalmist lifted his head. He looked up, and recognized that the eternal Word of Yahweh stands completely firm in the heavens. We learned that while every earthly empire, philosophy, and idol has a finite limit, the expansive, life-giving commands of the Creator are boundless. We chose to quietly fix our minds on God’s cosmic order, even when the wicked lay traps in the shadows. Today, we take our next determined step forward, moving into the thirteenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are stepping into the “Mem” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses ninety-seven through one hundred four, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Mem” represents water. It symbolizes a flowing stream, the source of life, and an overwhelming, immersive flood. This imagery is absolutely perfect for the verses we are about to explore. In this stanza, the psalmist is completely immersed in the Word of God. He is bathing his mind in the Torah. And the result of this total immersion is profound, supernatural wisdom. He discovers that by constantly swimming in the instructions of the Creator, he has actually bypassed the greatest intellects of his culture. Let us step onto the trail, and wade into these deep, life-giving waters. The first segment is: The Obsession of Love Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse ninety-seven. Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long. The stanza opens with an explosive, emotional outburst: “Oh, how I love your instructions!” This is not a polite, religious sentiment; it is a blazing, all-consuming obsession. In our modern, Western mindset, we often struggle to understand how someone could passionately love a set of laws. We view laws as restrictive, boring, and burdensome. But the Ancient Israelite understood that the Torah was the very heartbeat of Yahweh. It was the architectural blueprint for human flourishing. To love the instructions of God is to love the mind of God. Because he possesses this deep, fiery affection for the Creator's design, his behavior is radically altered. “I think about them all day long.” Other translations say, “It is my meditation all the day.” The Hebrew word for meditation here implies a low, continuous murmuring. It is the act of talking to yourself, chewing on a thought, and turning it over and over in your mind. The psalmist does not just read a quick verse in the morning, and then forget about it for the rest of the day. The Word of God is the background music of his entire existence. As he works, as he walks, and as he interacts with his community, the instructions of the Most High are constantly flowing through his consciousness, like a steady stream of water. The second segment is: The Supernatural Advantage of the Exile Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses ninety-eight through one hundred. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments. Because his mind is completely saturated with the cosmic order, the psalmist makes a series of staggering, audacious comparisons. He looks at three distinct groups of people—his enemies, his teachers, and his elders—and he realizes that his immersion in the Torah has given him a massive, intellectual advantage. First, he declares, “Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.” To understand this, we must look through the lens of the Divine Council worldview. The “enemies” are not just human rivals; they are individuals operating under the deceptive influence of the rebel spiritual principalities. These enemies may be politically savvy, militarily strong, and highly strategic. The world often looks at the kingdom of darkness, and assumes that it holds the ultimate, pragmatic wisdom. But the psalmist recognizes that worldly wisdom is ultimately a dead end. Because the commands of Yahweh are his “constant guide”—literally, they are always with him—he has outsmarted the adversary. He can see through the traps. He can anticipate the destructive consequences of sin. He outmaneuvers his enemies, not because he has a higher IQ, but because he has access to the uncorrupted intelligence of the Supreme Commander of the cosmos. He then moves closer to home, making an even more shocking claim: “Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws.” In the ancient Near East, the teacher, or the sage, was held in the highest possible regard. To claim superior insight to your instructors bordered on scandalous. But the psalmist is not being arrogant; he is pointing out a tragic reality. Sometimes, the academic and religious elite become corrupted. Teachers can become obsessed with human philosophy, cultural trends, or dry, legalistic traditions, entirely losing the life-giving pulse of the Creator’s truth. The psalmist bypassed their earthly curriculum. He went straight to the source. Because he is “always thinking,” or meditating, on the laws of God, he has tapped into a depth of insight that no human university can provide. Finally, he looks at the ultimate authority figures in ancient society. “I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.” The elders were the gray-haired leaders at the city gates. They represented the accumulated, generational experience of the culture. Usually, age correlates with wisdom. But age alone does not guarantee spiritual discernment. If an elder has spent a lifetime compromising with the surrounding pagan culture, their gray hair is merely a crown of foolishness. The psalmist realizes that true wisdom is not measured by the number of years you have lived, but by the degree of your obedience. “I am even wiser... for I have kept your commandments.” Action is the catalyst for understanding. You can study theology for eighty years, but if you do not actively obey the Word, you will be outsmarted by a young, inexperienced believer who simply does what the Creator asks. The third segment is: The Restraint of the Narrow Path Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred one and one hundred two. I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well. This supernatural wisdom produces a highly disciplined lifestyle. The psalmist states, “I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word.” Literally, the text says, “I have restrained my feet from every evil way.” In a world flooded with temptation, where the rebel gods constantly advertise wide, easy roads to pleasure and power, obedience requires aggressive, physical restraint. You have to actively pull back on the reins of your own desires. The psalmist refuses to dabble in the shadows. He knows that you cannot walk on an evil path, and simultaneously maintain your grip on the cosmic blueprint. Compromise destroys clarity. He explains the secret to his consistency in verse one hundred two. “I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well.” This is a beautiful, intimate revelation. Why didn't he need to rely on the compromised teachers and the worldly elders? Because Yahweh Himself became his personal instructor. “You have taught me well.” When a believer immerses their mind in the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit takes on the role of the ultimate Rabbi. God actively guides, convicts, and illuminates the mind of the exile. The psalmist has remained steady on the narrow path, because he has been sitting at the feet of the only Teacher who never makes a mistake, and who never bows to the pressures of the culture. The fourth segment is: The Sweetness of Truth and the Hatred of Falsehood Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one hundred three and one hundred four. How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding;...
Welcome to Day 2834 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2834 – The Defiant Messiah – Luke 6:1-11 Putnam Church Message – 03/08/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Defiant Messiah” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “Is It Okay to Party with Sinners?” In other words, “Are we willing to carry the presence of Christ into places where grace is needed most?” Today, we continue with the fifteenth message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “The Defiant Messiah.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 6:1-11, found on page 1599 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. SCRIPTURE READING — Luke 6:1-11 (NIV) Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath 1 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, / rub them in their hands and / eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” 6 On another Sabbath, he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus. Opening Prayer Father, thank You for Your Word and for the Lord Jesus, who shows us Your heart with perfect clarity. Open our minds to understand this passage, and open our hearts to receive it. Rescue us from harsh religion, from pride, and from confusing our traditions with Your truth. Teach us to love mercy, to honor Christ as Lord, and to trust Him enough to follow where He leads. In Jesus’ name, amen. Introduction A wise mentor once told me, “Choose your battles carefully.” That is good advice in life and in ministry. Not every disagreement is worth a fight. Not every irritation deserves a confrontation. Not every preference needs to become a principle. But sometimes a battle must be chosen. Sometimes the issue is too important to ignore. Sometimes the truth of God is being distorted. Sometimes people are being crushed in the name of religion. And when that happens, silence is not wisdom. Silence is surrender. That is what we see in Luke 6. Jesus did not look for unnecessary fights. He was not quarrelsome. Most quarrels stem from insecurity on the part of one or both parties. Jesus was not insecure. But when the Pharisees used God’s law in ways that burdened people and obscured the heart of God, Jesus did not back down. He chose that battle. And that is why I’m calling this message “The Defiant Messiah.” He was not defiant against the Father. He was defiant against distortion. He was not defiant against Scripture. He was defiant against those who twisted Scripture into something God never intended. By Luke 6, the tension has been building for some time. Jesus has taught with authority, cast out demons, healed the sick, forgiven sins, called unlikely disciples, and eaten with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees have already been irritated by Him. But now He touches the one thing they considered theirs to police and control: the Sabbath. And when He does, He draws a line in the sand. Main Point 1: Jesus Restores the Purpose of God’s Law Luke 6:1–5 Luke begins with a Sabbath scene in a grainfield: “One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. But some Pharisees said, ‘Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?’” At first, this sounds like a small matter. The disciples are hungry. They pick grain. They eat. But to the Pharisees, this was not a snack. It was a violation. In their interpretation, plucking grain was reaping, rubbing it was threshing, and separating it was winnowing. In other words, they had taken ordinary hunger and turned it into Sabbath labor. Now we must be clear: according to the actual Law of Moses, the disciples were doing nothing wrong. Deuteronomy 23 allowed a hungry traveler to pluck grain by hand from a field. So, the issue was not God’s law. The issue was the Pharisees’ interpretation of it. That is always where legalism lives. Legalism confuses human rules with divine commands. It elevates tradition until people can no longer tell the difference between what God actually said and what someone religious has added. Jesus answers them by going to Scripture. He says, in effect, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?” (3) He points them to 1 Samuel 21, where David, fleeing for his life, received consecrated bread from the priest. 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Bread normally reserved for priests>was shared because human need mattered. God never intended holy bread to sit untouched while hungry men starved. Jesus’ point is simple and profound: God’s law was never meant to work against mercy. Then Jesus says the line that changes everything: “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.” (5) That is not merely a clever reply. It is a claim of authority. The Sabbath belongs to God. Jesus says He is Lord over it. In other words, He is not simply giving an opinion about Sabbath practice. He is reclaiming divine authority over the very gift God gave. Object Lesson Hold up a wrapped gift and say, “Here is a gift for each of you, ‘Don’t enjoy it, don’t touch it wrongly, don’t use it incorrectly, just be anxious around it.’ At some point, the gift stops feeling like a gift and starts feeling like a burden.” That’s what had happened to the Sabbath. God intended the Sabbath to be rest, trust, delight, and covenant blessing. The Pharisees had turned it into a form of fear management. Jesus restores the gift to its original purpose. Related Scriptures * Exodus 20:8–11 — Sabbath as a gift rooted in creation. 8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. * Deuteronomy 5:12–15 — Sabbath as freedom from slavery. 15 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day. * Mark 2:27 — 27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. * Hosea 6:6 — God desires mercy, not empty ritual I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to...
Welcome to Day 2833 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2833 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:89-96 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2833 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2833 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title of Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Lamed of Eternity – Looking Up from the Smoke In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we crawled through the eleventh stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the “Kaph” section. We sat with the psalmist in a place of profound, breathless exhaustion. He was completely worn out from waiting for deliverance. He felt shriveled and blackened, like a discarded wineskin hanging in the acrid smoke of a hostile culture. The arrogant, acting as proxies for the rebel gods, had dug deep pits to trap him. Yet, even as his soul fainted, he stubbornly refused to abandon the cosmic blueprint of the Creator. He hooked his fragile hope to the solid ground of God’s trustworthy commands, begging for the unfailing love of Yahweh to spare his life. Today, we take a deep breath, wipe the soot from our eyes, and take our next deliberate step upward. We are entering the twelfth stanza of this magnificent mountain. We are exploring the “Lamed” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses eighty-nine through ninety-six, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Lamed” is visually unique. It is the tallest letter in the entire alphabet, towering above the rest of the script, pointing directly upward toward the heavens. Its shape originally resembled a shepherd’s staff, or an ox goad, used to direct and guide. This visual upward reach perfectly matches the sudden, breathtaking shift in the psalmist’s perspective. After looking down at the traps, and staring into the suffocating smoke of his earthly circumstances, the psalmist suddenly lifts his head. He looks up. He gazes into the eternal, unshakeable architecture of the cosmos, and he finds the ultimate anchor for his weary soul. Let us step onto the trail, and lift our eyes to the heavens. The first segment is: The Unshakeable Architecture of the Cosmos Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses eighty-nine through ninety-one. Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans. The stanza opens with one of the most majestic, resounding declarations in all of Scripture. “Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.” When the world around you is crumbling, when the political systems are corrupt, and when the arrogant seem to be winning the earthly battle, you must change your vantage point. The psalmist realizes that the ultimate reality is not what is happening in the dirt; the ultimate reality is what has been decreed in the heavens. We must view this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview. The ancient Near Eastern cultures believed the heavens were chaotic, governed by warring, unpredictable deities who constantly changed their minds. But the psalmist declares that Yahweh’s word is eternal, and it “stands firm.” The Hebrew word is natsav, meaning it is stationed, appointed, or set in stone like a massive pillar. Despite the rebellion of the lesser spiritual principalities, and despite the chaos they sow among the disinherited nations, the overarching throne room of God remains absolutely secure. His sovereign decrees cannot be overthrown. Because the heavens are secure, that stability cascades down to the earth. “Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.” The rebel forces want humans to believe that God has abandoned them, that each new generation is left to fend for itself in a meaningless void. But the Creator’s faithfulness is woven into the very fabric of the physical planet. The mountains, the oceans, and the steady rotation of the earth itself are visible, tangible proofs that Yahweh keeps His covenant. The psalmist then makes a sweeping, cosmic summary: “Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans.” Literally, the Hebrew says, “All are Your servants.” The stars, the weather patterns, the angels, and the turning of the seasons—they all bow to the regulations of the Most High God. The universe is not a chaotic accident; it is an incredibly disciplined, orderly servant, fulfilling the designs of its Maker. When you realize that the entire cosmos is obediently serving Yahweh, the temporary rebellion of arrogant humans suddenly looks incredibly small, and ultimately doomed to fail. The second segment is: The Antidote to Misery and the Gift of Life Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses ninety-two and ninety-three. If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery. I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life. With his eyes firmly fixed on the stability of the heavens, the psalmist looks back at his own recent, terrifying ordeal. He makes a profound, retrospective confession: “If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.” Other translations say, “Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” Remember the “Kaph” stanza. He was a shriveled wineskin. He was almost completely finished off by his enemies. What kept him from snapping? What kept him from giving up, lying down in the dirt, and allowing the misery to literally extinguish his life? It was not sheer human willpower. It was the supernatural joy provided by the cosmic blueprint. When the external world offered nothing but smoke and hostility, the psalmist turned inward to the Torah that he had hidden in his heart. The instructions of God acted as a life-support system. They injected a deep, sustaining delight into his spiritual bloodstream, keeping his heart beating when misery was trying to crush it. Because of this near-death experience, he makes an ironclad vow in verse ninety-three: “I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life.” In the biblical worldview, “forgetting” is not a lapse in memory; it is an act of spiritual treason. It is choosing to abandon the covenant. The psalmist is saying, “Lord, I have stared into the abyss of my own misery, and I have seen firsthand that Your words are the only things that pulled me back from the grave. How could I possibly commit treason against the very instructions that literally resuscitated my soul?” The commandments of God are not dead, religious rules. They are the active, life-giving breath of the Creator. By clinging to them, the believer draws the eternal life of the heavens down into their frail, earthly existence. The Third segment is: The Declaration of Ownership and the Quiet Mind Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses ninety-four and ninety-five. I am yours; rescue me! For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments. Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws. The psalmist leverages his deep, historical loyalty to God into a bold demand for deliverance. “I am yours; rescue me!” This is a beautiful, reciprocal echo of the “Heth” stanza. Back in verse fifty-seven, the psalmist declared, “Lord, you are mine!” He claimed God as his ultimate portion. Now, he flips the equation, claiming his status as God's exclusive property. “I belong to You. I bear Your image. I am a citizen of Your kingdom. Therefore, step in and protect Your property!” He justifies this bold request with his track record of devotion: “For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments.” Literally, “I have sought your precepts.” He has not been a passive, apathetic follower. He has aggressively pursued the mind of God, making him a loyal servant worthy of the King's active protection. And he desperately needs that protection, because the earthly reality is still intensely dangerous. He states, “Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.” The wicked—the human agents of the rebel darkness—have not given up. They are laying ambushes. They are hiding in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and eliminate the believer. But look at the psalmist’s reaction. Does he panic? Does he run around frantically trying to uncover the ambush? Does he let fear hijack his central nervous system? No. He says, “I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.” Other translations render this, “I will consider your testimonies.” In the face of a literal death threat, the psalmist chooses quiet contemplation. This is the staggering power of a mind
Welcome to Day 2832 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2832 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:81-88 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2832 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2832 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Kaph of Endurance – A Wineskin in the Smoke In our previous episode, we climbed through the tenth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the “Yodh” section. We recognized a profound truth about our origins: we are not cosmic accidents. We were carefully, intentionally fashioned by the hands of a loving Creator. Because His hands made us, we asked Him to give us the spiritual sense to follow His cosmic blueprint. We prayed for an undivided, blameless heart, so that we would never be put to shame, but instead, become a beacon of joyful hope for the entire community of believers. Today, we are taking our next weary, yet determined, step upward. We are entering the eleventh stanza of this magnificent mountain. We are exploring the “Kaph” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses eighty-one through eighty-eight, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Kaph” originally resembled the open palm of a hand, or a hand that is curved and hollowed out. It is the posture of someone who is begging, someone who is utterly depleted, or someone trying to catch a few drops of water in a desert. This imagery is remarkably fitting for the verses we are about to explore. If the previous stanza was about the strong, forming hand of God, this stanza is about the weak, exhausted hand of the human exile. The psalmist has hit a wall of profound physical and emotional fatigue. The waiting has become agonizing. The attacks of the enemy have pushed him to the absolute brink. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to endure the smoke of the waiting room. * The Exhaustion of the Long Wait
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses eighty-one and eighty-two NLT) I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word. My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. When will you comfort me? The stanza opens with a raw, breathless confession of existential exhaustion. “I am worn out waiting for your rescue.” Literally, the Hebrew text says, “My soul faints for your salvation.” This is not a momentary lapse of faith; this is the compounding, crushing weight of a prolonged trial. The psalmist has been praying, fighting, and standing his ground for so long, that his spiritual and emotional reserves are entirely drained. He feels as though his life force is evaporating. But notice the immediate, stubborn pivot in the second half of the verse: “but I have put my hope in your word.” When your feelings fade, when your energy evaporates, and when the rescue seems infinitely delayed, hope cannot be anchored to your changing emotions. Hope must be tethered to an objective, external reality. The psalmist hooks his fainting soul directly to the cosmic order of Yahweh. He may not have the strength to fight, but he has the resolve to wait. The physical toll of this waiting is severe. He cries out, “My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. When will you comfort me?” Think of a sailor stranded at sea, staring at the horizon for so long that his eyes begin to burn and blur, desperately looking for the outline of a rescue ship. The psalmist is searching the horizon of his life, looking for any tangible sign that God is moving. The agonizing question, “When will you comfort me?” echoes through the centuries. It is the universal cry of the faithful exile, enduring the tension of a promise that has been spoken, but not yet fulfilled. * The Shriveling Vessel and the Cry for Cosmic Justice
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses eighty-three and eighty-four NLT) I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke, but I have not forgotten your decrees. How long must I wait? When will you punish those who persecute me? To describe the depth of his suffering, the psalmist uses one of the most vivid, evocative metaphors in the entire Psalter: “I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke.” In the ancient Near East, wineskins were made from the hides of animals, usually goats. When they were not in use, they were often hung from the wooden rafters of a home. Since ancient houses did not have modern chimneys, the thick, acrid smoke from the cooking fire would gather in the rafters. Over time, a leather wineskin left in that smoke would become blackened with soot, entirely dried out, hard, brittle, and utterly useless. This is a picture of profound spiritual dehydration. The psalmist feels scorched. He feels forgotten, left hanging in the rafters of the world, absorbing the toxic smoke of a hostile, arrogant culture. Remember the previous stanza, where he rejoiced that God’s hands had perfectly fashioned him? Now, that fashioned vessel feels ruined, shriveled, and blackened by the heat of the trial. But once again, the stubborn resolve returns: “but I have not forgotten your decrees.” The smoke may have darkened his exterior, but it has not erased the Torah written upon his heart. Because he is holding onto the law of God, he appeals directly to the Supreme Judge of the Divine Council. “How long must I wait? When will you punish those who persecute me?” The cry of “How long?” is a technical, legal petition in the biblical worldview. The psalmist is demanding a hearing. He is looking at the rebel spiritual principalities, and their earthly proxies, and he is asking Yahweh to execute judgment. This exact same cry is echoed in the Book of Revelation, Chapter Six, where the martyrs under the altar shout, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” It is a demand for the moral arc of the universe to finally be bent toward justice. * The Deep Pits of the Arrogant
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses eighty-five through eighty-seven NLT) These arrogant people who hate your instructions have dug deep pits to trap me. All your commands are trustworthy. Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause. They almost finished me off, but I refused to abandon your commandments. The psalmist details the specific, terrifying tactics of his enemies. “These arrogant people who hate your instructions have dug deep pits to trap me.” Once again, we encounter the “arrogant.” These are the individuals who operate under the influence of the dark, rebellious forces of the spiritual realm. Notice that their hatred of the psalmist is actually rooted in their hatred of God's instructions. They despise the cosmic blueprint, because it restricts their autonomy, and condemns their wicked behavior. To eliminate the righteous influence of the psalmist, they have resorted to hunting him. Digging a deep pit was a common ancient method for trapping wild, dangerous animals. By using this hunting tactic, the arrogant are dehumanizing the believer. They are treating God's authorized imager like a wild beast to be captured, slaughtered, and thrown into a hole. Furthermore, digging a pit to cause injury was a direct violation of the Torah law found in Exodus Chapter Twenty-One. Their actions are fundamentally designed to create chaos. In stark contrast to the deceitful, treacherous traps of the arrogant, the psalmist declares, “All your commands are trustworthy.” Or, as other translations say, “All your commandments are faithful.” The world is filled with hidden pits and deceptive traps, but the Word of God is solid ground. You can walk on it with absolute confidence, knowing it will not collapse beneath your feet. He pleads, “Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.” And then, he reveals just how close he came to the edge of the abyss: “They almost finished me off.” The margin of survival was razor-thin. The enemy was closing in, the pit was wide open, and the psalmist was teetering on the brink of total annihilation. The kingdom of darkness threw everything it had at him. He was completely outmatched. “But I refused to abandon your commandments.” Even when his destruction seemed absolutely certain, he would not negotiate with the chaos. He would not toss the Torah aside to save his own skin. He stood his ground on the edge of the pit, clinging to the trustworthy commands of the Creator, proving that his loyalty to Yahweh was stronger than his fear of death. * The Plea for Hesed and the Mission of Obedience
(Reads Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse eighty-eight NLT) In your unfailing...
Welcome to Day 2831 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – J R R Tolkien’s Theological Imagination: Rebellion, Redemption, and the Divine Pattern Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2831 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2831 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: J R R Tolkien’s Theological Imagination: Rebellion, Redemption, and the Divine Pattern. J R R Tolkien believed storytelling was a sacred act. As a devout Catholic, his fiction was shaped not by overt allegory but by deep theological truths. Through the concept of subcreation, Tolkien affirmed that humans, made in the image of the Creator, have the capacity to craft secondary worlds that echo divine realities. While The Lord of the Rings is not an allegory, its themes align powerfully with Christian theology and the Divine Council Worldview (DCWV), a framework in Scripture that speaks of God ruling among other spiritual beings and assigning nations to them after Babel. The first segment is: The Powers and Principalities of Arda. Tolkien’s legendarium includes a clear divine hierarchy. At the top is Eru Ilúvatar, the One, creator of all. He is the source of the Ainulindalë-the- the Music of the Ainur-through which the world is first imagined. Even when Melkor introduces discord into the harmony, seeking to dominate the music with his own themes, Eru responds not with destruction but with deeper orchestration. He tells Melkor that all the discord he weaves will only serve to make the final symphony more profound. Nothing, not even rebellion, lies outside Eru’s ultimate sovereignty. This reflects a vision of God’s authority that is both supreme and redemptive, where even the schemes of the wicked are ultimately turned to the fulfillment of divine purpose. Below Ilúvatar are the Ainur, powerful spiritual beings created before the shaping of the world. Among them, the Valar function as guardian spirits of Arda, similar in structure to the Divine Council of Psalm 82. The Maiar, lesser but still mighty beings, assist the Valar. Gandalf and Sauron both belong to this order. Just as in Divine Council Worldview, where God delegates spiritual authority to lesser elohim, Tolkien’s mythos reflects a structure where divine beings are given spheres of responsibility. Yet, like in Scripture, rebellion corrupts this order, setting the stage for cosmic conflict. In the end, those spirits who persist in rebellion are not merely restrained but ultimately removed forever from the renewed creation. Their fate reflects the biblical destiny of the fallen sons of God, whose judgment ensures that the restored order will no longer be corrupted by their presence. The second segment is: Melkor, Sauron, and the Corruption of Divine Authority Melkor, later known as Morgoth, the mightiest of the Ainur, mirrors the rebel gods in biblical theology. His pride leads him to seek domination rather than stewardship. Morgoth’s rebellion reflects the cosmic insurrection of Psalm 82 and Isaiah 14, spiritual beings grasping for power they were never meant to wield. Sauron, his chief lieutenant, becomes a second-tier deceiver who continues Morgoth’s dark legacy. Like the sons of God in Genesis 6 and Deuteronomy 32, Sauron imposes false worship and enslaves others, manipulating through fear and domination. The rings of power function almost like tokens of delegated but twisted authority, tools meant for order, turned toward control. The third segment is: Sacred Geography and Territorial Spirits Middle-earth is shaped by geography charged with meaning. From the spiritual corruption of Mordor to the divine echoes of Lothlórien and the exile of Númenor, Tolkien paints a world where places are more than political. They are spiritual battlegrounds. This resonates with the DCWV understanding of cosmic geography, the biblical idea that certain regions are under the influence of rebellious divine beings. Tolkien’s world shows that the land itself can groan under the weight of spiritual oppression or be hallowed by divine presence. The Fourth Segment is: Free Will, Providence, and the Role of Mortals Tolkien’s theology insists that free will matters, even in a world shaped by fate. This mirrors the DCWV framework in which God’s imagers, both divine and human, are granted real choice. The fall of Melkor and Sauron is not deterministic, nor is Frodo’s endurance guaranteed. Instead, history is a tapestry of choices woven into divine purposes. Even Gollum, an unlikely figure, plays a providential role through his disobedience. As Elrond says, “Even the very wise cannot see all ends.” God remains sovereign in Tolkien’s world, but human (and hobbit) agency is honored. At the same time, Tolkien also shows that Ilúvatar does not remain distant. When free will threatens to unravel the entire order of creation-such as with the rebellion of Númenor-Eru steps in directly. That rebellion was not born in a vacuum. It was Sauron, functioning as a kind of Satan figure, who seduced the Númenóreans with promises of godhood, twisting their fear of death into a desire for domination. Under his influence, they turned against the Valar and Ilúvatar himself. In response, Ilúvatar reshapes the world, removes Valinor from its physical reach, and ensures the continuation of his plan. Divine intervention is rare, but never absent, reflecting a theology where human freedom is real, yet ultimately guided by a higher will. The fifth segment is: Christ Figures and Divine Reversal Tolkien avoids a single Christ figure, but the roles of prophet, priest, and king are reflected across characters. Gandalf, as a Maia, is sent back as a resurrected figure who guides and speaks truth. Frodo, the suffering servant, bears the burden of evil though it scars him permanently. Aragorn, the hidden king, returns to heal and rule with justice. Their combined roles reflect a mosaic of messianic themes, aligned with DCWV’s understanding that God’s rule is ultimately restored through His chosen representative. The sixth Segment is: The Redemption of the Noldor One of the most profound theological arcs in Tolkien’s legendarium is the redemption of the Noldor. These High Elves, once dwellers in the light of Valinor, chose rebellion. Under Fëanor, they defied the Valar, left the Blessed Realm without permission, and pursued Morgoth in pride and vengeance. Their exile into Middle-earth was a direct consequence of their disobedience, and their long suffering across the First, Second, and Third Ages reflects the cost of that choice. And yet, by the time of The Lord of the Rings, the story shifts. Elrond, Galadriel, and others of Noldorin descent are no longer defined by rebellion but by wisdom, sacrifice, and faithful stewardship. Galadriel, who once sought dominion and glory, now resists the temptation of the One Ring. Elrond becomes a healer, counselor, and protector. Their final return to Valinor is not a defeat or escape, but a homecoming long delayed. It is the restoration of exiles whose hearts have been refined by ages of sorrow and service. This echoes the biblical pattern of return from exile, of forgiveness extended to those who wandered far but endured. Their story is not one of perfection, but of transformation. In the end, the Noldor who return do so not in pride, but in humility. And Valinor, far from rejecting them, welcomes them home. In Conclusion Tolkien didn’t write sermons, but he did what theology often fails to do. He made us feel the weight of glory, the darkness of evil, and the staggering grace of redemption. His myth tells the same cosmic story as Scripture: creation, rebellion, judgment, mercy, and restoration. By embedding DCWV themes into his secondary world, Tolkien baptized the imagination and helped countless readers glimpse the true story beneath all stories. For further study, consider these Discussion Questions 1. How does Tolkien’s portrayal of Eru Ilúvatar compare to the biblical view of God’s sovereignty, especially in response to rebellion? 2. In what ways does the story of the Noldor reflect biblical themes of exile, refinement, and return? 3. How does Tolkien depict the relationship between free will and divine providence across different characters and events? 4. What parallels can be drawn between Sauron’s temptation of Númenor and the biblical role of Satan in stirring rebellion? 5. How does Tolkien’s treatment of spiritual rebellion and ultimate judgment align with the destiny of fallen divine beings in Scripture?
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Welcome to Day 2830 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2830 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:73-80 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2830 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2830 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title of Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Yodh of Formation – Shaped by the Creator’s Hands In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the ninth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the “Teth” section. We stood in the heat of the refiner’s fire. We learned a difficult, but profoundly beautiful truth: God is perfectly good, even when His discipline hurts. We saw how the psalmist looked back at his own wandering, and realized that his suffering was actually a severe mercy, designed to pull him back to the safety of the cosmic blueprint. We concluded that the instructions of the Creator are vastly more valuable than millions in gold and silver, because they alone possess the currency of eternal life. Today, we take our next deliberate, steady step upward, climbing into the tenth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are stepping into the “Yodh” section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses seventy-three through eighty, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, the letter “Yodh” is the smallest letter, yet it carries immense theological weight. The original pictograph for “Yodh” was a hand, specifically an arm and a hand extended in action or work. It represents the creative, forming, and active power of God. It is incredibly fitting, then, that this specific stanza opens by looking directly at the hands of the Creator. If the previous stanza was about God reforming us through discipline, this stanza is about God forming us from the very beginning. Let us step onto the trail, and discover what it means to be shaped by the Maker of the cosmos. The first segment is: The Maker’s Manual and the Community of Hope Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses seventy-three and seventy-four. You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. The stanza opens with a breathtaking declaration of origins: “You made me; you created me.” Literally, the Hebrew text says, “Your hands have made me and fashioned me.” The psalmist is looking down at his own physical body, considering his intellect, his emotions, and his soul, and he traces it all back to the deliberate, skillful hands of Yahweh. We must view this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. In the surrounding pagan cultures of Babylon and Canaan, human beings were viewed as an afterthought. The rebel gods of the Divine Council supposedly created humans to be mere slaves, designed to do the heavy lifting, and provide food for the lazy deities. Humanity was viewed as cheap, expendable labor. But the biblical narrative shatters that dark deception. Yahweh did not create humans to be slaves; He created us to be His imagers. He carefully, intimately fashioned humanity from the dust, breathing His own life into us, so that we could rule as His authorized vice-regents on earth. Because God’s hands made us, God inherently knows how we function best. Therefore, the psalmist makes a profoundly logical request: “Now give me the sense to follow your commands.” He is essentially saying, “Lord, You are the Manufacturer. You wrote the instruction manual for the human soul. I cannot operate this life properly without Your guidance. Please, grant me the spiritual comprehension to understand how You designed me to live.” When we gain this sense, and begin to align our lives with the Creator’s design, it creates a massive ripple effect. The psalmist says, “May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word.” We are never trekking in isolation. We are surrounded by other exiles, other believers who fear the Lord, and who are fighting their own exhausting battles against the hostile culture. When they look at your life, and they see you maintaining your hope in the Word of God—even when the journey is steep and painful—it injects joy and courage into their veins. Your stubborn, relentless hope becomes a beacon of light for the entire covenant community. The second segment is: The Fairness of the Fire and the Comfort of the Covenant Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses seventy-five through seventy-seven. I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it. Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight. The psalmist briefly glances backward, returning to the painful theme of the previous “Teth” stanza. He makes a profound, mature confession: “I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it.” The Hebrew word for “fair” here is tzedek, which means absolute, unbending righteousness and justice. The gods of the pagan nations were notoriously capricious, petty, and unpredictable. They would strike people with disease or famine simply because they were in a bad mood. But Yahweh’s justice is perfect. The psalmist realizes that the painful season of discipline he endured was not random abuse from an angry deity. It was a precise, calculated, and entirely justified correction, rooted in God's faithfulness. He acknowledges, “I wandered off the path, and You faithfully used the rod to pull me back.” But a human soul cannot survive on discipline alone. A broken bone must be set, but then it must be wrapped, and allowed to heal. So, he cries out for the healing balm: “Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant.” Here we see our anchor word, Hesed—God’s loyal, covenant-keeping love. The discipline accomplished its purpose; the rebellion has been burned away. Now, the psalmist desperately needs the comforting embrace of his Father. He holds God to His own promises, reminding the Creator that a servant relies entirely on the Master for his emotional and spiritual survival. He intensifies this plea in verse seventy-seven: “Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight.” The word translated as “tender mercies” is rachamim, a beautiful Hebrew term rooted in the word for a mother's womb. It implies a fierce, protective, nurturing compassion. The psalmist is living in a dangerous, contested world, and he feels incredibly vulnerable. He asks Yahweh to envelop him, to wrap him up in a womb-like shield of compassion. Without this divine, nurturing protection, he simply cannot survive the hostility of his environment. He bases his plea on the fact that he has not abandoned the cosmic blueprint. Even in his pain, God’s instructions remain his absolute delight. The third segment is: The Cosmic Smear Campaign and the Unity of the Exiles Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses seventy-eight and seventy-nine. Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me; meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments. Let me be united with all who fear you, with those who know your laws. The hostile environment the psalmist is trying to survive is not abstract; it is intensely personal, and vicious. He prays, “Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me.” As we have discussed in previous treks, these “arrogant people” are the human proxies for the rebel spiritual principalities. They operate using the native language of the kingdom of darkness, which is deception. They have launched a coordinated smear campaign, plastering the psalmist with fabricated lies, trying to destroy his reputation, and isolate him from society. They want to shame him into abandoning his loyalty to Yahweh. But the psalmist asks the Supreme Judge of the Divine Council to reverse the verdict. He asks God to take the shame and disgrace that the arrogant are trying to project onto him, and turn it back onto their own heads. Notice his personal reaction to the attack. Does he spend his energy retaliating? Does he try to out-slander the slanderers? No. He says, “meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments.” Other translations say, “I will meditate on your precepts.” While the arrogant are busy forging lies and digging traps in the dirt, the psalmist elevates his mind. He refuses to get into the mud with them. He hands the defense of his reputation entirely over to God, and he spends his mental energy studying the architecture of the cosmos. He concentrates on the things that are eternal, rather than the temporary noise of his...
Welcome to Day 2829 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2829 – Is It Okay to Party With Sinners? – Luke 5:27-39 Putnam Church Message – 03/01/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “Is It Okay to Party With Sinners?” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “Great Deeds, Strong Faith, Big God,” where we learned that when God becomes bigger, ministry expands, compassion deepens, faith strengthens, courage rises, and life changes. Today, we continue with the fourteenth message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “Is It Okay to Party With Sinners?” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 5:27-39, found on page 1599 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. SCRIPTURE READING — Luke 5:27-39 (NIV) Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Jesus Questioned About Fasting 33 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” 34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.” 36 He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, / new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, and thank You for sending Jesus to seek and save the lost. Open our hearts today so that we do not merely hear this message, but receive it. Where we have become rigid, soften us. Where we have become fearful, steady us. Where we have become proud, humble us. And where we have withdrawn from the people who need Your grace, send us out again with the heart of Christ. Teach us what it means to be holy without hiding, / loving without compromising, / and joyful without pretending. May Your Spirit guide every word and every listener today. In Jesus’ name, amen. Introduction Today, we come to one of those passages that exposes us a little. It is one thing to say, “Jesus saves sinners.” It is another thing to watch how He does it. And in Luke 5, He does not save sinners from a distance. He does not shout grace from across the street. He does not wait for the broken to clean themselves up, / learn the language, / and enter the synagogue respectfully. He walks right up to a tax collector’s booth. He calls a man everybody else has written off. Then He goes to that man’s house and sits down at his table with the kind of people religious society avoids. And the religious leaders are scandalized. Not because Jesus is sinning. But because He is too close to sinners for their comfort. That is the tension in this passage. And if we are honest, it is still the tension in many churches today. We love a ministry that looks clean, organized, and respectable. But Jesus often does His best work in messy rooms, crowded tables, uncomfortable conversations, and unexpected friendships. So, the question is not merely, “Is it okay to party with sinners?” The deeper question is: Do we have the heart of Christ for people who are still far from God? This passage answers that question powerfully. Main Point 1 Jesus Calls the Person Everyone Else Has Counted Out (Luke 5:27–28) “Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.” (Luke 5:27–28, NLT) Let’s slow down and feel this moment. Jesus is not walking through town looking for the most polished candidate. He is not recruiting from the synagogue leadership. He is not interviewing the men with the best religious resumes. He walks to a tax booth. And there sits Levi. Now, to us, “tax collector” may sound just annoying. To them, it sounded traitorous. A tax collector in that setting was not just a man with a calculator. He was a man who had sold his loyalty. He worked for Rome. He profited off his own people. He lived by leverage, pressure, and public resentment. He was seen as compromised, corrupt, and spiritually unclean. And Jesus looks at that man and says, “Follow Me.” A Dialogical Pause Can you imagine the people standing nearby? “Levi?” “Surely not Levi.” “Rabbi, You must not know who this man is.” “He’s not just flawed — he’s part of the problem.” But Jesus knew exactly who he was. And that is the point. Jesus does not call Levi because Levi is misunderstood. He calls Levi because Levi is reachable. Jesus does not deny Levi’s sin. He overcomes it with grace. Ancient Context and Weight of the Moment The irony is deep here. Levi is named after the tribe of Levi — the tribe set apart for priestly service (Exodus 32). The Levites were meant to help mediate Israel's worship life. But this Levi is doing the opposite. He is not serving the covenant people — he is helping Rome squeeze them. His very name would remind people of what he should have been. And yet Jesus does not mock him for that. Jesus does not say, “You should be ashamed of what you’ve become.” Instead, Jesus gives him a new future. That is what grace does. Grace does not pretend the past is clean. Grace opens a door that the past could never earn. Object Lesson: The “Rejected Tool” Hold up an old, worn tool — maybe a rusty hammer or a scratched-up wrench. “Most people would look at this and say, ‘It’s old. It’s rough. It’s probably not worth much.’ But put this in the hands of a master craftsman, and suddenly it has purpose again.” That is Levi. / And if we’re honest, that is us. / Some of us were not tax collectors, but we were pride collectors. Or grudge collectors. Or image protectors. Or secret sin managers. And Jesus did not call us because we were shiny. He called us because He is merciful. Related Scriptures * 1 Samuel 16:7 – “People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” * 1 Corinthians 1:28 – God chose things despised by the world,[a] things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. * Mark 2:14 – The parallel account reinforces the immediacy of Levi’s response. * John 1:43 – As with Philip, Jesus’ call is simple and authoritative: “Follow me.”
Illustration: The Overlooked Candidate Think of a business owner who has a hiring need. Resumes come in. Everyone recommends polished...
Welcome to Day 2828 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2828 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:65-72 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2828 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2828 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Teth of Transformation – The Goodness of the Refiner's Fire In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we navigated the eighth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the "Heth" section. We stood at a crucial boundary line, and we watched the psalmist make a definitive, cosmic choice. He looked at the vast array of options in this world, and he boldly declared to the Creator, "Lord, you are mine!" We learned what it means to claim Yahweh as our ultimate portion, to actively repent when our feet drift into the snares of the wicked, and to find the courage to rise at midnight, turning our darkest anxieties into a sanctuary of thanksgiving. We established our boundaries, and we chose to dwell securely within the inheritance of the Most High God. Today, we take our next deliberate step upward, climbing into the ninth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are stepping into the "Teth" section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses sixty-five through seventy-two, in the New Living Translation. In the Hebrew alphabet, the letter "Teth" is deeply associated with the concept of goodness. In fact, the Hebrew word for good, tov, begins with this very letter. In the original text of this specific stanza, almost every single verse begins with the word tov, or a variation of it. But the goodness described here is not the superficial, comfortable, pain-free goodness that our modern culture idolizes. This is a gritty, paradoxical, and deeply transformative goodness. The psalmist is going to teach us how to look backward at our past mistakes, our painful discipline, and the attacks of our enemies, and recognize that the Creator was actively using all of it to forge our character. Let us step onto the trail, and learn the profound value of the refiner’s fire. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses sixty-five and sixty-six. You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised. I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge. The stanza opens with a sweeping, retrospective declaration of praise. "You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised." The psalmist takes a moment to look over his shoulder, surveying the long, winding trail of his life. He sees the narrow escapes, the midnight rescues, and the gracious provision of Yahweh. He recognizes that God has never once broken character. The Creator has acted with absolute fidelity to His covenant. God has been good, and He has been faithful to His word. Because he has this historical track record of God’s goodness, the psalmist leans forward into his next request: "I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge." Notice the beautiful progression here. Belief comes first, followed by a plea for discernment. The Hebrew word translated as "good judgment" is ta'am, which literally means "taste." It is the ability to savor, to distinguish flavors, and to recognize what is genuinely nutritious, versus what is toxic. In a world governed by deceptive, rebel spiritual principalities, our moral taste buds are often corrupted. The surrounding pagan culture offers a smorgasbord of philosophies, idols, and lifestyle choices that look appealing, but are spiritually poisonous. The psalmist is asking Yahweh to recalibrate his spiritual palate. He is essentially praying, "Lord, I trust Your cosmic blueprint. Now, please, give me the discernment to taste the difference between the bitter lies of the enemy, and the sweet truth of Your instructions. Help me to instinctively know what is truly good." Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses sixty-seven and sixty-eight. I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees. Having asked for good judgment, the psalmist makes a stunning, vulnerable confession about how his spiritual palate was actually reformed. He says, "I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word." Other translations render this, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray." This requires profound humility to admit. Before the pain arrived, before the hardship disrupted his life, he was wandering. He was drifting away from the safety of the Torah, casually stepping off the path, and moving toward the dangerous territory of the rebel gods. But God, in His infinite Hesed—His unfailing, loyal love—did not let him wander into oblivion. God intervened with discipline. God allowed affliction to strike. To the modern mind, affliction and goodness seem like total opposites. We think that if God is good, He will shield us from all pain. But the ancient, biblical mind understood that a loving Father will use the sharp sting of the shepherd’s crook to pull a wandering sheep back from the edge of a deadly cliff. The pain of the discipline was the exact mechanism that cured his wandering. The affliction woke him up, snapped his attention back to reality, and tethered his heart to the Word of God. "But now," he says with absolute conviction, "I closely follow your word." Because he understands the life-saving purpose of the pain, he can look directly at the God who disciplined him, and declare in verse sixty-eight: "You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees." He does not view Yahweh as an angry, vindictive tyrant. He recognizes that the discipline itself was an act of profound, protective goodness. God is tov, and everything He does, even when it hurts, is tov. Therefore, the psalmist submits himself entirely to the Divine Teacher. If the discipline was this beneficial, how much more beneficial will the direct, daily instruction of His decrees be? Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses sixty-nine and seventy Arrogant people smear me with lies, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart. Their hearts are dull and heavy, but I delight in your instructions. While the psalmist embraces the discipline of God, he is simultaneously facing the malicious attacks of earthly enemies. "Arrogant people smear me with lies." Literally, the Hebrew text says, "The proud have forged a lie against me," or, "they have plastered me with falsehood." In the Divine Council worldview, we recognize that lying is the native tongue of the adversary. The rebel spirits operate through deception, and they use arrogant, human proxies to carry out their campaigns of disinformation. These proud individuals despise the psalmist’s loyalty to Yahweh, so they attempt to ruin his reputation, smearing his character with fabricated scandals. They want to bury him under a mountain of mud. But how does the psalmist respond to this vicious smear campaign? He does not launch a counter-attack. He does not hire a public relations firm, or stoop to their level of deceit. He simply strengthens his internal resolve: "...but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart." He lets his consistent, unshakeable integrity be his ultimate defense. When you are plastered with lies, the only way to wash off the mud is to stand firmly in the cleansing rain of God’s truth. He then provides a terrifying spiritual diagnosis of his attackers. "Their hearts are dull and heavy, but I delight in your instructions." The literal translation is incredibly graphic: "Their heart is as fat as grease." In the ancient world, a "fat heart" did not mean a loving or generous heart. It meant a heart that was covered in callouses, insensitive, numb, and entirely unresponsive. These arrogant mockers have engaged in so much deception, and have chased after the dark, material idols of the culture for so long, that their spiritual arteries are completely clogged. They cannot feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They are spiritually brain-dead. In sharp, beautiful contrast, the psalmist declares, "but I delight in your instructions." While their hearts are weighed down by the heavy grease of their own arrogance, his heart is light, joyful, and fully alive, dancing to the rhythm of the Creator’s cosmic blueprint. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses seventy-one and seventy-two My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver. As the stanza concludes, the psalmist brings the theme of "goodness" full circle. He makes a statement that is completely illogical to the natural,...
Welcome to Day 2827 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2827 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:57-64 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2827 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred twenty-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Heth of Inheritance – Choosing Our Ultimate Portion In our previous trek, we explored the seventh stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the "Zayin" section. We watched the psalmist draw the sword of remembrance, actively using the age-old regulations of God to fight off the suffocating contempt of the arrogant. We learned that while we live as exiles in a hostile, contested world, we can survive by turning our righteous indignation into songs of praise, and by actively remembering the Name of Yahweh during the darkest hours of the night. Today, we take our next deliberate step forward, climbing into the eighth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical mountain. We are stepping into the "Heth" section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses fifty-seven through sixty-four, in the New Living Translation. In the ancient Hebrew pictograph script, the letter "Heth" was often drawn to resemble a wall, a fence, or a tent enclosure. It represented a boundary, a separation, or a safe, protected sanctuary. This imagery is absolutely perfect for the verses we are about to explore. In this stanza, the psalmist is making a definitive choice about where he will pitch his tent, and where he will draw his boundary lines. He is surrounded by the chaotic traps of the wicked, but he chooses to enclose himself entirely within the inheritance of the Creator. Let us walk into this sanctuary, and learn what it means to claim Yahweh as our ultimate possession. The first segment is: The Cosmic Inheritance Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses fifty-seven and fifty-eight. Lord, you are mine! I promise to obey your words! With all my heart I want your blessings. Be merciful as you promised. The stanza opens with one of the most staggering, audacious declarations a human being can make. "Lord, you are mine!" Other, older translations render this phrase as, "The Lord is my portion," or "Yahweh is my inheritance." To truly comprehend the massive weight of this statement, we must view it through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, specifically the cosmic geography established by the Divine Council. According to Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty-Two, verses eight and nine, when God judged the rebellion at the Tower of Babel, He disinherited the nations. He divided them up, and allotted them to the jurisdiction of lesser spiritual beings, the sons of God. However, Yahweh kept one distinct group for Himself. The text says, "But the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage." Israel was God's chosen portion in a world that had been handed over to rebel gods. But here, the psalmist brilliantly flips that cosmic reality upside down. He looks up at the Creator of the universe, and says, "If I am Your portion, then You are my portion! I do not want the territory, the wealth, or the false promises offered by the rebel gods of the surrounding nations. I do not want the glittering idols of Babylon, or the fertile fields of Canaan. I want You. Yahweh, You are my inheritance." Because he has claimed the Most High God as his exclusive possession, he immediately follows it with a vow of absolute allegiance: "I promise to obey your words!" You cannot claim Yahweh as your portion, while simultaneously living by the rules of the kingdom of darkness. The inheritance requires loyalty. With his allegiance declared, the psalmist turns to desperate, wholehearted petition. "With all my heart I want your blessings. Be merciful as you promised." The literal Hebrew here is profoundly intimate. It says, "I have sought Your face with my whole heart." He is not just looking for a handout; he is seeking the very presence of the King. And he grounds this request entirely in God's character. "Be merciful," or be gracious, "as you promised." He is holding God to the covenant, trusting that the Lord will never abandon the one who has chosen Him as their ultimate boundary line. The second Segment is: The Pivot of Repentance and the Urgency of Obedience Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses fifty-nine and sixty. I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. Having declared his cosmic allegiance, the psalmist does something incredibly practical, and deeply challenging. He engages in honest, brutal self-reflection. "I pondered the direction of my life." Literally, the Hebrew text says, "I thought about my ways." In a noisy, distracted world, taking the time to truly inventory your own habits, your daily decisions, and your overarching trajectory, is a rare discipline. It requires you to stop moving, sit down, and ruthlessly evaluate where your current footsteps are taking you. The psalmist took a hard look at his life, and he apparently realized that his feet were drifting. He was wandering away from the safety of the "Heth" enclosure. What is the result of this honest reflection? "...and I turned to follow your laws." This is the biblical definition of repentance. Repentance is not just feeling sorry, or experiencing a fleeting moment of emotional guilt. Repentance is a pivot. It is the physical, deliberate action of turning your feet away from the path of chaos, and redirecting them back toward the testimonies of Yahweh. And notice the speed of this pivot. "I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands." When you realize you are walking through a minefield, you do not casually stroll back to the safe path. You move with intense urgency. The psalmist understands that lingering in the territory of the enemy is a deadly game. Every moment spent outside the boundary lines of God's cosmic order, is a moment exposed to the predatory forces of the rebel gods. Therefore, he does not procrastinate. He does not say, "I will align my life with God tomorrow, or next month, when things settle down." He hurries. He rushes back to the safety of obedience without a single second of delay. The Third Segment is: Anchored in the Night, Resistant to the Snare Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses sixty-one and sixty-two. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your instructions. I rise at midnight to thank you for your just regulations. The urgency of the psalmist is entirely justified, because the environment around him is violently hostile. He states, "Evil people try to drag me into sin." Other translations render this verse with a terrifying visual metaphor: "The cords of the wicked have ensnared me," or "The ropes of the wicked wrap around me." This directly echoes the imagery we saw back in Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, where the cords of death tried to strangle the believer. The wicked, acting as proxies for the dark, spiritual principalities of this world, are actively trying to trap the psalmist. They are setting spiritual tripwires, trying to drag him off the path of life, and bind him in the suffocating chains of rebellion. But the trap fails. Why? "...but I am firmly anchored to your instructions." Literally, "I have not forgotten your Torah." Because he hurried back to the path, and because he claimed Yahweh as his portion, his mind is heavily anchored. The ropes of the wicked might scrape against him, the culture might try to entangle him, but they cannot pull him down, because his roots are wrapped tightly around the immovable bedrock of God's Word. This profound sense of security leads to a radical, disruptive act of worship. "I rise at midnight to thank you for your just regulations." This connects beautifully to the previous stanza, where the psalmist remembered the Name of Yahweh in the night watches. Here, he takes it a step further. He physically gets out of bed at midnight. In the ancient Near East, midnight was the absolute peak of darkness, vulnerability, and fear. It was the time when the chaotic forces of the world felt the most oppressive. Yet, instead of lying awake in anxiety, paralyzed by the cords of the wicked, the psalmist shatters the silence of the dark with a shout of thanksgiving. He praises God for His "just regulations," or His righteous judgments. He remembers that God's cosmic justice will ultimately prevail over the wicked forces that are currently trying to trap him. He weaponizes his gratitude, turning his midnight fears into a sanctuary of praise. The fourth Segment is: The Fellowship of Exiles and the Earth Full of Hesed Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses sixty-three and...
Welcome to Day 2826 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel: A Biblical Response. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2826 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2826 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel: A Biblical Response. In recent years, two teachings have gained wide popularity both inside and outside the church: the Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel. Promoted in self-help books, social media, and even some pulpits, they promise health, wealth, and success to those who follow their formulas. To many, these messages sound like hope in an uncertain world. Yet beneath their appealing surface, both rest on foundations far removed from biblical truth. The Law of Attraction suggests that the universe responds to human thoughts and desires, delivering blessings when individuals focus positively. The Prosperity Gospel teaches that financial abundance and physical well-being are signs of God’s favor. Though they sound spiritual, both movements originate outside of Scripture and subtly reshape Christian faith into a pursuit of personal gain. The first segment is: Roots and Historical Background The Law of Attraction grew out of the 19th-century New Thought movement in America. Figures like Phineas Quimby and William Walker Atkinson blended mesmerism, Eastern ideas, and metaphysical speculation. They taught that sickness, poverty, and failure result from negative thinking, while success comes from visualizing the life one desires. These ideas found modern expression in books like The Secret and continue to influence popular culture. The Prosperity Gospel shares similar roots. In the early 20th century, E. W. Kenyon merged Christian language with New Thought ideas, teaching that believers could “speak” health and wealth into existence through faith-filled words. This laid the groundwork for the Word of Faith movement, further developed by preachers like Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and others. With the rise of televangelism and global media, the Prosperity Gospel spread rapidly. Both movements also reflect ancient patterns found in pagan religion, where prosperity was seen as proof of divine approval. Fertility cults promised abundance to those who performed rituals or gave offerings. The Prosperity Gospel repeats this logic, replacing ritual with faith declarations and calling it Christianity. The Second Segment is: Wealth in Scripture The Bible does not condemn wealth, and Jesus never taught that having riches is inherently wrong. What Scripture warns against is trusting in wealth or making it an idol. The love of money—not money itself—is the root of many kinds of evil. Wealth can distract, deceive, and distance people from depending on God. Scripture presents wealth as a test of stewardship. Believers are warned not to place their hope in riches but in God, who provides everything. The rich are called to be generous, to care for the poor, and to use their resources to advance God’s kingdom. The accumulation of wealth is never condemned, but hoarding it selfishly or viewing it as a sign of spiritual superiority is. Jesus cautioned that riches can choke out spiritual growth and make it harder to enter the kingdom. Yet He also welcomed the wealthy and honored faithful givers. The issue is not how much one has but where one’s treasure lies. Storing up treasure in heaven is the mark of a faithful heart. The third segment is: The True Source of Blessing Biblical blessing is not measured by outward success but by one’s relationship with God. Paul declared himself content whether in poverty or abundance because his strength came from Christ. He saw hardship, not comfort, as the training ground of faith. God’s promises center on salvation, sanctification, and eternal reward, not financial gain. Trials, sacrifice, and generosity are normal parts of the Christian life. The goal is not to manipulate spiritual laws for personal benefit but to seek first the kingdom of God and trust Him to provide what is truly needed. In Conclusion: The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel appeal to human desires but distort the message of Scripture. Their roots in paganism, New Thought, and self-focused religion expose them as counterfeits. They reduce God to a cosmic vending machine and faith to a technique for self-enrichment. The Bible offers a better way. Trust in God’s providence. Seek His kingdom. Use whatever resources you have to serve others. Whether rich or poor, the true reward is Christ Himself. To further your study, consider these Discussion Questions 1. How does the Prosperity Gospel distort the biblical view of wealth and blessing? 2. In what ways does the Law of Attraction contradict the doctrine of God’s sovereignty? 3. What dangers arise when Christian faith is reduced to a tool for personal success? 4. Why is it important to understand the historical and philosophical roots of these teachings? 5. How can believers cultivate a biblical view of contentment and generosity?
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn J.R.R. Tolkien’s Theological Imagination: Rebellion, Redemption, and the Divine Pattern. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly. Love Unconditionally. Listen Intentionally. Learn Continuously. Lend to others Generously. Lead with Integrity. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2825 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2825 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:49-56 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2825 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2825 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Zayin of Remembrance – Singing Through the Scorn In our previous trek, we journeyed through the sixth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the "Waw" section. We witnessed a profound transformation. We saw how clinging to the unfailing love of Yahweh grants us wide-open freedom, giving us the staggering courage to stand before earthly kings and boldly declare the truth, without a shred of shame. We learned that true liberty is not the absence of boundaries, but rather, it is operating perfectly within the cosmic order of the Creator. Today, we take our next deliberate step along this majestic, alphabetical trail. We are entering the seventh stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen. This section corresponds to the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter "Zayin." We will be immersing ourselves in verses forty-nine through fifty-six, in the New Living Translation. In ancient Hebrew pictographs, the letter "Zayin" was often depicted as a sword, or a weapon. That imagery is incredibly fitting for this stanza. When you stand up and speak boldly to the kings and the corrupt cultures of this world, as we did in the previous section, the world will inevitably fight back. The forces of chaos do not surrender quietly. In this stanza, the psalmist is facing fierce pushback. He is suffering, he is being mocked by the arrogant, and he is overwhelmed by the wickedness of the surrounding culture. To survive, he must draw his weapon. And his weapon is memory. He fights back by actively remembering the promises, the age-old regulations, and the very Name of the Most High God. Let us step onto the trail, and learn how to wield the sword of remembrance. The first segment is: The Anchor of Hope in the Storm Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses forty-nine and fifty. Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. The stanza opens with a bold, desperate plea directed at the Creator: "Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope." When we read the word "remember" in the Bible, we have to adjust our modern understanding. For humans, remembering is simply a mental exercise; it is recalling a fact that slipped our minds. But for God, remembering is an action. When God "remembers" His covenant, He acts upon it. When He remembered Noah, He sent the wind to dry up the floodwaters. When He remembered Abraham, He rescued Lot from the destruction of Sodom. The psalmist is crying out, "Lord, act on the word You gave Your servant. Move on my behalf!" He states that this promise is his "only hope." In a world dominated by rebel spiritual principalities, human promises are incredibly fragile. Political alliances fail, economies collapse, and earthly kings disappoint us. The word of Yahweh is the only anchor that can hold a human soul steady in the raging storm of the cosmic rebellion. Notice the immediate effect of this divine promise: "Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles." The Hebrew word for "revive" is chayah, meaning to bring back to life, to quicken, or to restore breath. The psalmist is deeply afflicted. He is weighed down by "all his troubles," feeling the gravitational pull of the grave. Yet, the moment he grips the promise of God, supernatural life flows back into his spiritual veins. The Word of God is not just an ancient historical document; it is a living, breathing mechanism of comfort that performs CPR on a dying, exhausted soul. The second segment is: Unshaken by the Arrogant Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses fifty-one and fifty-two. The proud hold me in utter contempt, but I do not turn away from your instructions. I meditate on your age-old regulations; O Lord, they comfort me. As the psalmist draws strength from God's promise, he describes the primary source of his current suffering: "The proud hold me in utter contempt." The "proud," or the arrogant, are a recurring theme in this grand psalm. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, these are the individuals who have aligned themselves with the rebel gods of the nations. They believe they are autonomous. They mock the idea of submitting to the invisible Creator, and they hold those who do submit in "utter contempt." They sneer, they ridicule, and they try to publicly shame the believer. They want the psalmist to feel foolish for trusting in a God he cannot see. But the psalmist deploys his weapon of memory. He declares, "but I do not turn away from your instructions." He refuses to buckle under the intense social pressure. He will not compromise his integrity just to appease the mocking elites of his culture. How does he maintain this fierce, unyielding posture? "I meditate on your age-old regulations; O Lord, they comfort me." This is a brilliant, strategic move. When the contemporary culture mocks you, you must zoom out and look at the eternal timeline. The psalmist calls God's laws "age-old regulations," or judgments from of old. He is remembering that God's cosmic order predates the current, temporary rebellion. Long before these proud mockers were born, and long after their earthly empires crumble to dust, the justice of Yahweh will stand firm. By meditating on the ancient, unshakeable reality of God's throne, the insults of the present moment suddenly lose their sting. The eternal perspective provides a thick, impenetrable shield of comfort against the fleeting contempt of the proud. The third segment: Righteous Indignation and Songs of Exile Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses fifty-three and fifty-four. I become furious with the wicked, because they reject your instructions. Your decrees have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived. The psalmist’s emotional landscape shifts from seeking comfort, to experiencing intense, burning zeal. "I become furious with the wicked, because they reject your instructions." The Hebrew word used here for "furious" implies a scorching heat, a burning wind, or a violent indignation. This is not petty, selfish anger because someone cut him off in traffic. This is righteous, holy wrath. Why is he so angry? Because the wicked "reject your instructions." He understands the devastating consequences of forsaking the Torah. When humanity rejects the Creator's blueprint, they invite the dark, chaotic forces of the Divine Council back into the world. They invite injustice, exploitation, and death. The psalmist loves God's order so deeply, that watching the wicked tear it down fills him with a burning, protective fury. Yet, he does not let this anger turn him into a bitter, cynical man. He channels that intense energy into something beautiful, and profoundly subversive. "Your decrees have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived." The literal Hebrew translation for "wherever I have lived" is "in the house of my sojourning," or "in the house of my exile." This ties directly back to what we learned in the "Gimel" stanza. The believer is a resident alien on this earth, living in hostile, contested territory. How do you survive a lifelong exile surrounded by arrogant mockers, and wicked rebels? You sing. You turn the eternal decrees of the King into poetry, and music. Singing the truths of Scripture embeds them deeply into your memory, and it projects the reality of God's Kingdom into the hostile airwaves of the world. In the dark, temporary lodging of his exile, the psalmist chooses to sing the triumphant songs of his permanent, heavenly home. The fourth segment is: The Night Watch and the Life Well-Spent Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses fifty-five and fifty-six. I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord; therefore, I obey your instructions. This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments. The stanza draws to a close with a quiet, deeply intimate reflection. "I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord; therefore, I obey your instructions." Literally, the text says, "I remember your Name in the night, O Yahweh." In the ancient Near East, the night was a terrifying time. It was the domain of predators, thieves, and the dark, spiritual forces of chaos. Without artificial light, the darkness was absolute, and isolating. It is in the middle of the night that our anxieties usually scream the loudest, and our fears try to overwhelm us. But the psalmist uses the stillness of the night...
Welcome to Day 2824 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2824 – Great Deeds, Strong Faith, Big God – Luke 5:12-26 Putnam Church Message – 02/22/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “Great Deeds, Strong Faith, Big God.” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “What It's Like to Fish With Jesus,” where we learned that fishing with Jesus looks nothing like fishing alone. Today, we continue with the thirteenth message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “Great Deeds, Strong Faith, Big God.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 5:12-26, found on page 1598 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. SCRIPTURE READING — Luke 5:12-26 (NIV) Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy 12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man 17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You aware that our vision of You is often too small. We confess that we shrink You down to the size of our schedules, our worries, and our expectations. Enlarge our vision today. Open our eyes to see Your authority, Your compassion, and Your power to forgive. Give us strong faith in a big God. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. When God Gets Too Small And it happens so subtly. / Israel had done it. / The Pharisees had done it. Even sincere believers can do it. By the time of Tiberius Caesar, Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate, Annas, and Caiaphas, God had been reduced to a cosmic scorekeeper — tallying good deeds, deducting points for bad behavior, enforcing Sabbath rules, inspecting hand-washing rituals, policing technicalities. God had become predictable. / Manageable. / Containable. / Small. And then Jesus walked into their world — and suddenly God began growing again. Luke 5:12–26 is not merely about miracles. / It is about vision. / It is about authority. /It is about discovering that God is far bigger than we imagined. Today we see: • A great deed • Strong faith • A very big God And the question Luke leaves hanging over the entire scene is this: Will our vision of God expand… or will we shrink Him back down? Main Point One: A Big God Touches the Untouchable (Luke 5:12–16) Let’s begin with the leper. Luke tells us: “In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy…” (Luke 5:12, NLT) Not a mild case. / Not a recent diagnosis. / “Advanced Case or Covered” — literally full of it. In the ancient world, leprosy was not just a medical condition. / It was social death. / It was religious exclusion. / It was isolation. Leviticus 13 required the leper to live outside the camp. / To cry out “Unclean!” / To avoid contact. |Imagine the loneliness. / Imagine the silence. / Imagine the years without touch. / He had likely not felt a human hand in years. And then he sees Jesus. And he falls on his face and says: “Lord, if You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.” (12) Notice what he does not say. / He does not question Jesus’ ability. / He questions His willingness. / Ability wasn’t the problem. / Acceptance was. And perhaps that’s where some of us live. / We don’t doubt that God can. / We wonder if He will. / Or if He wants to. / Or if we are worth touching. And then Luke records something breathtaking. “Jesus reached out and touched him.” / He touched him! / Jesus could have spoken the word from across the street. / He healed from miles away in John 4. / He commanded demons with a phrase. / But here — He touches. Why? Because the miracle was not only physical. / It was relational. / The leper didn’t just need cleansing. / He needed restoration. / He needed to feel accepted. / And in that moment, God got bigger. / The Pharisees saw uncleanness. / Jesus saw a man. Ancient Perspective In Jewish thought, leprosy symbolized sin. / It was visible corruption. / Outward manifestation of inward decay. / When Miriam was struck with leprosy (Numbers 12), it was associated with rebellion. / When Naaman was cleansed (2 Kings 5), it was seen as divine mercy. Rabbinic tradition even said curing leprosy was as difficult as raising the dead. / In other words, this was beyond human ability. / Which is exactly where Jesus operates. Object Lesson — Hold up a glove. Without a hand inside, it is lifeless. / Shapeless. Useless. / But when a hand enters it — suddenly it moves, grasps, functions. The leper’s life was like that glove. / Empty. / Isolated. / Untouchable. Until God entered his story. / The difference was not in the glove. / It was in the hand. Modern Analogy There are “lepers” today. / Not with skin disease. / But with stigma. / Addiction. Failure. / Public scandal. / Divorce. / Depression. / Bankruptcy. / Shame. Society and even some churches say: Keep your distance. Jesus says: Come here. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us: “We do not have a high priest who...
Welcome to Day 2823 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2823 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:41-48 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2823 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2823 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Waw of Freedom – Speaking Truth to Kings In our previous episode, we navigated the fifth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, known as the "He" section. There, we prayed an urgent, navigational prayer. We asked the Creator to turn our eyes away from the worthless, glittering idols of the culture, and to bend our affections toward His eternal decrees. We realized that, without divine intervention, our natural tendency is to wander off the path, lured by selfish gain and the deceptive promises of the surrounding world. But when Yahweh actively guides our steps, we find our true happiness within the safe boundaries of His cosmic order. Today, we take our next confident stride along this majestic, alphabetical trail. We are entering the sixth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, which corresponds to the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter "Waw," or "Vav." We will be immersing ourselves in verses forty-one through forty-eight, in the New Living Translation. In biblical Hebrew, the letter "Waw" functions primarily as a conjunction. It is the word "and." It is a hook, or a peg, that connects one thought to another. In fact, in the original Hebrew text, every single verse in this specific stanza begins with the word "And." This stanza serves as a magnificent bridge. It takes the internal, private devotion we built in the previous stanzas, and hooks it directly to external, public boldness. We are moving from the quiet prayer closet, out into the hostile, public square. We are going to learn how a heart anchored in the unfailing love of God can stand fearlessly before the mocking kings of this world. So, let us secure our gear, and step onto the trail. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses forty-one and forty-two. Lord, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me. Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word. The stanza opens with a desperate, yet highly confident, plea for tangible rescue. "Lord, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me." Here we see our old, familiar friend, the Hebrew word Hesed. This is God’s loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping love. But notice that the psalmist links this unfailing love directly to "salvation." He is not just asking for a warm, internal feeling of affection. He is asking for a visible, concrete deliverance. He needs God to physically intervene in his life, and rescue him from a very real, very present danger. He is holding God to His own promises, reminding the Creator of the covenant they share. And why does he need this visible salvation so urgently? "Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word." In the Ancient Near Eastern culture, honor and shame were the absolute driving forces of society. To be taunted, or mocked, was not just an issue of hurt feelings; it was an act of public, spiritual warfare. We must view this through the lens of the Divine Council worldview. The people who are taunting the psalmist are not just schoolyard bullies. They are representatives of the surrounding pagan nations, driven by the rebel spiritual principalities of the unseen world. These mockers look at the psalmist's suffering, and they sneer. They say, "Where is your God? You follow His invisible laws, you refuse to worship our idols, and yet, look at you! You are suffering. Your God is weak, and your trust is completely foolish." The psalmist knows that he cannot win this argument with clever human philosophy. The only way to silence the taunts of the rebel gods, and their human proxies, is for Yahweh to visibly show up. When God’s Hesed arrives in the form of tangible salvation, it becomes the ultimate apologetic. It provides the definitive answer to the mockers. The psalmist can point to his deliverance and say, "Look! My God is alive. He keeps His word, and my trust was perfectly placed." Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses forty-three and forty-four. Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever. While he waits for this visible vindication, the psalmist voices his deepest, most profound fear. "Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope." What does it mean for God to snatch His word of truth away? In the biblical framework, this is the terrifying concept of divine silence. If you remember the history of Israel, there were seasons of intense rebellion where God withdrew His prophetic voice. The heavens became like brass. A famine of hearing the words of the Lord swept through the land. To be stripped of God's truth is the ultimate, catastrophic judgment. The psalmist is essentially pleading, "Lord, no matter how intense the mocking gets, and no matter how long I have to wait for my salvation, please do not let me lose my grip on Your reality. Do not let the truth slip from my mouth. If I lose Your regulations, I lose everything, because they are my only hope." In a chaotic, contested world, the Torah is not a burden; it is a life raft. When the storms of cultural opposition rage, the instructions of the Creator are the only things that keep us from drowning in the abyss. Because he recognizes this profound reality, he makes a sweeping, eternal commitment: "I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever." This is not a temporary, weekend commitment. This is a cosmic allegiance. The psalmist is declaring that his loyalty to Yahweh extends beyond his current crisis, beyond his earthly lifespan, and straight into eternity. He is locking his will onto the unshakeable foundation of the Divine Architect. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses forty-five and forty-six. I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed. These two verses contain one of the most brilliant, mind-bending paradoxes in the entire Bible. The psalmist boldly declares, "I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments." In our modern, Western culture, we have completely redefined the concept of freedom. We tend to think that true freedom means absolute autonomy—the ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want, without any external rules or restrictions. But the ancient, biblical mind knew that autonomy from the Creator is a deceptive, deadly trap. If a train decides to free itself from the tracks, it does not find liberation; it finds destruction. The Hebrew word translated as "freedom" here is rachabah, which literally means "a wide, broad, or open place." We saw this exact concept back in Psalm One Hundred Eighteen. True freedom is not the absence of boundaries; it is operating exactly as you were designed to operate, within the safe, wide-open spaces of God’s grace. The psalmist experiences expansive, breathing room in his soul, precisely because he has devoted himself to God's commandments. When you align your life with the grain of the universe, you are no longer crashing into the destructive, chaotic consequences of sin. You are truly, wonderfully free. And this internal freedom produces massive, external courage. "I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed." Do not miss the staggering audacity of this statement. In the ancient Near East, kings were not just politicians. They were the supreme, absolute rulers of their domains. More importantly, in the pagan worldview, kings were viewed as the literal sons of the gods. They were the earthly pontiffs, the avatars, of the rebel spiritual principalities. To stand before a foreign king was to stand before the concentrated power of the kingdom of darkness. Yet, the psalmist says he will walk right into the throne room, look the king in the eye, and speak about the laws of Yahweh. He will declare the supreme, cosmic authority of the God of Israel over the pagan pantheons. And he will do it without a shred of shame or fear. This is the exact same courage we see later in the Bible, when Daniel stands before Nebuchadnezzar, or when the Apostle Paul stands before King Agrippa. When you are walking in the wide-open freedom of God's truth, the intimidating thrones of human kings suddenly look very small. You realize that you serve the King of Kings, and therefore, you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses forty-seven and forty-eight. How I delight in your commands!...
Welcome to Day 2822 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2822 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:33-40 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2822 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred twenty-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Directed Gaze – Turning Our Eyes from Worthless Things In our previous episode, we crawled through the dust of the fourth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, the Dalet section. We stood beside the psalmist as he confessed his profound, crushing depression. His soul was melting from heavy grief, and the gravitational pull of death was trying to drag him down into the dirt. Yet, in that dark place, he made a fierce, stubborn choice. He chose the way of truth. He asked the Creator to revive him, to remove the deceptive lies of the enemy, and to enlarge his constricted heart. The stanza ended with a glorious, triumphant picture: a man, previously paralyzed in the dust, suddenly standing up and running freely in the wide-open spaces of God’s grace. Today, we take our next stride along this majestic, alphabetical trail. We are entering the fifth stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, which corresponds to the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter "He." We will be immersing ourselves in verses thirty-three through forty, in the New Living Translation. If the previous stanza was about getting up from the dust and finding the energy to run, this stanza is about finding the right direction. A runner with a massive, enlarged heart, and boundless energy, is entirely useless if he is running on the wrong path, or looking in the wrong direction. The psalmist realizes that he has the motivation to obey, but he desperately needs divine supervision to keep his eyes, and his heart, from being hijacked by the glittering, deceptive idols of the surrounding culture. Let us step onto the trail, and listen to this urgent, beautiful prayer for guidance. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses thirty-three through thirty-five. Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. The stanza opens with a rapid-fire sequence of urgent requests. "Teach me," "Give me understanding," and "Make me walk." The psalmist recognizes a fundamental truth about human nature: we are not naturally prone to walking in the cosmic order of Yahweh. Left to our own devices, our default setting is to wander. Therefore, he cries out, "Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end." The Hebrew word for "teach" used here is yarah, which is actually the root word for Torah, or instruction. It literally means to point out, to aim, or to shoot an arrow in a specific direction. The psalmist is essentially saying, "Lord, aim my life. Point me down the exact corridor of Your decrees. If You set my trajectory, I will stay on it all the way to the finish line." But he knows that blind obedience is not the ultimate goal of the Creator. God does not want mindless robots; He wants wise, discerning imagers. So, the psalmist adds, "Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart." Understanding is the bridge between knowing the rules, and loving the Lawgiver. When we truly understand the architectural brilliance of God's commands—when we see that they are designed to protect us, and to cause human flourishing—our obedience shifts from begrudging duty, to wholehearted passion. We do not just do the bare minimum; we put the instructions into practice with every ounce of our being. Yet, even with a willing heart, the physical execution can be difficult. So, he asks for a gentle, divine push: "Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found." It is a fascinating paradox. He asks to be made to walk, to be compelled, or guided by a firm hand. In the modern, Western world, we often equate being compelled with oppression. We think true happiness is found in absolute, unrestricted autonomy, where we can invent our own morality, and forge our own paths. But the ancient, biblical mind knew better. Absolute autonomy in a fallen, dangerous world simply leads to chaos, destruction, and the grave. The psalmist declares that true happiness, true Ashrei, or flourishing joy, is only found inside the boundary lines of God's commands. He wants God to act like a loving shepherd, using the staff to nudge him back onto the safe, narrow path, because he knows that stepping off the path means stepping into the jaws of the wolves. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses thirty-six and thirty-seven. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. As the psalmist asks to be kept on the path, he identifies the two greatest threats to his spiritual trajectory: internal greed, and external distractions. He prays, "Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!" Other translations render this as, "Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain." The Hebrew word is betsa, which implies covetousness, dishonest gain, or an obsessive craving for material wealth. We must view this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. The surrounding pagan nations were ruled by rebel spiritual principalities from the Divine Council. The primary way these dark, rebellious entities lured humanity into idolatry, was by promising material prosperity, fertile lands, and excessive wealth. The worship of Baal, for example, was an economic transaction. You sacrificed to the storm god so that he would send rain, make your crops grow, and increase your bank account. The psalmist recognizes that his own human heart is incredibly susceptible to this exact temptation. It is so easy to stop desiring the wisdom of God, and start desiring the comforts of the world. He asks Yahweh to perform a supernatural tilt. "Incline my heart toward Your laws. Bend my affections away from the hollow promise of wealth, and force them to lock onto the enduring riches of Your covenant." But the battle is not just in the heart; it is also in the eyes. He pleads, "Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word." This is perhaps the most critical, and desperately needed, prayer for our modern age. The Hebrew phrase for "worthless things" is shav, which means vanity, emptiness, falsehood, or a mirage. In the context of the Old Testament, shav was frequently used as a derogatory term for pagan idols. An idol was a worthless thing. It looked shiny, it was covered in silver and gold, but as we saw in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, it had no breath, no life, and no power. The rebel gods of the nations constantly parade their glittering, worthless idols in front of the believer, trying to hijack our gaze. If they can capture our eyes, they can capture our imagination, and eventually, our feet will follow. Today, we may not walk past bronze statues of Baal, but our eyes are constantly assaulted by worthless things. We stare at screens filled with superficial vanity, cultural outrage, and the endless pursuit of status. These are the modern idols, and they are expertly designed to steal our gaze. The psalmist knows he cannot always trust himself to look away. The hypnotic power of the world is too strong. So, he asks the Creator to physically intervene: "Turn my eyes." Literally, "Make my eyes pass over, or avert my gaze." He asks God to snap his head back toward the Torah. He knows that staring at worthless things brings spiritual death, but looking at the Word of God brings abundant, eternal life. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses thirty-eight through forty. Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you. Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. Having asked for his heart to be inclined, and his eyes to be averted, the psalmist now asks for emotional stabilization. "Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you." Or, as it can be translated, "Establish your word to your servant, which produces reverence for you." When we turn our eyes away from the glittering promises of the culture, we can sometimes feel a sense of loss, or vulnerability. The world tells us that if we do not chase after money, status, and vanity, we will be left behind. In those moments
Welcome to Day 2821 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Our Rights Come from Yahweh, Not Government: Remembering Our Identity as His Imagers. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2821 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2821 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Our Rights Come from Yahweh, Not Government: Remembering Our Identity as His Imagers. Every generation must wrestle with a foundational question: Where do our rights come from? Are they granted by kings or constitutions? Earned by the powerful or secured by majority vote? According to the biblical worldview, the answer is none of these. Our rights come from Yahweh, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. To suggest they originate from human authority is not only false, it is blasphemous. It denies the Creator’s role, rejects our identity as His imagers, and places man on a throne that belongs to God. The first segment is: Imagers of Yahweh: The Source of Human Dignity and Rights. Genesis one verses twenty-six and twenty-seven declares that humanity was created in the image of God. This status is not abstract theology; it is the foundation of human dignity, moral agency, and inalienable rights. As tselem Elohim, or image-bearers of God, we were designed to reflect His justice, creativity, and authority into creation. These rights are not privileges handed down by human rulers. They are built into our identity. A just government can recognize them, but it cannot invent, redefine, or revoke them without attempting to overrule the divine order. The second segment is: Psalm 82: A Warning to Overreaching Authorities. Psalm eighty-two gives a powerful warning to rulers, both spiritual and earthly, who abandon justice and seek divine status for themselves. Yahweh stands in the midst of the divine council and declares: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” (Psalm eighty-two verses two and three) These elohim—spiritual beings set over the nations after Babel (cf. Deuteronomy 32:8)—were supposed to govern in service to Yahweh’s justice. But they became corrupt, turning authority into domination and stewardship into self-exaltation. God’s judgment is clear: “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (Psalm eighty-two verses six and seven) Even divine beings are not above accountability. When rulers, spiritual or human, begin to claim what is Yahweh’s, they are sentenced to judgment and death. This psalm is not just a critique of heavenly rebellion. It is a warning to every earthly power that seeks to elevate itself above the boundaries of its commission. The third segment is: God-Ordained Government: Good When Restrained. It is vital to understand that government itself is not evil. Scripture makes clear in Romans thirteen verses one through four that governing authorities have been instituted by God to uphold justice, reward good, and punish evil. When functioning within their God-ordained limits, governments are a blessing, a mechanism to restrain sin, protect the weak, and preserve order. “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad… for he is God’s servant for your good.” (Romans thirteen verses three and four) But government is a servant, not a source. It is a minister, not a maker of rights. When it forgets this and begins to act as a god, declaring what is right and wrong apart from Yahweh, redefining humanity, or demanding worship in the form of absolute obedience, it follows the path of the rebellious elohim in Psalm eighty-two. The fourth segment is: The Blasphemy of Rights by Government Decree. To say that rights come from government is not a neutral civic claim; it is theological theft. It denies the Creator and elevates human authority beyond its limits. In doing so, it commits a form of blasphemy by attributing to man what belongs only to Yahweh. This is the great danger of modern political ideologies that redefine liberty, marriage, life, speech, and even identity based on the will of the state. These are not new visions of justice; they are echoes of Psalm 82’s corruption. The fourth segment is: A Battle of Allegiances. This is not just a political issue, it’s a matter of worship. Who defines right and wrong? Who gives life value? Who has the final authority? If we answer with “the state,” then we have bowed to a false god. Believers must remember that we are citizens of a higher Kingdom. Our allegiance is first to Yahweh. While we are to honor legitimate government, we are also called to oppose any authority that claims divine status by redefining what God has already declared. In Conclusion Psalm eighty-two ends with a cry that echoes across time: “Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all the nations!” (Psalm 82:8) Yahweh is the true and final Judge. All powers, spiritual and earthly, will answer to Him. As His imagers, we are to reflect His truth, proclaim His justice, and resist the lie that our rights come from anywhere else. Governments matter, but only when they know their place. Our rights are not permissions granted by rulers. They are divine gifts. To deny this is not just wrong. It is blasphemy. For further study consider theses Discussion Questions. 1. How does Psalm 82 illustrate the dangers of authorities claiming divine status? 2. Why is it important to distinguish between government as a servant versus a source of rights? 3. What happens to human dignity when governments redefine what it means to be human? 4. How can Christians honor legitimate government while resisting blasphemous claims of sovereignty? 5. What are some modern examples of governments stepping beyond their God-given role?
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn The Law of Attraction and the Prosperity Gospel: A Biblical Response. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly. Love Unconditionally. Listen Intentionally. Learn Continuously. Lend to others Generously. Lead with Integrity. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to, “Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your journey, and create a great day, every day! Join me next time for more daily wisdom!Redefined
Welcome to Day 2820 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2820 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:25-32 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2820 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2820 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Rising from the Dust – The Choice of the Enlarged Heart In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the third stanza of the towering mountain that is Psalm One Hundred Nineteen. We explored the "Gimel" section, where the psalmist prayed for his eyes to be opened to the wondrous, supernatural realities hidden within God's instructions. We recognized a profound truth: to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom is to be a foreigner, an exile, on this earth. We learned how to seek the counsel of the Creator’s decrees, even when the arrogant princes and the rebel spiritual forces of this world conspire against us. Today, we take our next determined step forward, moving into the fourth stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical masterpiece. We are stepping into the "Dalet" section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses twenty-five through thirty-two, in the New Living Translation. If the previous stanza was about looking around at a hostile, foreign landscape, this new stanza is about looking down at the dirt. The external pressure of living in a contested, fallen world has taken a severe internal and physical toll on the psalmist. He is emotionally exhausted, spiritually depleted, and feeling the heavy, suffocating weight of his own mortality. He has hit rock bottom. But from that place of utter desperation, he makes a powerful, deliberate choice to reject the lies of the enemy, and to cling fiercely to the truth of Yahweh. Let us walk into the valley of the dust, and learn how to run again. The first segment is: The Dust of Mortality and the Breath of Life Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses twenty-five through twenty-seven. I lie in the dust; revive me by your word. I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees. Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. The stanza opens with a stark, devastating confession: "I lie in the dust." Other translations render this as, "My soul clings to the dust." To fully grasp the gravity of this statement, we must view it through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. In biblical cosmology, the "dust" is not just dirt on the ground. It is the ultimate symbol of mortality, the curse, and the grave. In Genesis Chapter Three, after the cosmic rebellion in Eden, humanity was told, "For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." Furthermore, the dust is the domain of the Serpent—the dark, rebel entity of the Divine Council—who was cursed to eat dust all the days of his life. When the psalmist says his soul is clinging to the dust, he is saying that he feels the gravitational pull of the underworld. He is depressed, broken, and knocking on the doors of Sheol. The chaotic forces of death are actively trying to pull him down into the dirt. But look at his immediate response. He does not surrender to the dust. He cries out, "Revive me by your word." The Hebrew word for "revive" is chayah, which means to give life, to quicken, or to restore. The psalmist is asking for a reversal of the curse of Eden. Just as God initially breathed the breath of life into the dust to create the first human, the psalmist is asking God to breathe His living Word into this current state of deadness, to re-create him, and to pull him back into the land of the living. He continues, "I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees." This reveals a deeply intimate, transparent relationship with the Creator. The psalmist has not hidden his ambitions, his failures, or his dead-end strategies from God. He laid all his human plans on the table. And what was the result? He realized his own plans were insufficient to get him out of the dust. Therefore, he pivots, begging for divine instruction. He trades his fragile, flawed human plans for the eternal decrees of the Most High. He pleads, "Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds." When you are lying in the dust, you do not need superficial platitudes; you need deep, structural understanding. He wants to comprehend the architecture of God’s cosmic order. If he can just understand how Yahweh has ordered the universe, he can fix his mind on those wonderful deeds, rather than the despair of his current situation. The second segment is: Melting in Sorrow and Rejecting the Lie Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine. I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word. Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions. The intense emotional agony continues into verse twenty-eight. "I weep with sorrow." The literal Hebrew translation is incredibly poetic and painful: "My soul melts from heaviness," or "My soul drops away from grief." Have you ever experienced a sorrow so profound, a grief so heavy, that you felt like your very identity was dissolving? That your strength was literally melting away like wax before a fire? That is the Dalet experience. The psalmist is physically and spiritually liquefying under the pressure of his exile. His remedy remains consistent: "Encourage me by your word." Literally, "Raise me up according to your word." If his soul is melting and dropping down to the dust, he needs the supernatural leverage of God's promises to lift him back up to a standing position. And then, he makes a fascinating, crucial pivot in verse twenty-nine. He prays, "Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions." Older translations render this as, "Remove from me the way of deceit." In the context of the Divine Council worldview, the "way of deceit" is the operating system of the rebel gods. The cosmic rebellion is fundamentally built upon a lie—the lie that humanity can flourish independently from the Creator, that we can be our own gods, and that we can define good and evil for ourselves. When we are melting in sorrow, the enemy will always offer us a deceptive, shortcut solution. The way of falsehood whispers, "Just compromise. Just take matters into your own hands. Just numb the pain with the idols of this culture." The psalmist recognizes how vulnerable he is to these lies when he is in the dust. He begs Yahweh to graciously remove the path of falsehood from his vision. The ultimate antidote to cosmic deception is the gracious gift of God's instructions. The Torah is the anchor of reality. It prevents us from lying to ourselves when the darkness tries to distort our vision. The third segment is: The Stubborn Choice of Truth Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses thirty and thirty-one. I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. I cling to your laws. Lord, don’t let me be put to shame! Having asked God to remove the way of deceit, the psalmist now exercises his human agency. He makes a fierce, stubborn, definitive choice. "I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations." Literally, the Hebrew reads, "I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your judgments before me." This is a profound moment of spiritual maturity. Faith is not just a passive feeling; it is an active, deliberate choice, especially when your soul is melting. In the middle of the dust, surrounded by the lies of the rebel principalities, the psalmist stakes his claim. He places the judgments of God right in front of his face, so that they become the only lens through which he views the world. Because he has made this choice, he takes action: "I cling to your laws." Notice the beautiful contrast here. Back in verse twenty-five, his soul was clinging to the dust. The gravity of death had a hold on him. But now, through an act of the will, he redirects his grip. He lets go of the dust, and he violently cleaves to the testimonies of Yahweh. He holds onto the Word of God like a drowning man holding onto a life raft in a hurricane. And because he is clinging to the True King, he makes a bold appeal: "Lord, don’t let me be put to shame!" In the ancient Near East, honor and shame were the ultimate social currencies. To be put to shame meant that your trust was misplaced, that your God had failed you, and that the mocking, hostile nations were right all along. The psalmist is essentially saying, "Yahweh, I have bet my entire existence on Your way of truth. I am clinging exclusively to Your laws. If I go down, Your reputation...
Welcome to Day 2819 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. Putnam Church Message – 02/15/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “What It's Like to Fish With Jesus.” Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “Ministry at the Grassroots Level,” where we learned what true ministry included. Today, we continue with the twelfth message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “What It's Like to Fish With Jesus.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 5:1-11, found on page 1597 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. Introduction: When You’ve Fished All Night and Caught Nothing There are moments in life when effort and outcome simply don’t line up. You did everything right. / You prepared. / You stayed up late. / You worked hard. You relied on your experience and training. / And still—nothing. That’s where Luke places us at the beginning of chapter five. Not at the height of excitement. Not at a revival service. Not at a mountaintop moment. But at the shoreline…early in the morning…with tired, smelly men washing empty nets. Luke has already shown us Jesus preaching with authority, confronting evil, healing the sick, and drawing crowds. But now, the story slows down. The camera zooms in. And instead of crowds, we find fishermen—ordinary men—at the end of a long, disappointing night. This is not accidental. Because this is where discipleship begins. Main Point 1: Jesus Meets Us in the Weariness of Our Ordinary Work (Luke 5:1–3) “One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.” (Luke 5:1–2, NLT) The Scene Luke Wants Us to See Luke is a careful storyteller. He wants us to notice details. It’s morning. The fishermen are done. The nets are empty. The boats are idle. These men—Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John—are not amateurs. Fishing is their livelihood. Their families depend on it. Their reputations are tied to it. In the first century, fishing on the Sea of Galilee was serious business. Night fishing was the norm because fish stayed near the surface in cooler temperatures. To come back empty after an entire night wasn’t just frustrating—it was financially dangerous. And now, exhausted and discouraged, they are washing nets they barely used. That’s when Jesus steps into the picture. Not with fireworks. Not with angels. Not with thunder. But by asking for a boat. Jesus Steps into Simon’s Boat “Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.” (Luke 5:3, NLT) Jesus doesn’t interrupt their work to scold them. He doesn’t explain anything. He doesn’t promise a miracle. He simply asks Simon to let Him use what he already has. A boat. A place of work. A familiar setting. Object Lesson #1: The Boat Hold up my iPhone: “This boat and my iPhone represent the ordinary places of our lives—our work, our routines, our responsibilities. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be rested, inspired, or successful. He steps right into the middle of our exhaustion.” Simon’s boat had just failed him as a fishing platform. But it becomes a pulpit for the Son of God. What Simon thought was an instrument of disappointment became a platform for divine teaching. Ancient Perspective: God Has Always Worked This Way This moment fits a familiar biblical pattern. * God met Moses while he was tending sheep (Exodus 3). * God called Gideon while he was hiding in a winepress (Judges 6). * God spoke to Elijah not in fire or wind, but in a whisper (1 Kings 19).
God consistently enters lives at the point of ordinary obedience—not spiritual readiness. The fishermen weren’t praying. They weren’t seeking guidance. They weren’t expecting a call. They were cleaning up after failure. Modern Analogy: The Office, the Kitchen, the Garage Most people don’t encounter God in dramatic settings. They encounter Him: * At a desk, staring at an unfinished project. * At a kitchen sink, washing dishes again. * In a hospital hallway, waiting for news. * In a garage, fixing something broken—again.
Jesus still steps into boats like that. And often, He does not explain what He’s about to do. He simply asks, “Can I use this?” Why This Matters Simon lets Jesus use the boat—but notice something important. / Simon is still tired. / Still discouraged. / Still empty-handed. Yet he makes space for Jesus anyway. / That’s the first step of discipleship. / Not confidence. / Not clarity. / But availability. Summary of Main Point 1 Jesus does not wait for us to be strong before calling us. He does not require success before involvement. He meets us in weariness and uses what feels inadequate. Discipleship begins when we allow Jesus into the ordinary places of our lives—especially when we are tired, discouraged, and empty-handed. __________________________________________________________________ Main Point 2 - When Jesus Asks Us to Try Again Where We Already Failed (Luke 5:4–7) The Most Irritating Command Jesus Could Have Given “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’” (Luke 5:4, NLT) This is the moment where the story shifts from calm to uncomfortable. / Up to now, Simon has been polite. / He let Jesus use the boat. / He listened while cleaning nets. / He stayed out of the way. But now Jesus crosses a line. / Jesus stops preaching…turns to a professional fisherman… and tells him how to do his job. / Not only that—Jesus tells him to do it wrong. / Fish at the wrong time. / In the wrong place. / After the wrong result. And not just a net— “let down your nets.” Plural. Simon’s Response: Respectful, Honest, and Reluctant “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” (Luke 5:5, NLT) This may be one of the most relatable verses in all of Scripture. / Simon doesn’t argue—but he doesn’t pretend either. / You can almost hear the tone: “Jesus… I respect You. / But just so we’re clear— we already tried this.” / This is not blind enthusiasm. / This is exhausted obedience. / And that’s important. Ancient Perspective: This Was a Professional Embarrassment In first-century Jewish culture, /skill and experience mattered deeply. A craftsman’s honor was tied to competence. Simon wasn’t just tired—his identity was wrapped up in his ability to provide. Fishing again wasn’t just inconvenient. / It risked public humiliation. / Crowds were watching. / Other fishermen were nearby. / Everyone could see empty nets. Failure in private is painful. / Failure in public is devastating. / And Jesus tells Simon to go back into the very waters that already told him “no.” Object Lesson #2: The Empty Net Hold up an empty net— “This net represents the places where we already tried: The prayers we prayed. / The efforts we made. / The conversations we had. / And nothing happened.” / Jesus doesn’t ask Simon to fish somewhere new. / He sends him back to the place of disappointment. Why Jesus Does This Because dependence cannot grow where confidence still reigns. / As long as Simon believed success came from his experience, strength, and strategy, he could never learn what it meant to follow Jesus. Jesus isn’t testing Simon’s fishing ability. He’s testing his trust. The Miracle Happens Suddenly—and Overwhelmingly “And this time their nets were so full of fish they...
Welcome to Day 2818 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2818 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:17-24 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2818 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2818 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Eyes of the Exile – Uncovering Wonders in a Foreign Land In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we climbed through the second stanza of the towering mountain that is Psalm One Hundred Nineteen. We explored the "Bet" section, where we learned the ultimate strategy for maintaining purity in a highly contested, spiritually hostile world. The psalmist taught us that human effort alone is not enough. We must actively stockpile, or hide, the Word of Yahweh in the command center of our hearts, treating His cosmic blueprint as our greatest treasure. We vowed to delight in His decrees, and to never forget His life-giving instructions. Today, we take our next determined step forward, moving into the third stanza of this magnificent, alphabetical masterpiece. We are stepping into the "Gimel" section, covering Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses seventeen through twenty-four, in the New Living Translation. If the previous stanza was about internalizing the Word within the safety of the heart, this new stanza is about opening our eyes, and stepping outside into a dangerous, foreign landscape. The psalmist recognizes a profound, unsettling truth: to belong to Yahweh is to be an alien on this earth. The world around us is governed by hostile forces, arrogant mockers, and conspiring princes. In order to survive this exile, we do not just need to memorize the rules; we need our spiritual vision drastically altered. We need to see the hidden reality behind the text. Let us unpack this rich, eye-opening prayer. The first segment is: The Plea for Life and Spiritual Vision Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses seventeen and eighteen. Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. The psalmist begins this stanza with a fundamental request for survival. “Be good to your servant, that I may live, and obey your word.” Notice the deeply interconnected relationship between God’s grace, human life, and faithful obedience. The psalmist is not asking for life merely to enjoy earthly pleasures, amass wealth, or build a personal empire. He requests the gift of continued existence for one specific, defining purpose: to obey the Word of God. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, life and obedience were intrinsically linked. To step outside of the Torah—the loving instructions of the Creator—was to step outside the realm of life, and into the realm of chaos, and ultimately, death. Therefore, the psalmist is crying out for God’s loyal covenant love, His Hesed, to sustain his physical breath, so that his spiritual loyalty can continue to flourish. But mere physical survival is not enough. He needs spiritual illumination. He prays, “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.” The Hebrew word used here for “open” literally means to uncover, or to strip away a covering. The psalmist is admitting a profound human limitation. You can have the scroll of the law sitting right in front of you. You can have perfect 20/20 physical vision, and be able to read every single syllable on the parchment. Yet, without the supernatural intervention of God, your spiritual eyes will remain veiled. You will only see dry, ancient regulations. You will miss the lifeblood of the text. And what is he asking to see? “The wonderful truths,” or as other translations render it, “the wondrous things,” out of the law. The Hebrew word is niflaot, which refers to acts of divine intervention, supernatural miracles, and the mysterious, awe-inspiring workings of Yahweh. The psalmist understands that the Torah is not just a civic code; it is a portal into the Divine Council. It reveals the very mind, character, and cosmic architecture of the Uncreated God. He is begging God to pull back the curtain, allowing him to perceive the supernatural reality vibrating beneath the ink on the page. The second segment is: The Cry of the Cosmic Exile Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses nineteen and twenty. I am but a foreigner here on earth; don’t hide your commands from me! I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations. Having asked for his eyes to be opened, the psalmist makes a startling confession about his own identity. "I am but a foreigner here on earth." Other translations say, "I am a sojourner," or "a stranger." To comprehend the weight of this statement, we must look at it through the lens of cosmic geography, as taught by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. At the Tower of Babel, as recorded in Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty-Two, verse eight, God disinherited the nations of the earth, dividing them up and placing them under the administration of lesser, spiritual beings—the sons of God. These beings eventually rebelled, demanding worship for themselves, and plunged the nations into idolatry and chaos. Because the nations are ruled by these corrupt, rebel principalities, the earth is currently contested territory. Therefore, any human being who pledges their ultimate loyalty to Yahweh, the Most High God, instantly becomes a resident alien. If you follow the Creator, you are living behind enemy lines. You do not belong to the corrupt systems, the pagan value structures, or the spiritual darkness of this age. You are a citizen of a different, higher kingdom. Because he is navigating this dangerous, foreign terrain, the psalmist feels a desperate sense of urgency. He pleads, "Don’t hide your commands from me!" If you are wandering through a hostile, unfamiliar wilderness, the one thing you cannot afford to lose is your map. The commands of God are his only reliable compass in a world designed to disorient and destroy him. This produces an intense, physical craving within him. "I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations." The literal Hebrew paints a picture of a soul that is crushed, or consumed, by its longing. He is homesick for the culture of Heaven. The only way he can soothe the ache of his exile, is by immersing himself in the regulations of his true King. The third segment is: Enduring the Scorn of the Arrogant Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses twenty-one and twenty-two. You rebuke the arrogant; those who wander from your commands are cursed. Don’t let them scorn and insult me, for I have obeyed your laws. Living as a foreigner inevitably draws unwanted attention. The citizens of the rebel kingdom do not like those who march to the beat of a different drum. The psalmist notes the reality of divine justice: "You rebuke the arrogant; those who wander from your commands are cursed." The "arrogant" are those who believe they do not need the Creator's map. They are the proud, self-sufficient individuals who think they can safely navigate the cosmic rebellion on their own terms. They wander away from the safety of the Torah, charting their own moral courses. But the psalmist knows the spiritual law of the universe: wandering from the Source of Life automatically places you under a curse. To disconnect from Yahweh is to step into the void. These arrogant wanderers, however, are not quiet. They actively attack the faithful. The psalmist prays, "Don’t let them scorn and insult me, for I have obeyed your laws." When you choose to live a life of integrity, when you refuse to compromise with the corrupt practices of your culture, the culture will respond with contempt. They will mock your purity, sneer at your devotion, and label your obedience as foolishness. This scorn can be deeply demoralizing. The psalmist brings this heavy social burden directly to God. He asks the Lord to roll away the reproach, essentially saying, "Lord, I am taking a beating down here because of my loyalty to You. Please, vindicate my obedience, and silence the insults of those who despise Your ways." The fourth segment is: The Counsel of the Divine Decrees Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses twenty-three and twenty-four. Even princes sit and speak against me, but I will meditate on your decrees. Your laws please me; they give me wise advice. The opposition the psalmist faces is not just coming from the common people in the marketplace. The attack escalates to the highest levels of power. "Even princes sit and speak against me." The Hebrew word for princes is sarim. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, sarim could refer to human political...
Welcome to Day 2817 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2817 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2817 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2817 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Bet of Purity – Treasuring the Blueprint of the Cosmos. In our previous trek, we embarked on the monumental journey up the tallest mountain in the Psalter: Psalm One Hundred Nineteen. We explored the opening "Aleph" stanza, verses one through eight. There, we learned that true, flourishing joy is found exclusively by walking in the cosmic order of Yahweh’s Torah. We recognized the agonizing tension of wanting to live a life of perfect integrity, while simultaneously battling our own inconsistency. We ended that trek with a raw, desperate plea, begging the Creator not to give up on us when our human resolve falters. Today, we take our next step along this magnificent, alphabetical trail. We are moving into the second stanza of Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, which corresponds to the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet: "Bet." We will be immersing ourselves in verses nine through sixteen, in the New Living Translation. If the Aleph stanza presented the grand, overarching theory of a blessed life, the Bet stanza gets incredibly practical. It moves from the cosmic blueprint down to the trenches of daily human experience. How do we actually stay on the path? How do we survive the constant, aggressive pull of the surrounding culture? In a world managed by hostile, rebel spiritual principalities, how does a frail human being maintain their spiritual loyalty? The psalmist answers these critical questions by shifting his focus inward. He reveals that the ultimate battleground for purity and faithfulness is not the external environment, but the internal terrain of the human heart and mind. Let us lace up our boots, and step into the Bet stanza. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses nine and ten. How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands. The stanza opens with one of the most famous, and piercing, questions in the entire Bible: "How can a young person stay pure?" To fully grasp the weight of this question, we have to strip away our modern, Western assumptions. When we hear the word "pure," we almost exclusively think of moral cleanliness. While that is certainly included, the Ancient Israelite worldview encompassed something much broader. Purity meant absolute, uncompromised loyalty to Yahweh. It meant resisting the syncretism of the surrounding pagan nations. Remember the Divine Council theology. The nations of the world were under the jurisdiction of lesser, rebel gods—the elohim of the nations. These dark entities constantly enticed the Israelites with promises of fertility, wealth, and power, drawing them toward idolatrous practices. For a young person—someone whose habits and loyalties are still being formed—stepping out into that contested, spiritually hostile world was incredibly dangerous. The pull of the culture was, and still is, a gravitational force designed to drag the believer into chaos. So, how does a young person, or anyone for that matter, resist that pull? "By obeying your word." Literally, the Hebrew text says, "By taking heed, or keeping guard, according to your word." Purity is not passive innocence; it is active, vigilant defense. You stay pure by using the Word of God as a shield, measuring every cultural offer, every temptation, and every philosophy against the unyielding standard of the Creator's instructions. But the psalmist knows that his own vigilance is not enough. He cries out, "I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands." Notice the beautiful, humble tension in verse ten. On one hand, he claims intense, wholehearted effort. He has not been lazy; he has searched for God with intense determination. Yet, in the exact same breath, he admits his terrifying vulnerability. Even with all his hard work, he knows his feet are prone to wander off the path. He essentially says, "Lord, I am running toward You as fast as I can, but please, grab my hand so I do not drift away." True purity requires both our aggressive pursuit, and God's sustaining grace. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses eleven and twelve. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. Because human effort alone is insufficient, the psalmist reveals his ultimate survival strategy. "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." In the ancient Hebrew understanding, the "heart"—the lev—was not just the seat of emotions, as we consider it today. The heart was the command center of the human being. It was the seat of the intellect, the will, and the decision-making process. To "hide" God’s Word in the heart means to stockpile it, to treasure it, and to store it away like precious provisions preparing for a long, grueling siege. When the dark, rebel forces of this world lay siege to your mind, attacking you with fear, lust, or despair, you cannot run out to the library to find an answer. You must have the truth already stockpiled inside the fortress of your soul. When the Word of Yahweh occupies the command center of your intellect and will, it acts as an internal alarm system. It alerts you to the deceptive tactics of the enemy, ensuring that you "might not sin," or miss the mark of God's design. Immediately after revealing this strategy, the psalmist bursts into adoration: "I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees." He recognizes that God is not just a distant lawgiver, handing down a stone tablet and walking away. Yahweh is the ultimate Rabbi. He is the divine Teacher who desires a relationship with His students. The psalmist blesses God, and then immediately asks for more instruction. He knows that stockpiling the Word in his heart is not a one-time event; it is a lifelong, daily process of sitting at the feet of the Master. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses thirteen and fourteen. I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us. I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. The psalmist moves from the hidden, internal storage of the Word, to its outward, vocal expression. "I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us." In the ancient Near East, reading silently to oneself was almost unheard of. Texts were meant to be spoken, chanted, and proclaimed. But there is a deeper, spiritual dynamic at play here. Words have power. When God spoke in Genesis Chapter One, His words organized chaos into a flourishing creation. When the believer recites the regulations of Yahweh aloud, they are participating in that ordering process. They are projecting the truth of the Creator into the physical airwaves. In a world saturated with the lies and propaganda of the rebel gods, speaking the Word of God aloud is an act of spiritual warfare. It pushes back the darkness. It reinforces the truth not only in the ears of the listeners, but deeply into the mind of the speaker. And look at the value he places on these spoken decrees: "I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches." This is a staggering claim. In the ancient world, wealth—livestock, silver, gold, and abundant harvests—was the ultimate sign of security and success. People would sacrifice to the pagan deities like Baal, specifically begging for material prosperity. But the psalmist looks at the Torah, the covenant instructions of Yahweh, and says, "This is my true treasure." He realizes that material wealth is fleeting. It can be stolen by raiders, destroyed by drought, or left behind in the grave. But the laws of God provide eternal security. To know the mind of the Creator, and to walk in alignment with His cosmic order, brings a profound, unshakeable joy that a vault full of gold could never reproduce. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses fifteen and sixteen. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. The Bet stanza concludes with a four-fold, ironclad resolution. The psalmist uses four distinct verbs to cement his commitment to the path of purity. First, "I will study your commandments." The Hebrew word here is sichah, which means to meditate, to muse, or to deeply ponder. It is the act of chewing on the text, turning it over and over in your mind, extracting every ounce of nutritional value it holds. Second, "I will... reflect on your ways." He is not just memorizing sterile rules; he is observing...
Welcome to Day 2816 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Monotheism Redefined: Returning to the Biblical View. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2816 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2816 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled: Monotheism Redefined: Returning to the Biblical View. What we today call biblical monotheism did not deny the existence of other spiritual beings. Instead, it affirmed that only one God, Yahweh, is uncreated, eternal, and supreme over all. The biblical writers used the Hebrew word elohim to refer to beings who inhabit the spiritual realm. In English Bibles, elohim is most often translated as “God” when referring to Yahweh. However, the same word is also used in the Hebrew text for other beings, such as angels, foreign gods, and even the spirits of the dead. What makes Yahweh unique is not the term itself, but His nature. He alone is the Creator, and He alone possesses ultimate authority. The other elohim are real, but they are created beings whose existence does not diminish His supremacy. Worship belongs to Yahweh alone, not because no other spiritual beings exist, but because only He is worthy of it. Scripture presents a consistent picture of a populated spiritual realm. Psalm 82 depicts God standing in the divine council, judging other elohim. Deuteronomy 32:8–9 reveals that the nations were divided among the sons of God, while Israel was kept as Yahweh’s own inheritance. In Job 1, heavenly beings present themselves before God. These texts are not metaphorical. They reflect a worldview in which Yahweh reigns supreme among many spiritual beings, none of whom share His nature or authority. This understanding of monotheism is relational and covenantal. It is not about counting spiritual beings, but about recognizing who is worthy of worship. Biblical monotheism is the exclusive devotion to the Most High Creator, not a claim that all other spiritual beings are imaginary or irrelevant. The first segment is: How the Definition Changed in the 19th and 20th Centuries. During the 19th century, scholars in Europe began applying evolutionary models to religion. They proposed that belief systems advanced in stages: from animism, to polytheism, to henotheism, and eventually to monotheism. According to this framework, biblical faith was not divinely revealed but merely the latest and most refined stage of human religious development. Thinkers like Max Müller and Julius Wellhausen categorized biblical texts in ways that supported this theory, suggesting that Israel’s monotheism did not emerge until the prophetic or exilic period. This idea undermined the consistency and unity of the biblical witness by treating it as a collection of competing theological layers. In the 20th century, the redefinition continued. Monotheism came to be seen not as exclusive worship of one God, but as the belief that only one divine being qualifies for the category of “god.” Other spiritual beings were still acknowledged, such as angels, demons, and Satan, but they were reclassified into separate categories and stripped of any language that could associate them with divine authority or rulership. Terms like gods, elohim, or sons of God were either translated away or explained in ways that avoided conflict with the modern framework. As a result, the rich biblical portrayal of a divine council, spiritual rebellion, and cosmic hierarchy was flattened into a safer, more abstract system. The supernatural world remained populated, but only with beings understood as radically different in nature from God. They were no longer referred to as elohim in any meaningful sense. The Bible’s spiritual structure was preserved in part, but its vocabulary and implications were domesticated. This shift had enormous consequences. It obscured the spiritual conflict that runs throughout Scripture and made it harder for modern readers to grasp the true stakes of idolatry, false worship, and divine judgment. It also reinforced the mistaken idea that the Bible evolved from polytheistic origins, when in fact its authors consistently proclaimed the supremacy of Yahweh while acknowledging the reality of other divine beings. The second segment is: Why This Is Not Polytheism. Polytheism is not simply the belief in many spiritual beings. It is a system in which multiple gods receive worship and exercise competing or overlapping authority. In polytheistic systems, gods can rise or fall in prominence. They may be born, die, or change form. Power is distributed across a pantheon, with no single deity holding permanent and unrivaled rule. Worshipers often align themselves with whichever god best serves their needs or offers the most favorable outcome. This stands in stark contrast to the biblical view. Yahweh does not rise or fall. He was not born, and He cannot be overthrown. His dominion is eternal, and He alone is the Creator of all things. The existence of lesser spiritual beings does not diminish His sovereignty. On the contrary, it highlights His role as the one who delegates authority, holds court over the divine council, and ultimately judges all rebellion. In passages like Psalm 82, the other elohim are real, but they are held accountable by the Most High. Their downfall is certain, and their authority is temporary. The key difference is that biblical monotheism calls for exclusive worship of Yahweh, not because others do not exist, but because only He is worthy. Polytheism distributes power and loyalty across many gods. The Bible calls for undivided allegiance to the one who created everything. The third segment is: Why Recovering the Biblical View Matters. Restoring the biblical definition of monotheism helps us recover the Bible’s original supernatural worldview. It makes sense of otherwise puzzling passages and clarifies the nature of spiritual warfare. It also refutes the claim that Israel’s faith evolved from earlier polytheistic traditions. From the earliest texts, the Bible presents Yahweh as supreme, surrounded by other spiritual beings, but ruling over them with absolute authority. Understanding this framework allows Christians to better grasp the cosmic conflict behind idolatry, the mission of Jesus to reclaim the nations, and the destiny of believers to share in His rule. It also exposes the false systems of worship that mimic divine hierarchy but are rooted in rebellion. True monotheism is not a denial of spiritual reality. It is a declaration of loyalty to the one true God. In Conclusion. Modern theology often acknowledges the existence of angels, demons, and other spiritual beings, but it tends to avoid describing them in the biblical language of gods or elohim. This narrowing of categories flattens the supernatural world of Scripture and redefines monotheism in a way that disconnects it from the biblical authors’ intent. The Bible never asks readers to believe Yahweh is the only spiritual being in existence. It calls them to worship Him alone because He is the uncreated Creator and sovereign King. The other elohim, while real, are created, limited, and ultimately subject to judgment. Recovering this vision restores clarity to the biblical narrative and reminds us that monotheism is not about spiritual math—it is about loyalty to the Most High. For further study consider the following DISCUSSION QUESTIONS. 1. How does the biblical use of the term elohimchallenge modern theological categories of angels, demons, and gods? 2. Why is it important to distinguish between the existence of other spiritual beings and the exclusive worship of Yahweh? 3. In what ways did 19th- and 20th-century scholarship alter the way people read the Bible’s portrayal of the spiritual realm? 4. How does recognizing a divine council and spiritual hierarchy enhance our understanding of passages like Psalm 82 or Deuteronomy 32:8–9? 5. What are the dangers of reducing monotheism to a purely philosophical idea rather than seeing it as a call to covenantal loyalty?
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Welcome to Day 2815 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2815 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 119:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2815 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred fifteen of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Aleph of Obedience – Walking in the Cosmic Order In our previous trek, we concluded the magnificent Egyptian Hallel with Psalm One Hundred Eighteen. We marched in a triumphant, royal procession. We saw the stone that the builders rejected become the glorious cornerstone. We shouted, "Hosanna!" and stepped through the gates of righteousness, moving out of the chaotic, hostile world and into the sacred presence of Yahweh. We bound the festival sacrifice to the horns of the altar, and we celebrated the unfailing, eternal love of God. But now that we are inside those gates, a profound question arises. How are we supposed to live? How do the citizens of God’s Kingdom conduct themselves in a world that is still contested by rebel spiritual forces? To answer this, we turn to the Mount Everest of the Psalter: Psalm One Hundred Nineteen. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is a masterpiece of Hebrew poetry, constructed as an intricate acrostic. It contains twenty-two stanzas, matching the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza has eight verses, and every single verse within a stanza begins with that specific Hebrew letter. Today, we are exploring the very first stanza, the "Aleph" section, covering verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. This entire, massive psalm is dedicated to one singular theme: the beauty, authority, and life-giving power of God’s Word—His Torah. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, the Torah was not merely a list of restrictive rules. It was the architectural blueprint of the cosmos. While the surrounding pagan nations stumbled in the dark, manipulated by the deceptive, rebel gods of the Divine Council, Israel was given the ultimate gift. They were given the very mind of the Creator. To follow God's instructions was to align oneself with the grain of the universe, stepping out of chaos and into cosmic order. Let us begin our ascent up this great mountain of wisdom. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses one through three. Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. The psalm opens with a double declaration of blessing. "Joyful are people of integrity... Joyful are those who obey his laws." The Hebrew word translated here as "joyful" is Ashrei. It can also be translated as "blessed," "happy," or "flourishing." It describes a life that is deeply rooted, stable, and completely satisfied, regardless of external circumstances. It is the exact same word that opens the entire book of Psalms in Psalm Chapter One. But who gets to experience this profound, flourishing joy? The psalmist tells us it is the "people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord." The word for "instructions" is Torah. For the ancient Israelite, the Torah was the loving, fatherly guidance of Yahweh. It was the boundary line that kept them safe from the destructive, degrading practices of the surrounding nations. To follow these instructions requires a specific posture of the heart. The psalmist says that these joyful people "search for him with all their hearts." Obedience to God is never meant to be mindless, robotic compliance. It is a passionate pursuit. You cannot accidentally stumble into a life of integrity; you must hunt for it. You must desire the presence of the Lawgiver even more than you desire the law itself. This wholehearted pursuit leads to a radical separation from the ways of the world. "They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths." When we consider the Divine Council worldview, this idea of walking "only in his paths" is a statement of fierce, exclusive loyalty. The pagan world was filled with alternative paths. The rebel spiritual principalities constantly offered shortcuts to power, wealth, and pleasure through idolatry and compromise. But the person of integrity refuses to negotiate with chaos. They will not mix the holy with the profane. They recognize that any path other than Yahweh's path inevitably leads to the realm of death. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verse four. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. The psalmist shifts his focus directly toward God, acknowledging the divine mandate. "You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully." God did not offer His Word as a series of helpful suggestions or optional lifestyle upgrades. He "charged" us. He commanded it. Why? Because He is the Sovereign King, and we are His earthly representatives. We are His imagers. If we are going to accurately reflect His character to a dark, rebellious world, we must handle His instructions with extreme care and diligence. The word "carefully" implies diligence, vigilance, and strict attention. Imagine you are carrying a priceless, fragile vessel through a crowded, dangerous marketplace. You would not swing it around carelessly; you would hold it tightly to your chest, watching every step you take. That is how the believer is commanded to handle the Word of God. The instructions of Yahweh are the most valuable possession humanity has ever received, and they must be guarded and obeyed with absolute vigilance. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses five through six. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. Here, the tone of the psalm suddenly changes. We move from the objective, lofty heights of the divine mandate, down to the gritty, frustrating reality of human weakness. The psalmist lets out a deep, heartfelt sigh: "Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees!" This is the great, agonizing tension of the spiritual life. The psalmist knows what the law says. He knows that the Torah is beautiful, perfect, and life-giving. He wants to obey it with all his heart. But he is painfully aware of his own inconsistency. He knows how prone his feet are to wander off the path, and how easily his heart can be distracted by the compromises of the world. We all feel this tension. We read the Scriptures, and we are inspired by the standard of holiness. We want to be patient, generous, pure, and courageous. But then the pressure of daily life hits, and we find ourselves reacting with anger, selfishness, or fear. Like the Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter Seven, we cry out, "I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." The psalmist’s sigh is the universal groan of the redeemed soul, longing for complete transformation. And why does he want this consistency so desperately? "Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands." In the ancient Near Eastern culture, honor and shame were the primary forces that drove human behavior. Shame was not just a private feeling of guilt; it was a public loss of face, a devastating failure to live up to the standards of your community and your God. When we hold our lives up to the perfect, unyielding mirror of God's Word, the cracks and blemishes become glaringly obvious. The Word of God exposes our mixed motives and our hidden sins. But the psalmist realizes that the antidote to this shame is not to throw away the mirror, or to lower the standard. The antidote is to align his life so closely with the decrees of God, through the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit, that when the comparison is made, there is harmony, rather than hypocrisy. Psalm One Hundred Nineteen: verses seven through eight. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me! The Aleph stanza concludes with a beautiful promise of gratitude, followed by a desperate plea for grace. "As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!" Notice the order of operations here. First comes the learning. We have to immerse ourselves in the Word of God to understand His character and His expectations. We have to study the rulebook of the cosmos. But the learning is never meant to stay trapped in our intellect. The ultimate expression of gratitude to God is not merely singing a song, or offering a verbal prayer. The highest form of thanksgiving is an obedient life. "I will thank...
Welcome to Day 2814 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2814 of our trek. <#0.5#> The purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#0.5#> Each Tuesday, I will share the messages I have delivered at Putnam Congregational Church this year. <#0.5#> This is the eleventh message in a year-long series covering the Good News as narrated by Luke. <#0.5#> Today’s message covers Luke four verses thirty-one through forty-four and is titled “Ministry at the Grassroots Level” <#0.5#>. I pray it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement for you. Putnam Church Message – 02/08/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “Ministry at the Grassroots Level.” Last week, we began our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “Into the Fire,” where we learned that the Road to Calvary began in Nazareth. Today, we continue with the eleventh message in Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in a message titled “Ministry at the Grassroots Level.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 4:31-44, found on page 1597 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. SCRIPTURE READING — Luke 4:31-44 (NIV) Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit 31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Jesus Heals Many 38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. 40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. 42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Opening Prayer Lord God, as we open Your Word today, we ask that You would do more than inform our minds. Shape our hearts. Correct our assumptions. And show us what faithful ministry really looks like— not from a distance, but right in the middle of ordinary life. Give us ears to hear, hearts to obey, and courage to follow where Jesus leads. In His name we pray. Amen. Introduction: Learning by Watching the Master I was not a great student, especially in grade school and high school. In college, I buckled down somewhat and did okay, grade-wise, even while working two part-time jobs to pay for school. But when I look back, the moments that shaped me most weren’t lectures—they were moments of watching someone who really knew what they were doing. I learn best by observing an expert. I need a mentor, not just a teacher. I even find that hands-on YouTube videos are extremely helpful, much more than a manual or set of instructions. Someone who doesn’t just explain the theory but shows me how it works in real life. That’s exactly what Luke gives us in Luke 4:31–44. This passage is the third part of Luke’s introduction to Jesus’ public ministry: * First, Luke summarized Jesus’ growing influence (4:14–15) * Then he showed us the scope of Jesus’ mission in Nazareth—saving those who want a Savior (4:16–30) * And now, here in Capernaum, Luke shows us how Jesus actually did ministry.
Not from a platform. Not from a palace. Not from the center of religious power. But at ground level, among real people with real problems. Main Point 1: Jesus Taught with Authority Where Life Was Actually Lived Luke 4:31–32 “Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. There, too, the people were amazed at His teaching, because He spoke with authority.” (NLT) Jesus leaves Nazareth behind and travels downhill—literally and figuratively. Nazareth sat high in the hills. Capernaum sat along the Sea of Galilee, nearly 2,000 feet lower. Luke wants us to notice that while Jesus went down in elevation, His ministry went up in influence. Capernaum wasn’t glamorous, but it was strategic: A fishing town, /A trade hub, /A place where ordinary people lived and worked. /And there, Jesus taught. What Made His Teaching Different? Luke tells us the people were “amazed” because Jesus taught with authority — exousia. That word doesn’t mean volume. / It doesn’t mean charisma. / It doesn’t mean clever arguments. / It means as someone who has the right to speak. Most rabbis taught by quoting other rabbis: “Rabbi so-and-so says… but Rabbi such-and-such disagrees…” Jesus didn’t do that. /He didn’t borrow authority. /He didn’t hide behind tradition. /He didn’t perform. / He spoke directly from the Word of God, as someone who knew it from the inside out. / Not just because He was divine—but because He lived what He taught. Object Lesson: The Difference Between a Map and a Guide Imagine preparing to hike a difficult trail that you have never seen before. One ranger hands you a map and says, “Good luck.” Another ranger comes alongside you and says, “Follow me—I’ve hiked this trail before and know it well.” Jesus didn’t just give people information. He invited them to follow Him. That’s why His teaching carried weight. Ancient Context → Modern Parallel In Jesus’ day, people were tired of religious talk that didn’t touch real life. In our day, people are tired of: Empty slogans / Shallow answers / Advice that sounds good but doesn’t work on Monday morning. What people hunger for—then and now—is truth that meets them where they live. Jesus didn’t water down the truth. But He delivered it in a way people could grasp and trust. Supporting Scripture * Matthew 7:28–29 — “He taught as one who had authority.” * James 1:22 — “Do not merely listen… do what it says.” * John 7:46 — “No one ever spoke the way this man does.”
Summary of Main Point 1 Jesus’ ministry didn’t begin with miracles. It began with truth spoken clearly, lived consistently, and offered humbly. Authority in ministry is not about position. It is about faithfulness to God’s Word and alignment with God’s heart.
Welcome to Day 2813 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2813 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 118:19-29 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2813 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred thirteen of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Rejected Cornerstone – The Triumphal Entry into Sacred Space. In our previous episode, we trekked through the fierce, chaotic battleground of Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, focusing on verses ten through eighteen. We stood with the psalmist as he was completely surrounded by hostile nations, swarming around him like angry bees, and blazing like a fire of thorns. Yet, instead of surrendering to panic, he wielded the authority of the Lord. We learned that while God may allow His servants to face severe discipline, and agonizing trials, He will never abandon them to the grave. The strong right arm of the Lord brought ultimate victory, turning a scene of near-death into a vibrant camp of joyful celebration. Today, the dust of that cosmic battlefield finally settles. We are moving from the bloodstained trenches, directly to the majestic gates of the temple. We will conclude our journey through the "Egyptian Hallel," exploring the grand finale of Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, covering verses nineteen through twenty-nine, in the New Living Translation. As we read this final movement, picture a magnificent, royal procession. The victorious King has returned from the war. He approaches the holy city, leading a procession of worshippers, ready to cross the threshold into the sacred presence of Yahweh. These verses are bursting with prophetic, Messianic weight. In fact, these are the very words the crowds shouted as Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Let us join the procession, and experience the triumphant entry of the King. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses nineteen through twenty-one. Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord. These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory! The psalmist stands before the massive doors of the temple. He cries out with authority, "Open for me the gates where the righteous enter." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, cosmic geography is incredibly important. The world was viewed as a battleground of rival spiritual forces, but the temple in Jerusalem was the ultimate sacred space. It was the earthly headquarters of the Divine Council, the very intersection of heaven and earth. To cross through these gates was to step out of the chaotic, contested territory of the nations, and step directly into the ordered, holy domain of Yahweh. But these are not just ordinary doors; they are "the gates where the righteous enter." The text explicitly states, "These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there." Sacred space cannot be occupied by just anyone. The rebel gods, the wicked nations, and the unrepentant sinners cannot survive the holy presence of the Creator. Only those who have been justified, those who walk in covenant faithfulness, are granted access. As the heavy wooden and bronze gates swing open, the psalmist steps into the courtyard. His first act is not to boast of his own military prowess. Instead, he lifts his voice in profound gratitude: "I thank you for answering my prayer, and giving me victory!" He remembers the narrow, suffocating place from verse five. He remembers crying out in distress. As he looks at the altar and the sanctuary, he acknowledges that his survival is entirely the result of divine intervention. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses twenty-two through twenty-four. The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. As the procession moves into the temple complex, the psalmist points to the architecture of the building itself, and draws out one of the most famous, and powerful, metaphors in all of Scripture. "The stone that the builders rejected, has now become the cornerstone." In ancient masonry, builders would carefully inspect the quarried rocks. If a stone was misshapen, flawed, or deemed unworthy, they would toss it aside into the rubble heap. The cornerstone, however, was the most critical piece of the entire foundation. It was the massive, perfectly cut block that locked the intersecting walls together, bearing the weight of the structure, and setting the alignment for the whole building. In the context of the Divine Council worldview, the "builders" represent the rulers of this age. They are the hostile nations, the corrupt human kings, and the dark spiritual principalities that govern the world. They inspected God's chosen King—and ultimately, the Messiah, Jesus Christ—and they judged Him as worthless. They rejected Him. They threw Him onto the rubble heap of the cross. But Yahweh, the Supreme Architect of the cosmos, walked over to the rubble heap. He picked up the rejected, discarded stone, and He made it the chief cornerstone of a brand new, eternal temple. God takes what the world despises, and uses it to anchor His entire kingdom. The congregation looks at this incredible reversal of fortunes, and responds in awe: "This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see." Human engineering cannot explain this. Political strategy cannot achieve this. It is a sheer, unadulterated miracle of God. Because of this miraculous reversal, the choir erupts into a famous declaration: "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." We often quote this verse casually, to celebrate a sunny Tuesday morning. But in its original context, it is much heavier. "The Day" is a technical term for the Day of Yahweh's victory. It is the specific, appointed moment in history when God vindicates His rejected King, and establishes His cornerstone. That is the true reason for our rejoicing! Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses twenty-five through twenty-six. Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The celebration reaches a fever pitch. The people cry out, "Please, Lord, please save us." In the original Hebrew, this phrase is Hoshiah-na, which translates directly into the word we know as "Hosanna." It is both an urgent plea for deliverance, and a roaring shout of praise. As the victorious King steps forward, the priests, standing on the steps of the temple, pronounce a blessing over Him: "Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord." They are officially recognizing His divine authority. He is not coming in his own name, seeking his own glory. He is acting as the authorized vice-regent of Yahweh. Then, the priests extend that blessing to the entire procession: "We bless you from the house of the Lord." The temple acts as a distribution center for God's grace. The blessing flows from the Holy of Holies, out to the King, and then washes over the entire assembly of the righteous. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, the crowds waved palm branches, and screamed these exact verses. "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" They were recognizing Him as the rejected stone, who had come to bring the ultimate Day of Salvation. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses twenty-seven through twenty-nine. The Lord is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. The procession reaches the very center of the courtyard, stopping before the great bronze altar. The psalmist declares, "The Lord is God, shining upon us." This evokes the ancient priestly blessing from the Book of Numbers: "May the Lord make his face shine upon you." It is a theophany—a manifestation of divine light and favor. The darkness of the enemy swarm has been entirely replaced by the radiant, blinding light of God’s smiling presence. But true worship is never cheap. Victory always requires a cost. The leader commands: "Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar." Literally, the Hebrew says, "Bind the festival sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar." The horns of the altar were the raised corners, symbolizing the power and...
Welcome to Day 2812 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2812 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 118:10-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2812 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2812 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Surrounded but Secure – The Strong Right Arm of the Lord. In our previous episode, we took our first steps into the magnificent landscape of Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, focusing on verses one through nine. We heard the massive, joyful choir of Israel, the priests, and all who fear the Lord, declaring that His faithful love endures forever. We also listened to the deeply personal testimony of a leader who was trapped in a narrow, suffocating place, but who was miraculously rescued, and brought into the wide-open spaces of God’s grace. That powerful realization led us to conclude that it is infinitely better to take refuge in the Lord, than to put our trust in earthly princes. Today, we are moving forward on our trail, trekking through the second movement of this grand, festive song. We will be exploring Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, verses ten through eighteen, in the New Living Translation. As we open our Bibles, we must keep the historical and theological setting firmly in our minds. This is the very climax of the Egyptian Hallel, the collection of psalms sung during the Passover. These are the very words that echoed in the mind of Jesus Christ, as He left the Upper Room, and walked into the dark, terrifying olive grove of Gethsemane. He knew that He was about to be surrounded by hostile forces, both human and spiritual. Yet, He sang this psalm of absolute, unshakable victory. In these verses, the psalmist paints a vivid, almost overwhelming picture of being entirely encircled by enemies. But instead of despair, we hear a drumbeat of triumph. We witness the cosmic authority of Yahweh, the mighty power of His right arm, and the profound paradox of facing severe discipline, yet being spared from death. Let us lean in, and listen to the battle cry of the redeemed. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses ten through twelve. Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord. Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord. They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a crackling fire. But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord. The imagery here is intense, claustrophobic, and highly kinetic. The psalmist says, three separate times, that he was "surrounded." He was completely encircled, with no natural means of escape. But notice who is surrounding him: "hostile nations." To truly understand the weight of this, we must put on our Ancient Israelite, Divine Council worldview lenses, as taught by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient world, a conflict between nations was never merely a political dispute; it was a cosmic battle. According to Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty-Two, verses eight and nine, the nations of the world had been disinherited by Yahweh at the Tower of Babel, and placed under the authority of lesser, rebel spiritual beings. Israel, however, remained Yahweh’s personal portion. Therefore, when the "hostile nations" surround the Israelite king, this is a coordinated attack by the dark, spiritual principalities of the unseen world. They are attempting to snuff out the light of God’s kingdom on earth. The psalmist uses two vivid, terrifying metaphors to describe this onslaught. First, he says, "They swarmed around me like bees." If you have ever accidentally disturbed a beehive, you know the absolute, blinding panic of that moment. Bees attack from every possible angle; they are relentless, chaotic, and their stings produce compounding agony. Second, he says, "They blazed against me like a crackling fire." In the original Hebrew, this is specifically described as a fire of thornbushes. Dry thorns burn with incredible, explosive heat, and a blinding, intimidating flash. But what happens to a fire of thorns? It flashes hot, it makes a lot of terrifying noise, but it burns out almost instantly. It has no lasting fuel. This is exactly how the psalmist views the hostile, demonic forces of the world. They swarm, they sting, and they blaze with intimidating fury. But they have no staying power against the Creator. Three times, the psalmist responds to the threat with a rhythmic, defiant battle cry: "I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord." Literally, the Hebrew text says, "In the Name of Yahweh, I cut them off." He does not rely on his own military strategy, his own armor, or his own physical prowess. He wields the Name of the Most High God. When Jesus faced the cross, He was swarmed by the hostility of Rome, the religious leaders, and the rebel spirits of the unseen realm. Yet, through His willing sacrifice, He wielded the authority of the Lord, cutting off the power of sin and death forever. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses thirteen through fourteen. My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. The psalmist moves from the broad, chaotic swarm of the nations, to a deeply personal, targeted attack. "My enemies did their best to kill me." The literal translation is incredibly violent: "You pushed me violently, so that I was falling." He is speaking directly to the adversary, acknowledging the sheer, brute force of the assault. He was pushed to the very brink; he was teetering on the edge of the precipice. "But the Lord rescued me." Yahweh reached out His hand, caught His servant mid-fall, and pulled him back from the edge of the abyss. Verse fourteen is a direct, deliberate quotation of an older, highly famous song. "The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory." These are the exact words sung by Moses and the Israelites on the shores of the Red Sea, in Exodus Chapter Fifteen, verse two, right after God drowned the Egyptian army. By quoting the Song of the Sea, the psalmist connects his present, personal deliverance to the great, historical deliverance of the Exodus. Because this is the Passover festival, the connection is absolutely brilliant. The God who split the sea, and crushed the Egyptian gods, is the exact same God who catches you when the enemy pushes you over the edge. He is our strength when we are weak; He is our song when we have lost our voice; and He is our ultimate, eternal salvation. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses fifteen through sixteen. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! The scene shifts from the lonely, personal battlefield, to the vibrant, joyful encampment of the righteous. Imagine walking through the tents of the Israelites. You do not hear the moans of the defeated, or the fearful whispers of the oppressed. You hear the deafening, celebratory roar of victory. And what is the lyric of their song? They are singing about the "strong right arm of the Lord." In biblical poetry, the "right arm" or "right hand" is a powerful anthropomorphism—a way of describing God's invisible attributes using human physical terms. The right arm represents kinetic energy, military might, and decisive, executing authority. It is the hand that holds the sword; it is the arm that shatters the enemy. Three times, the congregation sings about this mighty arm. It has "done glorious things." It is "raised in triumph." This is a picture of the Divine Warrior, standing victorious on the cosmic battlefield, His arm lifted high, signaling to the entire universe that the forces of chaos have been decisively crushed. When the early church looked back at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they realized they were witnessing the ultimate manifestation of the strong right arm of the Lord. God reached down into the grave, shattered the gates of death, and raised His Son in triumph, securing eternal victory for the camp of the godly. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses seventeen through eighteen. I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done. The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die. We conclude today's trek with a profoundly moving, and incredibly honest, declaration. The psalmist has survived the swarm. He has been caught from the fall. He has heard the victory song in the camp. And now, he makes a solemn vow regarding his future. "I will not die; instead, I will live." This is not just a biological...
Welcome to Day 2811 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Order vs. Dominion: A Key to Understanding the Uniqueness of Yahweh. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2811 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2811 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Order vs. Dominion: A Key to Understanding the Uniqueness of Yahweh. When comparing Yahweh to the gods of the nations, the real difference is not just in how many gods are worshipped. The deeper contrast is in how Yahweh governs versus how the gods of the nations dominate. A powerful theological distinction emerges when we frame the contrast as order versus dominion. This framework not only clarifies the biblical picture of God, it also exposes the counterfeit authority claimed by pagan gods and spiritual powers. The First Segment is: Yahweh Brings Order, Not Oppression. From the opening lines of Genesis, Yahweh is revealed as the one who brings order out of chaos. The earth is described as tohu va-bohu—formless and void. Yahweh speaks, separates, and structures the world into a functioning cosmos. Light is separated from darkness. Waters are given boundaries. Time is organized into days and seasons. Life is called forth to fill the skies, seas, and land. This act of ordering creation is not about domination. It is about harmony, purpose, and flourishing. Yahweh does not need humans for labor or food. He creates them in His image and entrusts them with stewardship, not servitude. The climax of creation is rest. In the ancient Near East, rest did not mean inactivity. It meant that a god had taken up residence in his temple and was now reigning over the cosmos. Rest meant that the ordered system was functioning as it should under divine rule. Genesis shows Yahweh doing exactly that. He rests because creation is now operating properly, and He begins His reign from within His cosmic temple. This is not a withdrawal from the world, but the moment He takes the throne. The second segment is: Order That Risks Freedom: Yahweh and Free Will. Unlike the gods of the nations, Yahweh does not enforce order through control. He grants His imagers, both human and divine, genuine freedom, even when that freedom may threaten the order He established. This is a critical distinction. Yahweh’s order includes moral agency. He trusts His creation enough to let it choose. He allows rebellion, not because He is powerless, but because He is just and relational. Even after Adam and Eve misuse their freedom and bring disorder into the world, Yahweh does not abandon His creation. Instead, He begins a rescue mission that will restore order without removing freedom. The same is true with the rebellious sons of God who distort their assigned roles. He permits their choices but will hold them accountable. The gods of the nations, by contrast, fear freedom. They create humans to serve, to obey, and to bring tribute. Their order is built on forced compliance, and rebellion is punished without mercy or restoration. Yahweh’s order is different. It is durable enough to include freedom and gracious enough to offer redemption. The third segment is: The Gods of the Nations: Dominion Through Chaos. In the surrounding ancient worldview, the gods are not creators of peace. They are power-hungry beings who assert dominion through fear, chaos, and manipulation. Baal, for example, conquers the sea god Yam and seizes the throne through violence. In the Enuma Elish, Marduk slays Tiamat and uses her corpse to build the world. Humanity is not made in the image of these gods but to relieve the gods of labor and provide them with offerings. These gods need sacrifices, fear rival deities, and struggle to maintain their position. Their rule is unstable and based on fear, not love. Their authority must be reasserted constantly through demonstrations of strength. Where Yahweh brings peace through structure, the gods of the nations maintain power through disorder. Their dominion is rooted in chaos, not righteousness. The fourth segment is: Biblical Polemic: Yahweh Versus the Corrupt Powers. The Bible deliberately challenges these false powers. Yahweh is not a god of the storm. He is the one who speaks over the storm. In Psalm 29, His voice breaks the cedars and strips the forest bare. His authority is not derived from nature. It commands nature. In Psalm 82, Yahweh stands in judgment over the corrupt spiritual rulers of the nations. These sons of God have failed to uphold justice, and He declares that they will die like men. They were given roles of governance but used them for oppression. Deuteronomy 32 states that the nations were divided according to the number of the sons of God, but Yahweh claimed Israel for Himself. While the other gods sought dominion, Yahweh chose a people for covenant relationship. Isaiah 45 affirms that Yahweh did not create the earth in vain but formed it to be inhabited. He is not a destroyer. He is a sustainer. His rule does not depend on tribute or violence but on truth and righteousness. The fifth segment is: Christ: The Revelation of True Kingship. The clearest expression of Yahweh’s rule is found in Christ. His kingdom is not established by force but by sacrifice. He does not dominate. He restores. His miracles bring order where chaos reigned—healing the sick, calming storms, casting out demons. Where false gods take, Christ gives. Where they rule by fear, Christ leads in grace. Where they demand dominion, He offers restoration. He does not eliminate freedom. He redeems it. Christ is the perfect image of Yahweh’s kingship, ruling in justice, humility, and power. In Conclusion. In every age, the temptation toward dominion remains strong. Political systems, spiritual ideologies, and even religious institutions often mimic the tactics of the gods of the nations—coercion, control, and fear. But Yahweh’s way is different. He brings order without compulsion. He gives freedom even when it risks rebellion. He restores rather than destroys. His goal is not domination but partnership. He entrusts His imagers with real responsibility, and He holds corrupt powers accountable. His kingdom is built not on fear, but on faithfulness. Not on chaos, but on shalom. To follow Yahweh is to reject tyranny and embrace the order that comes from righteousness, mercy, and truth. For additional study, consider the following Discussion Questions. 1. How does the creation account in Genesis contrast with violent creation myths from the ancient Near East? 2. What does the biblical concept of rest reveal about Yahweh’s relationship to creation? 3. Why is Yahweh’s decision to grant free will significant in understanding divine order? 4. How does Christ’s kingship reveal the difference between righteous rule and false dominion? 5. In what ways do modern powers imitate the dominion of the gods of the nations?
Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Monotheism Redefined: Returning to the Biblical View. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Liv Abundantly. Love Unconditionally. Listen Intentionally. Learn Continuously. Lend to others Generously. Lead with Integrity. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day. ...
Welcome to Day 2810 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2810 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 118:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2810 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2810 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Eternal Refuge – Stepping into the Wide-Open Spaces In our previous trek, we stood on the mountaintop of Psalm One Hundred Seventeen. We explored the shortest chapter in the entire Bible, and yet, we saw how it held the largest possible stage. It was a cosmic megaphone, calling all the disinherited nations, and all the diverse people groups of the earth, to return to their Creator. It reminded us that God's unfailing love is a prevailing flood, capable of washing over every cultural and geographical boundary. Today, we take our next momentous step. We are crossing the threshold into Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, and we will be focusing our attention on the first movement of this incredible song, covering verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. This is a milestone moment in our journey. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen is the grand finale, the sweeping crescendo, of the Egyptian Hallel. This is the very last of the Passover psalms. When you picture Jesus and His disciples in the Upper Room, finishing the Last Supper, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that they sang a hymn before heading out to the Mount of Olives. This was that hymn. These were the very words that filled the mind of the Messiah, as He walked deliberately toward the darkness of Gethsemane, and the agony of the cross. As we read this psalm, we hear the sound of a massive, festive procession. We hear a worship leader crying out to the congregation, and we hear a deeply personal testimony of a leader who was surrounded by enemies, yet rescued by the overwhelming power of Yahweh. So, let us join the procession, and listen to the opening chorus. The first segment is: The Chorus of Unfailing Love. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses one through four. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Let all Israel repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let all who fear the Lord repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." The psalm erupts with a joyful, booming command: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!" But this is not just a solo performance. The worship leader is actively conducting a massive, multi-part choir, stationed within the temple courts. He calls out to three specific, distinct groups, demanding that they lift their voices and repeat the core thesis of the entire biblical narrative: "His faithful love endures forever." If this grouping sounds familiar, it should! We saw this exact same three-part division back in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. First, the leader calls out to all Israel. These are the covenant people, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are the ones who experienced the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna in the wilderness. They, of all people, have the historical evidence to shout that God's faithful love endures. Next, he turns to Aaron’s descendants, the priests. These are the spiritual leaders, the men who mediated between the holy God and the flawed nation. They worked the sacrifices; they saw the blood on the altar. They understood, intimately, the cost of forgiveness. They are commanded to publicly declare that the sacrificial system is upheld not by mechanics, but by God's enduring love. Finally, the leader casts a wide net to all who fear the Lord. This encompasses the Gentile converts, the foreigners, and the strangers from those diverse nations we talked about in Psalm One Hundred Seventeen. God’s love is not geographically restricted. If you fear Yahweh, if you revere the Creator of the universe, you are invited into the choir. You are given a voice in the congregation. And what is the lyric they are all singing? It is the Hebrew word Hesed. This is God's loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping affection. It is a love that does not quit when we fail. It is a love that outlasts empires, survives the darkness of the grave, and, as the psalm says, "endures forever." When Jesus walked toward the cross, He was holding onto this exact promise. The physical pain would be temporary, but the Hesed of the Father would be eternal. The second segment is: The Cry from the Narrow Place. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verse five. In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. Suddenly, the perspective shifts. The sweeping, panoramic view of the massive choir fades into the background, and a single, solitary voice steps up to the microphone. The worship leader—perhaps the King, or perhaps a representation of the Messiah—shares a deeply personal testimony. "In my distress, I prayed to the Lord." The Hebrew word translated as "distress" is metsar. It literally means a narrow, tight, or constricted place. It paints a vivid, suffocating picture. Have you ever felt trapped? Have you ever felt like the walls of your life—your finances, your health, your relationships—were closing in on you, squeezing the very breath out of your lungs? That is the metsar. It is the spiritual claustrophobia of a crisis. The psalmist was pushed into a corner with no human escape route. But in that tight, suffocating space, he did the only thing left to do. He prayed. He cried out to Yahweh. And the response of God is breathtaking: "The Lord answered me and set me free." The literal Hebrew translation is incredibly poetic. It says, "The Lord answered me in a broad place," or "in a spacious place." God did not just pluck him out of the tight squeeze; God completely changed his environment. He moved him from the suffocating, narrow gorge of distress, and planted his feet in a wide, expansive, sunlit meadow of freedom. This is what Yahweh does. He takes our claustrophobic anxieties and replaces them with the wide-open spaces of His grace. He gives us room to breathe again. The third segment is: The Fearless Stance of the Redeemed. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses six through seven. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. Because the psalmist has experienced this miraculous transfer from the narrow place to the spacious place, his entire psychological posture has changed. He stands tall, squares his shoulders, and makes a bold, defiant declaration: "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear." This is the ultimate antidote to anxiety. If the Maker of heaven and earth, the Commander of the Divine Council, is actively standing on your side, fear becomes logically obsolete. He asks a rhetorical question: "What can mere people do to me?" When we look at this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, we understand that "mere people" are often pawns. Behind hostile human armies and corrupt human politicians, there are often dark, rebellious spiritual forces at work. The psalmist knows that he is not just fighting flesh and blood. But even so, if the Most High God—the uncreated Creator—is his helper, then the rebel gods and their human puppets are entirely powerless to change his eternal destiny. "What can mere people do to me?" They might insult me. They might steal my property. They might even, as Jesus knew, destroy my physical body. But they cannot touch my soul, and they cannot alter the enduring, forever nature of God's Hesed toward me. He repeats the truth to let it sink in deep: "Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me." The word for "help" here means to actively assist in battle. God is not a passive observer; He is a fellow warrior in the trenches. Because of this divine alliance, the psalmist is certain of the outcome: "I will look in triumph at those who hate me." He doesn't say he will seek bitter, petty revenge. He says he will look in triumph. He will stand in the wide-open space of God's deliverance, and he will see the hostile, chaotic forces of his enemies completely neutralized. The Fourth Segment is: The Superiority of the Divine Refuge. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses eight through nine. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the...
Welcome to Day 2809 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. Next week, we will explore our eleventh message in Luke’s Narrative of the Good News, titled "Ministry at the Grassroots Level," covering verses Luke 4:31-44. Communion
Welcome to Day 2808 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2808 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 117:1-2 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2808 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Shortest Song with the Largest Stage – Calling the Nations Home Today, we are undertaking a fascinating and entirely unique stage of our journey. We are stepping into the absolute center of the Bible to explore Psalm One Hundred Seventeen, covering its entirety—which is just verses one through two, in the New Living Translation. This is a milestone for a couple of reasons. First, Psalm One Hundred Seventeen holds the distinct title of being the shortest chapter in the entire Bible. It consists of only two verses and, in the original Hebrew, a mere seventeen words. Second, it is widely considered the middle chapter of the Protestant Bible. But do not let its brevity fool you. What this psalm lacks in word count, it makes up for in cosmic, earth-shaking theology. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, we listened to an intensely personal, intimate testimony. We heard the voice of a single, desperate individual who had been wrapped in the terrifying cords of death. We saw Yahweh, the Most High God, stoop down from heaven to listen to one man's whispered cry for help. It was a beautiful picture of individual salvation, ending with the psalmist paying his vows in the temple courts of Jerusalem. Today, the camera pans out. We move from the microscopic to the macroscopic. The single voice of the rescued individual in Psalm One Hundred Sixteen suddenly turns into a megaphone, broadcasting a summons to the entire planet. Psalm One Hundred Seventeen is still part of the "Egyptian Hallel," the songs sung during the Passover festival. But here, the focus breaks completely out of the borders of Israel. It is a trumpet blast directed at the pagan world. It is a declaration of cosmic warfare, and a radical invitation of grace. So, let us unpack these two massive, monumental verses together. The First Segment is: The Cosmic Summons: Reclaiming the Disinherited. Psalm One Hundred Seventeen: verse one. Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. The psalm explodes right out of the gate with a command: "Praise the Lord, all you nations." To modern ears, this sounds like a standard, generic call to worship. But to the Ancient Israelite, singing this in the courts of the temple, this was a jaw-dropping, radical statement. It requires us to look through the lens of the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview, as taught by scholars like Dr. Michael S. Heiser. We must go all the way back to Genesis Chapter Eleven and the Tower of Babel. At Babel, humanity rebelled against Yahweh, refusing to spread out and fill the earth. In response, God judged the nations. But He didn't just confuse their languages; He disinherited them. According to Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty-two, verses eight through nine, God divided the nations and placed them under the authority of lesser spiritual beings—the "sons of God," or the divine council. Yahweh then stepped back and started over with one man, Abraham, to create His own special portion: Israel. From that moment on, the "nations" (the goyim) were viewed as foreign territory. They were under the jurisdiction of rebel gods, hostile principalities, and dark spiritual forces. They worshipped idols of wood and stone, which we saw mocked so thoroughly back in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. So, when the psalmist stands up and shouts, "Praise Yahweh, all you nations!" he is doing something incredibly audacious. He is crossing enemy lines. He is essentially serving an eviction notice to the rebel gods. He is looking at the people of Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, and Assyria, and he is saying, "Your gods have failed you. They are dead. The time of your exile from the Creator is coming to an end. Yahweh is calling you back!" The parallel phrase, "Praise him, all you people of the earth," uses the Hebrew word ummim, which refers to tribes, clans, and people groups. The psalmist leaves no one out. The invitation is universal. God is not content to simply be the local deity of a small strip of land in the Middle East. He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and He demands, and invites, the adoration of every human being on the planet. This is why the Apostle Paul quotes this exact verse in Romans Chapter Fifteen, verse eleven. Paul uses Psalm One Hundred Seventeen to prove to the early church that the inclusion of the Gentiles—the non-Jewish people—was not a New Testament "Plan B." It was God's plan all along. The ultimate goal of choosing Israel was to create a beacon of light that would eventually draw all the disinherited nations back into the family of God. The Second Segment is: The Gravity of Grace: Why the Nations Should Sing. Psalm One Hundred Seventeen: verse two. For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord! If verse one is the Command, verse two provides the Reason. Why should the pagan nations, who have spent centuries worshipping other gods, suddenly turn and praise Yahweh? The psalmist gives two reasons, rooted in two of the most important words in the Hebrew Bible: Unfailing Love (Hesed) and Faithfulness (Emet). Let us look closely at the first phrase: "For his unfailing love for us is powerful." Hesed is God's loyal, covenant-keeping, relentless love. But notice the direction of this love. The psalmist says His love for "us" is powerful. "Us" refers to Israel. This raises a fascinating question. Why should the nations praise God for the love He showed to Israel? If you are a Babylonian, why do you care that God loves the Jewish people? The answer lies in the promise given to Abraham in Genesis Chapter Twelve: "I will bless you... and all the families on earth will be blessed through you." Israel was never meant to be a reservoir of God's grace; they were meant to be a river. God's Hesed toward Israel—rescuing them from Egypt, giving them the law, protecting them from enemies, and bearing patiently with their constant rebellion—was the vehicle through which salvation would reach the rest of the world. When the nations look at how Yahweh treated Israel, they see a God who keeps His promises. They see a God who does not annihilate His people when they mess up. And they realize, "If this God is that intensely loyal and loving to Israel, maybe there is hope for us, too. Maybe we can be grafted into that same covenant." Furthermore, the word translated as "powerful" (gabar) is an incredibly muscular word. It means to prevail, to be mighty, or to overwhelm. It is the same word used in the story of Noah's Ark, when the floodwaters "prevailed" over the tops of the highest mountains. The psalmist is saying that God's unfailing love is a flood. It cannot be contained by the borders of Israel. It prevails over human sin. It prevails over the rebellious spiritual principalities of the Divine Council. It overtops the highest mountains of human resistance, and spills out to cover the entire globe. The Third Segment is: The Eternal Echo: Truth That Outlasts Time. The second half of the reason is just as anchoring: "...the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever." The word for faithfulness is Emet, which means truth, reliability, and stability. In a world governed by chaotic pagan gods who were unpredictable, petty, and easily angered, the concept of a God whose truth "endures forever" was revolutionary. The gods of the nations rose and fell with their empires. Where is Marduk today? Where is Baal? They are buried in the dust of history, remembered only in museums and archaeological digs. But the faithfulness of Yahweh remains. His truth does not have an expiration date. Because His love is overwhelmingly powerful, and His truth is eternally stable, the nations have a solid rock upon which to stand. They are invited to leave the shifting sands of the world's chaos, and step into the eternal security of the Creator's household. The psalm concludes with the great bookend of the Hallel: "Praise the Lord!" Or, Hallelujah! When Jesus sang this psalm with His disciples on the night of the Last Supper, He knew exactly what He was about to do. He was about to walk to the cross to demonstrate the ultimate, prevailing power of God's Hesed. He was...
Welcome to Day 2807 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2807 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 116:15-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2807 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2807 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Costly Departure – A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Today, we are bringing our deeply personal journey through Psalm One Hundred Sixteen to a glorious, triumphant conclusion. We will be trekking through the final stanza of this profound song, covering verses fifteen through nineteen, in the New Living Translation. Before we take our next step, we must look back over our shoulder at the trail we just traveled. In our previous trek, covering the first fourteen verses of this psalm, we stood beside a man who had stared into the terrifying abyss of the underworld. We heard his raw, trembling testimony. He told us how the ropes of death had wrapped around his neck, and how the terrors of the grave had overtaken him. In his absolute helplessness, he cried out a simple prayer: "Please, Lord, save me!" And Yahweh, the Most High God, bent down from the heavens to listen. He severed the cords of death, dried the psalmist's tears, and stabilized his stumbling feet. In overwhelming gratitude, the psalmist lifted the "Cup of Salvation," promising to praise the Lord in the land of the living. We also remembered that this is part of the Egyptian Hallel, the collection of psalms sung during the Passover. Jesus Himself sang these very words in the Upper Room, just hours before He faced the ultimate terror of the cross. Now, as we enter the final five verses, the psalmist transitions from the private terror of his near-death experience, to the public courts of the temple. He begins with a stunning revelation about how God views the death of His people, and ends with a communal feast of thanksgiving. It is a transition from the darkness of the grave, to the bright, joyful center of cosmic geography: Jerusalem. Let us walk into the temple courts, and listen to the conclusion of this magnificent testimony. The first segment is: The Weight of the Faithful: A Costly Departure. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verse fifteen. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. This single verse is one of the most famous, and frequently quoted, comforts in the entire Bible, especially during times of grief. But to truly understand its depth, we must peel back the layers of the original Hebrew language, and view it through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. The word translated as "precious" is yaqar. In English, when we hear the word "precious," we often think of something sweet, sentimental, or cute. But that is not what yaqar means. In biblical Hebrew, yaqar means heavy, rare, costly, or of immense value. It is the word used to describe rare jewels, or the heavy, expensive stones used to lay the foundation of the temple. Therefore, the psalmist is not saying that God finds our death sweet or pleasant. Death is the enemy. Death, in the ancient mindset, was the ultimate expression of the chaotic realm of Sheol. Instead, the psalmist is making a profound statement about our value: "Heavy, costly, and of immense consequence in the sight of Yahweh, is the death of His faithful ones." God does not view the passing of His people casually. He does not treat us as expendable pawns on a cosmic chessboard. When the forces of chaos and disease try to drag a believer down into the grave, the Lord takes it personally. It costs Him something. He values His human imagers so highly, that their departure from this earth is an event of cosmic gravity. The term "faithful servants" is the Hebrew word chasidim, which is rooted in Hesed—God's unfailing, loyal, covenant love. The chasidim are the loyal ones, the ones bound to God by covenant. Because He is fiercely loyal to them, He does not surrender them to the grave without a fight. In the case of this psalmist, God looked at the high cost of his death, stepped into the fray, and said, "Not today." He severed the ropes of Sheol, because the life of His servant was simply too valuable to lose to the darkness. When Jesus sang this verse on the night of His betrayal, He was acknowledging the profound weight of what He was about to do. His death would be the ultimate, costly departure. Yet, because it was so precious in the sight of the Father, it would become the very mechanism that defeated death forever. The second segment is: The Joyful Captive: Freedom Through Submission. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verse sixteen. O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. Having reflected on how much God values his life, the psalmist responds with an absolute surrender of his identity. He repeats his title twice for emphasis: "O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant." The word for "servant" here is ebed, which can also be translated as slave or bondservant. But this is not a forced, oppressive slavery; this is a willing, joyful submission to a benevolent King. The psalmist adds a beautiful, intimate detail: "born into your household." Literally, the text says, "the son of your maidservant." In the ancient Near East, a slave who was purchased from a foreign land had a very different status than a slave who was born within the master's own house. A servant born into the household was practically considered family. They grew up under the master's roof, ate the master's food, and enjoyed the master's protection. By calling himself the son of a maidservant, the psalmist is claiming a deep, lifelong, family connection to Yahweh. He is saying, "Lord, I belong to You. I have always belonged to You. I am a child of Your estate." And here is the beautiful paradox of the biblical worldview: true freedom is found only in becoming a servant of the Most High God. Notice the next phrase: "you have freed me from my chains." Just a few verses earlier, the psalmist was wrapped in the ropes of death. Those were the chains of chaos, destruction, and fear. By submitting himself entirely to Yahweh as a servant, those chains of oppression were shattered. In the Divine Council worldview, humans will always serve a master. We will either be enslaved by the dark, rebellious principalities of this world—forces that seek to bind us in addiction, fear, and ultimately the grave—or we will bind ourselves to the Creator, whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light. The psalmist declares that because God broke the chains of death, he is now happily, permanently bound to the Lord. He is a free man, precisely because he is God's servant. The third segment is: The Public Feast: Testifying in the Sacred Courts. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses seventeen through nineteen. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people— in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! Now, the psalmist takes his private, internal gratitude, and makes it undeniably public. He transitions from the prayer closet, to the temple courts. He promises: "I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving." This is a very specific reference to the Levitical law. In the Book of Leviticus, Chapter Seven, the Todah—or Thanksgiving Sacrifice—was a type of peace offering. When an Israelite was rescued from a life-threatening illness, a dangerous journey, or a deadly enemy, they were instructed to bring an animal sacrifice, along with unleavened bread, to the tabernacle. But this sacrifice was unique. It was not burned up entirely on the altar. The priest took a portion, but the vast majority of the meat and bread was given back to the worshiper. The worshiper was then required to host a massive, joyful feast, inviting their family, friends, and even the poor, to eat the meal with them on that very same day. Think about the profound psychology of this ritual. You could not eat an entire animal by yourself. You had to invite a crowd. And as you passed the meat and the bread, people would naturally ask, "What are we celebrating?" That was your moment to testify. That was the moment to say, "I was standing at the edge of the grave. The ropes of death had me. But I called on the name of the Lord, and He saved me!" This is exactly what the psalmist intends to do: "and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence...
Welcome to Day 2806 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: How We Read the Bible Matters. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2806 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2806 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: How We Read the Bible Matters. When we read the Bible, we never approach it as a blank slate. We bring assumptions, cultural filters, personal experiences, and expectations. Scripture, however, demands that we lay those things down. The way we approach the Bible determines whether we are hearing God’s voice or simply amplifying our own. This is where the distinction between exegesis and eisegesis becomes critical. Exegesis is the process of drawing meaning out of a biblical passage based on its context, grammar, historical background, and literary structure. The term comes from a Greek word meaning “to lead out.” It asks what the author intended to communicate to the original audience and what God is saying through that text. Eisegesis, on the other hand, means “to lead into.” It involves importing one’s own ideas or assumptions into the text, whether consciously or not. While it may sound harmless, eisegesis can distort theology, promote error, and mislead sincere readers. The first segment is: Laodicea and the Lukewarm Church. Revelation three verse sixteen says, “So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” A common interpretation suggests that Jesus prefers people to be either fully committed or openly rebellious rather than half-hearted. But this understanding contradicts the consistent call in Scripture for repentance and faith. Laodicea’s geography explains the metaphor. The city sat between Colossae, known for cold, refreshing water, and Hierapolis, famous for its hot springs. By the time water reached Laodicea through aqueducts, it was lukewarm, mineral-heavy, and unpleasant. Jesus is not comparing spiritual passion and apathy. He is saying the church had become spiritually useless, offering neither refreshment nor healing. Exegesis brings this context to light. Eisegesis misreads the metaphor entirely and turns the passage into a strange statement about God’s preferences. The second segment is: Two or Three Gathered. Matthew 18:20 is frequently quoted to affirm the power of small group prayer: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” While it sounds encouraging, the verse does not refer to prayer meetings or informal worship. In context, it concludes a section on church discipline. Jesus is assuring His followers that when they faithfully carry out difficult acts of correction or accountability within the church, His authority is present in their decisions. Used out of context, the verse suggests that Jesus is only present when...
Welcome to Day 2805 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2805 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2805 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cup of Salvation – Rescued from the Cords of Death Today, we are continuing our profound journey through the Egyptian Hallel. This is the collection of praise songs, sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival, commemorating their deliverance from slavery. We are stepping into the deeply personal territory of Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, covering verses one through fourteen, in the New Living Translation. To fully appreciate where we are standing today, we must look back at the trail we just hiked in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. In that previous trek, we stood amidst the great, living choir of Israel. We heard the worship leader call out to the nation, the priests, and all who fear the Lord, commanding them to trust in the Maker of heaven and earth. We learned that the heavens belong to Yahweh, but the earth has been given to humanity, as His authorized representatives. The psalm ended with a stark reminder: the dead cannot sing praises; therefore, we must praise the Lord while we still have breath in our lungs. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen takes that final thought about life, death, and praise, and turns it into a vivid, first-hand testimony. If Psalm One Hundred Fifteen was a massive, public choir singing about the theology of God, Psalm One Hundred Sixteen is a single, trembling voice, singing about the intimacy of God. The psalmist has just survived a near-death experience. He was standing on the absolute brink of the grave, staring into the abyss, and God reached down and pulled him back. As we read this, remember that this was sung by Jesus and His disciples on the very night He was betrayed. Jesus sang these words about the "snares of death," knowing that within hours, He would be facing the cross. So, let us walk closely with the psalmist, and discover what it means to lift the cup of salvation. The first segment is: Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses one through four I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" The psalm begins with a raw, unfiltered declaration of affection: "I love the Lord." It is actually quite rare in the Psalms for the writer to begin with such a blunt, personal statement of love. But why does he love God? "Because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy." Notice the beautiful, physical imagery the psalmist uses to describe God’s attentiveness:...
Welcome to Day 2804 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2804 – The Devil Never Made Him Do It – Luke 4:1-13 Putnam Church Message – 01/18/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Devil Never Made Him Do It.” Last week investigated a prophet who was unmatched in all history, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, in a message titled “The Greatest Mortal Who Ever Died.” Today, we begin our study through the ministry of Jesus Christ in a message titled: “The Devil Never Made Him Do It.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 4:1-13, found on page 1595 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. OPENING PRAYER Holy Father, we gather today in the name of Jesus, our victorious Savior. As we open Your Word, teach us to recognize temptation, to discern the lies of the enemy, and to cling to the truth that sets us free. Strengthen our hearts by Your Spirit, steady our minds by Your Scriptures, and shape our lives to reflect the obedience of Christ in the wilderness. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and forever. Amen. Today, we come to a moment in Luke’s Gospel that occurs quietly, without crowds, without choirs of angels, without disciples watching in awe. There are no miracles, no sermons, no parables, and no healings. Instead, there is silence, sand, hunger, and a solitary battle in the wilderness. It is here that Jesus faces the enemy of our souls in a way no other human ever has — and He triumphs. And He does so not by leaning on His divine authority, but by walking in obedience as a human filled with and yielded to the Holy Spirit. Our preaching text this morning comes from Luke 4:1–13 (NLT). Luke writes: “Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.” (Luke 4:1–2) Luke wants us to see something right away: Jesus did not accidentally wander into temptation. He did not stumble into a spiritual ambush. He was led there. Led by whom? Led by the Spirit. And with that, Luke invites us into one of Scripture’s most profound mysteries: God can lead His children into places of testing for the purpose of strengthening, purifying, and proving them. This is not new. Israel experienced the same. Moses reminded the people in Deuteronomy 8:2 (NLT): “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you…” Jesus is reliving the story of Israel — but where Israel failed, Jesus prevails. Context: Between Baptism and Ministry Before we move further, we must notice the timing: Just before the wilderness comes the baptism. Just before the temptation comes the affirmation. Just before the war comes, the voice from heaven. In Luke 3, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father declared: “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (3:22) Immediately after that, Jesus is taken to the desert. This pattern is familiar to anyone who has walked with God: * Mountaintops are...
Welcome to Day 2803 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2803 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 115:19-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2803 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2803 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Living Choir – Trusting the Maker of Heaven and Earth Today, we are continuing our grand expedition through the Egyptian Hallel, that magnificent collection of praise songs sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival. We are stepping into the second half of Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, covering verses nine through eighteen, in the New Living Translation. To properly set the stage, we must remember the theological fireworks from our previous trek. In the first eight verses of Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, the psalmist drew a sharp, mocking contrast between the God of Israel and the gods of the surrounding pagan nations. He declared that our God is in the heavens, doing whatever He pleases, while the idols of the nations are nothing more than dead blocks of wood, silver, and gold. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see, and feet but cannot walk. The chilling warning was that those who make them, and trust in them, will become just like them—spiritually deaf, blind, and paralyzed. Now, in this second half of the psalm, the tone shifts from a theological argument, to a vibrant, liturgical choir. Having exposed the absolute uselessness of the pagan idols, the psalmist turns around to face the congregation of Israel. If the idols are dead, where should we put our trust? The answer rings out in a beautifully structured, responsive song. We will see the congregation divided into three distinct groups, receiving a threefold call to trust, followed by a threefold promise of blessing. Finally, the psalm concludes with a profound statement about cosmic geography, revealing our true human purpose on this earth, and the urgent necessity of praising God while we still have breath in our lungs. So, let us enter the temple courts, and join the choir. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verses nine through eleven O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. Imagine being in the temple courtyard. The worship leader, perhaps the High Priest, stands on the steps, and calls out to different sections of the gathered crowd. This is a responsive liturgy, designed to engage everyone present, regardless of their status or background. First, he addresses the entire covenant nation: "O Israel, trust the Lord!" This is the baseline of their identity. They are the people brought out of Egypt, the physical descendants of Jacob. In a world full of glittering, tempting idols, they are commanded to place their entire weight, their complete confidence, on Yahweh. Second, he turns to the religious leadership: "O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!" The house of Aaron...
Welcome to Day 2802 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2802 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 115:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2802 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2802 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Our God is Supreme Today, we are continuing our journey through the "Egyptian Hallel," the magnificent collection of praise songs sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival. We are stepping into the first half of Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, covering verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. To set the stage, let us remember where we stood in our previous trek. In Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, we witnessed the sheer, terrifying power of the Theophany. We saw the earth tremble, the Red Sea flee, and the Jordan River turn back at the very presence of the God of Jacob. It was a psalm of action, movement, and cosmic disruption. Yahweh stepped into history, and the chaotic forces of nature panicked. But as we turn the page to Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, the tone shifts from the dramatic trembling of the earth to a profound, theological reflection. According to Jewish tradition, while Psalms One Hundred Thirteen and One Hundred Fourteen were sung before the Passover meal, Psalm One Hundred Fifteen was the first hymn sung after the meal was finished. Imagine the scene. Jesus and His disciples have just finished the Last Supper. The bread has been broken; the cup of the new covenant has been poured. And before they walk out into the dark night toward the Garden of Gethsemane, they lift their voices to sing these exact words. They sing about the glory of God, the foolishness of the world's idols, and the absolute sovereignty of the King of Heaven. This psalm is a brilliant polemic—a theological argument—against the gods of the surrounding nations. It contrasts the living, unrestrained God of Israel with the dead, handcrafted statues of the pagan world. It challenges us to ask: Where does the glory belong, and what are we truly placing our trust in? Let us dive into the text. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verse one. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. The psalm opens with one of the most profound statements of humility in the entire Bible. The psalmist repeats the phrase for emphasis: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us." This is the ultimate deflection of human pride. When Israel looked back at the Exodus—when they remembered the sea parting and the enemies drowning—it was incredibly tempting to pat themselves on the back. It is human nature to assume that if God blesses us, saves us, or uses us, it must be because we are somehow special, worthy, or superior. But the psalmist violently rejects that idea. He says, "Lord, do not give us the credit. We did not part the sea. We did not defeat the Egyptian empire. The glory belongs entirely, exclusively, and completely to Your Name." And why does the glory go to His Name? Because of two foundational attributes: His "unfailing love" and His
Welcome to Day 2801 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Ancient Kings and Giants: Were the Sumerian Rulers the Nephilim? Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2801 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2801 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Ancient Kings and Giants: Were the Sumerian Rulers the Nephilim? In the earliest layers of Mesopotamian literature, the Sumerian King List stands as a remarkable record of legendary rulers. These kings, beginning with Alulim of Eridu, are said to have reigned for tens of thousands of years. Alulim ruled for Twenty-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred years, while others, such as En-men-lu-ana of Bad-tibira, are credited with reigns of Forty-Three Thousand Two Hundred years. The list presents eight antediluvian kings in total, whose rule was said to have lasted for Two Hundred Forty-One Thousand, Two-Hundred years before the heavens brought a great flood. These numbers are not historical in the modern sense. They are symbolic and rooted in the Sumerian sacred use of numbers, especially the sexagesimal base-sixty system. Lifespans were often structured as multiples of Three Thousand, Six Hundred, a unit known as a sar. The theological point is clear. Kingship was believed to have descended from heaven, and these early rulers were seen not merely as political figures but as mediators between gods and mortals. Their reigns reflect divine favor, cosmic order, and a time when humans stood closer to the divine realm. The flood marks a dividing line in the narrative. After it, reigns become shorter and more grounded. The mythic age gives way to something closer to recognizable history. Cities shift, dynasties rise and fall, and the divine distance from humanity becomes more evident. What survives is a memory of a time when the lines between human and divine were blurred, when kings were more than men, and when the age before the flood carried an aura of sacred timelessness. The First Segment is: Echoes from Akkadian and Babylonian Tradition. The Akkadian-speaking cultures of Babylon and Assyria preserved an expanded version of the Sumerian memory in two major works, the Atrahasis Epic and the Epic of Gilgamesh. These texts also recall a time before the flood, inhabited by extraordinary beings, divine-human figures, and a collapse of order that led to judgment. In the Atrahasis Epic, the gods create humans to relieve themselves of labor, but humanity quickly multiplies and becomes noisy and disruptive. Enlil, the chief god, decides to destroy them. A series of plagues and famines fails to work, so a flood is sent to wipe out the human race. The god Ea (or Enki) warns Atrahasis, a righteous man, who builds a boat to survive. After the flood, humanity is restructured and reduced, and a new social and spiritual order is established. The Epic of...
Welcome to Day 2800 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2800 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2800 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Earth Trembles – When the Presence Moves In. Today is a milestone day! We have reached day two thousand eight hundred. That is a lot of trekking, and I am so grateful you are walking this path with me. We are celebrating this milestone by stepping into one of the most compact, high-energy psalms in the entire Bible. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, covering the entire hymn, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Thirteen, we began the "Egyptian Hallel"—the series of psalms sung at the Passover. We saw the "Stooping God" who sits high above the nations but bends down low to lift the poor from the dust and the barren woman from her grief. That psalm set the theological stage: God is great because He is humble. Psalm One Hundred Fourteen moves from theology to Theophany. A "Theophany" is a visible manifestation of God. This psalm describes what happened when that "Stooping God" actually touched down on planet Earth to lead His people out of Egypt. It is a psalm of movement. In just eight verses, we see a nation moving out, a sea fleeing, a river turning back, mountains skipping like scared sheep, and the solid rock turning into a fountain. It describes the sheer, terrifying, joyful disruption that occurs when the Holy One invades the realm of chaos. In Jewish tradition, this psalm is sung right before the Passover meal. It recounts the moment Israel became God’s peculiar treasure. So, let us imagine ourselves in the Upper Room, or perhaps standing on the shores of the Red Sea, as we witness the earth tremble at the presence of the Lord. The First Segment is: The Great Migration: Establishing the Sanctuary. Psalm One Hundred Fourteen: verses one through two. When Israel went out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The psalm begins with a historical flashback to the defining moment of the Old Testament: The Exodus. "When Israel went out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of strange language..." The mention of a "strange language" (or foreign tongue) emphasizes the alienation of Israel. They were strangers in a strange land. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, Egypt was not just a political oppressor; it was a spiritual "Iron Furnace." It was the domain of foreign gods—Ra, Osiris, Horus. Israel was living in a culture where the very words spoken were dedicated to idols. To leave Egypt was to leave the jurisdiction of these foreign elohim. But look at what happens the moment they step out: "Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion." This is a profound statement of Cosmic...
Welcome to Day 2799 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2799 – The Day the Pupil Stumped the Professors – Luke 3:1-38 Putnam Church Message – 01/11/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Day the Pupil Stumped the Professors.” Last week was the first week of 2026. We explored the third and final story of Jesus’s childhood. We will explore “The Day the Pupil Stumped the Professors.” Today, we will investigate a prophet who was unmatched in all history, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, in a message titled “The Greatest Mortal Who Ever Died.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 3:1-38, found on page 1593 of your Pew Bibles. Since this is a long passage and there is a lot to cover, I will include many of the verses during the message. Opening Prayer Gracious and holy God, we come before You today not to be entertained, not to be affirmed by the world, but to be shaped by Your truth. You are the God who speaks in the wilderness, who calls Your servants when the times are dark, and who prepares hearts for the coming of Christ. As we open Your Word, strip away our need for approval, our fear of standing apart, and our temptation to measure faithfulness by success. Give us ears to hear, hearts willing to repent, and courage to live differently for Your glory. Prepare us, O Lord, as John prepared the way— that Christ may be clearly seen among us today. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lamb of God and Savior of the world. Amen. Introduction: When God’s Best Doesn’t Look Like Success We live in a culture that worships success. Success is measured in numbers—attendance, followers, influence, platforms, budgets, and visibility. We admire what is polished, efficient, impressive, and scalable. If something grows quickly and looks professional, we assume God must be blessing it. And if it struggles, suffers, or fails—well, we quietly wonder what went wrong. That mindset has seeped into the church. We speak of ministries being relevant, which often means marketable. We talk about impact in terms of reach. We measure faithfulness by results. And we subtly assume that if God is truly at work, it will look powerful, admired, and upwardly mobile. Then Luke introduces us to John the Baptizer. John doesn’t fit any of our categories. He doesn’t go where the people are; he goes where they aren’t. He doesn’t dress to attract; he dresses to repel. He doesn’t soften his message; he sharpens it. He doesn’t protect his influence; he surrenders it. And he doesn’t end his life honored—he ends it executed. And yet Jesus will later say of him: “I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John.” (Luke 7:28, NLT) That’s a shocking statement. Not Moses. / Not David. / Not Elijah. / Not Isaiah. The greatest mortal who ever lived—and ever died—was a wilderness prophet who never performed a miracle, never held office, never wrote a book, never founded a movement, and never lived to see the results of his ministry. Luke chapter 3 forces us to confront a hard truth: God defines greatness very differently from the way we do. Main...
Welcome to Day 2798 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2798 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 113:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2798 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred ninety-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Hallel Begins – The High God Who Stoops Low Today, we cross a significant threshold in our journey through the Psalter. We are stepping into Psalm One Hundred Thirteen, covering the entire hymn, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. To understand the shift we are making today, we need to look back at the trail we have just hiked. For the last two days, we have been trekking through Psalm One Hundred Eleven and Psalm One Hundred Twelve. Those two psalms were a matched pair—twin "acrostic" poems that functioned like a classroom. They taught us the "A to Z" of God’s character and the "A to Z" of the godly person’s character. They were wisdom psalms, designed to be studied, pondered, and memorized in the quiet of the study hall. But today, the bell rings, and the class is dismissed. We are moving from the study hall to the Festival. Psalm One Hundred Thirteen marks the beginning of a special collection known as the "Egyptian Hallel" (Psalms One Hundred Thirteen through One Hundred Eighteen). These six psalms were, and still are, the liturgical soundtrack of the Passover Seder. They celebrate God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. In Jewish tradition, Psalms One Hundred Thirteen and One Hundred Fourteen are sung before the Passover meal, and Psalms One Hundred Fifteen through One Hundred Eighteen are sung after the meal. This means that on the night Jesus was betrayed, just before He went to the Garden of Gethsemane, He likely sang these very words with His disciples. So, as we read this psalm, we are not just reading poetry; we are stepping into the Upper Room. We are hearing the song that fortified the Messiah for the cross. The theme of this psalm is a magnificent paradox. It presents Yahweh as the God who is Infinitely High—seated above the nations and the heavens—yet who insists on stooping Infinitely Low to lift the poor from the dust and the barren woman from her grief. It is the theology of the Great Descent. So, let us lift our voices with the choir of history and begin the Hallel. The first segment is: The Call to the Servants: A Praise Without Borders. Psalm One Hundred Thirteen: verses one through three. Praise the Lord! Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever. Everywhere—from east to west— praise the name of the Lord. The psalm opens with the signature shout of the Hallel: "Hallelujah!" ("Praise the Lord!"). But notice...
Welcome to Day 2797 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2797 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 112:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2797 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2797 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Wisdom-Trek: The Mirror Image – The "A to Z" of the Godly Life. Today, we are stepping into the second half of a magnificent diptych. We are trekking through Psalm One Hundred Twelve, covering the entire poem, verses one through ten, in the New Living Translation. To understand the beauty of this psalm, we must remember where we stood yesterday. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Eleven, we studied the "A to Z" of God. That psalm was an acrostic poem—meaning each line began with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet—celebrating the perfect works of Yahweh. It described Him as "gracious and compassionate," a Provider of food, a Keeper of covenants, and a God whose works are "truth and justice." Psalm One Hundred Eleven ended with a bridge: "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom." Today, Psalm One Hundred Twelve picks up exactly where that verse left off. It is the "twin brother" of the previous psalm. It is also an acrostic poem, following the exact same alphabetical structure. But there is a twist. If Psalm One Hundred Eleven was the "A to Z" of God’s Character, Psalm One Hundred Twelve is the "A to Z" of the Godly Person’s Character. The psalmist is doing something profound here. He is using the same vocabulary, the same structure, and even the same phrases to describe the believer that he used to describe God. This is the biblical doctrine of the Imago Dei—the Image of God. We become what we worship. If we fear and delight in a God who is gracious, compassionate, and righteous, we will eventually become gracious, compassionate, and righteous ourselves. So, let us look into this mirror and see what a human life looks like when it is fully conformed to the image of the King. The first segment is: The Foundation: Fear and Delight. Psalm One Hundred Twelve: verse one. Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. The psalm begins with the same shout as its twin: "Hallelujah!" ("Praise the Lord!"). But then it moves immediately to the human subject: "How joyful are those who fear the Lord..." (Literally, "Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh"). This connects the dots perfectly. Psalm One Hundred Eleven ended with the "fear of the Lord" as the beginning of wisdom. Psalm One Hundred Twelve begins with the "fear of the Lord" as the source of joy. But notice the balance: "...and delight in obeying his commands." This destroys the idea that "fearing God" means being terrified of Him. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, fear and delight are not opposites; they are partners. "Fear" is the recognition of God’s ultimate authority
Welcome to Day 2796 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Top 10 Logical Fallacies That Lead to Bad Theology and Misguided Evangelism. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2796 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2796 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Top 10 Logical Fallacies That Lead to Bad Theology and Misguided Evangelism. Theology and evangelism must be grounded in truth. Scripture calls us to worship God with all our heart, soul, and mind. When Christians lean on faulty reasoning, they twist the Word of God and open the door to error. Logical fallacies are not harmless; they often lead to heresy, false conversions, and a compromised witness. The gospel is too precious to be diluted by sloppy thinking. Here are ten common logical fallacies that regularly poison Christian teaching and outreach, along with why they are so dangerous. 1. Appeal to Emotion God created us with emotions, and they can be powerful tools in responding to His truth. But when emotions become the foundation of a theological claim or evangelistic appeal, the message becomes distorted. Frightening people with hellfire or guilt-tripping them into “saying a prayer” is not preaching the gospel. It is manipulating feelings. This may produce outward responses, but it rarely produces genuine repentance. The Holy Spirit uses the truth of the gospel to convict and transform, not emotional spectacle. 2. Straw Man We are called to represent the truth faithfully, and that includes how we handle opposing views. Creating a caricature of someone else’s beliefs just to knock it down is not discernment; it is dishonesty. Saying, “Calvinists believe God delights in sending people to hell,” or “Arminians think they save themselves,” misrepresents those views and violates the command to bear true witness. If we cannot refute what someone actually believes, we have no business opposing it at all. 3. Slippery Slope There is a difference between wise caution and irrational fear. When someone says, “If we allow this doctrinal disagreement, we’ll abandon the gospel next,” or “If women teach children, we’ll soon have drag queens in the pulpit,” they are not contending for the faith. They are avoiding honest discussion. Scripture warns against compromise, but it also warns against making false accusations. We must examine each issue on its own merit, not use fear tactics to shut down thought. 4. Circular Reasoning The Bible is self-authenticating, but it should not be defended with circular logic. Saying, “The Bible is true because it says it is,” may sound spiritual, but it avoids meaningful engagement with the reliability of God’s Word. Scripture invites examination. God has confirmed His Word through history,...
Welcome to Day 2795 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2795 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 111:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2795 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred ninety-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The A to Z of Wonder – Studying the Works of the Faithful God Today, we step off the battlefield of Psalm One Hundred Ten and walk into the study hall of the saints. We are beginning our exploration of Psalm One Hundred Eleven, covering the entire poem, verses one through ten, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Ten, we stood in the Divine Council. We saw the Messiah—the Priest-King after the order of Melchizedek—seated at the right hand of Yahweh. We witnessed the promise that He would crush the head of the serpent and make His enemies a footstool. It was a psalm of cosmic warfare, high theology, and future judgment. It was the view from the Throne. Psalm One Hundred Eleven shifts the perspective from the Throne to the Congregation. If Psalm One Hundred Ten was about the King’s power, Psalm One Hundred Eleven is about the People’s praise. It is a response to the victory. It is a quiet, organized, and deeply thoughtful meditation on what God has done. In the original Hebrew, this psalm is an acrostic poem. Each line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet—Aleph, Bet, Gimel, and so on. It is an "A to Z" of praise. The psalmist is telling us that God’s works are so complete, so perfect, and so orderly that they cover the entire alphabet of existence. Nothing is missing. This psalm invites us to become students. It tells us that the works of God are not just to be glanced at; they are to be "studied." So, let us open our textbooks of grace and begin our study of the works of the Lord. The first segment is: The Council of the Upright: The Context of Praise. Psalm One Hundred Eleven: verse one. Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. The psalm begins with the shout: "Hallelujah!" ("Praise the Lord!"). But immediately, the psalmist moves from the shout to the heart. "I will thank the Lord with all my heart..." This is wholehearted integration. There is no fragmentation here. His intellect, his emotions, and his will are all aligned in gratitude. And notice the location: "...as I meet with his godly people." The Hebrew phrase here is fascinating: "In the council (sod) of the upright and in the assembly." We have talked often about the Divine Council—the assembly of spiritual beings in heaven. Here, the psalmist uses that same terminology to describe the gathering of believers on earth. The church, the synagogue, the gathering of the saints—this is the earthly counterpart to the heavenly council. Just as the angels gather around the throne to discuss God’s decrees, the...
Welcome to Day 2794 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2794 – The Day the Pupil Stumped the Professors – Luke 2:21-38 Putnam Church Message – 01/04/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Day the Pupil Stumped the Professors.” Last week was the final Sunday of 2025, and we continued our year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “A Sacrifice, A Savior, a Sword.” Today, in the first week of 2026, we will explore the third and final story of Jesus’s childhood. We will explore “The Day the Pupil Stumped the Professors.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 2:39-52, found on page 1592 of your Pew Bibles. 39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. The Boy Jesus at the Temple 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[f] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Opening Prayer Gracious Father, As we step into a new year, we come again to Your Word—not simply to gain information, but to be shaped by truth. Open our eyes to see Jesus clearly. Open our hearts to receive what You are forming within us. And may Your Spirit teach us, just as He once taught in the temple courts long ago. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen. Introduction — The Childhood Stories We Never Get If you are curious about the childhoods of the significant figures of Scripture, you would think that you would find detailed accounts—stories of early faith, formative moments, maybe even mistakes that shaped future obedience. But what you would find in...
Welcome to Day 2793 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2793 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 110:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2793 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred ninety-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Priest-King of the Cosmos – The Coronation of the Ultimate Human. Today, we arrive at what might be the most significant mountain peak in the entire Old Testament. We are standing at the base of Psalm One Hundred Ten, and we will be trekking through the entire psalm, verses one through seven, in the New Living Translation. In our previous journey through Psalm One Hundred Nine, we stood in a courtroom. We saw David as a defendant, surrounded by accusers. We saw him destitute, weak, and pleading for help. That psalm ended with a vision of God standing at the "right hand" of the poor to save him. But today, the scene shifts dramatically. The courtroom is gone. The weakness is gone. Psalm One Hundred Ten opens the door to the Throne Room of the Universe. We are no longer looking at a needy human King David; we are looking at a Divine figure who is invited to sit at the right hand of Yahweh Himself. This short psalm—only seven verses long—is the most frequently quoted Old Testament chapter in the New Testament. Jesus quoted it to stump the Pharisees. Peter quoted it on the Day of Pentecost. The author of Hebrews built his entire theology of the priesthood around it. Why? Because this psalm unveils the mystery of the Messiah. It reveals a figure who is both a conquering King and an eternal Priest—a combination that was legally impossible under the Law of Moses. It gives us a glimpse into the Divine Council, where the Father invites the Son to rule over the chaos of the nations. So, take off your sandals, for we are standing on holy ground. Let us listen to the conversation between the Father and the Son. The first segment is: The Oracle of the Throne: The Two Powers in Heaven. Psalm One Hundred Ten: verse one. The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet." The psalm begins with an explosion of theological depth. "The Lord said to my Lord..." In the Hebrew text, this reads: "The oracle of Yahweh to my Adonai." David, the King of Israel, is writing this. He is the highest human authority in the land. Yet, he is eavesdropping on a conversation in the heavenly realm. He hears Yahweh (God the Father) speaking to someone David calls "my Lord" (Adoni). Who could possibly be David’s Lord? David had no human superior. This is the question Jesus asked the Pharisees in Matthew Twenty-two. If the Messiah is merely David’s son (a human descendant), why does David call Him "Lord"? The answer lies in the Divine Council worldview. David is seeing a figure who is...
Welcome to Day 2792 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2792 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 109:26-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2792 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred ninety-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Verdict of Love – Standing at the Right Hand of the Poor. Today, we reach the conclusion of our journey through the valley of betrayal, Psalm One Hundred Nine. We are trekking through the final stanza, verses twenty-six through thirty-one, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we walked through the darkest corridors of this psalm. We heard David’s agonizing cry for justice against the enemy who had repaid his love with hatred. We witnessed the "Boomerang of Justice," where David prayed for the very curses his enemy loved to return upon his own head—for his name to be blotted out and his prayers to be counted as sin. We saw David broken, fasting, fading like a shadow, and mocked by the public. It was a scene of utter devastation. But as we arrive at these final six verses, the atmosphere in the courtroom shifts. David has made his case. He has laid out the evidence of his enemy’s cruelty and his own innocence. Now, he turns his face fully toward the Judge. In this closing prayer, we move from the Curse to the Confidence. We see the Accuser—the "Satan" at the enemy's right hand—replaced by a greater Advocate. We see David move from the shame of being a byword to the joy of public praise. And we discover that the ultimate answer to slander is not revenge, but Rescue. So, let us stand with David as the verdict is read. Segment one is: The Final Appeal: Save Me by Your Hesed. Psalm One Hundred Nine: verse twenty-six. Help me, O Lord my God! Save me because of your unfailing love. After the torrent of curses and the description of his own misery, David distills his entire request into one simple, desperate cry: "Help me, O Lord my God!" The word "Help" (ozreni) implies active assistance. He is asking God to step into the fray. But notice the basis of his appeal: "Save me because of your unfailing love." Here is our covenant word again: Hesed. This is crucial. David does not say, "Save me because I am innocent," even though he is. He does not say, "Save me because my enemy is wicked," even though he is. He says, "Save me because of Your character." David anchors his salvation in the loyal love of Yahweh. Even when human love is repaid with hatred (verse five), God’s love remains constant. This is the bedrock of all true prayer. When we have nothing else to offer—when we are "skin and bones" (verse 24)—we can always appeal to God’s nature. "Lord, be who You are. You are the God of Hesed; therefore, save me." The second segment is: The Theology of Vindication: Let Them Know It Was You. Psalm One Hundred Nine: verse twenty-seven. Let them...
Welcome to Day 2791 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Arianism: The Heresy That Shook an Empire and Hastened Rome’s Fall Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2791 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2791 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#0.5#> Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Arianism: The Heresy That Shook an Empire and Hastened Rome’s Fall. <#0.5#> Arianism was more than a theological dispute; it became a force that rattled the foundations of the Roman Empire. Originating with the Alexandrian priest Arius (AD 250–336), the doctrine asserted that the Son, Jesus Christ, was a created being and therefore not co-eternal with the Father. This challenged the traditional Christian understanding of Jesus’ divinity and ignited a controversy that tore through the Church and empire alike.<#0.5#> By the time of Constantine in the early 4th century, Christianity had been legalized and heavily promoted, though not yet made the official religion of Rome. Constantine’s patronage brought Christianity into the center of imperial life, and his calling of the Council of Nicaea in 325 demonstrated just how closely church and empire were becoming linked. Yet the settlement of Nicaea did not resolve the issue. The Arian controversy lingered, splitting bishops, congregations, and emperors.<#0.5#> What began as a debate over the Trinity soon spiraled into a crisis that divided the empire at its core. As Arianism spread, particularly among the Germanic tribes who would later overrun the Western Empire, the theological rift turned into a political fault line. In this way, a doctrinal battle over Christ’s divinity became bound up with the very fate of Rome itself.<#0.5#> The first segment is: Why Arianism Was Declared a Heresy<#0.5#> The Church declared Arianism a heresy at the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325. The fundamental issue revolved around the nature and divinity of Jesus Christ. While Arius believed Jesus was a creation—albeit the highest of all creations—the Church upheld that Jesus was uncreated, co-eternal, and co-equal with the Father.<#0.5#> Scripture played a decisive role in the dispute. John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This verse affirms the divinity of Jesus, describing Him as the Word who both existed at the beginning and was God Himself.<#0.5#> Colossians 1:16 likewise insists on Christ’s active role in creation: “For by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” Such passages undermine the Arian claim that Jesus Himself was a creation.<#0.5#> The second segment is: Arianism and the Fall of Rome<#0.5#>...
Welcome to Day 2790 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2790 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 109:6-25 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2790 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2790 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Boomerang of Justice – Wearing Curses Like a Cloak. Today, we are walking into the storm. We are continuing our journey through Psalm One Hundred Nine, and we are covering the most difficult and controversial section of the entire book: verses six through twenty-five, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we stood with David in the opening five verses. We saw him as a man betrayed. He said, "I love them, but they try to destroy me." He told us that in return for his friendship, they acted as his "accusers"—literally, they acted as "satans" or adversaries against him. They repaid evil for good and hatred for love. David’s response in that first section was to become "prayer"—to retreat entirely into God. But today, we see what he prayed. And frankly, it is terrifying. Verses six through twenty are often called the "Imprecatory Psalms"—the cursing psalms. David unleashes a torrent of judgment upon his enemy that leaves no stone unturned. He prays for his enemy’s death, the destruction of his family, the loss of his job, and the erasure of his name from history. Many people struggle with these verses. They ask, "How can a man after God’s own heart pray this way? Isn't this un-Christian?" To understand this, we must put on our Ancient Israelite worldview lenses. This is not personal revenge; this is an appeal to Retributive Justice. This is the law of the boomerang. David is asking God to let the punishment fit the crime exactly. The enemy wanted to destroy David’s life and legacy without cause; David is asking the Divine Judge to let that destruction fall back on the enemy’s own head. It is a passionate plea for the moral order of the universe to be upheld. So, brace yourselves. We are about to witness the severity of God’s justice. The first Segment is: The Appointment of the Accuser. Psalm One Hundred Nine: verses six through seven. They say, "Get an evil person to turn against him. Send an accuser to bring him to trial. When his case comes up for judgment, let him be pronounced guilty. Count his prayers as sins." Now, there is a debate among scholars here. Some translations, and the NLT implies this with "They say," suggest that these verses are actually the enemies' curses against David. However, the Hebrew text is ambiguous, and historically, most interpreters view this as David speaking against his enemy, asking God to subject the enemy to the very legal warfare he used against David. We will proceed with that understanding, as it fits the flow of the rest of the psalm. David prays: "Get an evil person to turn against him. Send an accuser to bring him to trial."...
Welcome to Day 2789 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2789 – A Sacrifice, A Savior, a Sword – Luke 2:21-38 Putnam Church Message – 12/28/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “A Sacrifice, A Savior, a Sword” Last week, we continued our year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “The Nativity Revisited – Love Came Down.” This week is the final Sunday of 2025 – in some ways, it flew by in a flash, but in others, it has been a very long year. Today, we find the newborn Christ eight days old, and he is taken to the temple for circumcision and naming of the child, as every devout Hebrew did. Today's passage is the story of “A Sacrifice, A Savior, a Sword.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 2:21-38, found on page 1591 of your Pew Bibles. Jesus Presented in the Temple 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[b]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[c] 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.” 36
Welcome to Day 2788 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2788 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 109:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2788 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The tile for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Courtroom of Lies – When Love is Repaid with Hatred Today, we are stepping off the mountain peak of victory and descending into the deepest, darkest valley of the human experience. We are beginning our journey through Psalm One Hundred Nine, and today we will navigate the opening complaint, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. To understand the emotional whiplash of the Psalter, we have to remember where we just were. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Eight, we stood with King David on the mountaintop. He was the confident Warrior Poet. He woke the dawn with his song. He looked at the map of the nations and declared, "With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes." It was a psalm of absolute certainty, military strength, and divine conquest. We left feeling invincible. But today, the music changes. The triumphant horns of Psalm One Hundred Eight fade away, replaced by the dissonant, scratching sound of a lawsuit. Psalm One Hundred Nine is famous—or perhaps infamous—as the most intense of the "imprecatory" or cursing psalms. Later in this psalm, David will unleash a torrent of curses against his enemy that makes many modern readers cringe. But before we get to the curses, we must understand the pain that birthed them. We must sit in the defendant’s chair. In these opening five verses, David is not the General commanding an army; he is a man alone in a courtroom, surrounded by a mob of liars. He has been stripped of his reputation, betrayed by those he loved, and—most terrifying of all—he is facing the silence of God. This is a psalm for anyone who has ever been slandered. It is for anyone who has loved someone deeply, only to have that love thrown back in their face as hatred. It is the raw, unedited cry of a heart that has been stabbed in the back. So, let us enter the courtroom and hear the plea of the innocent. The first segment is: The Silence of the Judge: The Crisis of Communication. Psalm One Hundred Nine: verse one. O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof The psalm opens with a desperate appeal to the only One who matters. "O God, whom I praise..." Literally, "O God of my praise." This is a statement of history and identity. David is saying, "Lord, You are the subject of all my songs. I have spent my life building a throne of praise for You. I have defined myself by Your glory." It is an appeal to relationship. He is reminding God, "We are friends. I am Your worshiper." But this intimacy makes the current situation unbearable: "...don’t stand silent and aloof." The Hebrew simply says, "Do not be silent." In a legal context—and this psalm is full of legal imagery—the silence of...
Welcome to Day 2787 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2787 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 108:10-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2787 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Divine Stomp – Storming the Gates of the Impossible. Today, we arrive at the grand finale of our journey through Psalm One Hundred Eight. We are trekking through the final stanza, verses ten through thirteen, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we stood in the War Room of Heaven. We heard the Divine Oracle in verses six through nine, where Yahweh looked at the map of the Middle East and claimed His territory. We heard Him declare, "Gilead is mine... Manasseh is mine... Moab is my washbasin... I will wipe my feet on Edom." It was a breathtaking assertion of ownership. We saw God claiming the hostile nations as His servants—His washpots and His shoe-racks. It was a moment of high theology and divine confidence. But today, the scene shifts from the map on the wall to the mud on the ground. In Psalm One Hundred Eight, verses ten through thirteen, King David takes that divine promise and tries to walk it out in the real world. And he immediately hits a wall—literally. He finds himself standing outside the "fortified city" of Edom. The map says Edom belongs to God. But the reality says Edom is locked up tight behind impregnable walls. This is where the rubber meets the road in our spiritual lives. It is one thing to sing about victory in the sanctuary; it is another thing to secure it on the battlefield. It is one thing to believe God owns the problem; it is another to see Him conquer it. In these final four verses, we will see the transition from Promise to Petition, and finally to Participation. We will learn that the only way to breach the fortified city is to abandon human strategies and rely on the Divine Warrior to do the trampling. So, let us draw our swords one last time and march toward the gate. The first segment is: The Crisis of Geography: The Impregnable City. Psalm One Hundred Eight: verse ten. Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me to Edom? The psalm moves from God’s voice back to David’s voice. And David has a logistical problem. God just said in verse nine: "I will wipe my feet on Edom." David responds: "Okay, Lord. But who is going to get me inside?" "Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me to Edom?" To understand the weight of this question, we have to look at the geography. The ancient capital of Edom was Bozrah, and later Petra (Sela). Edom was legendary for its natural defenses. It was carved into the red sandstone cliffs. The only way in was through a narrow canyon called the Siq. It was a natural fortress that armies broke themselves against for centuries. It was the "Fortified City" (Ir Mibzar) par excellence. When David
Welcome to Day 2786 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Unintended Consequences of Replacing Yahweh with “God” Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2786 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2786 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled The Unintended Consequences of Replacing Yahweh with “God”. In the pages of Scripture, the God of Israel reveals Himself by name, Yahweh, a name that marks His identity, His covenant, and His absolute uniqueness among all other spiritual beings. Yet somewhere in the history of Jewish and Christian tradition, this name was quietly replaced. Where once God was named, now He is merely titled. Yahweh became “the LORD.” Eventually, even “the LORD” gave way to “God,” a generic and universal term that can apply to almost any religious conception of the divine. What began as an effort to show reverence or accommodate translation has produced serious theological consequences. The loss of God’s name has led to a distorted view of monotheism, erased key distinctions between Yahweh and other spiritual beings, and enabled poor apologetic compromises, such as the claim that “Allah is just the Arabic word for God.” It has also obscured the meaning of the First Commandment and weakened the Church’s understanding of its own covenant relationship. This article traces how we got here and why recovering the name Yahweh is essential to restoring biblical clarity. The First Segment is: From Name to Title: How Yahweh Was Replaced. The divine name Yahweh (יהוה), also called the Tetragrammaton, appears over 6,800 times in the Hebrew Bible. In Exodus 3:15, God declares, “This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.” Yet despite this, a tradition developed during the Second Temple Period in which Jews refrained from pronouncing the divine name aloud. Instead, they substituted it with Adonai (“Lord”) during public readings. This practice, rooted in caution and reverence, carried over into Greek and Latin translations of the Bible. The Septuagint rendered Yahweh as Kyrios (“Lord”), and the Latin Vulgate followed suit with Dominus. English Bibles later preserved this substitution, using the stylized “LORD” in small caps, often without explaining to readers that a name was being replaced. As Christianity spread into the Gentile world, the name Yahweh virtually disappeared from common use. The God of the Bible came to be referred to simply as “God,” a word that is not a name at all, but a title. And not a unique title either, “God” can refer to any number of deities across religious systems or even to philosophical abstractions. In trying to show reverence or universality, the Church began to erase the very name by which the true God had distinguished Himself. The second segment is: The Problem with “God”: A Category, Not a Character This shift might seem minor, but it represents a profound theological error. In Hebrew, the word elohim is used to...
Welcome to Day 2785 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2785 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 108:6-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2785 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Divine Cartography – God Claims His Geography. Today, we are back on the trail, continuing our exploration of the "Warrior Poet’s Remix," Psalm One Hundred Eight. We are trekking through the middle section, verses six through nine, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through the first five verses of this psalm, we heard the sound of a "fixed heart." We watched King David wake the dawn with his lyre and declare that God’s love is higher than the heavens. We saw him take an old song of lament (from Psalm Fifty-seven) and remix it into a new anthem of confidence. He ended that section with a cosmic prayer: "Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth." Today, the scene shifts from the cosmic to the concrete. David moves from singing about the stars to looking at a map. He moves from the "heavens" to the dirt and rock of the Middle East. In verses six through nine, we hear God Himself speak. It is a divine oracle spoken from the Holy Sanctuary. In this oracle, Yahweh acts like a victorious General standing over a map of the ancient Near East. He points to specific territories—Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Moab, Edom, Philistia—and claims them as His own. He essentially says, "This belongs to Me. And this belongs to Me. And that over there? That is just My washbasin." This is a powerful assertion of Divine Ownership. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, where nations were believed to be owned by their respective gods (Chemosh for Moab, Milcom for Ammon), Yahweh is declaring that He is the Landlord of everything. He is redrawing the borders and reclaiming the inheritance for His people. So, let us stand in the war room and listen to the strategy of the King. The first segment is: The Prayer for Rescue: The Right Hand of Power. Psalm One Hundred Eight: verse six. Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power. Before the oracle begins, David offers a short, sharp prayer. This acts as the bridge between the praise of the first five verses and the prophecy that follows. "Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power." The literal Hebrew here is quite evocative: "That Your beloved ones may be delivered; Save with Your right hand, and answer me!" First, notice the identity of the people. David calls them "Your beloved people" (yedid-echa). This comes from the same root as the name Jedidiah (which was Solomon’s name given by God, meaning "Beloved of Yahweh"). This is crucial for our confidence in prayer. David doesn't appeal to God based on Israel's military strength or their moral perfection. He appeals to God's affection. "Lord, these are the ones You love. Therefore, rescue them." Second, notice the method...
Welcome to Day 2784 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2784– The Nativity Revisited – Luke 2:1-20 Putnam Church Message – 12/21/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Nativity Revisited – Love Came Down” Last week, we had our service online due to the weather, and we continued our year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “The Prophet of the Most High.” Joy to the World This week is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, which is Love, as we continue to build anticipation of the coming Messiah. Today's passage is the story of: “The Nativity Revisited – Love Came Down”- Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 2:1-20, found on page 1590 of your Pew Bibles. The Birth of Jesus 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and...
Welcome to Day 2783 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2783 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 108:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2783 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Warrior Poet’s Remix – A Song of Cosmic Confidence Today, we are lacing up our boots to begin a new adventure in Psalm One Hundred Eight. We will be trekking through the first movement of this anthem, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. In our previous journey, we stood at the summit of Psalm One Hundred Seven. We listened to the testimonies of the redeemed—the wanderers, the prisoners, the fools, and the sailors—who cried out to God in their trouble and were rescued by His Unfailing Love (Hesed). That psalm ended with a challenge to the "Wise": "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord." Psalm One Hundred Eight is the response of the wise heart. It is the song of someone who has observed God’s history and has decided to move forward with absolute, unshakable confidence. But there is something unique about this psalm that we must understand before we take a single step. Psalm One Hundred Eight is a Remix. If you were to look closely at your Bible, you might notice something familiar. Verses one through five are almost identical to Psalm Fifty-seven, verses seven through eleven. And verses six through thirteen are almost identical to Psalm Sixty, verses five through twelve. King David, the master songwriter, took two of his previous songs—songs written during times of intense crisis and lament—and spliced them together. He cut out the parts about fear and crying for mercy, and he kept the parts about confidence and victory. He fused them to create a new, high-energy anthem for a new generation. This teaches us a profound lesson about wisdom and legacy. Sometimes, to face a new battle, you don't need a new revelation; you need to rearrange the truths you already know. You need to take the lessons learned in the caves of your past (Psalm Fifty-seven) and the battlefields of your history (Psalm Sixty) and combine them into a fresh declaration of faith. So, let us open our hearts to this "Greatest Hits" album of King David and learn how to sing with cosmic confidence. The first segment is: The Fixed Heart: Preparation for the Dawn. Psalm One Hundred Eight: verses one through two. My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. The psalm opens with a statement of internal stability: "My heart is confident in you, O God..." The Hebrew word for "confident" is nakon. It means "fixed," "steadfast," "firm," or "prepared." It is the same word used to describe a foundation that cannot be moved.
Welcome to Day 2782 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2782 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 107:33-43 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2782 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Reversal – When Princes Wander and the Poor Become Princes Today, we reach the summit of Psalm One Hundred Seven. We are exploring the final section, verses thirty-three through forty-three, in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks through this magnificent psalm, we listened to the testimonies of the redeemed. We stood in the congregation of the faithful and heard four distinct groups shout, "Let them praise the Lord for his great love!" We heard the Wanderers who found a city. We heard the Prisoners whose chains were snapped. We heard the Fools who were healed by God's sent Word. And we heard the Sailors who saw the storm turned into a whisper. All of these stories had a common plotline: Human desperation meets Divine Intervention. They were stories of rescue. But as we enter the final movement of the psalm today, the camera angle changes. The psalmist stops telling individual stories and begins to describe the cosmic principles behind those stories. He moves from biography to theology. He shows us that the God of Israel is the God of the Great Reversal. He is a God who does not just maintain the status quo; He actively flips the world upside down. He turns gardens into deserts and deserts into gardens. He throws princes into the mud and lifts the beggar to the throne. This section reveals Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty over Cosmic Geography and Political Power. It teaches us that our environment—whether we are in a season of drought or abundance—is not accidental. It is governed by the hand of the King. And finally, the psalm ends with a challenge to the "Wise." It asks us if we have the eyes to see the patterns of God’s love in the chaos of history. So, let us open our eyes to the reversals of God. The first segment is: The Sovereignty Over Geography: The Curse of the Salt. Psalm One Hundred Seven: verses thirty-three through thirty-four. He turns rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there. The psalmist begins by asserting God’s power to de-create. "He turns rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground..." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, water was life. A land with rivers and springs was a land blessed by God—it was Edenic. But here, the psalmist says that God has the authority to withdraw that life. He can turn a paradise into a "desert" (midbar). This is not just climate change; it is judgment. "...and...
Welcome to Day 2781 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – A Critical Examination of Alexander Hislop: Why His Teachings Should Be Ignored Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2781 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2781 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled A Critical Examination of Alexander Hislop: Why His Teachings Should Be Ignored. Alexander Hislop’s The Two Babylons has long held sway in certain evangelical and fundamentalist circles. Its central claim—that Roman Catholicism is a disguised continuation of ancient Babylonian paganism—has influenced generations of Christians suspicious of the Catholic Church. Hislop argues that practices and symbols within Catholicism were derived from ancient worship of figures like Nimrod and Semiramis. Yet as modern scholarship has consistently demonstrated, these claims collapse under scrutiny. This article examines why Hislop’s theories are deeply flawed, historically inaccurate, and ultimately harmful. The first segment is: A Foundation of Faulty Methodology. From the outset, Hislop’s work suffers from methodological failure. Rather than employing credible historical sources, linguistic analysis, or archaeological evidence, Hislop leans heavily on speculation and forced connections. He draws parallels based on little more than superficial similarity—treating visual resemblance or name echoes as definitive proof of religious continuity. A striking example is Hislop’s attempt to link the Virgin Mary with the Babylonian figure Semiramis. Rather than relying on historical context or primary sources, he builds his case on tenuous similarities and conjecture. This pattern repeats throughout the book. Hislop’s conclusions are based on circular reasoning, and his work lacks the kind of critical evaluation expected in even the most basic academic research. The second segment is: Inventing the Nimrod-Semiramis Narrative. At the core of Hislop’s argument is the narrative that Nimrod and Semiramis served as the original model for all pagan deities and that this archetype was smuggled into Christianity. According to Hislop, the Catholic portrayal of Mary and Jesus as a mother and child pair is simply a continuation of Babylonian goddess worship. This idea, however, has no basis in historical fact. There is no ancient evidence linking Nimrod, a biblical figure mentioned briefly in Genesis, to Semiramis, who appears centuries later in Assyrian and Greco-Roman sources. Semiramis is never presented as Nimrod’s wife in any ancient record. Nor is she depicted as a fertility goddess or a “Queen of Heaven” in a context that would support Hislop’s claims. Instead, she is often described as a powerful queen or military leader, not a religious figure. The pairing of Nimrod and Semiramis is entirely Hislop’s invention. Furthermore, Nimrod himself is not attested in any ancient Mesopotamian inscriptions as a god, cult figure, or object of worship. Hislop’s claim that Nimrod became the prototype for gods such as Osiris, Zeus, or...
Welcome to Day 2780 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2780 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 107:17-32 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2780 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Rescue – Healing the Fool and Taming the Chaos. Today, we continue our voyage through the magnificent Psalm One Hundred Seven. We are exploring the second half of the four great testimonies of redemption, covering verses seventeen through thirty-two, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through the first sixteen verses of this psalm, we stood amidst the great assembly of the redeemed. We heard the call: "Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!" We heard the testimony of the Wanderers—those who were lost in the desolate wilderness, hungry and homeless, until God led them to a city. We heard the testimony of the Prisoners—those who sat in darkness and iron chains because they rebelled against the counsel of the Most High, until God shattered the bronze gates to set them free. Today, two more groups step forward to the microphone. Their stories are perhaps even more intense. First, we will meet the Fools—those whose rebellion manifested not as chains, but as a sickness that brought them to the very brink of the grave. Second, we will meet the Sailors—the merchants who dared to do business in the chaotic deep, only to find themselves reeling like drunkards in a storm that swallowed their wisdom whole. In both cases, we will see the Hesed—the Unfailing Love—of Yahweh intervene when all hope was lost. We will see Him send His Word to heal, and we will see Him whisper to the waves to bring peace. So, let us listen as the next witnesses share their story of salvation. The first segment is: Testimony Three: The Fools and the Great Physician. Psalm One Hundred Seven: verses seventeen through nineteen. Some were fools; they suffered because of their sinful ways. Their appetites were gone, and they drew near to the gates of death. "Lord, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. The third group steps forward, and the psalmist introduces them with a blunt, uncomplimentary title: "Fools." "Some were fools; they suffered because of their sinful ways." The Hebrew word used here is evilim. In the wisdom literature of Proverbs, a fool is not someone who lacks intelligence; a fool is someone who lacks moral compass. A fool is someone who lives as if there are no consequences. They are spiritually reckless. The text tells us plainly that their suffering was self-inflicted. It was "because of their sinful ways" (literally, "the way of their transgression"). They lived hard, rebelled against God's design for life,...
Welcome to Day 2779 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2779– The Prophet of the Most High – Luke 1:57-80 Putnam Church Message – 12/14/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Prophet of the Most High” Last week, we continued our year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “The Day Mary Met Gabriel.” – Peace in the Unexpected. This week is the third Sunday of Advent, which is Joy, as we continue to build anticipation of the coming Messiah. Today's passage is the story of: “The Prophet of the Most High.” Joy to the World - Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 1:57-80, found on page 1589 of your Pew Bibles. The Birth of John the Baptist 57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. Zechariah’s Song 67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn> of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of...
Welcome to Day 2778 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2778 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 107:1-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2778 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Gathering – From the Wasteland to the Broken Gates. Today, we cross a major threshold in our expedition through the Psalms. We are stepping into Book Five of the Psalter, the final collection of these ancient songs. We begin this new leg of the journey with Psalm One Hundred Seven, covering the first two stanzas, verses one through sixteen, in the New Living Translation. To understand the power of this moment, we must remember where we left off. In our previous trek, we stood at the end of Psalm One Hundred Six, which was the conclusion of Book Four. That psalm ended with a desperate, heartbreaking prayer from the exile: "Save us, O Lord our God! Gather us back from among the nations." It was a cry from the diaspora, a plea from a people scattered to the four winds because of their rebellion. They were asking God to reverse the judgment of the exile. Psalm One Hundred Seven is the thunderous answer to that prayer. If Psalm One Hundred Six ended with a plea to be gathered, Psalm One Hundred Seven begins with the celebration of the gathered. The tone shifts from petition to proclamation. It is a panoramic view of God’s Redemption. It describes specific scenarios of human desperation—being lost in the desert, locked in a dungeon, sick unto death, or tossed in a storm—and shows how Yahweh intervenes to rescue. It is a psalm that celebrates the Hesed—the Unfailing Love—of God, which pursues us into the wildest wastelands and the darkest prisons. So, let us join the procession of the redeemed and listen to their stories. The first segment is: The Prologue: The Song of the Redeemed. Psalm One Hundred Seven: verses one through three. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south. The psalm opens with the classic liturgical call to worship, identifying the core motivation for all praise: God is Good, and His Faithful Love (Hesed) is eternal. But then, the psalmist turns to the congregation and issues a challenge: "Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!" The Hebrew word for "Redeemed" is Geulim. It comes from the word Ga'al, which refers to the Kinsman-Redeemer. This was the nearest male relative who had the legal responsibility to buy back a family member who had been sold into...
Welcome to Day 2777 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2777 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:34-48 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2777 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Horror of Accommodation – When the Salt Loses Its Savor. Today, we reach the solemn conclusion of our journey through Psalm One Hundred Six. We are trekking through the final section, verses thirty-four through forty-eight, in the New Living Translation. This marks not only the end of this specific psalm but also the conclusion of Book Four of the Psalter. In our previous trek, we walked through the "Cycle of Amnesia" in the wilderness. We watched a generation that had been liberated by the mighty hand of God crumble into grumbling, envy, and idolatry. We saw them trade their glorious God for a grass-eating bull at Sinai. We saw them yoke themselves to the dead spirits at Baal-Peor. It was a tragic catalog of missed opportunities and hardened hearts. But as we turn to verse thirty-four, the scene shifts. The wilderness wanderings are over. Joshua has led the people across the Jordan. The walls of Jericho have fallen. The people are now living in the Promised Land—the "pleasant land" they once despised. You might think, "Finally! They made it! Now they will surely be faithful." Tragically, the change of geography did not create a change of heart. In this final section, we witness the slow, agonizing slide from Conquest to Compromise, and finally to Captivity. We will see what happens when the people of God stop fighting the culture and start becoming the culture. We will encounter the darkest verse in Israel’s history—the sacrifice of children to demons—and we will see how the land itself vomited them out. But, true to the character of Yahweh, we will also see that even in the darkest pit of exile, the ladder of Covenant Love still reaches down. So, let us brace ourselves for the hard truth of history, and the healing balm of God’s mercy. The first segment is: The Failure of Assimilation: Mingling with the Darkness. Psalm One Hundred Six: verses thirty-four through thirty-nine. Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them. Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was...
Welcome to Day 2776 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday –Joseph the Dreamer: Discovering the Depths of a Beloved Biblical Figure. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2776 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2776 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Joseph the Dreamer: Discovering the Depths of a Beloved Biblical Figure. Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, emerges from the pages of Genesis not only as a survivor of betrayal and hardship but as a symbol of divine providence and redemptive purpose. His journey from favored son to slave, prisoner, and ultimately, savior of nations illustrates the unseen hand of God at work through suffering and humility. While many are familiar with his colorful coat and rise to power in Egypt, lesser-known elements of his life bring out the deeper beauty and significance of his character. The first segment is: Joseph the Dreamer: Beyond the Well-Known Dreams Joseph’s dreams and his ability to interpret them play a crucial role in his life, as well as in the survival of his family and Egypt. While his dreams of sheaves and celestial bodies bowing to him are well-known, his interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker is equally significant. These interpretations not only revealed divine insight but became the very means by which Joseph was elevated from prison to the highest court in the land. His gift, given by God, opened the way for his destiny to unfold. The second segment is: Joseph and Potipar’s Wife: A Test of Character Joseph’s encounter with Potipar’s wife, who falsely accused him of misconduct, is often highlighted as a moment of moral integrity. But it also demonstrates his unwavering faith in God. Faced with repeated temptation and the risk of losing his position, Joseph chose righteousness, which ultimately led to unjust imprisonment. Even in the dungeon, however, his faith did not falter. This period of suffering refined his character and prepared him for the weight of future authority. The third segment is: Joseph’s Egyptian Name and Wife Upon rising to power, Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah, and a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Genesis forty-one verse forty-five). These details mark Joseph’s deep assimilation into Egyptian culture and political structure. His new name, possibly meaning “God speaks and he lives,” highlighted his prophetic role. His marriage into a priestly household further established his legitimacy in the Egyptian elite. Some might expect condemnation for such a union—after all, Potiphera was a priest of a pagan deity. Yet the biblical text offers no such rebuke. Unlike other biblical figures who compromised their faith through foreign marriages, such as Solomon, Joseph remained faithful to Yahweh. He consistently credited God for his success, named his sons in ways that reflected divine providence, and clung to God’s promises. His marriage to Asenath, arranged by Pharaoh, served a broader purpose: the...
Welcome to Day 2775 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2775 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:13-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2775 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The cycle of Amnesia – From the Golden Calf to the Sacrifices of the Dead. Today, we continue our difficult but necessary journey through Psalm One Hundred Six, trekking through the heart of the wilderness rebellion in verses thirteen through thirty-three, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we stood on the shores of the Red Sea. We saw the waters part, the Israelites walk through on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh swallowed by the deep. We ended with verse twelve, where the people finally believed God’s promises and sang His praise. It seemed like a happy ending. It seemed like the lesson had finally been learned. But as we turn the page to verse thirteen, we discover a tragic truth about human nature: Singing on Sunday does not guarantee obedience on Monday. The faith that is born only from seeing a miracle often dies as soon as the miracle fades from view. Today, we will witness the "Cycle of Amnesia." We will see a generation that had everything—the presence of God, the leadership of Moses, and the bread of heaven—yet threw it all away for a golden statue and a meal with demons. We will look at the tragedy of the Golden Calf, the envy of Korah, the refusal to enter the Promised Land, and the dark idolatry of Baal-Peor. This is a heavy section, but it serves as a mirror. It forces us to ask: How quickly do we forget? So, let us walk carefully through this catalog of rebellion, lest we repeat it. The first segment is: The Lust of the Wilderness: Getting What You Want, Losing What You Need. Psalm One Hundred Six: verses thirteen through fifteen. Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it. The ink was barely dry on their song of praise when the amnesia set in: "Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done!" The Hebrew phrasing here is vivid; it literally means, "They made haste to forget." They didn't just passively drift away; they rushed back to unbelief. They ignored the "counsel" of God—His plan and His timing—because they were driven by their appetites. "In the wilderness their desires ran wild..." This refers to the incident in Numbers Chapter Eleven, where the people grew tired of the manna. The manna was the perfect, supernatural food described in Psalm One Hundred Five as the "bread of heaven." But they wanted meat. They wanted the leeks and onions of Egypt. They...
Welcome to Day 2774 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2774– The Day Mary Met Gabriel - Luke 1:26-56 Putnam Church Message – 12/07/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Day Mary Met Gabriel” Last week, we continued our year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “A Baby at our Age? Get Serious!” This week is the second Sunday of Advent, which is Peace, as we continue to build anticipation of the coming Messiah. Today's passage is the story of: “The Day Mary Met Gabriel.” – Peace in the Unexpected. Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 1:26-56, found on page 1588 of your Pew Bibles. The Birth of Jesus Foretold 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Mary Visits Elizabeth 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Mary’s Song 46...
Welcome to Day 2773 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2773 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2773 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The History of Rebellion – Grace at the Brink of the Sea. Today, we stand at a pivotal junction in the book of Psalms. We are beginning our journey through Psalm One Hundred Six, covering the opening movement, verses one through twelve, in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks through Psalm One Hundred Five, we walked through the glittering gallery of Israel's history. We saw the faithfulness of God in calling Abraham, protecting the patriarchs, and bringing the nation out of Egypt loaded with silver and gold. It was a history written in major chords—a celebration of God’s unbreakable promise and Israel’s triumph. But today, the music changes. Psalm One Hundred Six covers the exact same historical period—the Exodus and the Wilderness—but it tells the story from the dark side. If Psalm One Hundred Five was about God’s Faithfulness, Psalm One Hundred Six is about Israel’s Faithlessness. It is a corporate confession. It admits that while God was remembering His covenant, the people were busy forgetting His miracles. It strips away the nostalgia and exposes the ugly truth: we are a people prone to rebellion. Yet, strangely, this dark confession begins with a shout of praise. Why? Because the only thing stronger than human rebellion is God’s "Unfailing Love." So, let us look in the mirror of history and see if we recognize ourselves in the rebels at the Red Sea. The first segment is: The Hallelujah of the Sinner: Acknowledging Goodness. Psalm One Hundred Six: verses one through three. Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough? There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right. The psalm opens with the same word that ended the previous psalm: "Hallelujah!" ("Praise the Lord!"). Even though the psalmist is about to recount a litany of national failures, he starts with the character of God: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." The word for "faithful love" is our covenant friend, Hesed. This is the anchor. The psalmist knows that if God’s love were not enduring—if it were based on performance—Israel would have been wiped out long ago. He praises God before he confesses, because God’s goodness provides the safety to be honest about our sin. He then asks a rhetorical question: "Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?" This links us back to...
Welcome to Day 2772 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2772 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 105:37-45 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2772 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Exodus – Spoils of War and the Bread of Angels. Today, we reach the glorious conclusion of our historical journey through Psalm One Hundred Five, trekking through the final section, verses thirty-seven through forty-five, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we descended into the darkness of Egypt. We walked through the dungeon with Joseph, feeling the iron collar around his neck. We witnessed the "War of the Gods," where Yahweh systematically dismantled the Egyptian pantheon through the ten plagues. We saw the Nile turn to blood, the sky turn black, and the firstborn fall, proving that the gods of Egypt were powerless before the God of Abraham. But the story doesn't end with the defeat of the enemy. It ends with the liberation of the family. Today, we watch the Israelites walk out of the house of slavery. But they do not leave as refugees; they leave as conquerors. We will see them laden with silver and gold, guided by a pillar of fire, and fed by bread from heaven. We will see them march into the Promised Land to reclaim the territory of the nations. And finally, we will answer the ultimate question: Why? Why did God do all of this? Why the plagues, the miracles, and the manna? The final verse of this psalm gives us the answer, and it defines the very purpose of our existence. So, let us join the procession of the redeemed as they march toward Zion. The first segment is: The Victorious Exit: Plunder and Supernatural Health Psalm One Hundred Five: verses thirty-seven through thirty-eight. The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled. Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly. The psalm picks up immediately after the Passover night. The judgment has fallen, and now the liberation begins. "The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold..." This is the fulfillment of a specific prophecy given to Abraham way back in Genesis Fifteen, verse fourteen: "Afterward they will come out with great possessions." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, this event—often called the "plundering of the Egyptians"—was not merely reparations for four hundred years of slavery, though it certainly was that. It was the Spoils of War. Yahweh, the Divine Warrior, had defeated the gods of Egypt on their own turf. In ancient warfare, the victor strips the defeated. Israel, as the army of Yahweh, marched out carrying the wealth of the empire that tried to crush them. They didn't sneak away in the night empty-handed; they walked out wealthy. And look at the physical condition...
Welcome to Day 2771 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday –The Prayers of Christ and the Destiny of the Faithful. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2771 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2771 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled The Prayers of Christ and the Destiny of the Faithful. When Jesus prays to the Father in the Gospels, He does so as the Incarnate Son, fully God and fully man. His prayers are not signs of weakness or inequality, but expressions of true humanity. They reflect His relationship with the Father within the limitations of flesh and blood, taken on voluntarily to accomplish the redemption of mankind. Yet Christ’s prayers do more than model dependence. They reveal His mission, not merely to forgive sin, but to lead those united to Him into eternal fellowship with Yahweh, where they will be glorified through their relationship with Him. In His High Priestly Prayer in John seventeen, Jesus says: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one” (John seventeen verse twenty-two). This is not poetic exaggeration. It is a clear expression of Christ’s intent to raise His followers into the glory that He shares with the Father, restoring and transforming them in the process. The first segment is: Jesus’s Prayers as Revelation of His Mission. In John seventeen verses one and two, Jesus prays: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.” Christ’s authority includes granting eternal life, an existence defined not merely by duration, but by nature: incorruptibility, righteousness, and unending communion with God. Later in the same prayer, He says: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory…” (John seventeen verse twenty-four) Though Christ is fully divine, He chose to humble Himself. As Paul writes in Philippians two verses six through eight, though existing in the form of God, He did not cling to His divine status but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. Hebrews two says He was made for a little while lower than the angels, not because He lost divinity, but because He embraced full humanity. His prayers reflect this self-imposed humility and His desire to elevate those He redeems. The second segment is: The Resurrection Body and the Nature of Glorified Transformation. Scripture consistently affirms the transformation of the faithful, not merely morally, but ontologically. Psalm eight states that man was made “a little lower than the heavenly beings,” but destined to be crowned with glory and honor. Hebrews two applies this to Christ and, by extension, to all who belong to Him. First Corinthians fifteen declares that believers will be raised with glorified, incorruptible bodies. Paul...
Welcome to Day 2770 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2770 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 105:16-36 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2770 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Sovereign Storyteller – From the Dungeon to the Darkness of Egypt. Today, we continue our grand historical survey in Psalm One Hundred Five. We are picking up the narrative where we left off, covering verses sixteen through thirty-six in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through the first fifteen verses of this psalm, we established the foundation. We saw God making an unbreakable covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We saw the Patriarchs as "protected wanderers," a tiny group of strangers moving through a hostile world, yet guarded by a God who rebuked kings for their sake, saying, "Do not touch my chosen people." But now, the story takes a dark and dramatic turn. The camera shifts from the open pastures of Canaan to the dungeons of Egypt. The protection of the Patriarchs gives way to the slavery of the nation. In this section, we will see that God is not just the God of the promise; He is the God of the process. We will witness how He orchestrates famine, imprisonment, and political intrigue to position His people. And then, we will witness one of the greatest cosmic battles in history, as Yahweh enters the ring against the gods of Egypt in a campaign of de-creation known as the Plagues. This is not just history; it is spiritual warfare on a national scale. So, let us descend into Egypt and watch the God of Abraham go to war for His children. The first segment is: The Providence of the Pit: The Story of Joseph. Psalm One Hundred Five: verses sixteen through twenty-two. He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off their food supply. Then he sent a man to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers. The psalmist begins this section by pulling back the curtain on natural disasters. "He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off their food supply." Notice the agency here. The famine wasn't an accident of weather patterns. God "called for" (qara) it. He summoned the famine like a servant. This...
Welcome to Day 2769 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2769– A Baby at Our Age - Get Serious! Luke 1:5-25 Putnam Church Message – 11/30/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News “A Baby at our Age? Get Serious!” – First Sunday of Advent Last week, we began a year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “Only the Best -A Gospel of Excellence: Thanksgiving for the Truth.” This week is the first Sunday of Advent as we build anticipation of the coming Messiah. Today's passage is the beginning of a story titled: “A Baby at our Age? Get Serious!” “HOPE IN THE SILENCE — GOD STILL SPEAKS” Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 1:5-25, found on page 1587 of your Pew Bibles. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold 5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but...
Welcome to Day 2768 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2768 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 105:1-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2768 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred sixty-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The God of History – The Unbreakable Oath and the Protected Wanderers. Today, we turn a new page in our journey through the Psalter. We are stepping into the historical landscape of Psalm One Hundred Five, covering the opening movement, verses one through fifteen, in the New Living Translation. To understand where we are, we need to look back at the trail we have just hiked. In Psalm One Hundred Three, we looked inward. We heard David command his own soul to bless the Lord for His grace, forgiveness, and fatherly compassion. It was a psalm of personal redemption. In Psalm One Hundred Four, we looked upward and outward. We saw God as the Cosmic Architect, robed in light, playing with Leviathan, and feeding the lions. It was a psalm of creation and nature. Now, Psalm One Hundred Five asks us to look backward. It shifts our focus from Creation to History. It tells us that the God who built the universe is also the God who orchestrates the rise and fall of nations to keep His promises to a specific family. This psalm is a recounting of the Covenant. It reminds us that our faith is not based on abstract philosophy or feelings; it is based on things that actually happened in space and time. It is the story of how Yahweh, the Most High God, stepped into the timeline of humanity to carve out a people for Himself. So, let us open the archives of heaven and remember the story that defines us. The first segment is: The Liturgy of Storytelling: Making His Deeds Known. Psalm One Hundred Five: verses one through four. Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. The psalm begins with a burst of imperative commands. The psalmist is rallying the troops, not for a battle, but for a proclamation. "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness." The phrase "proclaim his greatness" is literally "call upon His name." In the Bible, calling on the name of the Lord is an act of public worship and dependence. It is identifying yourself by His name. But notice the target audience: "Let the whole world know what he has done." The Hebrew word for "world" here is ammim—the peoples or the nations. This...
Welcome to Day 2767 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2767 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 104:24-35 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2767 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred sixty-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Playground of God – Leviathan, Breath, and the Renewal of the Earth. Today, we reach the glorious conclusion of our expedition through the cathedral of creation, Psalm One Hundred Four. We are trekking through the final movement, verses twenty-four through thirty-five, in the New Living Translation. In our previous journeys through this masterpiece, we have witnessed Yahweh in many roles. We saw Him as the Cosmic Architect in the first section, stretching out the heavens like a tent and riding the storm clouds as His chariot. Then, in the middle section, we saw Him as the Provider and Timekeeper, taming the chaotic waters to feed the wild donkeys, planting the cedars of Lebanon, and choreographing the dance of the sun and moon so that lions and humans could share the earth in peace. Now, as we approach the end of the psalm, the psalmist steps back to look at the whole picture. He is overwhelmed not just by the power of creation, or the utility of it, but by the sheer Wisdom and Joy of it. We will see God playing with sea monsters. We will learn that the breath in our lungs is on loan from the Spirit of God. And finally, we will confront the one thing that mars this perfect picture—human sin—and hear the psalmist’s radical solution for restoring the harmony of Eden. So, let us take one last look at this wonderful world and bless the Creator who renews the face of the earth. The first segment is: The Wisdom of Diversity and the Playground of the Sea. Psalm One Hundred Four: verses twenty-four through twenty-six. O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea. The psalmist pauses in sheer wonder. After listing the birds, the goats, the lions, and the humans, he exclaims: "O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all." The word "variety" (or "manifold works") speaks to the endless creativity of God. He didn't just make one type of tree or one type of animal. He filled the earth with diversity. And the tool He used to craft this complexity was Wisdom (Chokmah). In Proverbs Chapter Eight, Wisdom is personified as the master craftsman at God’s side during creation. Here, the psalmist acknowledges that
Welcome to Day 2766 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Gnosticism: Its History, Teachings, and its Contrast with Christianity Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2766 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2766 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Gnosticism: Its History, Teachings, and its Contrast with Christianity. Gnosticism emerged in the first and second centuries CE as a complex and diverse set of spiritual beliefs. It integrated elements from a variety of religious and philosophical contexts, including Judaism, Greek philosophy, eastern religions, and also borrowed heavily from Christian symbols and texts. Gnosticism thrived in the Mediterranean world and the Middle East until the 5th century. Despite its lack of a unified doctrine or centralized structure, the various sects and groups falling under the Gnostic label shared some core beliefs and ideas. Gnosticism came back into public awareness with the discovery of a collection of Gnostic texts in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945. Segment one: WHAT IS GNOSTICISM? A significant aspect of Gnosticism is its portrayal of the creator of the physical world, often identified with the God of the Old Testament, as a flawed and even malevolent being known as the Demiurge. According to Gnostic belief, the Demiurge is responsible for entrapping divine sparks, fragments of the supreme being’s essence, within human bodies. Gnosticism advocates a dualistic worldview, positing a stark contrast between the spiritual realm (considered good) and the material world (viewed as evil). Central to Gnostic belief is a distant, unknowable supreme being, along with various lesser divine entities known as Aeons, emanating from this source. Gnostics proposed that salvation and liberation from the material world were achieved through ‘gnosis,’ or secret knowledge about the divine nature and the self. Gnostics often presented Jesus not as the savior through his death and resurrection but as the revealer of this hidden knowledge. Segment two: GNOSTICISM’S CONTRAST WITH CHRISTIANITY Gnosticism’s teachings stand in contrast with mainstream Christian doctrines for several reasons: * Divergent Christology: Gnostic representations of Jesus diverged significantly from the mainstream Christian understanding of Jesus as fully divine and fully human, offering salvation through his death and resurrection. * Salvation Through Knowledge: Gnosticism emphasized salvation through secret knowledge, a departure from the Christian teaching of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians two verses eight and nine). * Dualism and the Demiurge: Gnosticism’s stark dualism and its depiction of the Demiurge conflicted with the Christian teaching of God as the benevolent creator of all things, both spiritual and material (Genesis 1), and that the material creation is fundamentally good. * Authority of Scriptures: Gnostics often favored secret texts and teachings, which contradicted the recognized canonical Scriptures of Christianity. This...
Welcome to Day 2765 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2765 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 104:10-23 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2765 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2765 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Domesticated Chaos – Water, Wine, and the Rhythms of Life. Today, we continue our exploration of the magnificent Psalm One Hundred Four, trekking through the middle section, verses ten through twenty-three, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through the opening verses of this psalm, we witnessed Yahweh as the Cosmic Architect. We saw Him robed in light, stretching out the heavens like a tent, and riding the storm clouds as His personal chariot. We saw Him rebuke the primeval chaos waters—the Tehom—driving them back with a shout of thunder to establish the dry land. That was a picture of Power and Conquest, establishing order over chaos. But today, the tone shifts from the dramatic to the domestic. Once the house is built, it must be furnished and supplied. In this section, the psalmist shows us that the very waters God rebuked in verse seven have now been tamed. They are no longer a threatening flood covering the mountains; they are now a life-giving gift flowing between the mountains. We will see God not just as the Builder, but as the Provider and the Timekeeper. He is the Host of a vibrant, teeming world where wild donkeys, nesting birds, roaring lions, and laboring humans all find their place and their portion from His hand. This is a celebration of the ecosystem of grace. So, let us walk by the quiet waters and through the green pastures of God’s creation. The first segment is: The Taming of the Waters: Drink for the Wild. Psalm One Hundred Four: verses ten through twelve. You make springs pour into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees. The psalmist begins by revisiting the element of water. In verses six through nine, water was a chaotic force that needed to be bounded. But now, in verse ten, God has domesticated it: "You make springs pour into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains." This is a profound theological statement. In the Divine Council worldview, the sea often represented hostility and death. But here, Yahweh transforms the chaotic element into a servant of life. He channels the water into "springs" (ma’yan) and "ravines" (nachal). He creates an irrigation system for the earth. And notice who the first beneficiaries are. It isn't humans. "They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst." God cares for the "wild donkeys"...
Welcome to Day 2763 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2763 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 104:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2763 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred sixty-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Architect of Light – Robed in Splendor, Riding the Wind. Today, we embark on a grand new expedition. We are stepping into the vast, open cathedral of creation as we begin our journey through Psalm One Hundred Four. We will be exploring the opening movement, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks through Psalm One Hundred Three, we heard King David command his soul to "Bless the Lord." That psalm was a masterpiece of historical and redemptive praise. It focused on forgiveness, healing, and God’s fatherly compassion toward our frailty. It ended in the heavenly throne room, with the angels and the armies of heaven joining the song. Psalm One Hundred Four begins with the exact same phrase: "Let all that I am praise the Lord." But the focus shifts entirely. If Psalm One Hundred Three was about the God of Grace, Psalm One Hundred Four is about the God of Nature. This is a poetic retelling of Genesis Chapter One. It describes Yahweh not just as the Redeemer of Israel, but as the Cosmic Architect who builds the universe like a house, wraps Himself in light like a garment, and rides the wind like a chariot. It challenges the pagan worldviews of the ancient Near East head-on, declaring that the storms, the sea, and the sun are not rival gods—they are merely the tools and servants of the One True King. So, let us open our eyes to the wonders of the world and behold the glory of the Builder. The First Segment is: The Royal Vestments: Light and Space. Psalm One Hundred Four: verses one through two. Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; The psalmist begins with a personal burst of adoration: "Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are!" This isn't just a statement of size; it is a statement of status. "Greatness" (gadol) here implies royal magnificence. The psalmist immediately describes God using the imagery of a King getting dressed for a state occasion. But this King does not put on silk or velvet. "You are robed with honor and majesty. You are dressed in a robe of light." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, light was the very first element of creation ("Let there be light"). Here, the psalmist poetically imagines that before God created the world, He wrapped Himself in that primal light. Light is His uniform. It signifies purity, glory, and visibility. While the pagan gods were often associated with
Welcome to Day 2764 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2764– Only the Best - A Gospel of Excellence – Luke 1:1-4 Putnam Church Message – 11/23/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News “Only The Best -A Gospel of Excellence: Thanksgiving for the Truth " Last week, we explored the letter of 3 John and Learned how to have “A Confident Life: Balancing Truth and Love.” This week, we will begin a year-long study of Luke’s Account of the Good News. We are tying in our Thanksgiving celebration in a message titled: “Only the Best -A Gospel of Excellence: Thanksgiving for the Truth.” Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 1:1-4, found on page 1587 of your Pew Bibles. 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, as we open the Gospel of Luke, give us eyes to recognize Your truth, ears to hear Your voice, and hearts ready to respond with thanksgiving. Just as Luke carefully recorded the life of our Savior, may we honor the story of Christ with excellence, gratitude, and faith. Shape us today by Your Word, and let our thanksgiving rise like a fragrant offering before You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction: Luke’s Gospel Begins with “Thanksgiving.” Unlike the dramatic beginnings of the other Gospels, Luke opens quietly—with something resembling a letter of dedication. He writes to “most honorable (excellent) Theophilus,” explaining why he has prepared such an orderly, carefully researched account. It is as though Luke begins his entire Gospel by saying: “Thank you for caring about truth. Thank you for seeking certainty. I wrote this so you can know for sure what God has done.” In a season where we pause to give thanks, Luke reminds us that thanksgiving is grounded in remembering. We cannot be thankful for what we forget. And we cannot build our faith on what we do not know. That is why Luke opens his Gospel with an invitation to excellence, truth, and gratitude. (Bulletin Insert) MAIN POINT 1 — Excellence in Research Luke 1:1–2 (NLT): "Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples." Luke acknowledges that others had already tried to document the life of Jesus, but he felt compelled to go further. He wanted not a loose collection of memories,/ but a dependable record strong enough to support future generations of believers. 1. A Historian Among Apostles
Luke traveled widely with Paul. As they journeyed from city to city, Luke met...
Welcome to Day 2762 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2762 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 103:19-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2762 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2762 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Titel for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Choir – Joining the Angels in the Throne Room. Today, we reach the magnificent summit of our journey through Psalm One Hundred Three. We are standing on the highest peak, looking out over not just the earth, but the entire cosmos. We are covering the final stanza, verses nineteen through twenty-two, in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks through this masterpiece of King David, we started deep inside the human heart. In the first section, David commanded his own soul to "Bless the Lord" for His personal benefits—forgiveness, healing, and redemption from the Pit. Then, in the middle section, we looked at the character of God. We saw Him as a compassionate Father who remembers that we are dust. We measured His love and found it to be as high as the heavens, and we saw His mercy removing our sins as far as the east is from the west. We contrasted our fleeting, flower-like existence with His eternal, unchangeable Covenant Love. Now, in this concluding section, the camera pulls back. We zoom out from the individual soul, past the community of Israel, past the earth itself, and into the Heavenly Throne Room. David realizes that his little voice of praise is not singing a solo. He discovers that he is actually joining a massive, thunderous, cosmic symphony that has been playing since the dawn of time. He invites the heavyweights of the spiritual world—the Divine Council, the mighty angels, and the armies of heaven—to join him in blessing Yahweh. This is the ultimate perspective shift. We are not just dust worshiping in the desert; we are fellow choristers with the Archangels. So, let us tune our hearts to the frequency of heaven and finish this song with a shout that shakes the stars. The first segment is: The Fixed Point in a Spinning Universe. Psalm One Hundred Three: verse nineteen. The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. Before David issues his final call to worship, he establishes the location and the authority of the One being worshiped. "The Lord has made the heavens his throne..." In the previous section, we talked about how man is like grass—here today, blown away by the wind tomorrow. We talked about how the earth itself wears out like an old garment (Psalm One Hundred Two). In a universe defined by change, entropy, and decay, we desperately need a Fixed Point. David tells us: The Throne is established. The Hebrew word kun (established or made firm) implies that it is unshakeable. God hasn't just set up a folding chair in the clouds; He has established a permanent seat of governance. And where is this throne? In "the heavens." Now, we need to put on our Ancient Israelite worldview lenses here. When the Bible speaks of "the heavens" in this context, it isn't just...
Welcome to Day 2761 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Coequality of the Trinity: An exploration through Biblical Verse and Early Church Writings. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2761 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2761 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled The Coequality of the Trinity: An exploration through Biblical Verse and Early Church Writings. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the central tenets of Christian theology, establishing the belief in God as three-in-one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mystery, at its core, asserts that these three Persons are coequal. This belief has not been accepted without contention. However, by studying the Bible and the writings of the Early Church Fathers, a clear thread of supporting evidence emerges. To begin with, let’s explore the Scriptural evidence for the co-equality of the Trinity. The first segment is: THE HOLY BIBLE. In the New Testament, the Gospel of John provides substantial support for the Trinitarian concept. In John one, verse one, it states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This verse speaks to the preexistence and divinity of the Word, or the Son (Jesus Christ). The Word is not a creation of God, but God himself. In the same vein, John ten, verse thirty quotes Jesus as saying, “I and the Father are one.” This not only illustrates the unity of the Father and the Son, but also their equality, as Jesus identifies himself on the same level as the Father. Matthew twenty-eight, verse nineteen is a critical verse: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Here, Jesus himself authorizes baptisms in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, emphasizing their co-equality and unified nature. In 2 Corinthians thirteen, verse fourteen, Paul gives a blessing in the name of all three Persons of the Trinity: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Paul’s blessing highlights the distinct roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but also their inseparable unity and co-equality. Colossians two, verse nines ays, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” The ‘fullness of Deity’ indicates Christ’s full and equal participation in Godhood. For the Holy Spirit, we see in 1 Corinthians two, verses ten and eleven, “these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” This verse highlights the Holy Spirit’s intimate knowledge and participation in the Divine, further emphasizing His co-equality in the Trinity. Finally, in Acts five, verses three and four, when Peter accuses Ananias of lying to the Holy Spirit, he states, “You have not lied just to human...
Welcome to Day 2760 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2760 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 103:7-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2760 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2760 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Geometry of Grace – As High as the Heavens, As Far as the East. Today, we continue our ascent up the magnificent peak of Psalm One Hundred Three. We are exploring the heart of the psalm, verses seven through eighteen, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we heard King David preaching a sermon to his own soul. He commanded himself to "Bless the Lord" and not to forget His benefits. We listed those benefits: He forgives all sins, heals all diseases, redeems us from the Pit, and crowns us with love and tender mercies. It was a celebration of what God does. But today, David goes deeper. He moves from God’s acts to God’s nature. He asks the question: Why does God do these things? What is it about His character that makes Him forgive a sinner like me? In this section, David gives us the definitive theology of the heart of God. He takes us back to the mountain of Sinai to hear God’s own description of Himself. He uses the vastness of the cosmos to measure God’s love. And then, he looks at us—frail, dusty, fleeting humanity—and explains why God’s response to our weakness is not judgment, but fatherly compassion. So, let us stand in awe as we measure the dimensions of grace. The First Segment is: The Magna Carta of Mercy: God’s Self-Revelation. Psalm One Hundred Three: verses seven through eight. He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. David begins by grounding his praise in history. He isn't guessing what God is like; he is remembering what God said. "He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel." Specifically, David is quoting Exodus Thirty-four, verse six. This moment occurred right after the Golden Calf incident—Israel’s great act of spiritual adultery. Moses asked to see God’s glory, and God passed by and proclaimed His name. This declaration in verse eight—"The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love"—is the most quoted verse in the entire Old Testament. It is the Jewish Creed of Grace. Let’s break down these four pillars of God’s heart: 1. Compassionate (Rachum): Related to the word for "womb." It describes a mother’s visceral feeling for her helpless infant. 2. Merciful (Chanun): Meaning gracious, generous, giving favor that is undeserved. 3. Slow to Get Angry (Erek Apayim): Literally, "Long of Nose." In Hebrew idiom, anger was associated with a hot nose or snorting. To be "long of nose" means it takes a long time for God’s nose to get hot. He has a very long...
Welcome to Day 2759 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2759– A Confident Life – Balancing Truth and Love – 3 John 1:1-15 Putnam Church Message – 11/16/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “Balancing Truth and Love" Last week, we explored the letter of 2 John and Learned how to have “A Confident Life: Balancing Love and Truth.” This week, we will focus on the letter of 3 John, and as we explore the fine art of “Balancing Truth and Love” from 3 John 1:1-15 in the NIV, found on page 1907 of your Pew Bibles. 1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a] even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil / but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. 15 Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. Opening Prayer Sometimes I hear Christians talk about returning to the simplicity, innocence, and purity of the early church. Before doctrinal decline. Before moral corruption. Before power-hungry leaders started wrangling over position. Before the sun set on the golden age of the apostles. The idea seems to be that the first generation of Christians could focus their attention on preaching the gospel without constantly dealing with problems in the...
Welcome to Day 2758 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2758 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 103:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2758 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2758 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Soul’s Anthem – Remembering the Benefits of the King. Today, we step out of the shadows and into the brilliant sunlight of one of the most beloved majestic peaks in all of Scripture. We are beginning our trek through Psalm One Hundred Three, covering the opening stanza, verses one through six, in the New Living Translation. In our previous journey through Psalm One Hundred Two, the "Prayer of the Destitute," we walked through the valley of the shadow of death. We sat in the ashes with a man whose bones burned like coals and whose heart was withered like grass. We heard the groans of the "sons of death" and saw the universe wearing out like an old garment. It was a heavy, somber meditation on human frailty and the immutability of God. But today, the scene shifts dramatically. If Psalm One Hundred Two was the cry of the exile in the dungeon, Psalm One Hundred Three is the song of the prisoner set free. The gloom has lifted. The fever has broken. The garment of mourning has been exchanged for a crown of love. This psalm, attributed to David, is pure, distilled praise. There are no petitions here. There are no complaints. There is only a soul overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of God’s grace. It is an internal dialogue where David commands his own spirit to wake up and remember. So, let us shake off the dust of the ruins and join David in this magnificent anthem of the redeemed soul. The first segment is: The Internal Command: Waking Up the Soul. Psalm One Hundred Three: verses one through two. Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. David begins not by addressing God, nor by addressing the congregation, but by addressing himself. This is a powerful spiritual discipline: Self-Exhortation. "Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name." The phrase "Let all that I am" is the translation of the Hebrew word nephesh (soul) combined with "all my innards" or "all my inmost parts." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, the nephesh wasn't just a ghostly spirit trapped in a body; it was the whole self—the throat, the appetite, the emotions, the will, and the vitality. David is commanding every organ, every cell, and every faculty of his being to mobilize for worship. There is to be no silent partner in his body. His mind, his memory, his liver, and his lungs must all align to bless Yahweh. He focuses specifically on God’s "holy name." As we saw in Psalm Ninety-nine, the Name represents the reputation and the...
Welcome to Day 2757 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2757 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 102:18-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2757 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2757 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The God Who Changes His Clothes – The Immutability of the Creator. Today, we complete our journey through the "Prayer of the Destitute," Psalm One Hundred Two. We are covering the second half, verses eighteen through twenty-eight, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we sat in the ashes with the psalmist. We felt the heat of his fever, the loneliness of the "owl in the desert," and the pain of being "picked up and thrown down" by God. Yet, in the midst of the ruins of Jerusalem, we saw him pivot. He looked away from his withered heart to the Eternal Throne of Yahweh. He realized that the "set time" to favor Zion had come because God’s servants had begun to "cherish the dust" of the ruined city. Now, as we move into the final section, the psalmist’s vision expands even further. He stops looking merely at his own pain or even just the immediate restoration of Jerusalem. He looks forward to a future generation—a people not yet created. And then, he looks upward to the very fabric of the cosmos. He realizes that while his life is fleeting, and even the earth itself is wearing out like an old shirt, the God he serves is the Unchanging One. This section contains some of the most profound theology on the nature of God found anywhere in Scripture, passages that the New Testament authors (specifically in Hebrews Chapter One) would later apply directly to Jesus Christ. So, let us stand on this unshakable rock and look at the changing universe through the eyes of faith. The first segment is: The Written Record for the Unborn Generation. Psalm One Hundred Two: verses eighteen through twenty-two. Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord. Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down from heaven to earth to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die. And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins with a command that explains why we are reading this psalm today: "Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord." He is conscious that his suffering—and God’s eventual deliverance—is not just for him. It is a legacy. The phrase "people not yet born" is literally "a people to be created" (am nibra). This suggests a new creation, a revived community rising from the ashes of the exile. He wants the story written down so that this...
Welcome to Day 2756 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – 10 Times Jesus Declared His Divinity in the Gospels. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2756 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2756 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled 10 Times Jesus Declared His Divinity in the Gospels. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly stated and demonstrated that He was God. His declarations and actions are not isolated from the broader context of Scripture but are deeply rooted in the Old Testament, which serves as the foundation for understanding His divine identity. In this article, we will examine the key moments in the Gospels where Jesus claimed divinity, using the OT to provide context and clarity. Let’s look at the ten times Jesus declared his divinity. 1. Jesus as the “I AM” One of the clearest statements of Jesus’ divinity comes in John eight verse fifty-eight when He declares, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” This is an unmistakable reference to Exodus three verse fourteen, where God revealed Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM.” By using this title, Jesus identifies Himself with the God of Israel, YHWH (Yahweh), who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. The Jewish audience understood the weight of this statement, as they immediately sought to stone Him for blasphemy (John eight verse fifty-nine). 2. Jesus Forgives Sins In Mark two, verses five through seven, Jesus forgives the sins of a paralytic man, which prompts the scribes to question, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Here, Jesus performs an act that, according to Jewish belief, only God could do. His authority to forgive sins demonstrates that He is not merely a prophet or teacher but possesses divine authority. In Isaiah forty-three verse twenty-five, God states, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake.” Jesus’ actions directly connect Him with this divine function. 3. Jesus Receives Worship In multiple instances, Jesus accepts worship, which in Jewish monotheism is reserved exclusively for God. For example, after walking on water and calming the storm, His disciples worship Him, saying, “Truly, You are the Son of God” (Matthew fourteen, verse thirty-three). In Deuteronomy six, verse thirty-three, it is commanded, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.” Yet, Jesus receives worship without rebuke, implying His divine status. In contrast, angels and apostles in the Bible refuse worship, redirecting it to God (Revelation twenty-two, verses eight and nine, Acts fourteen, verse fifteen. 4. Jesus’ Claim to be the Son of Man Jesus frequently refers to Himself as the “Son of Man,” a title from Daniel seven, verses thirteen and fourteen, where the Son of Man comes “with the clouds of heaven” and is given “dominion, glory, and a kingdom” that will never pass away. This figure is distinct from ordinary human beings, as He is...
Welcome to Day 2755 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2755 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 102:1-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2755 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred fifty-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Prayer of the Destitute – Finding Hope Among the Ruins Today, we step onto a path that is dusty, broken, and stained with tears. We are entering the landscape of Psalm One Hundred Two, and we will be trekking through the first half, verses one through seventeen, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred One, we stood tall with King David. We looked into the "King's Mirror" and heard his bold manifesto of integrity. He vowed to walk blamelessly, to purge his house of liars, and to actively destroy the wicked from the City of the Lord. It was a psalm of strength, confidence, and royal authority. But life is not always lived on the mountaintop of royal confidence. Sometimes, the king loses his crown. Sometimes, the city we vowed to keep clean lies in ruins. Psalm One Hundred Two is the dark valley that often follows the mountain peak. This psalm stands out in the Psalter because of its unique superscription: "A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the LORD." It does not identify an author—no David, no Asaph, no Sons of Korah. It is anonymous, perhaps so that any of us, when we are "overwhelmed with trouble," can sign our own name to it. It is the fifth of the seven "Penitential Psalms," traditionally used by the church during Lent. It reflects a time—likely the Babylonian Exile—when the promises of Psalm One Hundred One seemed to have failed, and the glorious city of Zion was nothing but a heap of stones. Yet, in the midst of this devastation, we will find a pivot point of hope that is as sturdy as the throne of God itself. So, let us sit amidst the ashes and learn how to pray when we are falling apart. The first segment is: The Urgent Cry from the Void. Psalm One Hundred Two: verses one through two. Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with panic. There is no preamble, no theological adoration, just a desperate, breathless clutch for connection: "Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea!" When we are overwhelmed, our prayers often lose their polish. We stop trying to sound "spiritual" and just try to be heard. The psalmist is terrified of one thing: the silence of God. "Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress." Literally, "Do not hide Your face." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, to see the face of the King was to have His favor and protection. For God to "hide His face" was the ultimate disaster. It meant the withdrawal of covenant protection,...
Welcome to Day 2754 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2754– A Confident Life – Believers, Overcomers, and Witnesses – 2 John 1:1-13 Putnam Church Message – 11/09/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “Balancing Love and Truth" Last week, we finished the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Confident Life: Absolute Assurance.” This week, we will focus on the letter of 2 John, and as we explore the fine art of “Balancing Love and Truth” from 2 John 1:1-13 in the NIV, found on page 1905 of your Pew Bibles. 1 The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have> worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings. Opening Prayer From its shallow headwaters on Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, the Mississippi River meanders southward to the Gulf of Mexico, spawning and sustaining life along its nearly 2,400-mile journey. To many, the river is a gentle giant, an untiring benefactor of good gifts. The mighty Mississippi is a bountiful, self-replenishing storehouse of nutrients for farmland, a habitat for wildlife, and a busy highway for barges. However, if it escapes its well-defined boundaries, that gentle giant becomes an unwieldy...
Welcome to Day 2753 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2753 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 101:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2753 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2753 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The King’s Mirror – A Manifesto of Integrity Today, we stand at the threshold of a new royal chamber as we explore Psalm One Hundred One, covering the entire psalm, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred, we experienced the joyful noise of the thanksgiving procession. We learned how to "enter His gates with thanksgiving" and "go into His courts with praise." It was a psalm about the people of God approaching the presence of God, acknowledging that He is good, His love is eternal, and His faithfulness lasts forever. It was the liturgy of entry. But Psalm One Hundred One asks a follow-up question that is much more searching: Once you are inside the gates, how do you live? This psalm is often called "The Mirror for Magistrates" or "The King's Mirror." It is written by David, and it is a personal manifesto of integrity. If Psalm One Hundred is about the public worship of God, Psalm One Hundred One is about the private discipline of a leader. It connects deeply to the Royal Psalms we have been studying because, in the Ancient Israelite worldview, the earthly king was supposed to be the visible representative of the Invisible God. If Yahweh reigns with "Righteousness and Justice" (as we saw in Psalm Ninety-seven), then David’s throne must be established on the same foundation. This psalm is David’s vow to create a court, a home, and a city that mirrors the holiness of the Divine Council. It is a psalm of severe cleaning, purging the influence of chaos and evil from the heart of the kingdom. So, let us look into this mirror and see if our own house reflects the King’s standard. The first segment is: The Vow of the Private Heart Psalm One Hundred One: verses one through two. I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. David begins his manifesto by setting his tuning fork to the character of God: "I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs." Notice the two attributes he chooses: Love (ḥesed—unfailing, loyal love) and Justice (mishpat). These are the twin pillars of Yahweh’s reign that we saw in Psalm Eighty-nine and Psalm Ninety-seven. Before David can rule others, he must immerse himself in the nature of the God he represents. He sings about them to internalize them. A leader who does not sing of God's justice will soon become a...
Welcome to Day 2752 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2752 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 100:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2752 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred fifty-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Rhythm of Gratitude – Entering the Gates with Praise.<0.5#> Today, we arrive at a beloved landmark on our journey through the Psalter. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred, covering the entire hymn, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. This short, vibrant psalm serves as the grand finale to the collection of Royal Psalms we have been trekking through (Psalms Ninety-three through Ninety-nine). In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-nine, we were on our knees. We saw the Holy King enthroned between the Cherubim, and the command was to "tremble" and to "bow low." It was a psalm of heavy, transcendent holiness. Psalm One Hundred resolves that trembling into uncontainable joy. It tells us that the Holy King is also the Good Shepherd. It is the invitation to stand up, dust off our knees, and march through the temple gates with a song of thanksgiving. It is the only psalm in the Bible with the specific superscription "A Psalm of Thanksgiving" (Mizmor l'todah). It was likely sung as the procession entered the temple courts to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice. It teaches us that while God is the High King of the Divine Council, He is also our God, and His courts are open to us. So, let us join the procession and enter His gates with thanksgiving. The First Segment is: The Universal Call to Worship. Psalm One Hundred: verses one through two. Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. The psalm opens with a burst of energy, issuing three imperative commands to the entire world: "Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!" The command to "shout" (rûa‘) connects us back to the earlier Royal Psalms. This is the shout of homage to a King; it is the fanfare of coronation. But notice the audience: "all the earth." This is a missionary call. Just as we saw in Psalm Ninety-six, the invitation to worship Yahweh is not restricted to the ethnic borders of Israel. It is a summons to the nations—who were formerly under the dominion of the rebel gods of the Divine Council—to switch their allegiance. We are calling the whole earth to defect from the darkness and shout allegiance to the True King. The second command defines the attitude of our service: "Worship the Lord with gladness." The word "Worship" (‘ābad) literally means to serve. It implies slavery or bond-service. In the ancient world, serving a god or a king was often a terrified, burdensome duty. You served to avoid being crushed. But Yahweh demands a different kind of service. We are to serve Him...
Welcome to Day 2751 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – From Eden to New Jerusalem: The Pattern of Ascent, Fall, and Redemption Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2751 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2751 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled From Eden to New Jerusalem: The Pattern of Ascent, Fall, and Redemption. Throughout Scripture, a pattern emerges—one that contrasts the fall of those who grasp at divinity with the exaltation of those who receive it by grace through believing loyalty. From Eden to Hermon, Babel, and ultimately to the New Jerusalem, the Bible traces the path of human ambition, divine descent, and final restoration. The first segment is: Eden: Seizing Divinity, Ending in Death In the beginning, Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, placed in sacred space, and destined to reign with Him. Yet they were not content to reflect His glory. Tempted by the serpent, they reached for equality with God on their own terms: “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis three verse 5 By attempting to grasp what had not been offered, they fell. Cast out of the garden, barred from the Tree of Life, and sentenced to die, their descent began not just physically but spiritually. They traded divine fellowship for exile and mortality. The second segment is: Hermon: Divine Rebellion and the Corruption of Mankind The next great rebellion came not from humans alone, but from the spiritual realm. According to 1 Enoch 6, the sons of God descended upon Mount Hermon and made a pact to defy God by taking human wives and producing the Nephilim. Their actions unleashed chaos and violence across the earth. This attempt to force a merger of heaven and earth on their own terms brought catastrophic consequences. God judged the Watchers, bound them in the Abyss, and destroyed their offspring in the Flood. Yet their spirits—demons—remained to corrupt mankind. The descent from Hermon marked not exaltation but divine exile, and it echoes the same pattern: those who attempt to seize divine authority fall into judgment. The third segment is: Babel: Ascending in Pride, Scattered in Judgment The next great act of rebellion came at Babel. Humanity, unified in language and purpose, sought to reach the heavens: “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves…” Genesis Eleven verse 4 Though the text says they were “one people,” this unity was likely driven by demonic influence—a renewed attempt to reopen the spiritual gateway severed at the Flood. Some modern theological reconstructions suggest the builders, influenced by demonic forces, may have sought to create a gateway that would allow the imprisoned Watchers to rise again and make war on Heaven itself. But the plan was doomed. God had already sentenced the Watchers to the Abyss, and no human or spiritual force could overturn that...
Welcome to Day 2750 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2750 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 99:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2750 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred fifty of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title of Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Holy King Enthroned – Trembling Before the Trisagion <0.5#> Today, we reach the summit of the Royal Psalms as we explore Psalm Ninety-nine, covering the entire hymn, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-eight, we joined the global victory parade. We saw the sea shouting, the rivers clapping, and the hills singing for joy because the Divine Warrior had won the battle for the cosmos. It was a psalm of unbridled exuberance and noise. Psalm Ninety-nine shifts the atmosphere from joyful noise to trembling awe. While the previous psalms focused on God’s power and His reign, this psalm focuses intensely on His Holiness. In fact, this psalm is structured around a threefold declaration—a Trisagion—that announces, "He is holy!" at the end of each stanza. It reminds us that the King we celebrate is not just powerful; He is Other. He is transcendent. He is separated from all corruption and chaos. And because He is holy, our approach to Him must be marked by reverence. We move from the cheering crowd to the kneeling priesthood. So, let us take off our shoes, for we are standing on holy ground. The Trembling of the Nations: The Transcendent King Psalm Ninety-nine: verses one through three The Lord is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth shake. The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, supreme above all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy! The psalm begins with the familiar coronation cry: "The Lord is king!" But notice the reaction commanded this time. In Psalm Ninety-seven, the earth was told to "rejoice." In Psalm Ninety-eight, it was told to "shout." Here, the command is: "Let the nations tremble!" (rāgaz—to quake, shake, or be agitated). And "Let the whole earth shake." Why the fear? Because "He sits on his throne between the cherubim." This is a powerful image that bridges heaven and earth. In the earthly Temple, the Ark of the Covenant was the footstool of God's throne, flanked by golden cherubim. But in the Ancient Israelite worldview, this was merely a copy of the true reality in the Divine Council. Yahweh sits enthroned above the living Cherubim—the terrifying, powerful spiritual guardians of His holiness. He is the Master of the spiritual realm. For the "nations"—who...
Welcome to Day 2749 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2749– A Confident Life – Believers, Overcomers, and Witnesses – 1 John 5:13-21 Putnam Church Message – 11/02/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “Absolute Assurance" Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Confident Life: Believers, Overcomers, and Witnesses.” This week, we will be exploring the final message in the letter of 1 John and exploring how to have “A Confident Life: Absolute Assurance” from 1 John 5:13-21 in the NIV, found on page 1903 of your Pew Bibles. Concluding Affirmations 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. Opening Prayer I read a story of two young men who grew up in the Northwest. Whenever they reach critical moments in their lives, they read letters written by their mother—letters in her familiar handwriting, sent to encourage and exhort her boys as they grow from childhood to manhood. Letters written for birthdays, for Christmas, for graduation from high school. To these boys, those letters from Mom are expressions of her endearing and enduring love. They are frameable. Why do these sons hold these letters from Mom so dear? Because their mother died of cancer years earlier, when they were very young. The disease was taking its toll on her day after day, but instead of lying there wasting away, she spent her time writing letters to her two boys to be delivered to them at specific times in their lives. And on these occasions, the boys’ father would deliver the letters. They would hear from their mother, in her own words —words of endearing and enduring love. Similarly, the apostle John has left all of God’s spiritual children a frameable letter—a letter of endearing and enduring love. A letter of encouragement and exhortation. A letter of warning and instruction. A letter of absolute assurance. This letter, 1 John, has been preserved for us through the...
Welcome to Day 2748 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2748 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 98:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2748 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Divine Warrior’s Victory Lap – Creation Applauds the King Today, we are lacing up our boots for a joyous celebration as we trek through Psalm Ninety-eight, covering the entire psalm, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. This psalm is the crescendo of the Royal Psalms. In our last trek through Psalm Ninety-seven, we witnessed the terrifying majesty of the Cloud Rider. We saw Yahweh marching out as a Man of War, with fire going before Him to burn up His enemies. We saw the mountains melting like wax and the "throne of destruction" being dismantled. It was a psalm of cosmic conquest, where the rebel gods of the Divine Council were humbled before the Most High. Psalm Ninety-eight is the sequel to that conquest. If Psalm Ninety-seven was the battle, Psalm Ninety-eight is the Victory Parade. The smoke has cleared. The enemies are scattered. The King has ascended to His throne, and now, a "new song" breaks out across the universe. This is a psalm of unadulterated triumph. It does not contain a single petition or request. It doesn't ask God for anything; it simply celebrates what He has already done. It invites us to join an orchestra that includes not just harps and horns, but the roaring sea and the clapping rivers. So, let us take our place in the choir and sing to the Warrior King. The first segment is: The Divine Warrior Wins the Day Alone Psalm Ninety-eight: verses one through three Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power! The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation! He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. The psalm bursts open with a command: "Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds." We have seen this command before in Psalm Ninety-six, but here, the motivation is specific. We sing a "new song" because the cosmic status quo has been shattered. God has done "wonderful deeds" (niphla’ot—marvels, things that are distinct and extraordinary). What is this marvelous deed? "His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!" This is the language of the Divine Warrior. In the ancient world, and in the Divine Council worldview, the gods were often depicted as needing armies or alliances to defeat chaos. But here,...
Welcome to Day 2747 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2747 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 97:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2747 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cloud Rider Reigns – A Fire Before the King Today, we are continuing our ascent up the high peaks of the Royal Psalms. We have arrived at Psalm Ninety-seven, and we will be exploring the entire text, verses one through twelve, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-six, we heard the joyous, missionary call to "Sing a new song" and to declare to the nations that "The Lord Reigns!" We saw the invitation for all the families of the earth to abandon their worthless idols—their elilim—and bring their tribute to the true Creator. It was a psalm of invitation and anticipation, looking forward to the coming Judge. Psalm Ninety-seven takes a half-step forward. It moves from the announcement of the King to the actual appearance of the King. The tone shifts from joyful invitation to awe-inspiring majesty. Here, Yahweh is not just invited to reign; He has taken His seat. He is actively asserting His dominion over the cosmos, and the reaction of the universe is a mixture of trembling and rejoicing. This psalm plunges us deep into the Divine Council worldview. It depicts Yahweh as the Cloud Rider, the Divine Warrior who marches out to reclaim His territory from the rebel gods who have corrupted the nations. It is a psalm of spiritual warfare and ultimate victory. So, let us shield our eyes, for the glory of the King is about to shine forth. The first segment is: The Arrival of the Cloud Rider. Psalm Ninety-seven: verses one through two. The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad. Dark clouds and deep darkness surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. The psalm opens with the foundational shout of the enthronement festival: "The Lord is king!" (Yahweh Malak). Because He is King, the command goes out: "Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad." The "farthest coastlands" (or "many islands") refers to the ends of the known world—the Gentile nations. Under the rule of the rebel elohim (the lesser gods), the nations have been in darkness and chaos. But the ascension of Yahweh is good news for the geography of the earth. His rule brings order, life, and stability. However, the appearance of this King is terrifyingly majestic: "Dark clouds and deep darkness surround him." To the modern ear, "dark clouds" might sound gloomy or depressing. But in the Ancient Israelite worldview, this is Theophany language—the language of God appearing in visible form.
Welcome to Day 2746 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Satan Was Not Allotted a Nation Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2746 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2746 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Satan Was Not Allotted a Nation. The Bible presents Satan as the first rebel, deceiving humanity in Eden and setting himself in opposition to Yahweh’s purposes from the very beginning. But when God disinherits the nations at Babel (Deuteronomy 32:8-9), there is no indication that Satan is assigned a nation. The divine council sons of God are given authority over the nations, and Yahweh retains Israel for Himself. Satan is nowhere in that picture. This is not surprising. Satan had already rebelled. He had already introduced sin into the world and brought death through deception. Why would he be entrusted with a nation? He would not be, and he was not. But he would not stay excluded. In this first segment, let’s explore The Rebellion of the Gods Psalm 82 shows that the gods of the nations, the ones given legitimate rule over the peoples, eventually rebelled. They pervert justice, show partiality, and demand worship for themselves. They become corrupt stewards, and Yahweh condemns them to die like men. This second segment is: The Opportunist Behind the Curtain It is in this spiritual vacuum that Satan likely saw his opportunity. The pattern is familiar. Just as he deceived Eve, it is plausible that he seduced the other elohim as well. He may have promised them greatness, freedom from Yahweh, or worship for themselves. Perhaps he did not originate their rebellion, but he certainly seems to have benefited from it. Over time, as the gods of the nations fought among themselves through their human empires, Satan emerged as the one spirit behind them all. The third segment is: The Rise of the King of the Gods We can see this in the way ancient religion developed. The gods of Egypt, Canaan, Babylon, Greece, and Rome were originally distinct, but as empires grew and conquered one another, their gods merged. Baal rose in Canaan. Marduk overtook the other gods of Babylon. Zeus became king of Olympus and was later identified with Jupiter in Rome. At each step, the god at the top took on more authority, often absorbing characteristics of the others. The altar of Zeus at Pergamum, described in Revelation 2:13 as the throne of Satan, confirms the trajectory. Zeus had become the highest god of the pagan world. His altar stood like a throne on a high place. Jesus identifies that location not just as idolatrous, but as Satan’s seat. This implies that Satan, though never given a nation by God, had risen through the corruption of the divine order to become the ruler over the fallen gods. The fourth segment is: The Usurper’s Claim This also explains why Satan could offer Jesus all the...
Welcome to Day 2745 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2745 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 96:1-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2745 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: A New Song for a Reclaimed World – The Lord Reigns Over the Nations Today, we are setting out on a trek that expands our horizon from the borders of Israel to the very ends of the earth. We are exploring Psalm Ninety-six, covering the entire hymn, verses one through thirteen, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-five, we stood in the holy assembly of Israel. We heard the invitation to bow before our Maker, but we also heard the stern warning from the Shepherd-King: "Don’t harden your hearts." That psalm ended with a somber reminder of the wilderness generation who failed to enter God's rest because they refused to listen to His voice. It was a call to the insider to stay faithful. Psalm Ninety-six flings the doors of the temple wide open. It turns away from the failure of the past and looks forward to a glorious future where all nations—not just Israel—are invited to worship Yahweh. It is a missionary anthem. It is a coronation hymn. It declares that the God of Israel is not a tribal deity, but the rightful King of the Cosmos who is reclaiming the nations from the lesser spiritual beings that have held them in bondage. So, let us lift our voices and join the global chorus, declaring that the Lord reigns! The first segment is: The Command to Sing a New Song Psalm Ninety-six: verses one through three Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. The psalm opens with an explosion of joy and a threefold command: "Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name." Why a "new song"? In the Psalms, a new song is often required because God has done a new thing. The old songs were about the Exodus from Egypt, about God delivering one nation from another. But this new song is about something far greater. It is about God delivering all nations. The scope has shifted from the local to the universal. The invitation is no longer just for the children of Jacob; it is for "the whole earth." The instruction is specific: "Each day proclaim the good news that he saves." This phrase, "proclaim the good news," is the Hebrew verb basar. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word is euangelizo—the root of our word "Evangelism" or "Gospel." The psalmist is telling us to evangelize the world! We are to announce, daily, that...
Welcome to Day 2744 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2744– A Confident Life – The Supremacy of Love – 1 John 5:1-12 Putnam Church Message – 10/26/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “Believers, Overcomers, and Witnesses" Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Confident Life: The Supremacy of Love.” This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have “A Confident Life: Believers, Overcomers, and Witnesses” from 1 John 5:1-12 from the NIV, which is found on page 1903 of your Pew Bibles. Faith in the Incarnate Son of God 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. Opening Prayer Believers are identified by various titles throughout Scripture. We’re called Christians, disciples, followers, saints, sheep, salt, light, ambassadors for Christ, members of the body of Christ, royal priests, aliens, strangers, servants of Christ, and the people of God, among other titles. Like a jeweler turning a diamond under a bright light, each designation reveals another facet of our character, role, position, or privilege. Near the end of his letter, John introduces two more titles for believers and also mentions, in this section, the three witnesses who testify in complete agreement regarding God’s Son. All of this will help us deepen our understanding of what it means to be part of God’s forever family. As we arrive at the last two verses in this section, we come to one of the most explicit statements of the gospel found in the entire Word of God. 5:1–3 Approaching the end of his ministry, the apostle John penned the fourth
Welcome to Day 2743 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2743 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 95:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2743 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The King, The Shepherd, and The Warning – A Trek Through Psalm 95:1-11 Today, we are lacing up our boots to climb a new peak in the Psalter: Psalm Ninety-five. We will cover the entire psalm, verses one through eleven, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-four, we stood in the courtroom of the cosmos. We saw God as the Judge of the Earth and the God of Vengeance, dismantling the "throne of destruction" and promising to wipe out the wicked who oppress the innocent. It was a psalm of justice, a cry for the legal intervention of Heaven. Psalm Ninety-five shifts the scene dramatically. We move from the courtroom to the Throne Room, and then to the Wilderness. This psalm serves as the grand entrance hymn to the collection of Royal Psalms that celebrate Yahweh's Kingship. It is a psalm of invitation—an invitation to shout, to bow, and, crucially, to listen. It is structured in two distinct movements: a jubilant call to worship the Supreme King, and a somber, prophetic warning from that same King. It teaches us that true worship is not just about loud songs; it is about a soft heart. So, let us heed the call and approach the Rock of our Salvation. The first segment is: The Call to Cosmic Worship: The King Above All Gods Psalm Ninety-five: verses one through five Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land. The psalmist begins with an imperative, a command to the congregation that bursts with energy: "Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation." We saw in Psalm Ninety-four that God is our "fortress" and "mighty rock" of refuge against the wicked. Now, in response to that protection, the only appropriate reaction is volume. The phrase "shout joyfully" (rûa‘) is the same word used for a war cry or the blast of a trumpet hailing a monarch. We are not mumbling prayers in a corner; we are hailing the Victor. We approach His presence with "thanksgiving" (tôdâ), bringing an offering of gratitude before we even ask for a thing. But why is this enthusiasm required? Verse
Welcome to Day 2742 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2742 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 94:12-23 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2742 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The School of Discipline and the Throne of Destruction Today, we continue our journey through the courtroom of the cosmos in Psalm Ninety-four, covering the second half of this intense psalm, verses twelve through twenty-three, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we stood with the psalmist as he presented his case against the "practical atheists"—the wicked rulers who crush the widow and the orphan, arrogantly claiming, "The Lord isn’t looking." We used the logic of creation—the Eye and the Ear—to dismantle their foolishness. We established that the God of Vengeance is not blind; He is simply waiting for the proper time to shine forth. Now, in this concluding section, the tone shifts dramatically. The psalmist turns from addressing the wicked fools to addressing the faithful sufferer. He moves from the external problem of evil to the internal solution of divine discipline. He asks a fundamental question: How do we survive while we wait for justice? The answer lies in the distinction between punishment and instruction. We will see that while the wicked are digging their own graves, God is building a fortress for His people through the hard lessons of life. We will also see a stark confrontation between the corrupt thrones of men and the righteous throne of God. So, let us settle our hearts and learn why correction is actually a blessing in disguise. The first segment is: The Blessing of the School of God. Psalm Ninety-four: verses twelve through fifteen. Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked. The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it. The psalmist begins with a beatitude, a statement of blessing that seems contradictory to our human nature: "Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions." We usually equate joy with ease, comfort, and the absence of struggle. But here, the psalmist connects joy (’ashrê, or blessedness) directly with discipline (yāsar). This word, yāsar, implies correction, chastisement, and instruction. It is the loving but firm hand of a father guiding his child. Why is this a cause for joy? Because it signifies relationship. God ignores the wicked for a season, allowing them...
Welcome to Day 2741 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Pentecost and the Reversal of Babel: Reclaiming the Nations for Yahweh Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2741 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2741 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Pentecost and the Reversal of Babel: Reclaiming the Nations for Yahweh The biblical narrative does not unfold randomly—it is a carefully structured drama of rebellion, judgment, and redemption. One of the clearest examples of this pattern occurs between two seemingly distant events: the judgment at the Tower of Babel in Genesis Eleven and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts two. While Babel marked the disinheritance and scattering of the nations due to collective rebellion, Pentecost served as a supernatural reversal of that judgment and the formal beginning of Yahweh’s mission to reclaim the nations under the rule of His Son, Jesus the Messiah. This first segment is: Babel: Humanity’s United Rebellion and Yahweh’s Judgment. In Genesis Eleven, mankind, still united by one language and culture, gathered in defiance of God’s command to spread out and fill the earth (Genesis Nine verse 1). Instead, they sought to build a tower—a ziggurat—that would “reach to the heavens” and make a name for themselves. This act was more than urban planning or architectural ambition; it was a spiritual rebellion. In the Ancient Near East, ziggurats symbolized sacred space, portals between heaven and earth, where humans could manipulate the gods. The Tower of Babel, therefore, represented a counterfeit mountain of assembly—an attempt to storm heaven and force divine presence on human terms. God responded not by destroying them physically but by confusing their language. This act severed their ability to conspire as one. More significantly, according to Deuteronomy thirty-two verses eight and nine (Dead Sea Scrolls versions), God responded by disinheriting the nations: When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court. “For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession. This passage reveals a profound truth: Yahweh handed over the rebellious nations to lesser divine beings—members of the heavenly host often referred to as the bene elohim. These beings were expected to rule justly, but Psalm 82 shows that they instead oppressed and corrupted the nations under their charge, leading Yahweh to declare their doom. From Babel onward, Yahweh would focus on a single nation—Israel—through whom He would eventually bless all the nations (Genesis twelve verse three). The second segment is: Pentecost: The Gathering Begins. Fast forward to Acts two. The Jewish feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) had brought devout Jews and proselytes from across the known world to Jerusalem. This was the perfect...
Welcome to Day 2740 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2740 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 94:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2740 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred forty of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The God Who Hears and Sees – The Argument Against Practical Atheism. Today, we are stepping into the courtroom of the cosmos as we open Psalm Ninety-four, covering the first half of this intense psalm, verses one through eleven, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm Ninety-three, we stood in the royal throne room. We heard the triumphant declaration that "The Lord is king!" We saw that He is robed in majesty, stronger than the chaos waters, and that His reign is established from everlasting. It was a psalm of high theology, celebrating God’s absolute sovereignty over the universe. But today, Psalm Ninety-four drags that high theology down into the gritty, often painful reality of life on earth. It asks the hard question: "If God is King, and if He is mightier than the waves, why do the wicked still crush the innocent?" This psalm acts as a bridge. It takes the truth of God’s Kingship from Psalm Ninety-three and demands that it be applied to the injustices of the present moment. It is a cry for the King to stop sitting on the throne and to start acting from the throne. It confronts the arrogance of those who live as if God is blind, and it uses profound logic to dismantle their foolishness. So, let us lace up our boots and walk through this powerful plea for divine justice. The first segment is: The Appeal to the Divine Avenger Psalm Ninety-four: verses one through two. O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! Arise, O judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve. The psalmist begins with a title for God that might make modern listeners uncomfortable: "O Lord, the God of vengeance." We often associate "vengeance" with petty retaliation, uncontrolled anger, or getting even. But in the biblical worldview, and specifically within the Ancient Israelite context, vengeance (neqamah) is a legal and royal term. It refers to restorative justice. It is the act of a legitimate authority stepping in to right a wrong, to punish the guilty, and to vindicate the innocent. When the psalmist calls God the "God of vengeance," he is not asking God to lose His temper. He is appealing to God’s office as the Supreme Magistrate. He is saying, "God, You are the only one with the authority to fix this broken situation." He repeats it twice for emphasis: "O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!" The Hebrew phrase here literally asks God to "shine forth" (yapha). This is theophany language—the language of God appearing in radiant glory to intervene in human history, much like He did...
Welcome to Day 2739 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2739– A Confident Life – The Supremacy of Love – 1 John 4:7-21 Putnam Church Message – 10/19/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “The Supremacy of Love " Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Discerning Life: Distinguishing Truth from Error.” This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have “A Confident Life: The Supremacy of Love” from 1 John 4:7-21 from the NIV, which is found on page 1902 of your Pew Bibles. Love One Another 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. Opening Prayer If I were to say, “Turn to the ‘love chapter’ in the New Testament,” most people would probably flip straight to 1 Corinthians 13. That “ode to love” has earned the honorific title “Love Chapter” for a reason. Its thirteen verses mention agapē eight times. And its poetic description of selfless love is fit for framing: 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Welcome to Day 2738 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2738 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 93:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2738 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred thirty-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Lord Reigns Over the Chaos Waters Today, we embark on a journey into the royal courts of the cosmos as we explore Psalm Ninety-three, covering the entire psalm, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. This short, powerful hymn marks the beginning of a specific collection within the Psalter known as the "Royal Psalms" or "Enthronement Psalms," which generally includes Psalms Ninety-three through Ninety-nine. In our last trek through Psalm Ninety-two, we celebrated the Sabbath, reflecting on the joy of God's works and the ultimate destruction of the wicked. We concluded with the image of the righteous flourishing in the courts of our God, declaring that, "The Lord is just! He is my rock!" Psalm Ninety-three takes that declaration of God's character and elevates it to a declaration of His universal position. It moves from the righteous individual flourishing in the temple to Yahweh reigning over the entire created order. It addresses a fundamental anxiety of the ancient world—and indeed, our world today: Is anyone actually in charge? When we look at the chaos of history, the violence of nature, and the rebellion of spiritual forces, we need to know if the throne is occupied. This psalm answers with a thunderous "Yes." So, let us step into the throne room of the universe and behold the King who is mightier than the roaring waters. The First Segment is: The Coronation of the Eternal King Psalm Ninety-three: verses one through two The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past. The psalm opens with a proclamation that would have served as a battle cry, a theological manifesto, and a shout of worship: "The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty." The phrase "The Lord is king" (Yahweh malak) is the central thesis of Israelite theology. In the ancient Near East, kingship wasn't just about political administration; it was about maintaining cosmic order. A king's primary job was to hold back chaos. By declaring Yahweh as King, the psalmist is asserting that the God of Israel is the one holding the universe together. The imagery of clothing is vital here: "Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength." God does not put on majesty like a costume; majesty is His intrinsic nature, yet it is displayed visibly to His creation. He is "armed with strength"
Welcome to Day 2737 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2737 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 92:8-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2737 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred thirty-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Eternal Exaltation and the Flourishing Righteous Today, we conclude our journey through Psalm Ninety-two, the beautiful Song for the Sabbath Day. We are covering the final, triumphant verses, eight through fifteen, in the New Living Translation. In our last conversation, we affirmed that it is "good to give thanks to the Lord," proclaiming His Unfailing Love in the morning and His Faithfulness in the evening (Psalm Ninety-two, verses one through four). We wrestled with the temporary flourishing of the wicked—who "sprout like grass"—but concluded that they are destined to be "destroyed forever," for God’s thoughts are simply "deeper than anyone can comprehend" (Psalm Ninety-two, verses five through seven). Now, the psalm moves to its magnificent climax. It declares the eternal nature of God’s sovereignty, contrasts the certain ruin of His foes with the flourishing destiny of the righteous, and celebrates the lifelong vitality of those who trust in the Most High. This final section is a powerful declaration of vindication and blessing, a perfect capstone to the Sabbath celebration. So, let us open our hearts to this triumphant assurance, embracing the destiny of the righteous and the certainty of God’s eternal rule. The first segment is: The Eternal Judgment and the Exaltation of the Righteous Psalm Ninety-two: verses eight through eleven But you, O Lord, will remain supreme forever. Your enemies, Lord, will be destroyed; all evil doers will be scattered. But you have made me as strong as a wild ox; you have poured olive oil on my head. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked foes. After acknowledging the fleeting power of the wicked, the psalmist immediately shifts focus to the unchanging reality of God's reign: "But you, O Lord, will remain supreme forever." The "But" is the most important word in the psalm, signaling the ultimate pivot from the temporary to the eternal. The wicked are ephemeral, but God "will remain supreme forever." This affirms His sovereignty over all time and space, including His supreme position over the Divine Council, guaranteeing that His justice will prevail. Because God is eternally supreme, the fate of His enemies is sealed: "Your enemies, Lord, will be destroyed; all evil doers will be scattered." This is a prophetic certainty, a final judgment that will
Welcome to Day 2735 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2735 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 92:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2735 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred thirty-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: A Sabbath Song, The Joy of Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness Today, we embark on a journey into Psalm Ninety-two, covering its opening, foundational verses, one through seven, in the New Living Translation. This psalm carries the unique superscription, "A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath Day." It is a deliberate, joyful declaration of praise and thanksgiving, written specifically for the day of rest. We transition here from the high assurance of Psalm Ninety-one, where we learned that God's faithful promises are our armor and that His angels are ordered to protect us. Psalm Ninety-two is the natural response to that security: because God is a faithful protector, our lives should overflow with joyful, continuous worship. This psalm invites us to make our lives a perpetual Sabbath, a dedicated time of celebrating God's Unfailing Love and His Faithfulness. It challenges us to look beyond the temporary flourishing of the wicked and to rest in the wisdom of God's eternal plan. So, let us open our hearts to this song of rest and worship, learning the wisdom of perpetual thanksgiving. The first segment is: The Command and Content of Perpetual Praise Psalm Ninety-two: verses one through four It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, and your faithfulness in the evening. Praise him with the ten-stringed harp, with the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me joyful by your deeds; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. The psalm begins with a simple, profound statement of spiritual fact: "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High." "Good" (ṭôḇ) here means more than merely pleasant; it signifies morally and spiritually excellent, the right and proper thing to do. The focus is squarely on the Most High (‘Elyōn), the supreme, sovereign God, whose power transcends all earthly and celestial authority, ensuring that our praise is directed to the one true source of all blessing. This praise is meant to be continuous and all-encompassing: "It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, and your faithfulness in the evening." The psalmist delineates the ideal spiritual rhythm of the day, moving from dawn to dusk. In the morning, when hope is renewed, we proclaim God's Unfailing Love (ḥesed), His steadfast,
Welcome to Day 2736 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Profound Meaning of "The Name" of the Lord Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2736 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2736 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled The Profound Meaning of “The Name” of the Lord Understanding the theology of the Ancient Near East is paramount to fully grasp biblical concepts, and the interpretation of “The Name” of the Lord is no exception. God chose to reveal Himself to Abraham and create the nation of Israel within this culture. Because of this, He revealed Himself in ways that would make sense to believers. In the Ancient Near East, the term “Shem” in Hebrew represents far more than a mere title; it encapsulates the very essence, character, authority, and reputation of God. Let’s explore this further and then delve into how this understanding impacts our interpretation of the commandment against taking the Lord’s name in vain. “The Name” as Divine Essence In the Ancient Near East, a deity’s name was considered to be the embodiment of the divine essence. Likewise, in the Bible, “The Name” of the Lord represents God Himself. This can be seen in Proverbs 18:10: “The Name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.” Here, “The Name” is equivalent to God’s protective power and presence. “The Name” as Manifested Presence The Name also symbolizes God’s manifested presence among His people. When Solomon built the Temple, he believed it to be a dwelling place for God (1 Kings 8:13). However, God clarified that His Name would dwell there, thus emphasizing that His presence transcends physical boundaries. “The Name” as Divine Authority Invoking a deity’s name in the Ancient Near East was a way of drawing on divine authority. Similarly, in the biblical text, “The Name” of the Lord signifies His authority. The misuse of the Lord’s Name is cautioned against in Exodus 20:7, underlining the gravity of disrespecting God’s authority. “The Name” as Divine Reputation In Ancient Near East cultures, a deity’s name often represented their reputation. In the biblical context, God’s Name is a reflection of His character, faithfulness, and commitment to His covenant. As Psalm 23:3 notes, the Lord acts for His Name’s sake, demonstrating consistency between His actions and His reputation. Implications for Understanding the Commandment Against Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain With a deeper understanding of “The Name” embodying the essence, presence, authority, and reputation of God, we can reinterpret the commandment against taking the Lord’s Name in vain (Exodus 20:7). This commandment is not simply about using God’s Name carelessly or disrespectfully in speech. It carries a much broader and deeper meaning. When we take into account the Ancient Near East understanding of “The Name”, to take the Lord’s name in vain could imply denying or diminishing God’s essence,...
Welcome to Day 2731 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2731– A Discerning Life – Distinguishing Truth from Error – 1 John 4:1-6 Putnam Church Message – 10/12/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “Distinguishing Truth from Error " Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Discerning Life: Not Like Cain, But Like Christ!" This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have “Distinguishing Truth from Error” from 1 John 4:1-6 from the NIV, which is found on page 1902 of your Pew Bibles. Discerning False Prophets 4 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ>has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood. Opening Prayer Some statements of Scripture haunt us. If we were to dwell on them too long, meditate on them too deeply, or obsess over them too frequently, they would keep us awake at night. It is much like most news sources and social media posts. We must determine truth from error. They warn of impending trouble for believers and alarming developments for the church. The following passages together paint a pretty bleak picture of the deteriorating world around us: * “You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.” ( 24:9) * “And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.” ( 24:11) * “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” ( 24:12) * “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.” ( 24:24) * “The time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.” (John 16:2) * “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John...
Welcome to Day 2733 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2733 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 91:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2733 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred thirty-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Covenant Protection and the Voice of the Almighty - Concluding Psalm Ninety-one Today, we reach the powerful conclusion of our journey through Psalm Ninety-one, one of the most magnificent and comforting psalms of protection in all of Scripture. We are covering the final verses, nine through sixteen, in the New Living Translation. In our last conversation, we explored the psalm's foundation, discovering that our security comes from dwelling in the "shelter of the Most High" and resting in the "shadow of the Almighty." We learned that God's faithful promises are our armor, shielding us from terrors of the night and disasters of the day (Psalm Ninety-one, verses one through eight). Now, the psalm moves from the human declaration of trust to the divine confirmation of that protection. The focus shifts dramatically as God Himself speaks, revealing the profound results of such trust, detailing the role of His angels, and promising rescue, honor, and a long life as the reward for unwavering love. This transition makes the promise absolute; it is a covenant guarantee spoken from the mouth of the Most High. So, let us open our hearts to this divine dialogue, recognizing the immense power of the promise that awaits those who make the Lord their refuge. This first segment is: The Consequence of Covenant Dwelling Psalm Ninety-one: verses nine through twelve If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands to keep you from stumbling on a stone. The psalmist begins this section by establishing the condition for the promised protection, a condition rooted in faith and intentionality: "If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter." This is an active choice. It’s not enough to intellectually acknowledge God; we must intentionally choose Him as our ultimate safe place, making the Most High (‘Elyōn), the supreme, sovereign God, our permanent sanctuary. The consequences of this choice are absolute: "no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home." This promise of exemption is comprehensive. "No evil" (ra‘) and "no plague" (nega‘, a striking or affliction) can breach the barrier of God’s protection. This is the ultimate security guarantee...
Welcome to Day 2732 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2732 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 91:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2732 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2732 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Secret Place of the Most High – Invincible Divine Protection. Today, we embark on a truly magnificent journey into Psalm Ninety-one, one of the most famous and powerful psalms of protection and assurance in all of Scripture. We are covering its opening, foundational verses, one through eight, in the New Living Translation. In our last conversation, we concluded the Prayer of Moses in Psalm Ninety. We wrestled with the frailty of human life, the sorrow of its brevity, and ultimately prayed for the wisdom to number our days so we could live with significance. Now, Psalm Ninety-one provides the covenant solution to that frailty: absolute security found in the eternal refuge of God. While Moses established that man dies under God’s righteous anger, Psalm Ninety-one declares that the righteous believer, dwelling in God’s presence, is supernaturally shielded from the dangers of the temporal world. This psalm is an ancient declaration of war against fear, assuring the faithful that they reside in an invincible fortress of divine protection. So, let us open our hearts to this powerful promise, learning how to claim our spiritual citizenship in the Secret Place of the Most High. The First Segment is: The Fortress of Divine Names Psalm Ninety-one: verses one through two Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my fortress, and my God, in whom I trust. This psalm begins not with a request, but with an immediate, unqualified statement of spiritual fact, establishing the location of our security: "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." "The shelter" (sēter) refers to a secret, hidden, or covered place—a sanctuary. To "live" (yashab) in this shelter means dwelling there permanently, not just visiting. This shelter belongs to the Most High (‘Elyōn), a name emphasizing God's supreme sovereignty over all other powers, spiritual or earthly. The result of dwelling there is "rest" (lun)—a profound state of safety and repose—found in the "shadow of the Almighty" (Shaddai). The shadow of the Almighty is a powerful image of covering, protection, and cooling relief from the scorching sun of danger. The psalmist then makes this promise intensely personal: "This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my fortress, and my God, in whom I trust." This...
Welcome to Day 2731 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Divine Council Worldview and the Nations: A Biblical Perspective Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2731 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2731 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com . Today’s lesson is titled The Divine Council Worldview and the Nations:<#0.25#> A Biblical Perspective. The Divine Council Worldview, championed by scholars like Dr. Michael Heiser, offers a fascinating lens through which to interpret the biblical narrative. This worldview posits that Yahweh, the God of Israel, presides over a council of lesser divine beings who were assigned to govern the nations. This podcast explores the key aspects of how this worldview explains the relationship between the divine council and the nations. The Disinheritance of the Nations A pivotal moment in the Divine Council Worldview is the incident of the Tower of Babel, described in Genesis Eleven verses one through nine. Humanity’s attempt to build a tower reaching the heavens was seen as an act of rebellion against Yahweh. In response, Yahweh confused their language, causing them to scatter across the earth. According to this worldview, this event led to the disinheritance of the nations, as articulated in Deuteronomy thirty-two verse eight and nine. The passage suggests that the Most High divided the nations and assigned them to be governed by lesser divine beings, while retaining Israel as His own portion. “When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.[a] “For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession. ” (Deuteronomy thirty-two, verses eight and nine) Psalm 82: Judgment of the Gods Psalm eighty-two is a critical text for understanding the Divine Council Worldview. In this Psalm, Yahweh stands in the divine assembly and judges the ‘gods’ for their failure to administer justice and righteousness among the nations. These divine beings are condemned for their negligence and are warned of their eventual demise. God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings: “How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High. But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler.’” (Psalm...
Welcome to Day 2730 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2760 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 90:10-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2730 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2730 of our Trek. <#0.5#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Wisdom to Number Our Days – A Prayer for Satisfaction and Significance Today, we reach the conclusion of the oldest psalm in the Psalter, Psalm Ninety, also known as the timeless Prayer of Moses, covering its remaining verses, ten through seventeen, in the New Living Translation. <#0.5#> In our last conversation, we explored the sobering first half of this psalm. <#0.5#> Moses established the immense chasm between the eternal God—our “home” and refuge who predates the mountains—and the transient life of man, who vanishes like a “dream” or “grass” that is withered by evening. <#0.5#> We acknowledged that our fleeting years are often spent under the cloud of God’s righteous anger against sin, as He sets our “secret sins in the light of [His] presence” (Psalm Ninety, verse eight). <#0.5#> Now, Moses moves from somber theological reflection to a fervent, practical prayer. <#0.5#> Recognizing the brevity and the sorrow of a life lived under divine displeasure, he prays for wisdom, mercy, and ultimate significance. <#0.5#> This concluding segment is the mature response to our mortality: since our days are numbered, how can we ensure they are counted for something eternal? <#0.5#> So, let us open our hearts to this ancient and vital prayer, learning how to redeem the time God has given us. <#0.5#> The first segment is: The Frailty of Life and the Plea for Wisdom <#0.5#> Psalm Ninety: verses ten through twelve <#0.5#> Seventy years are given to us!<#0.5#> Some even live to eighty.<#0.5#> But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;<#0.5#> soon they disappear, and we fly away.<#0.5#> Who can comprehend the power of your anger?<#0.5#> Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.<#0.5#> Teach us to realize the brevity of life,<#0.5#> so that we may grow in wisdom.<#0.5#> Moses begins by stating the typical limit of human lifespan, a stark number based on his long experience with the dying generation in the wilderness: "Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty."<#0.5#> This lifespan, while a gift, is often limited, but Moses acknowledges that longer life isn't always better: "But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away."<#0.5#> This speaks to a universal truth: even the healthiest and most prosperous years have their share of hardship—a reality that the ancient Israelites knew...
Welcome to Day 2724 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2729– A Discerning Life – Not Like Cain, but Like Christ! – 1 John 3:11-24 Putnam Church Message – 10/05/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Discerning Life – Not Like Cain, But Like Christ! " Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have A Discerning Life: Discerning the Works of the Devil." This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have A Discerning Life: Not Like Cain, But Like Christ!" from 1 John 3:11-24 from the NIV, which is found on page 1901 of your Pew Bibles. Love One Another 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[a] if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. Opening Prayer Repeatedly, John urges his readers to love God and to love one another. He warns them against loving the world (2:15–16). And he underscores the danger of embracing a sinful lifestyle (3:10). All these subjects begin to wear on the consciences of Christians who desire to be like Christ but constantly fall short. If we allow the full impact of these words to weigh on us, it’ll make us squirm because all of us fall short of the perfect standard of love given to us in Jesus Christ. Considering these convicting truths, some believers might even begin to think, “Am I even saved? Have I loved the world too much? Have I not loved my brother or sister in Christ enough? Are there people in my life whom I hate?” Because these questions...
Welcome to Day 2728 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2728 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 90:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2728 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2728 of our Trek. <#0.5#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Eternal Refuge and the Fleeting Shadow of Man - A Trek Through Psalm Ninety: Verses One through Nine Today, we embark on a profound, philosophical, and deeply spiritual journey as we open Psalm Ninety, covering its opening verses, one through nine, in the New Living Translation. <#0.5#> This Psalm carries a rare and significant superscription: "A prayer of Moses, the man of God." <#0.5#> Written by the great lawgiver himself, this psalm is widely regarded as the oldest in the Psalter, born from the crucible of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. <#0.5#> It is a sober meditation on the frailty of human life and the eternity of God, composed during a time when an entire generation was dying off due to their rebellion against the divine decree. <#0.5#> We transition here from the anguished question of the Davidic Covenant's failure in Psalm Eighty-nine—where the psalmist wrestled with God’s apparent abandonment—to a foundational truth: man’s mortality is not a failure of God's promise, but an unchangeable reality of human existence after the fall. <#0.5#> Moses reminds us that before we can grasp God's promises, we must first confront our own fleeting nature. <#0.5#> This psalm is essential wisdom for our trek; it sets the proper scale and context for our brief time on earth. <#0.5#> So, let us open our hearts to this ancient prayer, recognizing the immense gap between the eternal God and the transient life of man. <#0.5#> The first section is: The Eternal God, Our Dwelling Place <#0.5#> Psalm Ninety: verses one through two <#0.5#> Lord, through all the generations you have been our home. <#0.5#> Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. <#0.5#> Moses begins his prayer not by complaining about the hardship of the wilderness, but by affirming God's eternal nature and His relationship to humanity: "Lord, through all the generations you have been our home." <#0.5#> The word "home" (ma‘ôn) means dwelling place, refuge, or habitation. <#0.5#> Moses is looking back over the entire history of the covenant people—from Abraham to the present wilderness generation—and declaring that God, not a physical tent or a specific land, has been their constant, reliable dwelling place. <#0.5#> This concept provides profound security: in a transient world, subject to change and decay, God is the one permanent, unshakeable refuge for His people. <#0.5#> Moses then paints a cosmic picture of God's...
Welcome to Day 2727 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2727 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 89:38-52 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2727 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2727 of our Trek. <#0.5#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The titled of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Question of Abandonment – Why Did the Unbreakable Covenant Break? <#0.5#> Today, we confront the deepest theological crisis in Psalm Eighty-nine, covering its final, devastating verses: thirty-eight through fifty-two in the New Living Translation.<#0.5#> This psalm, a Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite, is built entirely on the unconditional promise of the Davidic Covenant. In our previous treks, we celebrated the eternal assurance given to David: God promised His Unfailing Love, (ḥesed), would never be removed, and that even if David’s descendants sinned, God would punish them with a rod, "But I will never stop loving him, nor will I ever be untrue to my promise." This was the bedrock: an unbreakable oath, secured by God's very holiness, with the moon as its "faithful witness in the sky." <#0.5#> Now, the psalmist transitions abruptly and violently from this glorious assurance to the horrifying reality of his present moment: the Davidic throne has fallen, the sanctuary is ruined, and the king is humiliated. This section is a profound communal lament, a desperate cry that asks: "If Your promise is eternal, why is our reality so utterly destroyed? Why did the unbreakable covenant break?" <#0.5#> This lament models how the righteous wrestle with the apparent contradiction between God’s revealed truth and their crushing suffering. <#0.5#> So, let’s immerse ourselves in this agonizing confrontation, acknowledging the pain of disappointment and the desperation of clinging to truth when all hope seems lost. <#0.5#> The first section is: The Divine Abandonment and the Ruin of the King <#0.5#> Psalm Eighty-nine: thirty-eight through forty-five <#0.5#> But now you have rejected him and cast him aside, and your anger burns against your anointed one. You have renounced your covenant with your servant and tossed his crown in the dust. You have broken down all the walls of his city and reduced his strongholds to ruins. Everyone who comes by has plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have strengthened the arms of his foes and filled all his enemies with joy. You have made his sword useless and refused to help him in battle. You have ended his glory and overthrown his throne. You have cut his youth in half and covered him with shame....
Welcome to Day 2726 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – When Honor Fails: David, Uriah, and the Call to Covenant Faithfulness. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2726 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2726 of our Trek. <#0.5#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> Today, we are beginning a new series of Theology Thursday lessons. These lessons are written by theologeon and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found at on his website theologyinfive.com <#0.5#> Today’s lesson is titled When Honor Fails:<#0.25#> David, Uriah, and the Call to Covenant Faithfulness. <#0.5#> In the world of the Ancient Near East, honor and shame defined the structure of society. A person’s standing in the community determined their worth, and shame was not merely personal; it was public, often irreversible, and tied to familial and tribal identity. Kings were at the pinnacle of this structure. They were expected to maintain their honor at all costs and were often considered above moral reproach so long as their image remained intact. <#0.5#> This cultural context is essential to understanding the events of 2 Samuel 11–12. David, Israel’s most celebrated king, commits adultery with Bathsheba and then conspires to cover up the sin by manipulating her husband, Uriah. Every move David makes is calculated to preserve his reputation. He is not initially concerned with righteousness, justice, or repentance. He is concerned with avoiding shame. It is important to note that this cultural dynamic is not just ancient history. Honor and shame continue to shape many societies today, especially across the Middle East. The need to maintain family honor and avoid public disgrace often overrides considerations of justice or truth. Understanding this helps modern readers appreciate how deeply embedded these values were in David’s world and how bold the biblical response to his actions truly is.<#1.0#> Uriah: A Foil of Integrity <#0.5#> When David realizes Bathsheba is pregnant, he summons Uriah home from the battlefield under false pretenses. David’s goal is simple: get Uriah to sleep with his wife so that the pregnancy will appear legitimate. But Uriah refuses. His reason is not based on suspicion or bitterness. It is rooted in covenantal loyalty and military discipline. He declares that while the ark, Israel, and Judah dwell in tents, and his fellow soldiers are in the field, he will not indulge in the comforts of home. <#0.5#> This is not mere stubbornness. Uriah was a seasoned warrior, one of David’s elite mighty men. He would have recognized the oddity of being called back so abruptly. The king’s urgent, repeated encouragements to go home, and later his attempt to intoxicate him, would have made David’s intent obvious. And yet, Uriah held firm. He would not be manipulated. Even inebriated, he acted more righteously than David did while sober. <#0.5#> In this, Uriah becomes a moral mirror. His unwavering integrity exposes David’s corruption. He represents what covenant faithfulness looks like: loyal to his comrades, obedient to higher principles, and unwilling to compromise. He is not just a victim. He is the righteous foil whose...
Welcome to Day 2725 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2725 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 89:30-37 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2725 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2725 of our Trek. <#0.5#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The Title of this Wisdom-Trek is: Covenant and Correction – The Unfailing Promise Beyond Sin <#0.5#> Today, we continue our deep exploration of the magnificent Psalm Eighty-nine, focusing on the pivotal verses thirty through thirty-seven in the New Living Translation. <#0.5#> This psalm is a grand meditation on the Davidic Covenant, which we covered in detail in our previous trek. We heard God's unbreakable oath to David, promising an eternal dynasty, an unwavering hand of support, and the title of "firstborn, the mightiest of all kings on earth." The core message was the perpetuity of the throne, guaranteed by God's eternal Unfailing Love <#0.5#> (ḥesed). Now, the psalm addresses the inevitable question that hangs over any covenant involving human beings: What happens when David’s descendants sin? This section provides the powerful, compassionate, and definitive answer. God assures the Davidic line that while sin will bring discipline and punishment, it will never break the covenant itself. This distinction between temporary discipline and eternal covenant is the central theological assurance of this passage, and it's vital for anchoring our hope. <#0.5#> So, let's open our hearts and minds to this profound divine teaching on the nature of grace, discipline, and eternal commitment. <#0.5#> The first section is: The Reality of Sin and the Necessity of Discipline <#0.5#> Psalm Eighty-nine: thirty through thirty-two <#0.5#> "But if your descendants forsake my instructions and fail to live by my regulations, if they ignore my decrees and disobey my commands, then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their rebellion with whipping." <#0.5#> God, who speaks through the prophetic vision in this psalm, moves directly to the problem of human failure. This is a realistic covenant; God knows that David's descendants, like all human rulers, will be prone to failure: "But if your descendants forsake my instructions and fail to live by my regulations..." The "But if" introduces the conditional clause, the possibility of covenant violation by the human party. <#0.5#> The psalmist emphasizes the deliberate nature of their potential disobedience. They don't just forget; they "forsake" God's instructions (tōrôt, the divine teaching or law), and they "fail to live by my regulations" (mishpaṭîm, the divine judgments or legal decrees). This is a profound failure of both heart and deed. They ignore the wisdom that we seek here on the trek! <#0.5#> The condition of sin is...
Welcome to Day 2724 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2724 – A Discerning Life – Discerning the Works of the Devil 1 John 3:4-10 Putnam Church Message – 09/28/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Discerning Life – Discerning the Works of the Devil. " Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Discerning Life: Living in Light of the Lord’s Return." This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have A Discerning Life: Discerning the Works of the Devil" from 1 John 3:4-10 from the NIV, which is found on page 1901 of your Pew Bibles. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. Opening Prayer When a person today hears the phrase “What you’re doing is a sin,” they probably won’t hear it as “I love you enough to point out that destructive behavior in your life.” Instead, they hear something like, “I’m judging you.” The idea of loving sinners enough to help them deal with their sin is lost on a world that has increasingly downplayed that three-letter word. (Bulletin) To understand what sin is, we must explore the root meaning. In both Hebrew and Greek, its root meaning is “to miss the mark” or “to fall short.” It conveys the idea of missing a target, straying from the path, or failing to meet a standard. Let me share two illustrations to understand sin: Archery Picture: Imagine aiming at a target. Even if you shoot an arrow that lands just outside the bullseye, you’ve missed the mark. That’s how the Hebrew root ḥaṭṭāʼ illustrates sin—falling short of God’s perfect aim for us. Modern Analogy: If a GPS guides you to a destination but you take a wrong turn, you’ve deviated from the path. Sin is choosing our own path instead of following God’s direction. Whatever happened to sin? When did it get deleted from our cultural lexicon? Why have we been told that it’s now one of those “politically incorrect” terms? The word "sin" is obviously no longer in use. Today, it’s been replaced by words like error, mistake, tragedy, addiction, sickness, misdeed, faux pas, failure, weakness, or fault. And on that last one, more often than not, it’s someone else’s fault! However, the Bible presents an entirely...
Welcome to Day 2723 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2723 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 89:19-29 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2723 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2723 of our Trek. <#0.5#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The Title of Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Eternal Throne, God's Unbreakable Promise to David <#0.5#> A Trek Through Psalm eighty-nine 19-29 <#0.5#> This psalm, a Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite, is the grand meditation on the Davidic Covenant. <#0.5#> In our previous conversations, we’ve heard the psalmist anchor his hope in God's eternal Unfailing Love and Faithfulness. He established God's cosmic power as the guarantor of this promise, declaring that God rules the oceans, owns the heavens and the earth, and that Righteousness and Justice are the very foundation of His throne. <#0.5#> Now, the psalm moves to the actual historical declaration of the covenant itself. God speaks directly to the prophet, recalling the moment He chose David, anointed him, and laid out the spectacular, eternal nature of the promise. This section details the divine foundation of David's kingdom, promising an unwavering presence, decisive victories, and a dynasty that will endure longer than the heavens. This is the unbreakable contract that is meant to sustain Israel's hope, even when all else fails. <#0.5#> So, let's open our hearts and minds to this profound divine revelation, recognizing the depth of God's commitment to His chosen king. <#0.5#> The first section is: God’s Sovereign Choice and Anointing Psalm eighty-none 19-21 <#0.5#> You once spoke to your faithful prophets in a vision and said, "I have raised up a warrior who is mighty, chosen him from the people. I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil. I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm, I will make him strong." <#0.5#> The psalm now shifts to a recollection of the original prophetic vision that established the covenant. The psalmist reminds the people that God didn't make this promise lightly; He spoke in a vision to His "faithful prophets" (or 'saints,' referencing those in the Divine Council who hear and proclaim God's decrees). <#0.5#> God announces His sovereign choice: "I have raised up a warrior who is mighty, chosen him from the people." This directly references David’s humble beginnings. David was not chosen from a royal line or a place of prominence; he was chosen "from the people," from the fields, as a mere shepherd, defying all human expectation. Yet, God elevates him, recognizing his internal character, describing him as a "warrior who is mighty." <#0.5#> God confirms His personal relationship and investment: "I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred...
Welcome to Day 2722 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2722 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 89:19-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2722 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2722 of our Trek. <#1.0#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The Title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: God’s Cosmic Dominion – The Unrivaled Strength of the Almighty - A Trek Through Psalm Eighty-Nine 9-18 <#1.0#> This psalm is a grand meditation on God's covenant faithfulness, and this middle section serves to powerfully establish God's absolute cosmic power as the guarantor of that covenant. <#0.5#> In our last conversation, we heard the psalmist, Ethan the Ezrahite, begin with an eternal commitment to sing of God's Unfailing Love and Faithfulness forever. He anchored that hope in the Davidic Covenant—God's eternal promise of an unending dynasty—and affirmed God's supremacy over the Divine Council, declaring that no angel can compare with Him. <#0.5#> Now, Ethan shifts from the celestial courtroom to the vastness of creation, demonstrating that the God who made that eternal promise is the only One powerful enough to keep it. He is the God who calms the raging sea, defeats the ancient powers of chaos, and possesses all the power, righteousness, and justice necessary to sustain His promise forever. This is a powerful, awe-inspiring affirmation designed to build our confidence in the absolute authority of the Most High. <#0.5#> So, let's open our hearts to this declaration of God's universal sovereignty, recognizing the immense power of the One who holds us in His hand.<#0.5#> The first section is: Taming the Chaos: The Ruler of the Seas (Psalm eighty-nine 9-12) You rule the oceans when their waves surge high. You are the one who smashed the great sea monster, Rahab, and scattered your enemies with a mighty arm. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is made by your hands. You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name. The psalmist begins by affirming God's absolute dominion over one of the most terrifying forces in the ancient world: the sea. "You rule the oceans when their waves surge high." In the ancient Israelite worldview, the sea was often seen as a symbol of chaos, instability, and raw, untamable power. For God to "rule the oceans" means He exercises complete control over the very forces of chaos and destruction. When the waves surge in fury, God is the supreme authority who limits them and commands their retreat. <#0.5#> This dominion over chaos is illustrated by a great historical and mythical allusion: "You are the one who smashed the great sea monster, Rahab, and scattered your enemies with a mighty arm." "Rahab" is often used in the Old Testament as a mythical figure representing primeval chaos, similar to the sea monsters Yam and Leviathan. More practically, it is a symbolic
Welcome to Day 2721 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Ruling Over Angels” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2721 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2721 of our Trek. <#1.0#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> Today, we continue with the 16th and final segment of this series of Theology Thursday lessons. Next week we will begin a new series. Today, I am reading the final chapter of the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, <#1.0#> who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter sixteenth: “Ruling over Angels” <#1.0#> It’s crucial to our faith that we understand who we are as Christians. We are the sons and daughters of God, a re-fashioned divine council that already participates in our Father’s kingdom. But there’s more to it than that. Yes, we are God’s family council—but to what end? While we are already in the kingdom (Colosians 1:13), we have not yet seen the full unveiling of that kingdom—we have not seen the world become Eden. This “already, but not yet” paradox runs throughout the Bible in many ways. In this chapter, I want to give you a glimpse of the “not yet” that answers the question “To what end?” <#1.0#> Let’s look at our Kingdom Participation Now<#1.0#> Our participation in God’s kingdom isn’t predetermined, in this sense: We are not mere robots performing functions programmed for us. That violates the whole idea of being God’s imager, his representative. We were created to be like him. He is free. If we do not have genuine freedom, we cannot be like him—by definition, we would not be like him. We are free to obey and worship, or rebel and indulge ourselves. And we will reap what we sow. Our sowing is not programmed. <#1.0#> But God is greater than we are. He had a plan and it will come to pass. Its success neither depends on nor is forced to adapt to human freedom. We cannot undermine it—nor can the divine beings who are also free to choose. <#1.0#> Think about the heavenly council meeting I showed you in chapter 1. I asked whether you believed the things the Bible says, and then took you to a meeting of God and his heavenly council in First Kings 22. God had decreed (and so it must happen) that it was time for wicked Ahab to die. But God then let the spirit beings in his council decide how to accomplish that (First Kings 22, verses 19–23). <#1.0#> Predestination and freedom work hand-in-hand in God’s kingdom rule. His purposes will never be overturned or halted. He is able to take sin and rebellion and still accomplish—through other free representatives—what he desires. As C. S. Lewis once said of God (in the book Perelandra), “Whatever you do, He will make good of it. But not the good He had...
Welcome to Day 2720 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2720 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 89:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2720 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2720 of our Trek. <#1.0#> The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#1.0#> The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Eternal Song of God's Unfailing Love - A Trek Through Psalm Eighty Nine 1-8 <#1.0#> Today, we begin a new, pivotal, and magnificent chapter in our journey through the Psalms: Psalm Eighty-Nine. We are covering its opening, foundational verses 1 through 8, in the New Living Translation. <#1.0#> This psalm is a Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. Ethan, like Heman from the deeply sorrowful Psalm Eighty-Eight we just concluded, was one of the wise men and musicians of Solomon's time. Yet, where Psalm 88 ended in the absolute darkness of suffering and silence, Psalm Eighty-nine explodes with a powerful, unrelenting declaration of faith in God's two greatest attributes: His Unfailing Love and His Faithfulness. This psalm is the theological answer to Heman's despair! It essentially says, "Even when I feel consumed by darkness, even when God's fury seems heavy upon me, I will still sing of His steadfast love!" Psalm 89 is a grand meditation on the Davidic Covenant, a promise from God that established David’s throne forever. The opening verses are a magnificent hymn, celebrating the God whose word is established in the heavens and whose power is unrivaled, even in the Divine Council. So, let's allow this hymn of divine promise to lift our hearts and anchor our hope in the unwavering character of the Most High God. <#1.0#> The first section is: The Eternal Covenant of Love and Faithfulness<#1.0#> (Psalm Eighty-Nine 1-4)<#1.0#> I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever; your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. The Lord said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen servant; I have solemnly promised David: ‘I will secure your throne among your descendants forever; I will make your dynasty last as long as the skies!'" Interlude <#1.0#> The psalm opens with an immediate, resolute, and eternal commitment to praise: "I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!" This is a personal vow, made by the psalmist, that will last for all time. The focus is squarely on God’s "unfailing love" (ḥesed), that steadfast, covenant loyalty we’ve discussed so many times. It is the core quality of God's character that guarantees His adherence to His promises. The declaration to sing of it "forever" contrasts starkly with the finite life and suffering Heman described in the last psalm. Here, the emphasis is on the infinite nature of God's...
Welcome to Day 2719 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2719 – A Discerning Life – Living in Light of the Lord's Return 1 John 2:28-3:3 Putnam Church Message – 09/21/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Discerning Life – Living in Light of the Lord’s Return. " Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Discerning Life: Dealing with Deceivers." This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have A Discerning Life: Living in Light of the Lord’s Return" from 1 John 2:28-3:3 from the NIV, which is found on page 1901 of your Pew Bibles. God’s Children and Sin 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Opening Prayer The doctrine known as the Second Coming (or the return of Christ) either attracts mockery, strikes fear, or brings comfort. Many men and women were raised with a respect for the Bible or were brought up in the church, but never fully grasped the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. As such, they hear about the coming of Christ to judge the living and the dead … and it brings dread. Perhaps there are also some true believers who have strayed so far from the right path that they fear the coming of the Savior as the day they must give an account for their lives of unfaithfulness to the Lord. In both cases, the Second Coming is associated with fear or shame. However, many believers eagerly await their Lord’s return with hope and anticipation. They know and believe with longing the words of Paul: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[a] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words. (1 Thes. 4:16–18) Invariably, when I have the privilege of...
Welcome to Day 2718 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2718 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 88:8-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2718 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2718 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#2.0#> The Title of Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Loneliest Road – Despair’s Final, Unanswered Cry - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 88 8-18 <#2.0#> Today, we continue our difficult, yet necessary, trek through the Darkest Psalm, Psalm 88, encompassing its final, unrelenting verses, 8 through 18, from the New Living Translation. In our last conversation, we plunged into the depths of Heman the Ezrahite’s anguish. We heard his cries "day and night," his fear of imminent death, and his terrifying conviction that his suffering was caused by God's own hand. He felt consumed by "wave after wave" of God's heavy fury and was "abandoned to the depths where the darkness is complete" (Psalm 88 1-7). He had been physically and socially ostracized, counted among the dead while still living. Now, Heman continues his agonizing lament, focusing on his extreme isolation, his unanswered questions, and the ultimate, grim realization that his prayer, unlike nearly every other in the Psalter, ends in unrelieved darkness. This psalm is a profound space for acknowledging that deep despair is real, and that faith often persists even when hope is absent. So, let's listen to this desperate, final cry, recognizing the absolute honesty of a soul on the brink. <#2.0#> * Section one is about: The Torment of Social and Divine Isolation <#2.0#>
(Psalm 88 8-12) You have taken away my companions, making me repulsive to them. I am shut in and cannot escape; my eyes are blinded by my tears. I cry out to you, O Lord, every day. I lift my hands to you for help. Are your wonderful deeds appreciated in the grave? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Can anyone proclaim your unfailing love in the grave? Can anyone tell about your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can your wonders be seen in the dark? Can your righteousness be known in the land of forgetfulness? <#2.0#> Heman begins by detailing the social consequence of his affliction, a pain he attributes directly to God: "You have taken away my companions, making me repulsive to them." . His isolation is absolute. God has severed his social ties, causing his friends and loved ones to view him as "repulsive" (tō‘ēḇâ—abominable, a strong term often used for ritual impurity). In the ancient Israelite world, social isolation often meant a lack of care, protection, and provision, leaving him utterly defenseless. This isolation leads to profound emotional and physical paralysis: "I am shut in
Welcome to Day 2717 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2717 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 88:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2717 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2717 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom-Trek title is: The Darkest Night – A Descent into Unrelenting Anguish - A Trek Through Psalm 88:1-7 Today, we take a dramatic, almost jarring turn from the prophetic joy of our last trek. We leave the magnificent vision of Zion, the Mother of All Nations, in Psalm 87, where "All my fresh springs are in Zion," and descend into the deepest, most unrelenting anguish found anywhere in the Psalter. We're beginning our trek through Psalm 88 in the New Living Translation, focusing on its opening verses, 1-7. Psalm 88 is known as the Darkest Psalm; a lament so profound that it offers no resolution, no light, no final affirmation of hope. It is the only psalm that ends entirely in darkness, yet it remains one of the most honest and necessary expressions of faith. It's attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, a name associated with wisdom and music in the time of Solomon. The superscription describes it as a Mahlath Leannoth, which indicates a somber, deeply serious tone, perhaps even associated with affliction. This psalm gives voice to the absolute bottom of human despair, where suffering is so complete that the afflicted can only see God's hand in their misery. It’s a crucial reminder that faith is not defined by perpetual happiness, but by honest persistence—crying out to God even when we believe He is the one inflicting the pain. So, let's approach this psalm with reverence and humility, recognizing that it provides a sacred space for the deepest human suffering. This first section is: A Desperate Cry for Morning and Night (Psalm 88:1-3) O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night. Let my prayer come right into your presence. Listen closely to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death is waiting for me. The psalmist begins with an immediate and relentless cry, yet he grounds his plea in a recognition of God's character: "O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night." Even in his anguish, he calls God the "God of my salvation," a title that acknowledges God's past role as a deliverer, even if He is not acting as one now. This is a crucial flicker of faith—he addresses God based on who God is, not merely on how God feels to him right now. But his distress is relentless, forcing him to cry out "day and night," indicating unceasing torment and insomnia. There is no rest from his misery. His appeal for divine attention is urgent: "Let my prayer come right into your presence. Listen closely to my cry." This echoes pleas we’ve heard before, such as in Psalm 86, where David asked God to "Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer," but here, the tone is more...
Welcome to Day 2716 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Partakers of the Divine Nature” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2716 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2716 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 15th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter Fifteen: “Partakers of the Divine Nature” Do you know who you are? I asked the question earlier, but it’s time to raise it again. Yes, we are in the world but not of it. True, we have been saved by grace through faith in what Jesus did on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). But that’s just the beginning of understanding what God has been up to. God’s original intention in Eden was to merge his human family with his divine family —the heavenly sons of God who existed before creation (Job 38:7–8). He didn’t abandon that plan at the fall. Christian, you will be made divine, like one of God’s elohim children, like Jesus himself (1 John 3:1–3). Theologians refer to the idea by many labels. The most common is glorification. Peter referred to it as becoming “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). John put it this way: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1, emphasis added). In this chapter, we’ll take a look at how the Bible conveys that message. Sons of God, Seed of Abraham When God turned the nations of the world over to lesser gods at Babel, he did so knowing he would start over with a new human family of his own. God called Abraham (Genesis 12:1–8) right after Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). Through Abraham and his wife Sarah, God would return to his original Edenic plan. God’s people, the children of Abraham, the Israelites, ultimately failed to restore God’s good rule on earth. But one of those children would succeed. God would become man in Jesus, a descendant of David, Abraham, and Adam. And it was through Jesus that God’s promise to one day bless the nations he had punished at Babel was fulfilled. Paul wrote about that in several places. Here are two: According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote beforehand in brief, so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ: … that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Ephesians 3:3–6) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.… There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is...
Welcome to Day 2715 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2715 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 87:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2715 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2715 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s podcast title is: Zion's Global Citizenship – The Mother of All Nations - A Trek Through Psalm 87:1-7 Today, we embark on a truly extraordinary trek through Psalm 87, covering its entirety, verses 1 through 7, in the New Living Translation. This psalm, though short, contains one of the most magnificent and radical prophetic visions in all of Scripture: the expansion of God's people to include all nations, with Zion as their spiritual birthplace. After the personal laments of David in Psalm 86, where he affirmed that "You alone are God" and prayed for a sign of divine favor, Psalm 87 gives us the cosmic answer. God's universal sovereignty, which David proclaimed, is revealed here as a sovereign plan to bring all the nations that worshiped those "pagan gods" (Psalm 86:8) into the fold of His redeemed people. It transforms the physical city of Jerusalem into the spiritual mother of a global family. This psalm offers a breathtaking vision of inclusivity, unity, and hope. It assures us that God's plan is not confined to one place or one people, but extends to encompass the entire world. So, let's open our hearts to this global, prophetic masterpiece and grasp the meaning of Zion's ultimate citizenship. * This first section is: The Foundation of God’s Global Home
Psalm 87:1-3 On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, glorious things are said of you! Interlude The psalm begins by firmly establishing the foundation and significance of God's chosen city: "On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord." This refers, of course, to Mount Zion, the site of Jerusalem and the Temple. This city's foundation is unique: it was "founded by the Lord." This wasn't merely a strategic military outpost; it was a sovereign choice by God, making it the center of His earthly operations and the place where He chose to place His name. This Divine choice elevates Jerusalem above every other place. The psalmist emphasizes the depth of God's affection for this city: "He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel." While God certainly loved all His covenant people and their territories, Jerusalem, where His Temple was located, held a unique and profound place in His heart. This divine love is the source of the city's power and destiny. And the result of this divine foundation and affection is its glorious reputation: "O city of God, glorious things are said of you! Interlude" The "glorious things" (niphla’ot) are God's wondrous deeds and promises. This declaration is a prophetic forecast of Zion's future fame, where its status as God's chosen dwelling place would be known and celebrated...
Welcome to Day 2714 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2714 – A Discerning Life – Dealing With Deceivers 1 John 2:18-27 Putnam Church Message – 09/14/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Discerning Life: Dealing with Deceivers" Two weeks ago, we explored 1 John 2:12-17 as we learned how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Strong Warnings About the World.” This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have A Discerning Life: Dealing with Deceivers" from 1 John 2:18-27 from the NIV, which is found on page 1900 of your Pew Bibles. Warnings Against Denying the Son 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.[a] 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. Opening Prayer As we continue in John’s first letter, the tone shifts from serious to severe. The warnings against sin and the world in the previous section now give way to portents of spiritual dangers—often invisible—that can lure unbelievers to hell and send a Christian’s faith skidding into the ditch. The specter of spiritual deception doesn’t have to win. Just as Spirit-enabled fellowship with the Father and the Son produces a joyful life (1:1–10) and a clean life (2:1–17), it also produces a discerning life (2:18–4:6). A close relationship with God requires an understanding of His truth. All too often, though, even seemingly mature Christians struggle to discern between true...
Welcome to Day 2713 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2713 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 86:11-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2713 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2713 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Path of Truth and the Mark of God's Favor Today, we reach the powerful conclusion of our conversation in Psalm 86, covering verses 11 through 17 in the New Living Translation. In our last trek, we explored the first half of this deeply personal Prayer of David. We heard his desperate cry for God to "Bend down... and hear my prayer," pleading for help based on his covenant loyalty and trust. He grounded his hope in the magnificent truth that God is "so good, so ready to forgive," and that "You alone are God"—unrivaled by any pagan deity. Now, David shifts from affirming God's character to asking for divine instruction, recognizing that a proper relationship with the Most High requires understanding His will. His prayer moves from dependence to direction, culminating in a powerful affirmation of God's steadfast love and a request for a visible sign of God's favor to silence his adversaries. This final section is a masterclass in how to ask God for guidance and how to confidently claim His mercy. So, let's open our hearts to David's earnest request, learning the wisdom of seeking God's path and resting in His enduring love. 1. The Prayer for an Undivided Heart
Psalm 86:11-13 Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me singleness of heart, that I may fear your name. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever. For your unfailing love is great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. Having established God’s greatness and unique power, David’s first request is for instruction: "Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!" . This is the ultimate expression of submission and discipleship! David isn't praying for wealth or comfort; he's asking for wisdom and direction. He wants to know God's "ways" (derekh—His path, His pattern of acting) so that his life can align with God's "truth" (’emet—His faithfulness and reliability). This is the prayer of the mature believer: Show me how to live in a way that truly honors who You are. He immediately connects this knowledge to internal integrity: "Grant me singleness of heart, that I may fear your name." The Hebrew phrase translated "singleness of heart" (yaḥad lēḇāḇ) means "to unite the heart." David recognizes the divided, often-conflicted nature of the human heart, which pulls us in different directions. He asks God to make his focus singular, eliminating all spiritual distraction, so that his reverence and awe (fear) for...
Welcome to Day 2712 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2712 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 86:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2712 Wisdom-Trek: The Helpless Plea and the Unrivaled God - A Trek Through Psalm 86:1-10 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2712 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new, deeply personal, and highly encouraging trek through Psalm 86, covering its opening verses, 1 through 10, in the New Living Translation. This psalm is a Prayer of David, a compilation of fervent pleas and confident affirmations, drawing wisdom and themes from many other laments and hymns throughout the Psalter. It moves from a desperate cry for immediate help, anchored in the psalmist's humility and helplessness, to a magnificent declaration of God's unrivaled greatness and universal sovereignty. In the preceding psalm, Psalm 85, we found the people waiting and listening for God's peace and the divine harmony where love and truth would meet. Psalm 86 is the personal response to that longing: a realization that the first step toward receiving God's peace is to humbly and completely cast oneself upon His mercy. It reminds us that our smallness is precisely what qualifies us for God's greatness! So, let's open our hearts to David's personal plea, learning how our deepest distress can become the foundation for our most powerful declarations of faith. 1. The Urgent Plea of the Helpless Servant
Psalm 86:1-5 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry out to you all day long. Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive. You are filled with unfailing love for all who ask for your help. The psalm begins with an immediate, physical, and urgent plea for God’s attention: "Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help." The image of God having to "bend down" speaks volumes! It paints a picture of the psalmist being utterly low, perhaps bowed down by trouble, while God is high and majestic. It’s an urgent request for the transcendent God to condescend, to lean in, and to acknowledge the smallness of the one who prays. David anchors his plea in his current state, identifying himself through multiple titles of vulnerability and faith: "Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God." He uses three compelling reasons for God to intervene: 1. Devotion: "I am devoted to you," or "I am holy" (hasid)—meaning he is a loyal, faithful follower of God. 2. Service: "I serve...
Welcome to Day 2711 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Not of This World” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2711 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2711 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 14th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter fourteen: “Not of This World” In Jesus’ well-known prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested for trial, he said of his followers, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). Believers were certainly in the world, specially tasked by God to carry the gospel to every nation (Matt. 28:19–20), but they were not of the world. This paradox—being in the world but not of it—was telegraphed to early Christians in several memorable ways… Sacred Space, Holy Ground, and God’s Presence… In chapter 8 we talked about the concept of sacred space. For Old Testament Israelites, God was completely other. The space his presence occupied was set apart from all other space. That wasn’t a denial that God was omnipresent—in all places at all times. Rather, it was a way of marking the territory on which he chose to meet with his people. That was one of the purposes for having the tabernacle and the temple. The concept of sacred space was not only the rationale for many of Israel’s laws and rituals, but it also reinforced the idea of cosmic geography—how the world was divided among the lesser gods and the Most High God, the God of Israel… The notion of sacred space gets brought into the New Testament in a dramatic way. All we need to ask is, “Where is the presence of God right now?” While God is everywhere, he specifically dwells within each believer. Believe it or not, you are sacred space. Paul very clearly wrote that “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19)… The same is true of the ground where believers gather as a group. Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul told them collectively, “You are God’s temple” (1 Cor. 3:16). He told the Ephesian believers they were “members of the household of God … a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19, 21–22)… The implications are startling. Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ statement, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20 leb). But viewed in the context of the Old Testament idea of sacred space, that statement means that wherever believers gather, the spiritual ground they occupy is sanctified amid the powers of darkness… Yahweh’s final chosen dwelling place in the Old Testament was Israel—the temple in Jerusalem. Israel became holy ground because that’s where God’s presence resided. But that holy ground was threatened by the nations that surrounded it and their hostile gods. In the same way, believers today are in a spiritual war. We are now...
Welcome to Day 2710 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2710 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 85:8-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2710 Wisdom-Trek: The Divine Harmony of Grace and Truth - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 85:8-13 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2710 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we reach the powerful conclusion of our conversation in Psalm 85, covering verses 8 through 13 in the New Living Translation. In our last trek, we explored the first half of this poignant communal lament. We heard the people's prayer for revival, anchored in God's past faithfulness: "You have restored the fortunes of Israel," and "You have forgiven the guilt of your people" (Psalm 85:1-3). Yet, their plea was urgent, asking God to "restore us again" and to "show us your unfailing love" (Psalm 85:4, 7). They were caught in the "in-between," that painful gap between the miracle of the return from exile and the full, glorious reality of true national revival. Now, the psalmist shifts from pleading to listening, confident that God will speak peace and provide the perfect vision for their complete restoration. This final section beautifully describes how God's saving presence will transform the land and the people, bringing a divine harmony where love and truth, justice and peace, meet and embrace. This vision of God's saving power is the glorious answer to their cry for restoration. So, let's open our hearts to this prophetic promise, recognizing the divine symmetry that only God can orchestrate. This first section it titled, The Promise of Peace and the Meeting of Virtues (Psalm 85:8-11) I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to foolish ways. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! The psalmist makes a conscious, deliberate choice here to stop pleading and start listening: "I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people." This is a pivotal moment in any lament! After pouring out our anxiety and our fears, the next step is to quiet our souls and incline our ear towards the divine. The psalmist expresses confidence that God will speak "peace" (shalom), which, in the Hebrew worldview, is not just the absence of conflict, but total well-being, harmony, and wholeness. This promise of shalom is conditional: "But let them not return to foolish ways." God’s people must actively participate in their own revival. The restoration is offered, but they must choose to walk away from the spiritual "foolish ways" that led to their former suffering. The warning is clear: true peace requires sustained obedience and...
Welcome to Day 2709 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2709 – A Clean Life - Strong Warnings About the World 1 John 2_12-17 Putnam Church Message – 08/31/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Clean Life – Strong Warnings About the World.” Last week, we explored 1 John 2:1-11 as we learned the seven rules on how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Wise Words from a Family Meeting.” This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will cover 1 John 2:12-17 as we explore how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Strong Warnings About the World.” Let’s read 1 John 2:12-17 from the NIV, which is found on page 1900 of your Pew Bibles. 12 12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. On Not Loving the World 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. Opening Prayer When danger draws near, a warning is in order. And the greater the danger, the more vital the warning. Let me share a story from a long-time pastor and President of Dallas Theological Seminary, Chuck Swindoll. I will share it in the first person as he did. /When I think of warnings, my mind goes back over sixty years to when I found myself standing on the deck of a massive troopship, seeing the city of Yokohama, Japan, in the distance, just across the Tokyo Bay. Our ship was slowly snaking its way through the bay because there were still some naval mines lurking beneath those waters—leftovers from World War II. As the pilot was guiding us carefully, a full colonel called some thirty-five hundred Marines to an assembly. He called us together to give us a warning. Great danger drew near. Not the physical danger of the naval mines. Those could be easily navigated. He had other dangers in mind … dangers lurking not in Tokyo Bay but in the streets of Yokohama, where thousands of pent-up Marines were about to be unleashed. “All of you, listen up,” he said. “For many of you, you will be the foreigner for the first time in your lives. You’re going to be walking in an area you’ve never walked before. You’ll be among people who speak a language you’ve never spoken before. You’ll be...
Welcome to Day 2708 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2708 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 85:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2708 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2708 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new and profoundly hopeful conversation, continuing our journey through the Psalms with Psalm 85 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 7. Psalm 85 is another Communal Lament, a prayer of profound longing for national revival and restoration. It is widely believed to have been written after the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, a time when the physical journey home was complete, but the spiritual and political realities were far from the glorious restoration promised by the prophets. The Temple was still being rebuilt, the nation was weak, and the initial burst of post-exilic joy had given way to discouragement and doubt. This psalm is a beautiful and necessary transition from the previous psalms. In Psalm 84, we heard the joyous longing for God’s presence, declaring that "a single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else" (Psalm 84:10). Now, in Psalm 85, the people acknowledge that same presence but ask God to complete the work of salvation. They remember God's past faithfulness and use it as an urgent argument for Him to move again in the present. This is the prayer of a people who have seen God move, but whose current circumstances demand a fresh move of divine power. So, let's open our hearts to this fervent prayer for revival, feeling the weight of hope and the desperate need for God's face to shine upon His people once again. * Remembering Past Favor, Pleading for Present Peace
(Psalm 85:1-3) Lord, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land! You have restored the fortunes of Israel. You have forgiven the guilt of your people— yes, you have covered all their sins. You have withdrawn your furious anger and turned away from your blazing wrath. The psalm begins not with a complaint, but with a confident historical acknowledgment of God's past goodness, a crucial starting point for any plea for revival: "Lord, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land! You have restored the fortunes of Israel." This immediately grounds the prayer in God's proven faithfulness. The psalmist remembers the great work God has already done, specifically the Restoration from exile. God had indeed acted, bringing the people back from Babylon, pouring out "amazing blessings" (literally, "been favorable" or "showed favor") upon their land. He "restored the fortunes of Israel" (shuv shevut), a technical term used by the prophets for the major act of bringing the exiles home and reversing their national calamity. This physical restoration was rooted in a spiritual reality: "You have forgiven the guilt of your people—yes, you have covered all their sins." The ultimate blessing of the return was not just the rebuilding of the walls
Welcome to Day 2707 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2707 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 84:1-12– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2707 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2707 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Thirst for Your Presence – The Pilgrim’s Joyful Journey - A Trek Through Psalm 84:1-12 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we begin a new and deeply moving journey, a beautiful pilgrimage through Psalm 84 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its entirety, verses 1 through 12. Psalm 84 is one of the most beloved psalms in the Psalter. It is attributed to the Korahites, a family of Levites who were gatekeepers and musicians in the Temple. It is a psalm of pilgrimage, a song of ascent, meant to be sung by those making their way up to Jerusalem for one of the three major annual festivals—Passover, Pentecost, or the Feast of Tabernacles. This psalm is a beautiful and welcome contrast to the communal laments we’ve recently explored. After the national despair of Psalm 79 and the urgent pleas for restoration in Psalm 80, Psalm 84 bursts forth with a joyous and profound yearning for God's presence. It shifts our focus from the desolation of a city to the spiritual longing of a soul, reminding us that even in times of national turmoil, the faithful heart finds its ultimate desire in God Himself and in the joy of drawing near to Him. This psalm is a timeless ode to the incomparable value of God's dwelling place and the blessings that flow from His presence. So, let’s join the psalmist on this pilgrimage, feeling the heart of a traveler yearning for home, a home found only in the presence of God. * The Soul’s Deep Thirst for God
(Reads Psalm 84:1-4 NLT) How lovely is your Tabernacle, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My soul longs, yes, faints with longing for your courts. My heart and body cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds a nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God! What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Interlude Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with an exclamation of pure admiration for God's dwelling place: "How lovely is your Tabernacle, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies." "Tabernacle" here refers to God's sanctuary, the Temple in Jerusalem. "Lovely" (yādîd) implies something dear, beloved, and full of affection. The psalmist is expressing a deep, heartfelt love for this physical space, not for the building itself, but for what it represents—the tangible presence of God. The title "Lord of Heaven’s Armies" (Yahweh Sabaoth), used three times in this psalm, is significant. It reminds us that this beloved...
Welcome to Day 2706 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “The Great Reversal” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2706 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2706 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 13th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter thirteen: “The Great Reversal” Aside from stories about Jesus in the Gospels—such as accounts of his birth, death, and Sermon on the Mount—perhaps the most familiar passage in the New Testament is Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit rushes upon the followers of Jesus at the day of Pentecost. It marks the launch of the fledgling church and the beginning of global evangelism in the name of Jesus. As familiar as the passage is, there’s a lot more going on in it than most realize. Acts 2 is in fact designed to telegraph the campaign to reverse the post-Babel cosmic geography of the Old Testament, in which the nations other than Israel were under the dominion of lesser gods. What happened at Pentecost was a battle plan for infiltrating all the nations disinherited by God at Babel with the gospel of Jesus—an ancient strategy for spiritual war. Pentecost What Acts 2 describes as happening on the day of Pentecost was certainly unusual: And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in the same place. And suddenly a sound like a violent rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. And divided tongues like fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability to speak out. Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one was hearing them speaking in his own language. And they were astounded and astonished, saying, “Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how do we hear, each one of us, in our own native language?” (Acts 2:1–8 leb) Some of the things that take us into the supernatural worldview of the Old Testament in that remarkable passage aren’t obvious in the English translation. The “rushing wind” associated with the arrival of the Spirit is a familiar description of the presence of God in the Old Testament (2 Kings 2:1, 11; Job 38:1; 40:6). Fire is also familiar in descriptions of God (Ezek. 1:4; Isa. 6:4, 6; Dan. 7:9; Ex. 3:2; 19:18; 20:18). It’s clear from those references that God was present at the event and behind what was going on. His intention was to launch his campaign to take back the nations from the lesser gods he assigned to the nations (Deut. 4:19–20; 32:8–9) but who became his enemies (Ps. 82). God’s tool for doing that was the words of the disciples—hence the imagery of tongues. God enabled the Jewish followers of Jesus to speak...
Welcome to Day 2705 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2705 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 83:9-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2705 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2705 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Prayer for Judgment – That They May Know Your Name - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 83:9-18 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the powerful and climactic conclusion of our trek through Psalm 83 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 9 through 18. In our last conversation, we plunged into the heart of a national crisis described in Psalm 83:1-8. We heard Asaph, the psalmist, plead with a seemingly silent God: "O God, do not remain silent!" He revealed a malicious conspiracy of nations with "a single purpose: to enter into a treaty against you" and a chilling goal to "wipe out Israel as a nation." He presented to God a coalition of Israel’s historical enemies, allied with the powerful Assyria, a threat so formidable that human intervention seemed utterly futile. It was a desperate prayer for God, the ultimate Judge, to break His silence and act. Now, in this concluding section, Asaph moves from a description of the conspiracy to a fervent, imprecatory prayer for God to act decisively against these enemies. He appeals to God to perform a new act of salvation that is as legendary and devastating as His great victories of the past. The goal of this prayer is not just for Israel's survival, but for God's name to be universally known and glorified as a result of His righteous judgment. So, let's listen to this powerful and passionate prayer for a divine repeat of history, leading to an ultimate revelation of God’s sovereignty. * A Prayer for History to Repeat Itself
(Reads Psalm 83:9-12 NLT) Do to them as you did to the Midianites, or to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. They were destroyed at Endor, and their bodies were left to fertilize the ground. Let their princes die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their rulers die like Zebah and Zalmunna. For they said, "Let us seize for ourselves the pasturelands of God!" Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins his imprecation with a specific, historical plea, asking God to act as He has in the past: "Do to them as you did to the Midianites, or to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River." This is a powerful and theologically sound strategy in prayer. When we face a new crisis, we can look to God's past acts of faithfulness and power as a basis for our present requests. Asaph is not asking God to do something new; he's asking Him to be the same God He has always been. The Midianites were defeated by God through the leadership of Gideon, a victory so decisive that it became a standard for divine...
Welcome to Day 2704 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2704 – Ecclesiastes 3 - "Life isn't Just One Thing - It's Everything" Welcome to Putnam Congregational Church - August 24, 2025! This week, we enjoyed a special speaker, Nathniel Miller, on a lesson from Ecclesiastes 3 - "Life isn't Just One Thing - It's Everything" 1. Walking Through Life's Battlefields 2. The Key isn't control - it's acceptance 3. Simplify, Connect, Be Honest, Stay Present 4. Enjoy the Little Things - They are the Big Things Join us next Sunday, August 31st, at 10:15 a.m., and we will continue our exploration of 1 John. Our message for next week is “A Clean Life – Strong Warnings About The World." Our Core verses for next week will be: 1 John 2:12-17
Welcome to Day 2703 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2704 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 83:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2703 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2703 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Conspiracy of Silence – When Nations Conspire - A Trek Through Psalm 83:1-8 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we open a new and urgent chapter in our journey through the Psalms. We're embarking on a trek through Psalm 83 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 8. Psalm 83, another psalm of Asaph, is a fervent communal lament and an imprecatory prayer, a desperate cry for God's intervention against a specific and imminent threat. After the divine judgment scene of Psalm 82, where God condemned unjust human rulers in a heavenly court, this psalm brings us back to earth, to a very real and present danger: a grand conspiracy of nations with a single, malevolent goal. This psalm is a powerful expression of a people facing a severe existential threat. The psalmist pleads with God, the ultimate Judge and ruler of the nations, not to remain silent in the face of this malicious plot. It reminds us that there are times when the threats are so great, so overwhelming, that the only hope is for a silent God to speak and a hidden God to act. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this prayer of national desperation and listen to the psalmist’s earnest plea for God’s intervention against this formidable conspiracy. * The Plea for a Silent God to Act
(Reads Psalm 83:1-4 NLT) O God, do not remain silent! Do not turn a deaf ear. Do not stand aloof, O God. Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies? Don’t you see the arrogance of those who hate you? They devise crafty schemes against your people, and they conspire against your treasured ones. "Come," they say, "let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the memory of its existence." Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with an immediate, urgent, and almost confrontational plea for God to break His silence: "O God, do not remain silent! Do not turn a deaf ear. Do not stand aloof, O God." This triple appeal highlights the profound distress of the people. God’s silence in the face of a terrifying threat is unbearable. "Remain silent" (charash) implies inactivity. "Turn a deaf ear" (al-al) implies a refusal to listen. "Stand aloof" (shalaq) suggests a deliberate distance, an indifference to their suffering. The psalmist is begging God to do the opposite of all these things: to speak, to listen, and to draw near and intervene. This lament stands in stark contrast to the divine pronouncements of judgment in the previous Psalm 82, where God's voice was loud and clear. Here, that same mighty voice...
Welcome to Day 2702 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2702 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 82:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2702 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2702 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Supreme Court of the Cosmos – The Judge of All Judges - A Trek Through Psalm 82:1-8 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we open a powerful and dramatic new chapter in our journey through the Psalms. We're embarking on a trek through Psalm 82 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its entirety, verses 1 through 8. Psalm 82, like many we’ve explored recently, is attributed to Asaph. But after the celebratory festivals of Psalm 81 and the laments for national restoration in Psalm 80, this psalm introduces us to a truly astounding scene: God Himself, acting as the supreme Judge, standing in judgment over all other authorities. It’s a divine courtroom, a cosmic tribunal, where God holds human rulers and judges accountable for their injustice and corruption. This psalm, in just eight short verses, provides a breathtaking glimpse into the heart of God’s justice. It delivers a withering condemnation of those in power who abuse their authority, while simultaneously issuing a powerful command to defend the powerless. It reminds us that no matter how powerful or esteemed a human leader may be, they are ultimately accountable to a higher authority, the one true Judge of all the earth. So, let's step into this dramatic scene and listen to the verdict from the Supreme Judge of the cosmos. * The Divine Tribunal and the Condemnation of the Unjust
(Reads Psalm 82:1-4 NLT) God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings: "How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked?" Interlude "Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people." Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins by setting a truly magnificent and sobering scene: "God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings." The "heaven's court" or "divine council" was a common literary motif in the ancient Near East, but here it is uniquely appropriated to show God’s absolute supremacy. The "heavenly beings" (elohim) in this context are not God's divine rivals, but are often interpreted as human judges and rulers, or perhaps even angelic beings entrusted with the oversight of nations, all of whom are ultimately subordinate to God. God is the one and only supreme Judge, and He is holding all other authorities—divine and human—accountable. He is standing over all the judges of the earth, watching every decision they make. The first question God asks is
Welcome to Day 2701 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “The Cloud Rider” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2701 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2701 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 12th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter twelve: “The Cloud Rider” I closed the last chapter by noting how Jesus began to talk about his death immediately after baiting the powers of darkness at the gates of hell and Mount Hermon. The challenge set in motion a string of events that would lead to the Lord’s trial and his death on the cross. Christians have read about the trial of Jesus many times. But there’s a supernatural backdrop to it that is frequently overlooked. To understand what finally draws the death sentence from the Jewish authorities and the transfer of Jesus to Pontius Pilate to carry it out, we have to go back to the Old Testament book of Daniel—to a meeting God holds with his heavenly host, his divine council. The Ancient of Days and His Council Daniel 7 begins with an odd vision. Daniel sees four beasts coming out of the sea (Dan. 7:1–8). They’re all freakish, but the fourth beast is the worst. In the dreams interpreted in the Old Testament, both objects and living things always represent something, and in this dream, the four beasts in Daniel’s vision are four empires. We know that because his vision aligns with the themes of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2, which was about Babylon and three other empires to follow. Our focus, though, is on what Daniel describes next: As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. (Dan. 7:9–10) We know the Ancient of Days is the God of Israel. That’s pretty easy to determine, especially if we compare the description of his throne to Ezekiel’s vision of God’s throne (Ezek. 1). The fire, wheels, and human form on the throne in that vision are the same as Daniel’s. But did you notice there isn’t just one throne? There are a number of thrones in Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7:9)—enough for the divine court, God’s council (Dan. 7:10). The heavenly court meets to decide the fate of the beasts—the empires—in the vision. It is decided that the fourth beast must be killed and the other beasts rendered powerless (Dan. 7:11–12). They will be displaced by another king and kingdom. And that’s where things get even more interesting. The Son of Man Who Comes on the Clouds Daniel continues narrating his vision: I saw in the night visions, and...
Welcome to Day 2700 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2700 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 81:8-16 – Daily WisdomWisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2700Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2700 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Heart's Hardness – A Plea for Unwavering Loyalty - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 81:8-16Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the powerful and poignant conclusion of our trek through Psalm 81 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 8 through 16.
In our last conversation, we began Psalm 81 with a vibrant, celebratory call to worship, a joyful festival meant to be a perpetual reminder of God’s deliverance. The psalmist then recounted a dramatic shift to God's direct voice, recalling His mighty act of removing the "burden from your shoulders" and freeing Israel's "hands from their heavy baskets" of slavery in Egypt (Psalm 81:6). We heard how God answered their cry from the "hidden place of thunder," the awe-inspiring moment at Sinai when He gave them His law.
Now, God’s direct address continues, moving from a remembrance of His saving acts to a strong command for exclusive loyalty and a heartbreaking lament over His people's persistent disobedience. This section is a profound expression of God’s own heart, revealing His deep desire for a relationship of trust and His sorrow over their stubborn rebellion. It culminates in a beautiful, almost wistful, promise of the boundless blessings they would have received if only they had listened.
So, let's listen carefully, not just to the words, but to the yearning heart of God as He pleads with His people.*
* A Divine Demand for Exclusive Loyalty
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(Reads Psalm 81:8-10 NLT)"Listen to me, O my people, if you would only listen to me, O Israel!You must never have a foreign god;you must not worship a foreign god.For I am the Lord your God,who rescued you from the land of Egypt.Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things."Guthrie Chamberlain: God’s voice begins with an urgent, repeated, and intimate plea: "Listen to me, O my people, if you would only listen to me, O Israel!" The repetition of "if you would only listen to me" expresses a profound, almost desperate desire for His people to pay attention. He is calling to them as "my people" and "Israel," using covenant names that signify their special, chosen relationship with Him. This is not the voice of a distant commander, but of a personal God who yearns for His people's attention and obedience.
The command that follows is absolute and foundational to their covenant: "You must never have a foreign god; you must not worship a foreign god." This is the first and second commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-3). God demands exclusive loyalty and allegiance. In the ancient Near East, it was common for people to worship multiple gods, adding a new god to their pantheon whenever they encountered a new nation or experienced a new need. But God, the God of Israel, forbade this practice completely. He is not one god among many; He is the one true God,...
Welcome to Day 2699 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2699 – “A Clean Life – Wise Words From a Family Meeting.” - 1 John 2:1-11 Putnam Church Message – 08/17/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Clean Life – Wise Words From a Family Meeting.” Last week, we explored 1 John 1:5-10 with the focus of “God’s Light and Our Blight.” This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will cover 1 John 2:1-11 as we explore how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Wise Words from a Family Meeting.” Let’s read 1 John 2:1-11 from the NIV, which is found on page 1899 of your Pew Bibles. 1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers 3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word,/love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b] is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[c] lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. Opening Prayer Books of the Bible are a little like museums. Some are large, focused on several themes treated in a logical, linear manner. Others are small, narrowing in on one particular topic. The book of 1 John is a moderately long letter and follows a meandering path around several themes that are on...
Welcome to Day 2698 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2698 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 81:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2698 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2698 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Sound of Freedom – A Festival of Joy and Remembrance - A Trek Through Psalm 81:1-7 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I'm your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we open a new chapter in our journey through the Psalms, a chapter filled with vibrant celebration and a powerful word from God Himself. We're embarking on a trek through Psalm 81 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 7. Psalm 81, like many of the psalms in this collection, is attributed to Asaph. But after the months of dwelling in the heavy emotions of lament, communal suffering, and national tragedy from Psalms 74, 77, and 80, this psalm is like a breath of fresh air. It is a powerful, joyous, and liturgical psalm, likely intended for a major national festival like the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) or the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). It is a vibrant call to a nation to gather, to make music, to shout with joy, and to remember the God who delivered them from slavery. This psalm reminds us that while lament is a sacred and necessary expression of faith, so too is exuberant, celebratory praise. It’s a powerful transition from a people crying out for restoration to a people actively celebrating the God who is worthy of all worship. The psalm then takes an extraordinary turn, as God himself speaks directly, recalling His mighty acts and warning His people of the consequences of disobedience. So, let's immerse ourselves in this joyful call to worship and listen for the voice of God in the midst of our celebration. * The Call to a Joyful Festival
(Reads Psalm 81:1-4 NLT) Sing out loud to God our strength! Shout for joy to the God of Jacob. Sing your psalms, beat the tambourine, and play the sweet lyre and harp. Sound the ram’s horn at the new moon, and again at the full moon to announce our festive holidays. For this is a decree in Israel, an ordinance from the God of Jacob. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with an immediate, energetic command to the entire nation: "Sing out loud to God our strength! Shout for joy to the God of Jacob." This isn’t a quiet suggestion for private meditation. The Hebrew word for "sing out loud" (ranan) implies a ringing cry, a joyful shout of triumph. The call is to "shout for joy" (rua), a word often used for a war cry or a triumphant blast of a horn, signifying a full-throated, exuberant, and unrestrained expression of praise. The praise is directed at "God our strength" (Elohim ‘uzzenu), the one who gives us power, and to "the God of Jacob," the covenant-keeping God who has a long and faithful history with His people. The psalmist then...
Welcome to Day 2697 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2697 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 80:14-19 – Daily WisdomWisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2697Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2697 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Gardener's Return, The Leader's Hand - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 80:14-19
Today, we reach the powerful and ultimately hope-filled conclusion of our trek through Psalm 80 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 14 through 19.
In our journey through Psalm 80, we’ve heard the poignant cry of a people reeling from national turmoil. In verses 1-6, the psalmist, Asaph, lamented God's prolonged anger, asking "How long, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, will you be angry with our prayers?" He spoke of being fed with sorrow and drinking tears by the cupful, all while being the public scorn of his neighbors. Then, in verses 7-13, the lament intensified through a magnificent agricultural metaphor: Israel as a vine that God Himself had rescued, planted, and nurtured, but whose walls had been broken down, leaving it vulnerable to wild animals and devastation. The central plea was for God to "restore us" and to "smile on us and save us."
Now, in these concluding verses, the lament culminates in a final, desperate appeal. The psalmist pleads for the divine Gardener to return to His vineyard and to act on behalf of His people. He then introduces a powerful, messianic plea for God's hand of favor to rest upon a specific leader, "the man of your right hand," a chosen leader who will bring about this restoration. The psalm concludes with a final, three-fold repetition of the central prayer, signifying a persistent, unwavering hope in God's ultimate salvation.
So, let's step into this prayer of deep longing and resolute hope, as we witness a people entrusting their future into God's sovereign hands.*
* The Plea for the Gardener's Return
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(Reads Psalm 80:14-16 NLT)Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies.Look down from heaven and see our plight.Take care of this grapevine,this shoot you have planted with your own strong hand!For your enemies have cut it down and burned it.May they be destroyed by your rebuke.Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section with an urgent, heartfelt plea for God's return: "Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight." The phrase "Come back" is a desperate cry for God to reverse His apparent absence. The lamenting community understands their dire situation, but they need God to see it, to "look down from heaven and see our plight" (literally, "our suffering" or "our affliction"). This is an appeal for God to witness their devastation firsthand, a hope that seeing their ruin will compel Him to act. The title "O God of Heaven’s Armies" is a reminder that this is not a cry to a helpless deity, but to the commander of all celestial forces, the very one capable of intervening with overwhelming power.
The plea for God's attention is then specified to the metaphor of the vine: "Take care of this...
Welcome to Day 2696 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Supernatural Intent” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2696 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2696 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 11th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter eleven: “Supernatural Intent.” In the last chapter, we saw how the Old Testament presents the messiah by hiding him in plain sight. The key to God’s plan to restore Eden and redeem humanity was for the messiah, Jesus, to die on the cross and then rise from the dead. Only by becoming a man could God ensure that a human king from the line of David would rule over his people without falling into sin and straying spiritually. Only if that king died in the place of his people and rose from the dead could God rightly judge sin and provide salvation all at the same time. Only by the messiah’s death and resurrection would fallen people still have a place in God’s family council, ruling in that renewed Edenic kingdom, as originally planned. But think about all that required: Jesus had to somehow make sure the supernatural powers of darkness manipulated men to kill him—without understanding what they were really doing. As Paul had said to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2:6–8), if they really knew what the results were going to be, they never would have crucified the Lord. The life and ministry of Jesus may make more sense when viewed against that backdrop. It’s easy for readers of the New Testament, for instance, to get the impression that Jesus’ ministry leading up to the cross was somewhat random. After all, the Gospels don’t always present the same episodes—for example, the birth of Jesus is found in only two of them (Matthew and Luke), and only one mentions the wise men (Matt. 2). Sometimes scenes appear in a slightly different order in different gospels. But those acts of Jesus recorded in the Gospels leading up to the crucifixion—healing the sick, preaching about the kingdom of God, forgiving sinners, confronting hypocrisy—were more than the random acts of a traveling wise man who occasionally did miraculous things. There’s more going on in the gospel stories than meets the eye. There’s an important subtext to what Jesus was doing. Outwitting Evil The event that marked the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry was his baptism. It was there that God publicly identified Jesus as his Son (Mark 1:11), and there that John the Baptist identified him as the one who “takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). When we read those words from John, we think immediately about the crucifixion. But John’s disciples weren’t thinking about that. Frankly, no one was. When, close to the end of his ministry—over three years after his baptism—Jesus began to speak of his death, his own disciples rejected the idea (Matt. 17:22–23; Mark 9:30–32). The last thing they...
Welcome to Day 2695 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2695 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 80:7-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2695 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2695 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Vine from Egypt – A Garden Left to Ruin - A Trek Through Psalm 80:7-13 Today, we continue our deeply moving trek through Psalm 80 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 7 through 13. In our last conversation, we heard a desperate communal lament from the psalmist, Asaph. We felt the anguish of a people crying out to God as their Shepherd, questioning, "How long, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, will you be angry with our prayers?" (Psalm 80:4). We saw the bitter reality of their lives: feeding on sorrow and drinking tears by the cupful, becoming the public "scorn of our neighbors." Their primary plea was for God to "restore us" and to "smile on us and save us" (Psalm 80:3). Now, as we move into this next section, the psalmist continues this prayer for restoration, but he does so through a magnificent and poignant agricultural metaphor. He portrays Israel as a vine, one that God Himself rescued, planted, and tenderly cared for, a vine that once flourished and covered the earth. He then contrasts that glorious past with the vine’s present state of ruin and desecration, all to intensify his plea for God, the divine Gardener, to return and care for His vineyard once again. This metaphor would have resonated deeply with the ancient Israelites, a people whose identity and heritage were intrinsically linked to the land and its fruitfulness. It's a powerful picture of a relationship that has fallen into disrepair, and the desperate hope for its renewal. So, let's immerse ourselves in this beautiful and heartbreaking metaphor of a vine planted by God. * A Glorious Vine Planted by God
(Reads Psalm 80:7-11 NLT) Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us. You brought a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it here. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade; the mighty cedars with its branches. The vine spread its branches west to the Mediterranean Sea and east to the Euphrates River. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section by reiterating the central plea, a refrain that will run throughout the psalm: "Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us." This repetition serves to reinforce the gravity and single-mindedness of their desire for a complete reversal of their fortunes. They are begging for God’s favor to return, for Him to turn His face back to them, for they know that in His smile is their salvation. The psalmist then introduces the magnificent vine metaphor, recounting...
Welcome to Day 2694 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2694 – A Joyful Life - God is Light and Our Blight - 1 John 1:5-10
Putnam Church Message – 08/10/2025
Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John“A Joyful Life – God’s Light and Our Blight.”
Last week, we explored “A Joyful Life - God is Life,” from 1 John 1:1-4, and we focused on Communion and Joy with God and each other.
This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will cover 1 John 1:5-10 as we explore “God’s Light and Our Blight.” Let’s read 1 John 1:5-10 from the NIV, which is found on page 1899 of your Pew Bibles.
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.Opening Prayer
At some point in each of our lives, we transition from childhood to adulthood, from student to teacher, from mentee to mentor. Wisely, my parents had me wait a year after high school before entering college. I needed that extra year to mature and earn additional money. By God’s grace and planning, it also allowed me to meet Paula in her first year; otherwise, God would have had to work out our meeting in another way. I remember when I was on my way out, heading to college for the first time, I knew that I would be on my own for the rest of my life. My parents did all they could to raise me right, to instill in me solid values, words of wisdom, and examples to follow. When I had to cross the threshold of the house that marked the moment of my transition from dependent child to independent adult, my parents knew that they had taught me the best they knew how, and now the decisions to continue walking in that knowledge were up to me.
I may have been on my own physically, at least for a season—until I began to build my own family and emulate the wisdom and lessons my parents had taught me. But I wasn’t on my own spiritually. The words and examples of my parents were always there, becoming increasingly relevant and meaningful as I faced my own real-life situations. As I continued to mature as an adult, I can’t remember how many times the words of my mom or dad came back to me, and I thought, “That’s what they meant!” They also left me a priceless spiritual legacy, introducing me to the Lord Jesus, a respect for God’s Word, and a love for others, especially fellow believers.
I imagine something similar happened with Jesus’ original disciples. They continued to mature in their understanding of the faith after the Lord Jesus pushed His disciples out of the nest and sent...
Welcome to Day 2693 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2693 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 780:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2693 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2693 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Shepherd's Hidden Face – A Cry for Restoration - A Trek Through Psalm 80:1-6 Today, we begin a powerful and deeply moving trek through Psalm 80 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 6. Psalm 80 is a communal lament, a desperate and repeated cry for God to restore His people. Like the lament psalms we've recently explored, such as Psalms 74 and 79, it is steeped in national tragedy and the anguish of God's apparent absence. However, this psalm is unique in its focus on God's identity as a Shepherd and its use of agricultural and shepherding metaphors to articulate the nation's pain and their fervent desire for revival. The psalmist pleads for God, the Shepherd of Israel, to remember His flock, to turn His face back to them, and to act with His saving power. This psalm gives voice to that difficult, often-long season of suffering when God's anger feels prolonged, and our pleas seem to go unanswered. It’s a prayer for a fresh start, a powerful yearning for divine intervention to reverse a season of national turmoil and public disgrace. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this desperate plea for divine restoration, feeling the weight of a people crying out from the wilderness of God’s silence. * The Shepherd’s Call to Action
(Reads Psalm 80:1-3 NLT) Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead the descendants of Joseph like a flock. O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your glory and power! Stir up your mighty power! Come to our rescue and save us. Restore us, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Smile on us and save us. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with a tender and intimate plea to God as the Shepherd: "Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead the descendants of Joseph like a flock." This imagery is both ancient and deeply personal to the Israelite people. God is not just a distant king; He is a caring Shepherd, and Israel is His flock. This echoes the portrayal of God’s leadership in Psalm 78, where "he led his own people like sheep through the wilderness." It’s an appeal to God’s paternal, protective, and nurturing nature. The psalmist specifically mentions "the descendants of Joseph," which refers to the prominent tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Given their significance, this might suggest the lament comes from the Northern Kingdom, or it could be a general plea for the entire nation, with Joseph representing all of Israel. Regardless, the appeal is to God’s faithfulness as their leader, a plea for Him to remember His flock and return to His shepherding duties. The plea for God to act is filled with anticipation and
Welcome to Day 2692 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2692 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 79:9-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2692 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2692 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: For Your Name's Sake – The Ultimate Appeal - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 79:9-13 Today, we reach the powerful and ultimately hopeful conclusion of our poignant trek through Psalm 79 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 9 through 13. In our journey through Psalm 79, we’ve plunged deep into the raw agony of a communal lament. In verses 1-4, we witnessed the utter devastation of Jerusalem and the desecration of God’s holy Temple, hearing the cries over unburied dead and crushing national shame. Then, in verses 5-8, Asaph, the psalmist, questioned God about the duration of His anger, pleading "How long, O Lord?" while simultaneously redirecting God’s wrath toward the pagan nations who did not know Him. He also humbly acknowledged Israel's own past sins, appealing for God's swift mercy despite their unworthiness. Now, in these concluding verses, the lament reaches its climax and finds its resolution in a powerful appeal to God's own glory. The psalmist shifts the primary argument for divine intervention from Israel’s suffering or even their partial repentance to the ultimate stakes: God’s own glorious name and reputation among the nations. It’s a fervent prayer for vindication, not just for Israel, but for the very character of God. The psalm culminates in a profound promise of perpetual praise, even from a people still reeling from catastrophe. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this final, desperate, and ultimately hope-filled plea for God to act for His name’s sake. (Reads Psalm 79:9-10 NLT) Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Rescue us and purge away our sins for the honor of your name. Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, “Where is their God?” Show us your mighty power, and take revenge for the spilled blood of your servants. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens this final section with an urgent, desperate plea, grounded in God’s redemptive character: "Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name." The psalmist appeals to God as the "God of our salvation," emphasizing His proven track record as a deliverer. The repetition of "Help us!" underscores the extremity of their need. But the key argument here, repeated twice, is "for the glory of your name." This is the ultimate appeal in a lament of national catastrophe. It's not primarily for Israel's comfort, or even just for their justice, but for the sake of God's own reputation and honor among the nations. If Israel, God's chosen people, remains in such utter ruin, humiliated and without recourse, God's glory is diminished in the eyes of the world. This appeal is far broader than mere self-interest; it's a profound concern for the worldwide recognition of God's power and...
Welcome to Day 2691 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Hidden In Plain Site” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2691 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2686 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 10th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter ten: “Hidden in Plain Sight.” Since the fall, God had been trying to revive his original goal for Eden: to live with both his divine and human family on earth. God had told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, thereby spreading God’s good rule over the rest of the planet. God wanted the whole earth to be a place where heaven and earth met, where humanity could enjoy the divine, and where the divine could enjoy earth and humanity. We know how that went. A History of Failure Humanity sinned and was expelled from God’s presence. Eden was shut down. The divine enemy, the Serpent, was banished—cast or cut down—from God’s presence to earth, the place where death reigns, where life is not everlasting. He became lord of the dead, and therefore had claim to every human being who would ever live—because they sin, and sin’s wages is death (Rom. 6:23). After the flood, God had repeated the goal of Eden to Noah and his family: be fruitful and multiply. It was a do-over. Instead, humanity rebelled. Rather than obey God and spread the knowledge and rule of God everywhere, they would build a tower where God could come to them. Failure again. God wouldn’t go for it. He mixed up the nations’ languages and turned the nations over to his divine council to rule. Then he decided to start over with a new human family—through Abraham and Sarah. He would get back to the other nations—through Abraham’s descendants—once his kingdom rule was revived (Gen. 12:3). This, too, was a failure. So was the next attempt, bringing Israel out of Egypt, then to Sinai, and then finally to the Promised Land. Israel failed. Eventually God raised up David, and then Solomon. But after Solomon died, Israel followed other gods and the Israelites turned on each other. God had to expel them from the Promised Land in exile. The human story, apart from God’s presence, is the story of failure. This is because humanity is lost since the fall. All humans are imperfect and estranged from God. No human leader could be trusted with starting and maintaining God’s kingdom. They would resist loyalty to God alone. They would go their own way. Humans would sin, fail, and join the lord of the dead, God’s great enemy. But God’s vision of sharing the blessing of being steward-kings over a new Eden couldn’t happen without humans. And the only way humans would ever be able to hold up their end of God’s plan would be for them to be made new again. The curse of the fall must be lifted. And for that, God had a plan. The Solution—and a Problem God needed a man who was more than
Welcome to Day 2690 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2690 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 79:5-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2690 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2690 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: How Long, O Lord? – A Plea for Mercy, A Cry for Justice - A Trek Through Psalm 79:5-8 Today, we continue our poignant and urgent trek through Psalm 79 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 5 through 8. In our last conversation, we plunged into the raw, unspeakable anguish of Psalm 79:1-4. We witnessed the utter devastation of Jerusalem and the desecration of God’s holy Temple by invading pagan armies. We felt the horror of the unburied dead, left as food for wild animals, and the crushing burden of being mocked by surrounding nations, all of which amounted to a direct insult to God Himself. It was a cry born from unprecedented sacrilege and profound national dishonor. Now, as we move into this next section, Asaph, the psalmist, shifts from describing the catastrophe to directly questioning God about the duration of His anger. He then transitions to fervent imprecations—prayers for God’s judgment—against the pagan nations who do not know God, acknowledging Israel’s own past sins as a contributing factor, yet appealing desperately for God’s mercy rather than His continued wrath. This tension between recognizing their own culpability and pleading for justice against their oppressors is a hallmark of communal laments. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this anguished yet hopeful appeal, feeling the weight of their desperate longing for an end to suffering and a demonstration of God's righteous power. (Reads Psalm 79:5-6 NLT) How long, O Lord? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge you— on kingdoms that don’t call on your name. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins this section with an agonizing, direct question to God about the duration of their suffering: "How long, O Lord? Will you be angry with us forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?" This "How long?" is a quintessential lament cry in the Psalms (Psalm 13, 74, 89). It signifies an unbearable continuation of distress and a desperate longing for an end to divine wrath. The psalmist acknowledges that their suffering is perceived as stemming from God's anger, fueled by His "jealousy"—His righteous intolerance of idolatry and unfaithfulness, which burns intensely like consuming fire. This is a theological wrestling match. If God's anger is indeed burning, how long will it last? Will it be "forever"? This expresses the profound fear of a permanent, unending state of divine displeasure and abandonment, a terrifying thought for a people whose very existence depended on God’s favor. This very fear echoes the question in Psalm 74:1: "Why have you abandoned us forever?" Here, the focus is on the anger that underpins that perceived abandonment. The psalmist then immediately redirects...
Welcome to Day 2689 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2689 – A Joyful Life Because God Is Life Putnam Church Message – 08/03/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “A Joyful Life - God is Life.” Last week, we began a new systematic verse-by-verse study of the letters 1, 2, & 3 John, followed by Jude with insights and introduction to 1, 2, & 3 John., This week, we will begin going through these letters, and today, we will cover 1 John 1:1-4 as we explore “A Joyful Life - God is Life.” Let’s read 1 John 1:1-4 from the NIV, which is found on page 1898 of your Pew Bibles. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared;/ we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father/ and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete. Opening Prayer The Old Elder's Sacred Hymnal Imagine, if you will, a community nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains, where generations had always found their deepest solace and strongest unity in the act of worship. At the very heart of their gatherings was a sacred treasure: the Sacred Hymnal. It was an ancient, hand-bound volume, filled not just with words and notes, but with the very deep and rich hymns of the faith that had been the core of their Christian community for centuries. This Hymnal held the essence of their spiritual identity,> their history with the Lord, their enduring promises, and their profound, unshakeable joy. Its melodies and truths had been intimately given and taught by the Divine Composer Himself, who had shared His very heart in song through His Beloved Son. Now, only a few, very old members of this community, the Original Witness Bearers, had actually walked and sung with the Beloved Son. They had seen Him teach the very first hymns, had heard His voice ring out with divine authority, and had even felt the tangible presence of His Spirit as their hands held the first copies of the Hymnal's truths. Their lives were utterly intertwined with these living songs. But as years turned into decades, and the younger generations grew up, many had begun to rely on distant echoes of the hymns. Some knew the words on the page, but the melody had faded in their hearts. Others listened to flimsy, modern tunes, catchy but shallow, that lacked the profound depth and spiritual weight of the originals. A subtle, lethargic boredom, a kind of spiritual apathy, crept into the community. The initial thrill of shared worship
Welcome to Day 2688 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2688 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 79:1-4 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2688 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2688 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A City Desecrated, A People Dishonored – A Cry from the Rubble - A Trek Through Psalm 79:1-4 Guthrie Chamberlain: Today, we begin another poignant and heart-wrenching trek, as we open Psalm 79 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 4. Psalm 79, like so many we’ve explored recently, is attributed to Asaph. But after the sweeping historical narrative of Psalm 78, which culminated in God’s faithful establishment of David as shepherd-king despite Israel’s constant rebellion, Psalm 79 thrusts us abruptly back into the darkest depths of national tragedy. This psalm serves as a powerful communal lament, echoing the anguish we felt in Psalm 74, specifically crying out in the immediate aftermath of the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and its holy Temple, most likely by the Babylonians in 586 BC. While Psalm 74 expressed the shock and confusion of the Temple's ruin and God's apparent abandonment, Psalm 79 focuses with a horrifying intensity on the desecration of the sacred city itself, the brutal slaughter of its inhabitants, and the profound, unspeakable shame caused by the unburied dead. It’s a desperate, visceral cry for God’s immediate attention and vengeance in the face of unprecedented sacrilege and dishonor. For the ancient Israelites, this was not just a military defeat; it was a cosmic catastrophe, an assault on God's very dwelling place and His chosen people, whose identity was inextricably linked to their land, their city, and their Temple. The horror described here was the ultimate nightmare, a complete reversal of all covenant blessings. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this raw, agonizing lament, feeling the weight of their despair and the profound pain of utter desecration and dishonor. (Reads Psalm 79:1-4 NLT) O God, your inheritance has been invaded! Your holy Temple has been defiled, and Jerusalem is a heap of ruins. The bodies of your servants and your godly people have been left as food for the vultures and wild animals. The blood of your people has been poured out like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one left to bury them. We are mocked by our neighbors, scoffed at by those around us. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with a cry of profound violation and outrage directed straight to God: "O God, your inheritance has been invaded! Your holy Temple has been defiled, and Jerusalem is a heap of ruins." This is an immediate, gut-wrenching appeal. The psalmist doesn't just say their land has been invaded; he says "your inheritance." This implies God's...
Welcome to Day 2687 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2687 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:56-72 – Daily WisdomWisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2687Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2687 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Heart’s Persistent Wanderings – From Abandonment to the Shepherd-King - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 78:56-72Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the poignant and pivotal conclusion of our extensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 56 through 72.
In our journey through this monumental didactic psalm, Asaph, the psalmist, has meticulously recounted Israel’s history. We’ve seen their early failures, their ungrateful rebellion in the wilderness despite God’s astounding miracles—from the splitting of the Red Sea to the daily manna and water from rocks. We also explored God’s righteous judgment for their persistent unbelief, even as His enduring compassion spared them from complete annihilation. We watched as God faithfully led them into the Promised Land, driving out nations and settling them securely in their inheritance.
Now, as we delve into this final segment, the story unfolds into a new phase of Israel’s unfaithfulness, occurring after they had entered and settled the Promised Land. This leads to profound divine judgment: God’s abandonment of His dwelling place at Shiloh and His subsequent, sovereign choice of Mount Zion and the Davidic dynasty. This narrative culminates in the powerful affirmation of David as the shepherd-king, foreshadowing the ultimate Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ.
This section explains a critical shift in God’s dealings with Israel, shedding light on the reasons behind the establishment of Jerusalem as the spiritual center and the unique covenant with David. It's a sobering reminder of the consequences of persistent unfaithfulness, but also a beautiful testament to God's ultimate plan and His ability to choose and raise up faithful leaders.
So, let’s lean in and absorb the final, crucial lessons from Israel’s history of wandering hearts and God’s sovereign direction.
(Reads Psalm 78:56-64 NLT)But they continued to test and rebel against God Most High,refusing to obey his decrees.They turned away and were disloyal like their ancestors;they were as unreliable as a crooked bow.They angered him by building pagan shrines;they made him furious with their idols.When God heard them, he was furiousand completely rejected Israel.He abandoned his Tabernacle at Shiloh,the tent where he had lived among them.He allowed their Ark of the Covenant—his glory—to be captured;he surrendered his people to their enemies.He sent fire to consume their young menand caused their young women to die in battle.Their priests were slaughtered by the sword,and their widows could not mourn.Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph brings the historical lesson into the period after the conquest of Canaan, demonstrating that entering the Promised Land did not end Israel’s cycle of rebellion: "But they continued to test and rebel against God Most High, refusing to obey his decrees." The persistent nature of their sin, already...
Welcome to Day 2686 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Holy War” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2686 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2686 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 9th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter nine: “Holy War.” The Bible is a controversial book. People who don’t see it as the Word of God often object to what it says. But some parts of the Bible make even Christians uncomfortable. Israel’s war to conquer the Promised Land is a case in point. Why? Mostly because of the killing. It seems indiscriminate and far too thorough. Why was it necessary to kill entire populations in some cities—men, women, children, and even livestock? Why not let the inhabitants surrender? Wouldn’t it be better to exile them than to slaughter them? There’s an answer to those objections—but I’ve discovered that the answer seems to make Christians as uncomfortable as the problem. You can only understand the rationale and motive of the conquest accounts when you see them through the supernatural worldview of an Israelite. Israel’s Supernatural Logic The battles for the Promised Land were framed by two factors, both deeply rooted in Israel’s understanding of their world as not only the abode of humankind but also the prize in an unseen spiritual war. We’ve talked about both of them already, but let’s review. One factor is the fallout from the events at the Tower of Babel, when God decided, after the nations rebelled against him, that he no longer wanted a direct relationship with the people of those nations. Instead, he assigned members of his divine council, the sons of God, to govern them (Deut. 4:19–20; 32:8–9). Afterward, he called Abraham and enabled him and his wife Sarah to have a child (Isaac), from whom the people of Israel would come. We learned in Psalm 82 that these lesser gods became corrupt. They allowed injustice. People came to worship them instead of the Most High God. Thus, they became enemies of God and his people, Israel. Since some of those nations were within the land of Canaan, which God purposed to give to his nation Israel after the exodus, Moses and the Israelites believed the people who occupied those lands were their mortal enemies and their gods would do all they could to destroy Israel. The second factor was even more frightening for the Israelites. It’s best explained by what happened when the Israelites arrived at the border of Canaan, the Promised Land. Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan to report on the land and its inhabitants. The spies came back with evidence that the land itself was wonderful—it flows “with milk and honey”—just as God had told them (Num. 13:27). But then they dropped a bombshell: “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it...
Welcome to Day 2685 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2685 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:40-55 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2685 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2685 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Unyielding Rebellion Meets Unwavering Faithfulness - A Trek Through Psalm 78:40-55 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 40 through 55. In our journey through Psalm 78, Asaph, the psalmist, has been delivering a solemn history lesson to future generations. We’ve seen Israel's early failure, the Ephraimites turning away from battle because they forgot God's covenant. We then witnessed God’s amazing, yet sometimes punitive, provision in the wilderness – water from rocks, manna, and quail, followed by judgment for their greedy, unbelieving hearts. Most recently, in verses 32-39, we reflected on Israel’s superficial repentance, their deceitful hearts, and God's incredible, enduring compassion despite their persistent unfaithfulness, remembering they were merely mortal. Now, as we move into this next chapter of Israel's story, Asaph intensifies his account of Israel’s repeated rebellion and their blatant provocation of God, even while recounting the truly devastating plagues God unleashed on Egypt for their sake. This section powerfully contrasts Israel’s obstinacy and forgetfulness with God’s unwavering faithfulness, His overwhelming power, and His meticulous fulfillment of His covenant promises to bring them into the Promised Land. It reveals a pattern of human failure that, tragically, even divine miracles often failed to break. So, let’s lean in and absorb the humbling lessons of Israel’s persistent provocation and God’s relentless, powerful love. (Reads Psalm 78:40-42 NLT) Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland. Again and again they tested God’s patience and put the Holy One of Israel to the test. They did not remember his power or the day when he rescued them from their enemies. Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph returns to the agonizing theme of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, summarizing their wilderness behavior: "Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland." The exclamation "Oh, how often" (Hebrew: kamah) emphasizes the frequency and multitude of their acts of rebellion. This wasn't a single incident; it was a continuous pattern throughout their forty years in the desert. Their actions "grieved his heart" (literally, "pained him," "vexed him") – a powerful anthropomorphism (attributing human emotion to God) showing God's deep sorrow and distress over their constant defiance. The "dry...
Welcome to Day 2684 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2684 – Insights and Introduction: 1, 2 & 3 John Putnam Church Message – 07/27/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John Insights and Introduction: 1, 2 & 3 John Last week was the final message in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we learned about: The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan.” This week, we begin a new systematic verse-by-verse study of the letters 1, 2, & 3 John, followed by Jude. If it goes as planned, it should take us up to Thanksgiving. Today, we will cover some insights and an introduction to the letters from John. While we won’t focus on any verses, we will anchor today’s teaching on 1 John 1:3-4 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.[b] Opening Prayer The Old Storyteller's Ancient Text Imagine, if you will, a community nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains, where generations had always depended on the wisdom passed down through cherished narratives. Their most precious possession was the Ancient Text, a truly sacred book of wisdom. It wasn't just old parchment; it held the very essence of their mountain identity, their family history, their enduring promises, and their profound joy. This Text had been intimately penned and bestowed by the Founding Elder himself, a wise and benevolent patriarch who had received its truths directly from the very Source of Ancient Wisdom. Now, only a few, very old members of this community, the Original Scribes and Storytellers, had actually lived with the Founding Elder. They had seen him write the Text with his own hand, heard his direct explanations of its profound truths, and literally handled its pages, studying its intricate details. Their lives were interwoven with the Text's living story. As the Original Scribes and Storytellers grew older, nearing the twilight of their days, they noticed a troubling trend in the valley. Younger folks, who had never personally met the Founding Elder, were starting to forget the true nature of the Ancient Text. Instead of seeking out the Original Scribes for genuine understanding, they were listening to "Whispers from the Fading Pages." These whispers weren't outright lies, not at first. Some claimed, "Oh, the Text is purely for personal interpretation; you don't need to actually read its words or live by its wisdom, just feel its presence." Others spread rumors that "the Text's wisdom is too old-fashioned for these new times." Still others introduced cheap, flimsy pamphlets, filled with easy platitudes, that looked shiny and new but utterly lacked the profound truth and life-changing power of the Ancient Text. These whispers created confusion, apathy, and subtle divisions within the extended mountain family. The most...
Welcome to Day 2683 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2683 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:32-39 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2683 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2683 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Heart's Deceit – God’s Enduring Compassion - A Trek Through Psalm 78:32-39 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 32 through 39. In our last conversation, we delved into a sobering chapter of Israel's history recounted by Asaph in Psalm 78:17-31. We saw their persistent rebellion and direct testing of God, demanding food in the wilderness despite His astounding provision of water from rock. We then witnessed God’s righteous fury and His miraculous, abundant provision of manna and quail, which, for their ungrateful and unbelieving hearts, turned into an instrument of swift judgment. God struck down their strongest men while the very meat they craved was still in their mouths. It was a stark lesson on the cost of demanding, ungrateful faith. Now, as we move into this next section, the narrative continues to unfold, revealing a disturbing cycle: Israel’s seemingly superficial repentance, their deceitful hearts, and their short-lived loyalty, juxtaposed with God's incredible, unwavering compassion and patience. This portion of the psalm offers a profound insight into the human heart's capacity for backsliding and God’s enduring commitment to a people who often failed Him. So, let’s lean in and absorb the humbling lessons of human frailty and the breathtaking truth of divine steadfastness. (Reads Psalm 78:32-33 NLT) But despite all this, they kept on sinning; they refused to believe in his wonders. So he ended their days in a puff of wind; their years vanished in terror. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist opens this section with a heartbreaking continuation of Israel’s pattern: "But despite all this, they kept on sinning; they refused to believe in his wonders." The phrase "despite all this" refers directly to the mighty acts of God and even His recent judgments described in the previous verses—the miraculous provision of manna and quail, and the subsequent plague. Even after witnessing such undeniable power and experiencing such direct consequences, they "kept on sinning." This highlights their profound spiritual stubbornness and resistance. Their fundamental flaw was persistent unbelief: "they refused to believe in his wonders." They saw the miracles, they experienced the divine provision, they even endured the judgment, yet they still refused to truly trust in God's power, His goodness, and His faithfulness. This wasn’t ignorance; it was active disbelief in the face of overwhelming evidence. This unbelief was the root cause of their continuous sin. The consequence of this sustained unbelief and...
Welcome to Day 2682 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2682 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:17-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2682 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2682 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Testing the Almighty – The Cost of Ungrateful Hearts - A Trek Through Psalm 78:17-31 Today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 17 through 31. In our last conversation, we began Asaph’s solemn history lesson for future generations. We saw the painful example of the Ephraimites' failure in battle due to their unfaithfulness, their refusal to keep God’s covenant, and their tragic forgetfulness of God’s glorious deeds. Then, Asaph immediately reminded us of those very deeds: God’s astounding miracles in Egypt, His splitting of the Red Sea, His constant guidance by cloud and fire, and His miraculous provision of water from solid rock in the wilderness (Psalm 78:9-16). The contrast was stark: human rebellion against divine faithfulness. Now, as we move into this next section, the story continues, detailing a new, disturbing chapter in Israel's journey: their persistent rebellion and direct testing of God, even in the face of His overwhelming provision. It reveals the devastating consequences of demanding hearts that question God's power and generosity, demonstrating that God provides, but also justly judges ungrateful unbelief. So, let’s lean in and absorb the sobering lessons of Israel’s continued rebellion and God’s mighty, yet sometimes punitive, response. (Reads Psalm 78:17-20 NLT) But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Yes, he hit the rock, and water gushed out, and streams flowed like rivers! But can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” Guthrie Chamberlain: Despite the astonishing miracles of water from the rock, the constant guidance by cloud and fire, and the fresh memory of Red Sea deliverance, Asaph immediately reveals Israel’s shocking reversion to rebellion: "But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert." The word "continued" (yâsaph) emphasizes the persistent, habitual nature of their sin. They weren't just making a one-time mistake; this was a pattern of defiance. They rebelled "against the Most High" – El Elyon, emphasizing God's supreme authority and transcendence. This rebellion occurred "in the desert," a place of utter dependence on God, making their unfaithfulness even more grievous. Their rebellion manifested as a direct, stubborn challenge to God’s power: "They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved." To "test...
Welcome to Day 2681 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Sacred Space” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2681 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2681 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 8th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter eight: “Sacred Space.” The Israelites spent over a year at Mount Sinai. Why so long? They had already entered into a covenant with God and received the Ten Commandments. But they still had a lot to learn. It was one thing to promise to believe in and be loyal to the God of their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was another to know what God expected and what he was like. The Concept of Holiness Many of the strange laws and practices of the Old Testament are grounded in the need to teach people that God is unlike everything else. In his nature and character, he is unique; he is completely other than humanity and anything else. For Israel, that was a truth that had to be reinforced at all times. Otherwise, God might be thought of as ordinary. The biblical word for the idea of God’s unique otherness is holiness. It means “to be set apart” or “to be distinct.” The concept isn’t necessarily about moral conduct—about the idea that we should behave a certain way to reflect God’s distinct moral standards—though that is included (Lev. 19:2). God wasn’t content to simply give Israelites an intellectual explanation of holiness. He wanted the concept of his otherness to permeate life in ancient Israel. The Bible tells us this was accomplished through rituals (symbolic acts) and by rules for approaching sacred areas. How Is God “Other”? The short answer to this question is “in every way,” but that’s too abstract. The Bible is much more down-to-earth, and the rituals and rules for Israelite community living reflect that. For example, the Bible teaches us that God was not only the source of Israel’s life—he was life. God is not of this earth, a place where there is death, disease, and imperfection. His realm is supernatural. Our realm is terrestrial. The earthly space he occupies is made sacred and otherworldly by his presence. The space we occupy is ordinary. God is the polar opposite of ordinary. In ancient Israel, these ideas were conveyed by the fact that people had to be invited and purified to occupy the same space as God. Many laws in the Old Testament regulate this purifying. Israelites could be disqualified (made “unclean”) from sacred space by a variety of activities and conditions. Having sex, losing blood, certain physical handicaps, and touching a dead body (human or animal) all rendered an Israelite unclean. Israelites were forbidden from eating certain birds of prey that ate from dead animals (e.g., vultures, hawks; Lev. 11:13–19) or animals that might be found on or inside a carcass (e.g., lizards, mice; Lev....
Welcome to Day 2680 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2680 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2680 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2680 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Remembering God’s Wonders, Recalling Our Failures - A Trek Through Psalm 78:9-16 Today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 9 through 16. In our last conversation, we opened Psalm 78, a powerful didactic psalm by Asaph. We heard his solemn call for God’s people to listen to his "teaching" and "parables" – profound truths from their collective past. The purpose was clear: to ensure that the next generation would "not hide these truths from our children," but would learn from history, set their "hope anew on God," obey His commands, and avoid being "stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful" like their ancestors (Psalm 78:1-8). Asaph was setting the stage for a critical history lesson, explaining why it was so vital to pass on the glorious deeds of the Lord. Now, Asaph begins that very history lesson, starting with a stark example of early Israelite failure, followed immediately by a powerful reminder of God’s overwhelming, miraculous power during the Exodus and wilderness journey. This juxtaposition is key: human unfaithfulness contrasted with divine faithfulness. It challenges us to examine our own patterns of forgetting God’s past goodness when faced with new trials. So, let’s lean in and absorb the hard-learned lessons and awe-inspiring wonders of Israel’s early history. (Reads Psalm 78:9-11 NLT) The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned and fled on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant; they refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done— the wonderful miracles he had shown them. Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph immediately plunges into a painful historical example of Israelite failure, focusing on a prominent tribe: "The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned and fled on the day of battle." Ephraim was a powerful and numerous tribe, the descendants of Joseph, and often held a leadership role in the Northern Kingdom. The "bow" was a significant weapon in ancient warfare, implying they were well-equipped and prepared for battle. Yet, despite their military readiness, they "turned and fled" when it counted most – "on the day of battle." This wasn't a strategic retreat; it was a humiliating defection, a failure of courage and commitment. This military failure, however, was not simply due to a lack of skill or strength. Asaph reveals its deeper, spiritual root: "They did not keep God’s covenant; they refused to live by his law." Their military cowardice was a symptom of their spiritual unfaithfulness. The "covenant" (berit) was the foundational agreement between God and Israel, establishing their...
Welcome to Day 2679 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2679 – New Testament Orientation – “The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan”
Putnam Church Message – 07/20/2025
Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 12: “The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan”
Last week, we explored "The General Letters of the New Testament:” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT) 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”[b]
This week is the 12th and final message in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we will learn: The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan” Ephesians 2:13-14 (NLT) "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united us both into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us."Opening PrayerOur Loving and Sovereign God, as we reach the culmination of our journey through Your New Testament, we pause to reflect on the grand tapestry of Your plan for Your Church, for our salvation, and the culmination of all things. We pray that You would open our eyes to see these profound truths with the clarity and anticipation of the early believers. May we grasp the depth of Your reconciliation, the wonder of Your salvation, and the glorious hope of Your coming kingdom. Empower us, by Your Spirit, to live as Your unified people, eagerly awaiting the Day of Christ. Amen.Introduction: The Final Unveiling of God's Purpose
We’ve journeyed from the Jewish roots of the Gospels, through the explosive growth in Acts, and explored the profound theology of Paul's letters and the General Epistles. Today, we bring it all together by considering three essential topics that define the conclusion of God's unfolding story: the Church, the nature of Salvation, and Eschatology—the doctrine of last things.
Our core verses from Ephesians 2:13-14 serve as a magnificent summary of the radical new reality Jesus inaugurated: "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united us both into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us." This passage speaks of a profound reconciliation, not just between humanity and God, but between the two great divisions of humanity: Jew and Gentile. This reconciliation defines the very nature of the Church.
For the early...
Welcome to Day 2678 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2678 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2678 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2678 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Passing on the Legacy – Learning from Our Past - A Trek Through Psalm 78:1-8 (Intro Music: Reflective, instructive theme fades in and out) Today, we begin a crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its foundational verses, 1 through 8. Psalm 78, like Psalms 73 through Pslam 77, is attributed to Asaph, one of King David’s chief musicians and a prophet. However, this psalm stands out as one of the longest in the Psalter, acting as a grand historical narrative. It’s a didactic psalm, meaning its primary purpose is to teach. After Asaph’s personal spiritual crisis in Psalm 73, his communal lament in Psalm 74, and his triumphant declarations in Psalms 75-77 that anchored his faith in God’s past deeds, Psalm 78 now explicitly lays out the vital importance of recounting that history, not just for reassurance, but for instruction. This psalm, often referred to as a "history lesson," delves deep into Israel’s past, recounting their repeated cycles of rebellion and God’s unwavering faithfulness. But it’s not merely a historical record; it’s a living lesson for every generation, particularly for the youth. In the ancient Israelite worldview, the transmission of national and spiritual heritage was paramount, ensuring that future generations understood their identity, their covenant with God, and the consequences of obedience and disobedience. This psalm is a powerful call for elders to teach and for the young to listen, so they can break the cycle of past failures. So, let’s lean in and absorb the wisdom of this profound call to remember and learn. (Reads Psalm 78:1-4 NLT) O my people, listen to my teaching. Open your ears to what I say. For I will speak to you in parables; I will explain mysteries from the past— stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with an urgent and authoritative call to attention from Asaph, the teacher: "O my people, listen to my teaching. Open your ears to what I say." This isn't a casual invitation; it’s a solemn command, delivered with the weight of someone who has profound and essential truths to impart. "My people" emphasizes his pastoral care and his sense of shared destiny with the community. The call to "listen" and "open your ears" highlights the critical importance of receptive hearts and attentive minds for what is about to be revealed. Asaph describes the nature of his instruction: "For I will...
Welcome to Day 2677 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2677 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 77:13-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2677 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2677 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Unseen Path of the Unchanging God - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 77:13-20 Today, we reach the powerful and awe-inspiring conclusion of our trek through Psalm 77 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 13 through 20. In our last conversation, we plunged into the raw, personal anguish of Asaph, the psalmist. We heard his desperate cries in the night, his sleepless torment, and the agonizing questions that plagued his soul: "Has the Lord abandoned us forever? Will he never again be kind to us? Has his unfailing love vanished forever?" He was a man drowning in doubt, unable to find comfort, even from the thought of God. But then, a pivotal moment occurred: Asaph intentionally shifted his focus, resolving to "recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago." This act of remembering God’s ancient wonders became his lifeline, the first step out of the mire of despair. Now, in these concluding verses, we witness the glorious outcome of that deliberate act of remembrance. Asaph’s perspective completely transforms from anguish and questioning to profound awe and unwavering trust. He no longer asks if God has changed; instead, he declares God’s unchanging holiness, His incomparable power, and His unfailing, sovereign leadership, even when His path is hidden. This is the ultimate resolution of his spiritual crisis, leading to a powerful affirmation of God as the Shepherd-King. So, let’s allow our hearts to be filled with awe as we witness the triumph of faith over doubt, anchored in the undeniable truth of who God is and what He has done. (Reads Psalm 77:13-15 NLT) O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the nations. By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section with a triumphant declaration of God’s unparalleled character, a stark contrast to his earlier questions about God’s mercy and love: "O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as great as our God?" The word "holy" (qadosh) here signifies not just moral purity but also God's separateness, His transcendence, His utterly unique and unapproachable majesty. God’s ways, His actions, His very nature, are completely set apart from all human imperfection and doubt. This is a foundational truth that silences all questioning. The rhetorical question, "Is there any god as great as our God?" echoes the triumphant certainty we saw in Psalm 71, "Who can compare with you, O God?" It's a resounding affirmation of God's incomparability, a direct refutation of any doubt that might have crept into...
Welcome to Day 2676 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Rules of Engagement.” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2676 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2676 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 7th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter seven: “Rules of Engagement.” Our story so far: God cast aside the nations and their peoples at Babel. The lesser gods assigned to them took dominion (Deut. 32:8–9). When God started over with Abraham, it was clear that he planned to one day reclaim the nations through the influence of Israel (Gen. 12:3). But the gods of the nations would have to be forced to surrender their power and worship (Ps. 82:6–8). That meant conflict—in both the seen and unseen realms. As soon as there was an Israel, she was in the crosshairs of the gods. Who Is Yahweh? It doesn’t take long in the biblical story for Israel to wind up in a precarious position. The story of Joseph (Gen. 37–50) explains why Israel went to Egypt. God’s providence turned the harm intended Joseph by his brothers to the salvation of Israel from famine (Gen. 46:3–4; 50:20). That God didn’t tell Israel to leave Egypt right away was also intentional. God knew the pharaoh who honored Joseph would die and be replaced by an enemy (Ex. 1). He had foreseen that Egypt would put the Israelites into forced labor (Gen. 15:13–16). He also knew he would rescue Israel when the time was right (Gen. 46:4). But why wait? God always has a good reason for suffering. We just can’t always see it. In this case, though, Scripture makes it clear. After Moses had fled Egypt and taken up residence in the wilderness, God called him at the burning bush (Ex. 3:1–14) to send him back to Egypt. His orders were simple: Tell Pharaoh “Let my people go” (Ex. 5:1). Pharaoh had other ideas. He was god in the flesh in Egypt, the emblem of all its glory and power. He wasn’t going to let some invisible God of Hebrew shepherds tell him what to do. He didn’t even know whether the God of Moses was real. He mockingly replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?” (Ex. 5:2). He was about to get an answer—one that would hurt. God had set him up. God had told Moses, “I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go” (Ex. 4:21). God had a fight to pick. After they had oppressed the Israelites for centuries, it was time for Egypt and its gods to be punished. Pharaoh’s hardening was part of that plot. The Bible tells us the plagues were aimed at Egypt’s gods—especially the last one, the death of the firstborn (Ex. 12:12; Num. 33:4), which turned out to be a direct assault on Pharaoh’s house: “At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of...
Welcome to Day 2675 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2675 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 77:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2675 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2675 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled Wrestling with Doubt, Anchored in Ancient Wonders - A Trek Through Psalm 77:1-12 Today, we begin a deeply personal and emotionally charged trek through Psalm 77 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its foundational verses, 1 through 12. Psalm 77, like many we’ve explored recently, is attributed to Asaph. But after the triumphant declarations of God’s ultimate judgment in Psalm 75, and the awe-inspiring celebration of God’s protective power in Psalm 76—where Jerusalem was defended and enemies shattered—Psalm 77 takes a sharp turn. It brings us back to the raw, intimate struggle of an individual soul wrestling with profound spiritual distress. This is not a national lament over a devastated Temple, but a personal cry from the depths of a troubled spirit, plagued by sleeplessness and agonizing questions about God's faithfulness. This psalm vividly captures the experience of spiritual darkness, where past blessings seem distant, and doubt whispers insidious questions about God's unchanging nature. Yet, it also provides a powerful pathway out of that darkness: by intentionally remembering and meditating on God's mighty acts and wonders from ancient times. It is a profound lesson in how to fight for our faith when our feelings betray us. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this raw, honest, and ultimately redemptive journey of faith. (Reads Psalm 77:1-6 NLT) I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in trouble, I sought the Lord. All night long I prayed with hands uplifted, but my soul refused to be comforted. I recall the days of my prosperity— but then I groan. I think of God, and I am troubled; I grow faint as I think about it. Interlude You have held my eyelids open; I am too distressed to speak. I keep thinking of the good old days, the long years of the past. I ponder my sad songs in the night. My heart questions in the darkness: Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist opens with an immediate and intense expression of distress, leaving no doubt about the depth of his anguish: "I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!" This isn't a polite prayer; it's a desperate, almost violent, cry. He is "shouting" to God, indicating extreme urgency and pain. The plea "Oh, that God would listen to me!" (literally, "My voice to God and He will give ear to me") highlights his desperate longing for divine attention, implying that he feels unheard or ignored. His distress drives him to seek the Lord, even through sleepless...
Welcome to Day 2674 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2674 – New Testament Orientation – “The General Letters of the New Testament” Putnam Church Message – 07/13/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 11: “The General Letters of the New Testament” Last week, we explored the "Christ, the Fulfillment of the Law" Core Verse: Galatians 2:16 (NLT) "Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God by faith in Christ and not by obeying the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law." This week is the eleventh of 12 messages in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we will learn: "The General Letters of the New Testament:” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT) 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”[b] Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we approach Your presence today with hearts full of anticipation. As we open the “General Letters” of the New Testament, we pray that Your Spirit would illuminate these precious words. May we, like the early believers, grasp our true identity as Your chosen people, a holy nation, called out of darkness into Your marvelous light. Grant us wisdom to understand these messages forged in the crucible of early Christian life, and empower us to live out the living hope that is ours in Jesus Christ. Amen. Introduction: Voices from the Scattered Flock This is our eleventh lesson in this New Testament Orientation series! We’re nearing the completion of our journey, and today we turn our attention to a collection of profound letters often called the "General Letters" or "Catholic Epistles." Unlike Paul's letters, which were typically addressed to specific churches or individuals, these are often broader in their intended audience, offering vital guidance to scattered communities of believers—both Jews and Gentiles—living throughout the Roman world. Our core verses from 1 Peter 2:9-10 beautifully capture the essence of what these letters emphasize: "But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 'Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy;...
Welcome to Day 2673 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2673 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 76:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2673 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2673 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: God's Triumphant Vindication – A Fortress Unconquerable: A Trek Through Psalm 76:1-12. Today, we embark on a truly triumphant trek through Psalm 76 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its foundational verses, 1 through 12. Psalm 76, another psalm attributed to Asaph, bursts forth with a powerful declaration of God’s awesome glory and His decisive victory over His enemies. Unlike the agonizing communal lament of Psalm 74, where the Temple lay in ruins and God seemed absent, or even Psalm 75, which proclaimed God's future judgment, Psalm 76 celebrates a past divine intervention, a resounding triumph where God Himself defended Jerusalem and shattered the might of those who defied Him. While the specific historical event is not named, many scholars believe this psalm likely celebrates a victory like God's miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian army under Sennacherib (as recounted in 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah 37). In that astounding event, 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were struck down by the angel of the Lord in a single night, without a single battle fought by human hands. This psalm captures the awe and gratitude of a people who witnessed God’s supernatural power turn the tide of war. It contrasts the fleeting glory and might of human kings with the enduring, terrifying power of the Almighty, who acts decisively to defend the humble and silence the proud. This psalm reminds us that our God is not only the ultimate Judge but also the invincible Defender of His people. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this hymn of triumph, recognizing the God who makes His dwelling a fortress and crushes all who oppose Him. (Reads Psalm 76:1-3 NLT) God is known in Judah; he is great in Israel. His Tabernacle is in Salem; he lives on Mount Zion. There he broke the flaming arrows, the shields, swords, and weapons of war. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with a declaration of God's renown and His chosen dwelling place: "God is known in Judah; he is great in Israel." This isn't a speculative statement; it's a confident affirmation. God's character and power are not hidden; they are clearly "known" and "great" throughout the lands of Judah and Israel. His deeds have made Him famous, undeniable. This sets a tone of certainty and assurance, immediately establishing God’s active presence and influence among His people. The reason for His renown is then specified: His presence in His sanctuary. "His Tabernacle is in Salem; he lives on Mount Zion." "Salem" is an ancient name for Jerusalem, and "Mount Zion" is the hill on which Jerusalem, and later the Temple, stood. The "Tabernacle" here refers to God's dwelling place, later formalized as the Temple. This emphasizes that God's presence is localized in...
Welcome to Day 2672 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2672 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 75:1-10– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2672 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2672 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: God, The Ultimate Judge – No Boasting Before Him - A Trek Through Psalm 75:1-10. Today, we embark on a powerful new trek through Psalm 75 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its foundational verses, 1 through 10. Psalm 75, like the last two psalms we explored, is also penned by Asaph, one of King David’s chief musicians. However, after the raw, desperate cries of Psalm 74—a communal lament over the utter devastation and desecration of the Temple, and a fervent plea for God to remember His covenant and His honor—Psalm 75 strikes a decidedly different and triumphant note. It’s a psalm of thanksgiving, yes, but also a bold proclamation of God's righteous judgment and absolute sovereignty. It addresses one of the most agonizing questions we face: why do the wicked often seem to get away with their wickedness, even prospering, while the righteous suffer? Asaph wrestled with this very question in Psalm 73, nearly losing his spiritual footing. Psalm 75 now provides God's definitive answer: He is the ultimate Judge. He sets the time, He determines who rises and who falls, and He will ensure that justice is served. This psalm is a direct, authoritative word from God that brings order and reassurance after the chaos and despair of the previous psalm. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this powerful declaration of God’s ultimate control, allowing its truth to anchor our trust in His perfect justice. (Reads Psalm 75:1-3 NLT) We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks, for you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds. "For at the time I appoint," says the Lord, "I will judge everyone fairly. The earth and its people tremble, but I keep its foundations firm." Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with an outpouring of thanksgiving, immediately countering the despair we felt in Psalm 74: "We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks, for you are near." The repetition of "We give thanks" emphasizes the depth and sincerity of their gratitude. This isn't a forced thanks; it's a genuine outpouring from a community that has experienced God’s presence despite deep suffering. The reason for their thanks is profound: "for you are near." This stands in stark contrast to the agonizing question in Psalm 74:1, "Why have you abandoned us forever?" The answer here is a resounding affirmation: God has not abandoned them; He is near, even in the midst of their trials. Because God is near and active, "People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds." This refers to God's miraculous acts of deliverance and His interventions in history. The community is now proclaiming God’s mighty works, indicating a renewed sense of His power and...
Welcome to Day 2671 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “The Word, the Name and the Angel.” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2671 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2671 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 6th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter six: “The Word, the Name and the Angel.” In the last chapter, we learned about the cosmic geography of the Bible. In response to human rebellion at the Tower of Babel, God forsook the nations. He assigned them to members of his heavenly council, the sons of God (Deut. 32:8-9). To replace the now-forsaken nations, he would create a new people, a nation of his own. They would be his agents to renew his kingdom on earth. But that task would prove to be an awful struggle, as the other gods and the people of their domains would become fierce enemies of Israel and God. God’s new people would begin with a man named Abram, whose name he would later change to Abraham. Soon after the judgment at Babel, God paid him a visit. Abraham Meets the Word. Most Christians are familiar with God’s visit to Abraham in Genesis 12. God tells Abraham to leave his home and go to a place he’s never seen. God promises to guide him. He tells Abraham he will be his God and gives him special covenant promises. He’ll enable Abraham and Sarah to have a son, though they are both elderly. From that son will come multitudes of people—people who will form the new earthly family of God. Through them, the nations will be blessed. We tend to think Abraham’s encounters with God were a voice from heaven or in Abraham’s head. Or perhaps God came in a dream. The Bible is clear that God did that sort of thing with the prophets and other people. But that isn’t what happened with Abraham. God did something more dramatic. He came as a man. He and Abraham talked face-to-face. We get a hint of this in Genesis 12:6-7. The Bible says God appeared to Abraham. Three chapters later, God appears again (Gen. 15:16). This time, God comes to Abraham as “the word of the Lord” in a vision. This wasn’t a voice in the head, since the “word” brought Abraham outside and showed him the stars to make the point that his offspring would be uncountable (Gen. 15:5). God appeared to Abraham as a man on other occasions (Gen. 18). He did the same to Isaac (Gen. 26:1–5), the son God had promised, and Jacob, the son of Isaac (Gen. 28:10–22; 31:11–12; 32:24–30). The “word” or voice of God as a way of expressing God in human form shows up in unexpected places. One of my favorite instances is found in 1 Samuel 3. The boy Samuel kept hearing a voice calling him at night while he was trying to sleep. Eventually, Eli, the priest with whom Samuel lived and for whom he worked, figured out it was God. In verse 10, God came back to Samuel: “The Lord came and stood there, and...
Welcome to Day 2670 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2670 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 74:18-23– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2670 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2670 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: God's Honor at Stake – A Final Plea for Justice - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 74:18-23 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the powerful, urgent conclusion of our trek through Psalm 74 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its final verses, 18 through 23. In our journey through Psalm 74, we have plunged deep into the raw agony of a communal lament. In verses 1-8, we witnessed a people devastated by the destruction and desecration of their beloved Temple, crying out, "O God, why have you abandoned us forever?" We saw the enemy's brutal rampage, their triumphant shouts echoing in the very sanctuary where God's praise once resonated, leaving behind only "perpetual ruins." Then, in verses 9-17, Asaph, the psalmist, voiced their spiritual desolation – the absence of prophetic signs, the agonizing uncertainty of "how long?" But he then masterfully pivoted, grounding his plea in God's unparalleled past acts of cosmic power. He reminded God of His eternal kingship, His splitting of the sea, His crushing of sea monsters, and His establishment of the very order of creation. The argument was clear: if God could do that in ancient times, He could surely intervene in this present crisis. Now, in these concluding verses, Asaph brings the full weight of their suffering and the enemy’s continued blasphemy to God’s attention, making a final, desperate appeal for God to rise up and contend for His own honor, His own cause, and His own downtrodden people. It's a prayer that implicitly asks: "If You don't act now, Lord, what will become of Your name and Your covenant?" Let’s immerse ourselves in this final, impassioned plea for divine intervention and ultimate vindication. (Reads Psalm 74:18-23 NLT) See how these fools insult you, Lord. How they blaspheme your name. Don’t let your dove be hunted by hawks. Don’t forget your downtrodden people forever. Remember your covenant, O Lord, for the dark places of the earth are full of violence. Don’t let the oppressed be humiliated; instead, let them praise your name. Arise, O God, and plead your cause! Remember how these fools insult you all day long. Don’t overlook the shouts of your enemies, which grow louder and louder. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist returns with searing intensity to the core offense that demands God’s attention: the enemy’s direct affront to God Himself. He pleads: "See how these fools insult you, Lord. How...
Welcome to Day 2664 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2669 – New Testament Orientation – “Christ, The Fulfillment of the Law” Putnam Church Message – 07/06/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 10: “Christ, the Fulfillment of the Law” Last week we explored “The Letters of Paul: God’s Design for a New Humanity.” Core Verses: Romans 1:16-17 (NLT) “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ, for it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is by faith that a righteous person will live.’” This week is the tenth of 12 messages in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we will learn: "Christ, the Fulfillment of the Law" Core Verse: Galatians 2:16 (NLT) "Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God by faith in Christ and not by obeying the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law." Opening Prayer Our Gracious Heavenly Father, we stand before You today, humbled by the depth of Your wisdom and the mystery of Your ways. As we delve into the intricate relationship between Your holy Law and the glorious Person of Jesus Christ, we pray for clarity of mind and open hearts. May Your Holy Spirit guide us to understand how Christ perfectly fulfilled Your purposes, shattering the barriers that separated humanity from Your presence and from one another. Transform our understanding, deepen our devotion, and empower us to live in the freedom and righteousness He secured. In the mighty name of Jesus, our Living Torah, we pray. Amen. Introduction: The Enduring Question of the Law We’ve navigated the Gospels, explored the explosive growth of the early church in Acts, and journeyed through Paul’s foundational letters. Today, we confront a topic that has puzzled, divided, and sometimes even hurt believers throughout history: the Law. For ancient Israelites, the Torah was a gift, a privilege, a source of joy and identity. As the psalmist declared, "Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long." (Psalm 119:97, NLT). So, if the Law was so good, what changed with the coming of Christ? Our core verse from Galatians 2:16 boldly states: "Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God by faith in Christ and not by obeying the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law." This statement, from a Jew who once fiercely kept the Law, demands our careful attention. How can something so celebrated in the Old Testament suddenly be portrayed in a way that suggests it cannot make one "right with God"? Today, we will explore three interconnected concepts that help us understand this profound shift: the "curse of the Law," the...
Welcome to Day 2668 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2668 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 74:9-17– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2668 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2668 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Remembering Ancient Wonders – A Plea for Present Deliverance - A Trek Through Psalm 74:9-17 Today, we continue our poignant trek through Psalm 74 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 9 through 17. In our last conversation, we plunged into the raw agony of communal lament found in Psalm 74:1-8. We experienced the profound despair of a people whose sacred Temple, the very dwelling place of God, lay in "perpetual ruins," desecrated by enemies who "shouted their victorious battle cries" where God's praise once resonated. We heard their desperate plea: "O God, why have you abandoned us forever?" as they wrestled with the unimaginable horror of God's apparent absence and the systematic destruction of their places of worship. The weight of their loss and the depth of the sacrilege were palpable. Now, as we move into this next section, the psalmist, Asaph, continues to voice their anguish, lamenting the continued mockery of the enemy and, crucially, the disheartening silence from heaven itself. But then, in a dramatic shift, he pivots to a powerful rhetorical strategy: he reminds God – and himself – of God’s awesome, unparalleled acts of cosmic power and historical deliverance in the ancient past. This becomes the foundation for his desperate plea for present intervention. It's a profound lesson in how to appeal to God's character and past faithfulness when facing seemingly insurmountable present crises. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this cry for divine memory and a demonstration of power. (Reads Psalm 74:9-11 NLT) We see no miraculous signs. There are no prophets among us. And who can tell us how long this will last? How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to mock you? Will they insult your name forever? Why do you hold back your strong right hand? Unleash your power and destroy them. Guthrie Chamberlain: The lament continues, but now it highlights a particularly agonizing aspect of their suffering: the spiritual silence and uncertainty. The psalmist cries: "We see no miraculous signs. There are no prophets among us. And who can tell us how long this will last?" In ancient Israel, God often communicated His will and demonstrated His presence through "miraculous signs" (Hebrew: otot), powerful demonstrations of His intervention, like those at the Exodus. He also spoke through "prophets," individuals who delivered direct messages from Him, offering guidance, warning, and comfort. To have no miraculous signs and no prophets was a profound crisis of spiritual guidance. It meant God seemed utterly silent, His presence hidden, and His will unknown. The most agonizing part was the unknown duration: "And...
Welcome to Day 2667 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2667 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 74:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2667 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2667 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Cry from the Ashes – When God Seems Absent - A Trek Through Psalm 74:1-8 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we shift our focus from a personal spiritual crisis to a national tragedy, as we begin our trek through Psalm 74 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its opening verses, 1 through 8. Psalm 74, like the Psalm 73 we just concluded, is attributed to Asaph, one of the chief musicians. However, the tone and context are dramatically different. While Psalm 73 wrestled with individual suffering and the prosperity of the wicked, Psalm 74 is a raw, agonizing communal lament, born from a devastating national catastrophe. Scholars generally believe this psalm was written in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, most likely by the Babylonians in 586 BC. For the ancient Israelites, the Temple was more than just a building. It was the physical dwelling place of God's presence, the center of their worship, their national identity, and the very symbol of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. Its destruction was an unimaginable horror, a theological crisis of monumental proportions. It wasn't just a military defeat; it felt like God Himself had abandoned them, allowing His sacred dwelling to be utterly desecrated. This psalm gives voice to the profound anguish, confusion, and desperate pleading of a people reeling from unspeakable loss and wondering if God has truly turned His back on them forever. It offers a powerful model for how to lament when tragedy strikes, and when God’s apparent silence is deafening. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this cry from the ashes, feeling the weight of their despair and the desperate longing for God to remember. (Reads Psalm 74:1-3 NLT) O God, why have you abandoned us forever? Why does your anger burn against your own sheep? Remember your people, whom you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession. Remember Mount Zion, where you live. Walk through these perpetual ruins, see the appalling destruction the enemy has done to your sanctuary. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with an immediate, piercing cry of abandonment: "O God, why have you abandoned us forever? Why does your anger burn against your own sheep?" This isn't a gentle query; it's a desperate, almost accusatory question hurled at God. The phrase "abandoned us forever" expresses profound despair and a fear of permanent divine rejection. This feeling of being utterly forsaken by God, especially after such a catastrophe, was a terrifying reality for them. The psalmist uses the intimate metaphor of "your own sheep" –
Welcome to Day 2666 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Cosmic Geography” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2666 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2666 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new focus on the 5th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter five: “Cosmic Geography.” The divine transgressions we looked at in the previous podcast had something in common. They were both supernatural rebellions aimed at co-opting God’s plan for humanity and the restoration of his rule. In this podcast we’ll look at another rebellion, one that originated with people. This rebellion produced a predicament that we’re all still part of, and that predicament involves supernatural beings. The titanic struggle for God’s restoration strategy took a turn for the worse that only the return of Jesus will finally resolve. The Tower of Babel The story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9) is simultaneously one of the best-known and least-understood accounts in the Bible. Children learn about it in Sunday school as the time when God confused earth’s human languages. After the flood, God repeated the command he’d given to Adam and Eve to cover the earth. He was trying to kick-start the spread of his ruling influence through humanity. Once again, it didn’t work. People refused. Rebellion in their hearts, they had a better idea, or so they thought. They decided to build a tower to avoid being scattered (Gen. 11:4). The logic seems odd. Sure, an amazing tower would make them famous (Gen. 11:4), but how would that prevent scattering across the earth? The answer lies in the tower. Bible scholars and archaeologists know ancient Babylon and cities around it built towers called ziggurats. The purpose of the ziggurats was to provide places where people could meet the gods. They were part of temple zones. Rather than make the world like Eden—to spread the knowledge and rule of God everywhere—the people wanted to bring God down at one spot. That wasn’t God’s plan, and he wasn’t pleased. Hence his statement—again to the members of his council—“Let us go down and mix up their language” (Gen. 11:7 gnt, emphasis added). God did so, and humanity was separated and scattered. The incident explains how the nations listed a chapter earlier in Genesis 10 came to be. That’s the story most Christians know. Now for the one they don’t. The Gods and Their Nations Genesis 11 isn’t the only passage that describes what happened at the Tower of Babel. Deuteronomy 32:8–9 describes it this way: When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. Some Bible translations have “sons of Israel” instead of “sons of God” in that first sentence. But Israel didn’t exist at the time of the Tower of Babel. God only called Abraham after Babel...
Welcome to Day 2665 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2665 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 73:21-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2665 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2665 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: From Bitterness to Brilliant Clarity - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 73:21-28 Today, we reach the powerful and transformative conclusion of our trek through Psalm 73 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 21 through 28. We’ve journeyed alongside Asaph, the psalmist, through his profound spiritual crisis. We heard his agonizing confession of almost stumbling, his feet nearly slipping, because he envied the apparent prosperity and carefree lives of the wicked. We saw his perplexity over his own suffering despite his efforts to live purely, and the immense burden this intellectual and spiritual dilemma placed upon him. Then, in our last trek, we witnessed the pivotal turning point: Asaph’s revelation in the sanctuary of God, where he gained divine insight into the wicked's true, terrifying, and sudden end. Their prosperity was but a fleeting dream, a fantasy soon to vanish. Now, as we delve into these final verses, we witness the glorious resolution of Asaph’s crisis. He moves from deep-seated bitterness and self-reproach for his foolishness to a profound affirmation of God’s constant presence, His guiding hand, and His ultimate value as his true strength and eternal portion. This is the heart of what it means to truly resolve doubt and re-center our lives on God’s unchanging truth. So, let's step into this moment of profound humility and renewed devotion, allowing Asaph’s journey to illuminate our own. (Reads Psalm 73:21-22 NLT) Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section with a stark and humbling confession, a moment of profound self-awareness that comes after his revelation in the sanctuary: "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside." The truth he had gained about the wicked's fleeting destiny didn't just resolve his intellectual confusion; it exposed the spiritual state of his own heart. "Bitter" (chametz) implies sourness, resentment, even fermented anger. His envy and questioning of God’s justice had poisoned his inner being, leaving him "all torn up inside" (literally, "pricked in my kidneys/inward parts," the seat of emotions and conscience in ancient thought). This signifies deep emotional pain and guilt over his misplaced focus. This realization leads to a confession of profound foolishness: "I was so foolish and ignorant—I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you." This is a powerful and humbling admission. "Foolish" (ba'ar) in biblical wisdom literature often refers to someone lacking moral discernment, acting without true understanding. "Ignorant" speaks to his inability to grasp God’s ways from a human perspective. The simile "like a senseless animal"...
Welcome to Day 2664 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2664 – New Testament Orientation – “The Letters of Paul: God’s Design for a New Humanity” Putnam Church Message – 06/29/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 9: “The Letters of Paul: God’s Design for a New Humanity” Last week, we had a wonderful missions focus with the Filsingers, and two weeks ago, we explored “The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel.” Core Verses: Acts 8:4 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. This week marks Message 9 of 12 in our New Testament Orientation, with the message title: “The Letters of Paul: God’s Design for a New Humanity.” Core Verses: Romans 1:16-17 (NLT) “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ, for it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is by faith that a righteous person will live.’” Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we come before You, grateful for the profound wisdom contained within the letters of Your servant, Paul. As we open these ancient texts today, we pray for Your Holy Spirit to illuminate our understanding. Help us to grasp the revolutionary truths Paul proclaimed—the Good News that powerfully unites Jew and Gentile in Christ. May these words challenge our assumptions, deepen our loyalty to Jesus, and embolden us to live as true members of Your diverse and glorious family. In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Messiah, we pray. Amen. Introduction: Paul’s Epistles – Shaping the New Israel Today, we embark on a swift but essential journey through the 13 letters attributed to the Apostle Paul. These are not merely theological treatises; they are living documents, forged in the crucible of real-life challenges faced by fledgling communities of believers—Jews and Gentiles—grappling with what it truly meant to follow Jesus as Lord. Our core verses from Romans 1:16-17 serve as a magnificent declaration of Paul’s unwavering conviction: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ, for it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is by faith that a righteous person will live.’” This statement,/from the longest and arguably most influential letter,/encapsulates the revolutionary message that pulsed through all of Paul’s writings. For the early believers, rooted in ancient Israelite culture, the concept of God’s “salvation” was deeply tied to joining the family of Abraham and to a covenant relationship with Yahweh, the one true God. It wasn’t primarily about an individual’s escape from hell, but about a transformation of identity and allegiance, leading to a new way of life under the kingship of Jesus. Paul’s letters systematically unpack how this new reality, initiated by Christ,...
Welcome to Day 2663 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2663 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 73:13-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2663 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2663 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled The Sanctuary's Clarity – From Perplexity to Profound Peace - A Trek Through Psalm 73:13-20 Today, we continue our deeply honest and transformative trek through Psalm 73 in the New Living Translation, covering verses 13 through 20. In our last conversation, we opened Psalm 73, penned by Asaph, and stepped into his profound spiritual crisis. We heard his agonizing confession: his feet almost slipped, he nearly stumbled from faith, because he envied the wicked. He vividly described their seemingly carefree lives – healthy, plump, free from the troubles of ordinary people, proudly draped in arrogance and violence, their greed knowing no bounds, openly scoffing at God himself. He saw how even others, disheartened, began to "drink in their words," questioning if God even knew what was happening. It was a raw, unfiltered expression of one of life's most perplexing mysteries: why do the ungodly prosper while the righteous suffer? Now, as we delve into this next section, we witness the turning point in Asaph's agonizing struggle. He recounts his despair over his own efforts to live righteously, but then, in a moment of divine clarity within God's sanctuary, his entire perspective shifts. He finally understands the true, terrifying end of the wicked, and his crisis of faith begins to resolve. Let’s immerse ourselves in this powerful transition from deep perplexity to profound revelation. (Reads Psalm 73:13-16 NLT) Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence? All I got was trouble all day long; every morning I was punished. If I had said, “I will talk like that,” I would have betrayed your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it was! Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph opens this section by articulating the painful conclusion he had drawn in his moments of doubt: "Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence?" This is the agonizing cry of someone who has genuinely striven for righteousness, who has sought to live a life pleasing to God. "Kept my heart pure" refers to internal integrity, sincere devotion, and freedom from malicious intent. To "wash my hands in innocence" was an ancient gesture signifying freedom from guilt or responsibility for wrongdoing (Psalm 26:6). He felt that his efforts were in vain, that his integrity was unrewarded. This is a common human experience when faced with apparent injustice – "What's the point of doing good if evil goes unpunished and even thrives?" This question strikes at the very heart of divine justice and the value of righteousness. His personal suffering...
Welcome to Day 2662 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2662 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 73:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2662 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2662 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Stumbling Block of Prosperity - A Trek Through Psalm 73:1-12 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and Today, we begin a deeply honest and challenging trek through Psalm 73 in the New Living Translation, starting with its opening verses, 1 through 12. Psalm 73 is penned by Asaph, one of the chief musicians and seers appointed by King David. Unlike many psalms that begin with an immediate cry for help or a declaration of praise, Psalm 73 opens with a profound struggle, a crisis of faith that many of us can intimately relate to. Asaph grapples with one of life’s most perplexing mysteries: why do the wicked often prosper, seemingly enjoying an easy life, while the righteous suffer? This question has troubled believers in every generation. In the ancient Israelite worldview, there was a strong emphasis on divine justice being dispensed in this life. Obedience to God was expected to bring blessing and prosperity, while wickedness would lead to suffering and misfortune. So, when a faithful servant like Asaph observed the opposite – the ungodly thriving without apparent consequence – it created a serious spiritual dilemma, shaking the very foundations of his faith. Let’s immerse ourselves in Asaph’s raw honesty as he confronts this agonizing truth and nearly loses his footing on the path of faith. (Reads Psalm 73:1-3 NLT) Truly God is good to Israel— to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me, I almost slipped; my feet were nearly gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph begins with a declaration that is simultaneously an affirmation and a struggle: “Truly God is good to Israel—to those whose hearts are pure.” On the surface, this sounds like a statement of unwavering faith. It’s a theological truth, a bedrock conviction for an Israelite. God is inherently good, and His goodness is particularly directed towards His covenant people, especially those whose hearts are “pure” or upright. This purity isn’t sinless perfection, but sincere devotion and integrity of intention towards God. However, the “But as for me” immediately introduces a stark contrast, revealing Asaph’s personal crisis: “But as for me, I almost slipped; my feet were nearly gone.” This is powerful imagery. Imagine walking on a treacherous path, perhaps a slippery incline or a narrow ledge. One false step, one moment of distraction, and you could fall completely, losing all your progress, perhaps even your life. Asaph’s faith was...
Welcome to Day 2661 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Divine Rebellions” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2661 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2661 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new focus on this 4th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book Supernatural, written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor, the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter two: ‘Divine Rebellions.’ I ended the previous Theology Thursday poscast with the thought that free will in the hands of imperfect beings, whether divine or human, can have disastrous results. That’s an understatement. Some catastrophes in the early chapters of the Bible, all of them involving both humans and supernatural beings, illustrate the point. Recall that God decided to share his authority with both divine beings in the supernatural realm and human beings on earth. That was the backdrop to God’s statement, “Let us make humankind in our image” (Gen. 1:26, emphasis added) and the fact that God then created humans in his image. Spiritual beings and humans are imagers of God. We share his authority and represent him as co-rulers. On one hand, that was a wonderful decision. Free will is part of being like God. We couldn’t be like him if we didn’t have it. Without free will, concepts like love and self-sacrifice die. If you are merely programmed to “love,” there is no decision in it. It isn’t real. Scripted words and acts aren’t genuine. Thinking about this takes me back to the last of the original Star Wars movies, The Return of the Jedi. The spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke his father, Darth Vader, “is more machine now than man.” And yet, in the end, we find that isn’t true. Vader saves Luke from the emperor at the cost of his own life. He wasn’t just a programmed machine. His decision came from the heart, his humanity—his own free will. But there’s a dark side to God’s decision. Granting intelligent beings freedom means they can and will make wrong choices or intentionally rebel. And that’s basically guaranteed to happen, since the only truly perfect being is God. He’s the only one he can really trust. This is why things could, and did, go wrong in Eden. Trouble in Paradise. Think about the setting in Eden. Adam and Eve aren’t alone. God is there with his council. Eden is the divine/human headquarters for “subduing” the rest of the earth (Gen. 1:26–28)—spreading the life of Eden to the rest of the planet. But at least one member of the council isn’t happy with God’s plans. Just as we saw in Genesis 1, there are hints in Genesis 3 that Eden is home to other divine beings. In verse 22, after Adam and Eve have sinned, God says: “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil” (emphasis added). That phrase is the same sort of signpost we saw in Genesis 1:26 (“our image”). We know the main character of Genesis 3, the Serpent, was not really a...
Welcome to Day 2660 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2660 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 72:15-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2660 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2660 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: An Eternal Legacy of Blessing and Glory - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 72:15-20 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we reach the glorious, overflowing conclusion of our trek through Psalm 72 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 15 through 20. This royal psalm has painted an extraordinary portrait of an ideal king – one whose reign is characterized by divine justice, righteousness, and profound compassion for the poor and oppressed. We’ve envisioned a rule as refreshing as rain, extending to the ends of the earth, where enemies submit, and distant nations bring tribute. Now, in these final verses, the psalmist adds to this grand vision, depicting the king’s enduring life, the boundless prosperity of his realm, the lasting renown of his name, and culminates in a magnificent doxology of praise to the God who makes all these wonders possible. This conclusion reinforces the prophetic nature of the psalm, pointing far beyond any earthly monarch to the eternal reign of the Messiah. It would have filled the ancient Israelites with an even deeper longing for that perfect kingdom, where God’s glory truly fills the whole earth. So, let’s allow our hearts to swell with hope as we immerse ourselves in these final words of aspiration and praise. (Reads Psalm 72:15-17 NLT) Long live the king! May he be given gold from Sheba. May prayers be offered for him continually, and may he be blessed all day long. May there be abundant grain throughout the land, even on the tops of the mountains. May the crops flourish like cedars of Lebanon and fill the cities like grass in a field. May the king’s name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. May all nations be blessed through him and proclaim him blessed. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm continues with a fervent wish for the king’s enduring life and prosperity: “Long live the king! May he be given gold from Sheba.” The exclamation “Long live the king!” (Hebrew: Yechi ha’melekh!) was a common acclamation, a fervent wish for a long and prosperous reign. The desire for “gold from Sheba” directly links back to the tribute from Sheba mentioned in previous verses (v. 10). Gold symbolized immense wealth and honor. This isn’t just about personal enrichment for the king; it’s an affirmation that his just and prosperous reign attracts such tribute, further validating his universal acceptance and the richness of his kingdom. But beyond material wealth, the psalmist desires spiritual blessing:...
Welcome to Day 2659 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2659 – Mission Sunday - Gilberto and Helen Filsinger Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2659 of our trek. The purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Each Tuesday, I will share the messages I have delivered at Putnam Congregational Church this year. This past Sunday was a special Mission Sunday, so the message today was presented by Gilberto and Helen Filsinger, who are missionaries to Brazil and are supported by our church. I pray it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement for you.
Welcome to Day 2658 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2658 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 72:6-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2658 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2658 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Reign Like Rain, A Compassion Unbound - A Trek Through Psalm 72:6-14 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we continue our majestic trek through Psalm 72 in the New Living Translation, delving deeper into its prophetic vision of an ideal king, covering verses 6 through 14. In our last trek, we began this royal psalm, a prayer for a king, which also serves as a profound prophecy of the Messiah’s righteous reign. We saw how the psalmist appealed to God to grant the king divine justice and righteousness, enabling him to rule impartially and, most importantly, to give justice to the poor. Now, as we move into this next section, the vision expands dramatically, detailing the pervasive blessing, universal dominion, and boundless compassion that characterize this ideal king’s rule. This psalm would have stirred the hearts of ancient Israelites with hope, painting a picture of a ruler truly aligned with God’s heart – a king whose reign brings flourishing to the land and protection to the vulnerable, extending his influence far beyond Israel’s borders. It points us forward to the ultimate King, Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies every aspiration of this prayer. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this beautiful portrayal of righteous kingship and consider its implications for a world longing for true peace and justice. (Reads Psalm 72:6-8 NLT) May the king’s rule be like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. May all the godly flourish during his reign; may there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more. May he rule from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins by describing the refreshing and life-giving nature of the king’s reign: “May the king’s rule be like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.” This is a powerful and deeply significant metaphor, especially in an ancient agrarian society in the Near East, where rain was absolutely essential for life and prosperity. Imagine a field of grass, freshly mown or parched from drought. When gentle, abundant rain falls upon it, it brings immediate refreshment, new growth, and renewed vitality. The king’s rule is envisioned not as a destructive flood or a harsh storm, but as life-giving rain – gentle, pervasive, and beneficial. It brings refreshment and renewal to the land and its people, fostering growth and flourishing. This signifies a reign that is benevolent, restorative, and brings true well-being to all it touches. The direct result of such a reign is flourishing: “May all the godly flourish during his reign; may there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.” “The godly” (or “righteous”) are those who align themselves with God’s ways, seeking to
Welcome to Day 2657 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2657 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 72:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2657 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2657 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Blueprint of Righteous Reign - A Trek Through Psalm 72:1-5. Today, we begin a new and majestic trek through Psalm 72 in the New Living Translation, starting with its foundational verses, 1-5. Psalm 72 is a unique and magnificent “royal psalm.” It’s a prayer for a king, often attributed to Solomon, or perhaps composed for his coronation. It paints a vivid portrait of an ideal king, one whose reign is characterized by justice, righteousness, and profound blessing, especially for the most vulnerable in society. While it speaks directly to an earthly monarch, its vision is so grand and perfect that many scholars also see it as a prophetic psalm, pointing forward to the ultimate, eternal reign of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies these ideals. In the ancient Israelite worldview, kingship was not just a political office; it was a divinely ordained role with immense moral and spiritual responsibilities. A king was God’s representative on earth, tasked with upholding God’s justice and righteousness among His people. When the king ruled justly, it was believed that God’s blessing would flow, bringing prosperity and peace to the entire nation. So, let’s immerse ourselves in this prayer for righteous governance and consider what it reveals about God’s heart for justice and His desire for truly benevolent leadership. (Reads Psalm 72:1-2 NLT) Give your justice to the king, O God, and your righteousness to the king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness; may he give justice to the poor. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with a direct appeal to God for the king: “Give your justice to the king, O God, and your righteousness to the king’s son.” This immediately establishes that the qualities of good governance do not originate with the king himself, but are gifts from God. “Justice” (mishpat) in the Hebrew worldview refers to fair judgment, upholding moral and legal order, and ensuring equitable treatment, especially for the disadvantaged. “Righteousness” (tsedeq) speaks to moral integrity, adherence to divine standards, and acting justly and fairly in all dealings. For the king to possess “God’s justice” and “God’s righteousness” meant that his rule would not be based on personal whim, political expediency, or self-interest, but on divine principles. He was to embody God’s own character in his leadership. The prayer is specifically for “the king” and “the king’s son,” highlighting the dynastic nature of kingship and the hope that these divine qualities would be passed down through generations, ensuring a legacy of righteous rule. This was crucial for stability and long-term blessing in a monarchical system. The purpose of these divine gifts is then clearly articulated: “May he judge your people with righteousness; may he give justice to the...
Welcome to Day 2656 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Once and Future Kings” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2656 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2656 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new focus on this 3rd of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book Supernatural, written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor, the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter two: ‘Once and Future Kings.’ We’ve had a brief introduction to God’s heavenly council—his unseen family and task force. There’s a lot more to all that—we need to look, especially, at how major players like Jesus and Satan fit into the picture. But before we return to what goes on in the unseen world, we need to think in a fresh way about ourselves. God’s rule in the unseen spiritual world through his council is a template for his rule on earth—what theologians call the kingdom of God. All of that began in Genesis, in the garden of Eden. Eden—God’s Home Office What’s the first thing you think of when you hear “garden of Eden”? Most people I’ve talked to think of Adam and Eve. Eden was their home. That’s where God put them (Gen. 2:15–25). But Eden was also God’s home. Ezekiel refers to Eden as “the garden of God” (Ezek. 28:13; 31:8–9). No surprise, really. What might be surprising is that, right after calling Eden “the garden of God,” Ezekiel calls it “the holy mountain of God” (v. 28:14). In many ancient religions, luxurious gardens and inaccessible mountains were considered the home of the gods. The Bible uses both descriptions for Eden. Eden was God’s home and, therefore, where he conducted business. It was his headquarters, or home office. And where God is, his council is with him. God’s Imagers One of the most important verses in the Bible tips us off that both God and his council were in Eden. In Genesis 1:26 God says, “Let us make humankind in our image” (leb, emphasis added). God announces his intention to a group. Who’s he talking to? His heavenly host—his council. He’s not talking to the other members of the Trinity, because God can’t know something they don’t! And here the group he’s addressing learns what God has decided to do. The announcement is easy to understand. It would be like me saying to some friends, “Let’s get pizza!” Let’s do this! Clear enough. But there’s something else we don’t want to miss. God actually doesn’t include the group in bringing about his decision. Unlike other divine council sessions we’ve seen, the members of God’s council don’t participate in this decision. When humankind is created in the next verse (Gen. 1:27), God is the only one creating. The creation of humanity is something God handled himself. Going back to my pizza analogy, if I followed my announcement by driving everyone to the pizza place and insisted on paying, I would be the one doing all the work. That’s what we see going on here. It makes sense that God would be the only one creating humans. The divine beings of his council don’t have that kind of...
Welcome to Day 2655 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2655 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 71:17-24 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2655 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2655 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Lifelong Testament to God’s Unending Faithfulness - A Trek Through Psalm 71:17-24. Today, we embark on a profound and deeply personal trek through the concluding verses of Psalm 71 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 17 through 24. Psalm 71 is a remarkable testament to lifelong faith, a prayer from an older individual who has weathered many storms and now, in their twilight years, continues to cling to God as their unshakeable refuge. We’ve already witnessed the psalmist’s raw vulnerability, his desperate pleas against abandonment in old age, and his unwavering trust in God amidst the malicious plots of his enemies. Now, in these final verses, the psalm culminates in a magnificent display of purpose, profound praise, and confident expectation of God’s ultimate vindication and restoration. This section beautifully encapsulates the essence of a life lived for God. It speaks to the vital role of passing on a spiritual legacy to future generations, to the unshakeable truth of God’s incomparable greatness, and to the triumphant, joyful response of a soul delivered from the deepest troubles. It’s a powerful and fitting conclusion to a psalm that began in such anguish, reminding us that God’s faithfulness endures through all seasons of life, leading ultimately to resounding praise. So, let’s open our hearts and minds to these final words of seasoned faith, allowing their wisdom to inspire our own journey. (Reads Psalm 71:17-18 NLT) O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I have constantly told others about your wonders. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins by casting his gaze backward, reflecting on the enduring influence of God in his life: “O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I have constantly told others about your wonders.” This is a profound acknowledgment of God as his lifelong mentor and guide. From his formative years, God has been the source of his wisdom and understanding, shaping his worldview and teaching him through both direct revelation and lived experience. This divine tutelage has not been a private affair. It has driven him to constantly share his experiences: he has “constantly told others about your wonders.” In ancient Israel, the oral tradition was crucial for preserving the nation’s spiritual heritage. Elders played a vital role in transmitting the stories of God’s mighty acts to the next generation, ensuring that His faithfulness would not be forgotten. The psalmist embodies this calling, living a life that is a continuous narrative of God’s miraculous interventions and awe-inspiring deeds. His life has been a...
Welcome to Day 2654 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2654 – New Testament Orientation – The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel Putnam Church Message – 06/15/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 8: “The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel” Last week, we explored ‘The Book of Acts: The Spirit’s Unstoppable Journey.’ Core Verses: Acts 1:8 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) This week marks Message 8 of 12 in our New Testament Orientation, with the message title: “The Interpretation and Proclamation of the Gospel.” Core Verses: Acts 8:4 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Opening Prayer Our Gracious Heavenly Father, we stand before You today, eager to delve into the profound truth of Your Word. As we continue our journey through the New Testament, we pray for Your Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds and hearts. Guide us, we pray, as we explore the vital task of interpreting and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. May Your truth transform our understanding and empower us to be faithful witnesses in our own generation,>just as those who first believed. In the mighty name of Jesus, our Messiah and Lord, we pray. Amen. Introduction: The Scattered Seeds of the Gospel We’ve journeyed through the Gospels, understanding Jesus’ message and His incredible victory, and last week, we explored the Book of Acts, witnessing the Holy Spirit’s powerful arrival and the revolutionary inclusion of Gentiles into God’s family. Today, we turn our attention to a critical question: How was this Good News, this “Gospel,” understood, interpreted, and then proclaimed in the earliest days of the church? Our core verse for today sets the stage: “But the believers who had been scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.” (Acts 8:4, NLT) This verse speaks of a scattering—a time of persecution that pushed believers out of Jerusalem—but it also speaks of an unstoppable proclamation. They weren’t just surviving; they were preaching. But what exactly were they preaching? What was the “Good News about Jesus” from their ancient Israelite and early Christian perspective? In our modern minds, the term “Gospel” often immediately brings to mind concepts such as “atonement,” “forgiveness of sins,” or “going to heaven.” While these are essential truths that flow from the Gospel,/they don’t fully capture the foundational message as the early believers understood and proclaimed it. For them, the Gospel was less about an individual’s destination after death and more about a divine kingdom that had decisively arrived on earth, bringing about a radical change in authority and allegiance, fulfilling centuries of Old Testament prophecies. 1. The Core of the Kerygma: Jesus as Messiah and Lord (Bulletin Insert)
The central message, or “Kerygma,” of...
Welcome to Day 2653 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2653 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 71:12-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2653 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2653 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Hope Amidst Hostility, Praise Without End - A Trek Through Psalm 71:12-16 as we continue our deeply personal trek through Psalm 71 in the New Living Translation. Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome to Wisdom-Trek, your guide for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we continue our deeply personal trek through Psalm 71 in the New Living Translation. We’ve already heard the psalmist, an older individual, express his lifelong trust in God as his unshakeable refuge, even as he faces the vulnerability of old age and the cruel mockery of his enemies. He shared his deep fear of being abandoned by God when his strength fails, and how his adversaries plot against him, falsely claiming that God has deserted him. Now, as we delve into verses 12 through 16, the psalmist’s plea intensifies, explicitly asking God to confront his foes, but then pivots to a renewed and powerful declaration of unending hope and boundless praise for God’s righteousness and salvation. This section highlights the dynamic nature of a lament psalm – moving from raw complaint to resolute faith. It underscores the psalmist’s conviction that God will indeed act, and that this divine intervention will not only bring justice to his enemies but will also become the very fuel for his continuous, overflowing praise. It’s a testament to the power of shifting our focus from the problem to the character of our delivering God. So, let’s immerse ourselves in these words, allowing their urgency and their resolute hope to resonate within our own hearts. (Reads Psalm 71:12-13 NLT) O God, do not abandon me now! Come quickly, my God, to help me. May those who slander me and try to destroy me be disgraced and humiliated. May those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and shame. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist opens this section by reiterating his most profound fear and his most urgent request: “O God, do not abandon me now! Come quickly, my God, to help me.” This echoes his earlier plea in verse 9, underscoring the persistent anxiety of being left alone and the immediate danger he faces. The urgency is palpable; he needs God to come swiftly, to act without delay, because his situation is critical. He addresses God intimately as “my God,” emphasizing the personal nature of their relationship and his absolute reliance on Him. This desperate call for help is immediately followed by a fervent prayer for justice against his enemies: “May those who slander me and try to destroy me be disgraced and humiliated. May those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and shame.” This is an imprecatory prayer, a call for divine retribution against those who maliciously seek his ruin. “Slander” here refers to false accusations and...
Welcome to Day 2652 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2652 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 71:7-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2652 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2652 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Public Spectacle, A Private Fear - A Trek Through Psalm 71:7-11 In our last conversation, we heard the psalmist, likely an older individual, express his lifelong trust in God, seeking refuge in Him as his unshakeable rock and fortress. He declared God as his hope from childhood, even from birth, and committed to shouting God’s praise forever. Now, as we move into verses 7 through 11, the psalmist reveals the painful reality of his present circumstances: he has become a public spectacle, and his enemies are taking advantage of his perceived weakness in old age, prompting a desperate plea to God not to abandon him. This section vividly portrays the vulnerability of the elderly in ancient societies, which were often reliant on family and community support. To be abandoned by God, or even to appear to be abandoned, was not just a spiritual crisis but a social and existential threat. This psalm gives voice to that deep fear and the malicious exploitation of such weakness by adversaries. It’s a powerful lesson in enduring faith, even when outward appearances suggest otherwise. So, let’s open our hearts and minds to these words of enduring trust amidst public scorn and private fear. (Reads Psalm 71:7-8 NLT) My life is an example to many, because you have been my strong refuge. That is why I can praise you always; I declare your glory all day long. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist opens this section with a striking self-assessment that appears, at first glance, to be a confident affirmation: “My life is an example to many, because you have been my strong refuge.” The Hebrew word translated “example” or “wonder” here (môp̄ēt) can also mean an “omen,” “sign,” or “prodigy.” In some contexts, it refers to something unusual or even ominous that people look at with curiosity or apprehension. Given the psalmist’s previous laments about disgrace and later verses about enemies plotting his downfall, his “example” is likely not one of triumphant strength in the eyes of his adversaries. Instead, it suggests that his suffering, his perceived weakness, and his enduring faith have made him an object of intense public scrutiny. People are watching him, perhaps wondering if God truly stands with him, especially in his old age. He is a “sign” to them, a living question mark that tests their understanding of divine justice and faithfulness. However, the psalmist immediately redefines this public perception through the lens of his faith: his life is an example to many, not because he is outwardly powerful or free from trouble, but “because you have been my strong refuge.” It is God’s unwavering faithfulness as his protector that makes his life a testament, even amidst his vulnerability. He is not defined by his public scorn or his age-related weakness, but by God’s consistent strength on his behalf.
Welcome to Day 2651 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “The Unseen Realm: God and the Gods” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2651 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2651 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new focus on this 2nd of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book Supernatural, written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor, the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter two: ‘The Unseen Realm: God and the Gods.’ People are fascinated by the supernatural and the superhuman. Just think about the entertainment industry in recent years. Thousands of books, television shows, and movies from the past decade have explored themes such as angels, aliens, monsters, demons, ghosts, witches, magic, vampires, werewolves, and superheroes. Many of Hollywood’s blockbuster franchises feature the supernatural: the X-Men, the Avengers, the Harry Potter series, Superman, and the Twilight Saga. Television shows like Fringe, and, of course, Supernatural and The X-Files, have dedicated followings even long after filming new episodes ends. And really, haven’t these things always been popular—in tales, in books, in art? Why? One answer is that they’re an escape from the ordinary. They offer us a world that’s more interesting and exciting than our own. There’s something about good versus evil, magnified on a cosmic scale, that thrills us. The epic struggle by the heroes of Middle-earth (Gandalf, Frodo, and company) against the Dark Lord Sauron in The Lord of the Rings trilogy has captivated readers (and now moviegoers) for over half a century now. The more otherworldly the villain, the more spectacular the triumph. On another level, people are drawn to other worlds because, as the book of Ecclesiastes puts it, God has “put eternity into [our] hearts” (Eccl. 3:11). There’s something about the human condition that longs for something beyond human experience—something divine. The Apostle Paul also wrote about this yearning. He taught that it comes from just being alive in the world God has made. The creation bears witness to a creator, and, therefore, to a realm beyond our own (Rom. 1:18–23). Paul said this impulse was so powerful that it had to be willfully suppressed (v. 18). And yet we don’t seem to think of the epic story of the Bible in the same way we think of our own tales of the supernatural in books, movies, and legend. There are reasons for that, and they go beyond the lack of special effects. For some, the Bible’s characters are too ordinary or grandfatherly. They don’t feel dynamic or heroic. After all, these are the same people and the same stories we’ve been hearing since Sunday school as kids. Then there’s the cultural barrier. It’s hard for us to identify with what seems like an endless parade of ancient shepherds and men wearing robes, like so many actors in your church’s nativity play. But I think an even bigger factor in why science fiction or supernatural fantasy captures our imagination more...
Welcome to Day 2650 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2650 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 71:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2650 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2650 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: A Lifelong Anchor - A Trek Through Psalm 71:1-6. We’re embarking on a deeply personal and encouraging journey through the opening verses of Psalm 71 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 71 is unique and poignant. It’s a prayer of an older individual, one who has walked with God for many years, faced numerous challenges, and now, in their later years, continues to trust implicitly in God’s unwavering faithfulness. It’s a powerful testimony to lifelong reliance on the Almighty, even when facing new adversaries and public scorn. The psalmist’s words resonate with anyone who has endured a long journey of faith, marked by both trials and triumphs. In ancient Israelite society, old age brought both respect and, at times, vulnerability. The psalmist here is likely experiencing the latter, facing enemies who perhaps see his age as a weakness. Yet, his response is not one of despair, but a confident appeal to the God he has known and trusted throughout his entire life. This psalm reminds us that God is not just a God for our youth or our crises, but a faithful companion and protector through every season of life, right into our twilight years. So, let’s open our hearts and minds to these words of seasoned faith, allowing their wisdom to anchor our own journey. (Reads Psalm 71:1-3 NLT) Lord, I come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Rescue me! Save me! For you are a righteous God. Turn your ear to listen and rescue me. Be my rock of refuge, a fortress where I can always find safety. For you are my rock and my fortress. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm begins with an immediate and urgent plea for divine protection: “Lord, I come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced.” This is the cry of someone under threat, facing a situation where his reputation, his dignity, and perhaps even his life are on the line. In ancient Israelite society, public “disgrace” or shame was a profound spiritual and social setback, often feared as much as, if not more than, physical harm. It implied that God had withdrawn His favor, leaving one vulnerable to contempt. The psalmist desperately wants to avoid this. His plea quickly intensifies: “Rescue me! Save me! For you are a righteous God. Turn your ear to listen and rescue me.” This is an almost breathless cry, a direct appeal to God’s character. He asks God to “rescue” and “save” him, not because of his own merit, but because God is a “righteous God.” This means God is just, faithful, and acts in accordance with His holy nature. His righteousness ensures that He will ultimately deliver those who trust in Him and deal justly with their adversaries. The repeated plea,...
Welcome to Day 2649 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2649 – New Testament Orientation – The Book of Acts: The Spirit's Unstoppable Journey Putnam Church Message – 06/08/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 7: The Book of Acts: The Spirit’s Unstoppable Journey. Last week, we explored: Jesus’ Message to Gentiles & Jews - the Cross Core Verses: Hebrews 3:1-2 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) This week is Messager: 7 of 12 Title: The Book of Acts: The Spirit’s Unstoppable Journey. Core Verses: Acts 1:8 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Today is Pentecost, 50 days after the Resurrection Sunday. On this day, many representatives of the Israelites who had been taken into exile in the Assyria and Babylonian empires were in Jerusalem. The countries mentioned are also very similar to the nations dispersed at the Tower of Babbel being reunited again. The dispersed nations were being reunited to begin the construction of God’s kingdom throughout the known world. As we get started this morning, let me set the stage by reading the account of Pentecost from Acts 2:1-12 On the day of Pentecost[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. The precursor to this passage is our core verse for today: Core Verses: Acts 1:8 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in...
Welcome to Day 2648 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2648 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 70:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2648 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2648 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled A Desperate Cry, A Swift Rescue - A Trek Through Psalm 70:1-5, and we’re embarking on a focused and incredibly urgent trek through the entirety of Psalm 70 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 70 is unique. It’s a very short psalm, only five verses, but its brevity only amplifies its intense plea. In fact, for those of you who are keen students of the Psalms, you might recognize these verses, as Psalm 70 is almost identical to Psalm 40, verses 13-17. The fact that the psalmist chose to extract and repeat this particular cry for help speaks volumes about the depth of his desperation and the urgency of his need. This psalm is a classic lament, a raw and immediate prayer when danger is imminent and divine intervention is urgently needed. It gives voice to that moment when you feel like you’re on the brink, and the only hope is a swift, powerful act from God Himself. In the ancient Israelite worldview, such direct, urgent pleas were not a sign of weak faith, but of profound trust in a God who hears and answers. So, let’s open our hearts and minds to this fervent prayer, allowing its urgency to resonate with any immediate needs or dangers you might be facing today. (Reads Psalm 70:1-3 NLT) Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me! May those who try to kill me be humiliated and disgraced. May those who delight in my troubles be turned back in shame. May those who slander me and say, “Aha! Look what happened to him!” be shocked and humiliated. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with an immediate and almost breathless cry: “Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me!” The Hebrew here conveys a sense of utmost urgency. It’s not a polite request; it’s an impassioned plea, a desperate gasp for air from someone who feels overwhelmed and in imminent danger. The repetition of “rescue me” and “help me” emphasizes the direness of the situation, while “come quickly” underscores the need for immediate, swift action from God. This is the prayer of someone who perceives their very life to be hanging by a thread. Think of a person caught in a raging current, nearing a waterfall. Their cry isn’t a measured theological statement; it’s an instinctive, desperate shout for help. Or imagine a soldier amid battle, surrounded by enemies, sending an urgent plea for reinforcements. The psalmist is in a spiritual battle for his life, and he needs God’s intervention now. The psalmist then turns his attention to his adversaries, expressing a desire for their humiliation and disgrace: “May those who try to kill me be humiliated and disgraced. May those who delight in my troubles be turned back in...
Welcome to Day 2647 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2647 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:34-36 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2647 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2647 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we reach the glorious crescendo, the triumphant conclusion of our long and deeply moving trek through Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. We began this journey immersed in the psalmist’s raw agony, feeling overwhelmed by literal and metaphorical floods, bearing the burden of unjust accusations, and suffering the bitter sting of mockery for his heartfelt devotion to God. We witnessed his persistent cry for God’s unfailing love and justice, even amidst the cruelest abandonment. Then, a turning point: a resolute commitment to praise God despite his pain, a declaration that heartfelt worship pleases God more than any sacrifice, and a confident assurance that God hears the needy. Now, in these final three verses, the focus expands dramatically. The psalmist moves beyond his personal deliverance to a sweeping, universal vision of praise and a powerful prophecy of God’s ultimate restoration of Zion and the enduring blessing of His people for generations to come. This is a common and powerful way many lament psalms conclude – transforming personal anguish into cosmic hope, reminding us that individual suffering is often woven into God’s grand redemptive tapestry. Let’s lift our gaze and our hearts as we read the final verses of Psalm 69, verses 34 through 36: (Reads Psalm 69:34-36 NLT) Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will rescue Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will settle there and take possession of it. The descendants of his servants will inherit the land, and those who love his name will live there in safety. Guthrie Chamberlain: What a magnificent, awe-inspiring declaration! The psalmist’s personal cry for help culminates in a universal call to worship: “Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.” This is a vision of cosmic praise, encompassing all of creation. It’s as if the relief and joy of anticipated deliverance are so immense that the psalmist cannot contain it, and he calls upon the entire created order to join him in praising the Almighty God. In the ancient Israelite worldview, the cosmos was a unified whole, and creation itself was often seen as testifying to the glory of its Creator. The “heavens” declared God’s glory (Psalm 19:1), and the “seas” were often depicted as powerful, chaotic forces subject only to God’s command. For all these elements – from the vastness of the cosmos to the teeming life within the oceans – to praise God signifies the absolute universality of His reign and the recognition of His ultimate triumph. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the call for “all the earth” to praise God that we saw in Psalm 66. It means that God’s glory will be so undeniable that His praise will resonate throughout every corner of existence. The reason for this universal praise is then revealed:
Welcome to Day 2646 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Believing the Bible”– Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2646 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2646 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new focus on the 1st of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book Supernatural, written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor, the late Dr. Michael S Heiser. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter one, ‘Believing the Bible.’ Do you really believe what the Bible says? To some, that may seem like an odd question to ask in a book likely to be read mostly by Christians. But I don’t think it’s so odd. The Bible has some pretty strange things in it—things that are hard to believe, especially in the modern world. I’m not talking about the big stuff, such as whether Jesus was God come to earth, who then died on the cross and rose from the dead. I’m not even thinking of miracle stories like the exodus, when God rescued Israel from Egypt by making a way for them through the Red Sea. Most Christians would say they believe those things. After all, if you don’t believe in God and Jesus, or that they could do miraculous things, what’s the point of saying you’re a Christian? I’m talking about the little-known supernatural stuff you run into occasionally when reading the Bible, but rarely hear about in church. Here’s an example. In 1 Kings 22, there’s a story about a wicked king of Israel, Ahab. He wants to join forces with the king of Judah to attack an enemy at a place called Ramoth-gilead. Judah’s king wants a glimpse into the future—he wants to know what’s going to happen if they attack. So the two kings ask Ahab’s prophets and get thumbs up all around. But those prophets are just telling Ahab what he wants to hear, and both kings know it. So they decide to ask God’s prophet, a fellow named Micaiah. What he says isn’t good news for Ahab: Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; and the Lord said, “Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?” And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, “I will entice him.” And the Lord said to him, “By what means?” And he said, “I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” And he said, “You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.” Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you. (1 Kings 22:19–23) Did you catch what the Bible’s asking you to believe? That God meets with a group of spirit beings to decide what happens on earth? Is that for real? Here’s another example, courtesy of Jude: And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day....
Welcome to Day 2645 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2645 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:29-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2645 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2645 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, today, we’re witnessing a remarkable turning point in our trek through Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. We’ve navigated the turbulent waters of the psalmist’s despair, heard his cries of being overwhelmed, unjustly accused, and deeply mocked. We’ve even explored the challenging territory of his imprecatory prayers for God’s justice upon his enemies. Now, as we arrive at verses 29 through 33, a profound shift occurs. Amidst his continued suffering, the psalmist’s spirit turns, and a note of confident hope and triumphant praise begins to emerge. This transformation from intense lament to declarations of praise is a common and powerful characteristic of many psalms. It’s a testament to the resilience of faith, the power of persistent prayer, and the unwavering conviction that God ultimately hears and responds to the cries of His people. This section also offers a profound insight into what truly pleases God – not merely ritual, but heartfelt worship, especially from a place of genuine need. Let’s allow the spirit of praise to uplift us as we delve into Psalm 69, starting with verses 29 through 30: (Reads Psalm 69:29-30 NLT) I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins by clearly stating his current reality, not sugarcoating it: “I am suffering and in pain.” He doesn’t deny his ongoing anguish, despite the turn towards hope. The depths of his distress are still very real. This authenticity is a hallmark of the psalms and a vital component of genuine faith. We don’t have to pretend everything is fine when it isn’t. God knows our pain, and the psalmist affirms that openly. Yet, immediately following this acknowledgment of pain, comes a renewed, direct plea for divine intervention: “Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.” He isn’t asking for just any help; he’s specifically appealing to God’s “saving power”—that same mighty power that delivered Israel from Egypt, that brought them through the wilderness, and that conquers all enemies. This shows his unshakable belief in God’s ability to deliver him, no matter how dire his circumstances. And then comes the incredible declaration of what his response will be once God acts: “Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.” This is a vow of praise. It’s a promise to publicly celebrate God’s deliverance. It’s not just an intellectual acknowledgment, but an emotional and communal expression. In the ancient Israelite context, singing was a fundamental expression of joy, praise, and corporate worship. To “praise God’s name with singing” means to celebrate His very character, His identity, His reputation. To “honor him with...
Welcome to Day 2644 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2644 – New Testament Orientation – Jesus' Message to Gentiles and Jews - the Cross Putnam Church Message – 06/01/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 6: “Jesus’ Message to Gentiles & Jews - the Cross” Last week, we explored The Four Gospels - Four Witnesses to the King Core Verses: Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) This week is Sermon: 6 of 12 Title: Jesus’ Message to Gentiles & Jews - the Cross Core Verses: Hebrews 3:1-2 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Core Verses: Hebrews 3:1-2 (NLT) “And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our faith. For he was faithful to God who appointed him, just as Moses had been faithful in all God’s house.” Opening Prayer Our Gracious and Holy Father, we come before You this day with hearts open and minds eager to receive Your truth. As we gather to explore the profound message of Your Son, Jesus, we pray that your Holy Spirit will illuminate our understanding. May we grasp the depth of His faithfulness, the power of His victory, and the boundless love extended to all—Jew and Gentile alike—through His sacrifice on the cross. Guide our thoughts, stir our spirits, and transform our lives, we pray, in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Introduction: The Unveiling of a King’s Message As we continue on this incredible journey through the New Testament! We are now in our sixth week, and today, we stand at a pivotal juncture, peering into the very heart of Jesus’ mission. If you could have walked up to Jesus, as many did, and asked, “What are you about? What is your core message?” what would He have said? Today, we will explore four crucial aspects of His message—ideas that might not always get the attention they deserve, but are foundational to understanding Jesus, His kingdom, and the radical inclusion He brought to all nations. We’ll speak of Jesus’ faithfulness, His decisive victory over demonic powers, the revolutionary relationship between Jew and Gentile forged in Him, and finally, the profound meaning of the cross. (Bulletin Insert) 1. Jesus’ Faithfulness: A Quiet Carpenter’s Perfect Obedience
Our journey begins with a look at Jesus’ faithfulness, a quality often overlooked amidst the dazzling miracles and powerful teachings. The writer of Hebrews—a sermon in itself—highlights this in our core verses today: “He was faithful to God who appointed him, just as Moses had been faithful in all God’s house” (Hebrews 3:2, NLT). Imagine Jesus, not as the public figure we know from His ministry, but as a young man in Nazareth. For nearly 30 years, He lived a quiet life as a carpenter, the son of a carpenter. There were no public miracles, no grand sermons, just the humble rhythm of daily life. And yet, when He emerges for His public baptism, the heavens declare, “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17, NLT). What was God pleased
Welcome to Day 2643 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2642 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2643 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2643 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, today we continue our journey into the raw and profoundly human expressions of Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. We’ve already spent time in the depths of the psalmist’s despair, hearing his cries of being overwhelmed by floodwaters of trouble, unjustly accused, and cruelly mocked even for his heartfelt devotion to God. He felt the pain of being abandoned, offered gall and vinegar instead of comfort. Now, as we move into verses 22 through 28, the tone shifts dramatically from lament to imprecation—a fervent prayer for God’s judgment upon his enemies. This section of Psalm 69, like other “imprecatory psalms,” can be challenging for us to understand from our modern perspective. It often seems to clash with the New Testament call to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. However, to truly grasp the wisdom here, we must understand the ancient Israelite worldview. These are not expressions of personal vengeance taken into human hands, but desperate cries for divine justice, handed over to God alone to execute. The psalmist is not acting as a judge; he is pleading with the ultimate Judge of all the earth to intervene where human justice has failed. Let’s lean in and explore these challenging yet truthful words, starting with Psalm 69, verses 22 through 24: (Reads Psalm 69:22-24 NLT) Let their bountiful table become a snare, and let their prosperity be a trap. Let their eyes go dim so they cannot see, and make their backs stoop forever. Pour out your fury on them; unleash your fierce anger. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins his imprecatory prayer with a plea for the very source of his enemies’ comfort and strength to become their downfall: “Let their bountiful table become a snare, and let their prosperity be a trap.” In ancient society, a “bountiful table” symbolized prosperity, security, and enjoyment of life. It was a place of feasting and conviviality. For this symbol of their well-being to become a “snare” or a “trap” means that what they enjoy and trust in will turn against them, leading to their capture or ruin. Their very success and abundance, gained perhaps through injustice and oppression, will become the instrument of their judgment. Imagine a predator setting a trap, using bait to lure its prey. The psalmist is asking God to turn the tables, to make the enemies’ own blessings the bait that leads them to their doom. This highlights the idea that their unjust prosperity is not a sign of God’s favor, but a temporary illusion that will ultimately ensnare them. The prayer then extends to physical and spiritual debilitation: “Let their eyes go dim so they cannot see, and make their backs stoop forever." “Dimmed eyes” could refer to physical blindness or, more powerfully, spiritual blindness – an inability...
Welcome to Day 2642 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2642 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:16-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2642 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2642 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, today we continue our deep dive into the raw, emotional depths of Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks, we’ve joined the psalmist in his desperate cry for help, feeling overwhelmed by literal and metaphorical floods. We’ve seen his anguish over unjust accusations and the profound pain of being mocked for his sincere devotion to God, even by his own family and the lowest members of society. Now, as we delve into verses 16 through 21, the psalmist intensifies his plea for divine compassion and vividly describes the cruel abandonment and bitter rejection he experiences in his suffering. This section is particularly poignant, capturing the essence of feeling utterly alone in a sea of hostility, desperately longing for God’s presence and comfort. While steeped in the ancient Israelite experience of shame and ostracization, these verses also carry a prophetic weight, foreshadowing the ultimate suffering and rejection of the Messiah. For our purposes today, we’ll focus on the psalmist’s immediate human anguish and his appeal to God’s merciful character. So, let’s open our hearts to these words of desperate appeal. (Reads Psalm 69:16-18 NLT) Answer me, Lord, for your unfailing love is good. In your great compassion, turn to me. Don’t turn away from me, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come and rescue me! Save me from all my enemies. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist’s plea begins with an urgent, direct appeal to God’s character: “Answer me, Lord, for your unfailing love is good. In your great compassion, turn to me.” Having laid bare the depth of his suffering and the injustice he faces, he doesn’t appeal to his own merit, but solely to God’s inherent goodness and mercy. “Unfailing love” (hesed) is that steadfast, covenant-keeping love, loyal and true, even when circumstances seem to contradict it. “Great compassion” speaks to God’s deep empathy and pity for those in distress. The psalmist is essentially saying, “God, because of who You are – because of Your good, unfailing love and Your great compassion – You must respond to me.” This appeal to God’s nature is a powerful lesson in prayer for us. When we feel overwhelmed, instead of focusing solely on the problem, we can anchor our prayers in the unchanging character of God – His love, His mercy, His power, His faithfulness. The urgency of his situation is palpable: “Don’t turn away from me, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.” To have God “turn away” would be the ultimate abandonment, a sign of divine displeasure or indifference. The psalmist desperately fears this. His distress is acute, his trouble immediate. He isn’t asking for a leisurely response; he needs God to act now. This urgency highlights the direness of his situation, where every...
Welcome to Day 2641 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Constantine, Conspiracy, and the Canon” – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2641 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2641 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 58th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Constantine, Conspiracy, and the Canon.” Dan Brown’s best-selling conspiratorial thriller The Da Vinci Code seems like ancient history now. At its peak of popularity, the novel set records both for sales and for irritating scholars with its view that Jesus and the 12 apostles held to gnostic heresies. The book’s bizarre plot focuses on Jesus’ bloodline extending through a child born by Mary Magdalene. Within that narrative. Brown asserts that the New Testament canon was determined by the Roman Emperor Constantine—who was not friendly to gnostic Christianity—at a time much later (fourth century AD) than any New Testament scholar would endorse. Unfortunately, this myth has since taken on a life of its own. The notion that Constantine decided which books should constitute the New Testament springs from the ancient Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea (AD 263-339). Eusebius reports that in a letter written in AD 331, the emperor instructed him to ... order fifty copies of the sacred Scriptures, the provision and use of which you know to be most needful for the instruction of the Church, to be written on prepared parchment in a legible manner, and in a convenient, portable form, by professional transcribers thoroughly practised in their art. This same Constantine had earlier convened the Council of Nicea (AD 325), famous for its focus on the full deity of Christ against Arianism, which taught that Jesus was a created being. Brown carelessly conflated the two events in The Da Vinci Code to put forth the preposterous idea that Constantine had decided at Nicea which books belonged in the New Testament. But can we be sure this didn’t happen? And if not, what exactly did Constantine demand in this letter? We can be certain that the Council of Nicea did not determine the books of the New Testament at Constantine’s request. The date of Eusebius’ correspondence tells us that Nicea did not consider the issue of the canon. Today, anyone can read the 20 decisions rendered at Nicea (coincidentally called “canons”).- None of them concerns the New Testament Scriptures. In addition, accounts of what happened at Nicea were described by several early church historians and theologians who lived at the time of the event or shortly thereafter. Their testimony is unanimous in opposition to the idea that Constantine...
Welcome to Day 2640 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2640 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:9-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2640 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2640 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our trek through the turbulent waters of Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. In our last trek, we entered the raw, desperate cry of the psalmist, who felt like he was drowning in troubles, overwhelmed by enemies, and unjustly accused. We witnessed his exhaustion, his tears, and his profound sense of betrayal, even by his own family. As we continue today, the psalmist reveals an even deeper layer to his suffering: his fervent devotion to God has become the very fuel for the scorn and mockery he endures. This particular section of Psalm 69 resonates deeply with the experiences of those who choose to live wholeheartedly for God, often encountering misunderstanding, ridicule, and even hostility from the world around them. For the ancient Israelite, public shame and social ostracization were profoundly painful. This psalm gives voice to that specific agony, while simultaneously offering a powerful example of persistent prayer even when faced with unimaginable contempt. So, open your hearts and minds as we immerse ourselves in Psalm 69, verses 9 through 15. (Reads Psalm 69:9-12 NLT) For passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. When I weep and humble myself with fasting, they scoff at me. When I wear sackcloth to show my sorrow, they make jokes about me. I am the favorite topic of town gossips, and drunkards sing taunts about me. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist immediately identifies the core reason for his suffering: “For passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” This is a powerful declaration of his fervent devotion to God and God’s dwelling place, likely referring to the Temple in Jerusalem. “Passion” or “zeal” for God’s house speaks to an intense, consuming commitment to God’s presence, His worship, and His honor. This kind of zeal means that God’s concerns become one’s own. In the ancient Israelite context, “God’s house” was the center of their spiritual life. To have zeal for it meant a deep love for God’s commandments, His presence, and His glory. This devotion wasn’t passive; it was active, causing the psalmist to prioritize God’s honor above his own comfort or reputation. The consequence? The “insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Because he identifies so strongly with God and His honor, the contempt directed at God is effectively aimed at him. He is bearing the reproach of God. This is a profound foreshadowing of Christ, for whom zeal for His Father’s house would indeed consume Him (John 2:17). The psalmist then details how his pious acts of devotion, intended to express humility and sorrow before God, have become targets of mockery: “When I weep and humble myself with fasting, they scoff at me. When I wear sackcloth to show...
Welcome to Day 2639 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2639 – New Testament Orientation – The Four Gospels - Four Witnesses to the King Putnam Church Message – 05/25/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 5: The Four Gospels Last week, we explored how Jesus appears in history outside the Bible. Our core verses were: Matthew 25:31-36 This week is Sermon: 5 of 12 Title: The Four Gospels - Four Witnesses to the King Core Verses: Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) (Opening Prayer) Heavenly Father, we gather today, much like those early followers of Jesus gathered centuries ago, to learn more about the one you sent into the world. We thank you for the collection of sacred writings we hold – this “biblos,” this library of books that tells your story and your plan. As we open the pages that tell the story of Jesus, the four Gospels, we pray for your Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds. Help us to hear these accounts not just as ancient history, but as living witnesses to your Son. Grant us eyes to see Him through the unique perspectives of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. May their words draw us closer to Jesus, deepening our faith and empowering us for the mission He has given us. In His name, we pray, Amen. (Introduction) We continue our journey through the New Testament with our fifth message, which turns our attention to the heart of this collection of writings: the Four Gospels. The word Bible, its original name, “biblos,” simply means “book” or “scroll.” It wasn’t initially a religious term, but it became the name for this unique collection of divine writings over time. The New Testament is a collection, not a single, continuous narrative written by one hand at one time, but a library. We have letters penned by apostles like Paul, a historical account of the early church’s actions (the Book of Acts), and then we have these four extraordinary books that stand at the beginning: the Gospels. What exactly are the Gospels? They aren’t typical letters like Paul wrote. They seem like histories, bio/graphical accounts, and maybe even theological treatises> in some sense. Unlike modern books with authors clearly listed on the cover, the Gospels are, strictly speaking, anonymous within their texts. Yet, from very early times, strong traditions connected these writings to specific individuals: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These weren’t random scribes but people closely linked to Jesus or His closest followers. These four distinct accounts of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection became foundational. Imagine being an Israelite or early Christian in the first century. You’ve heard stories about Jesus – perhaps you even saw Him, or have spoken to someone who did. Now, people are writing down these accounts. Why four? Why not just one definitive story? As we delve into Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we’ll see that while they tell the same core story, they each offer a unique portrait of Jesus, emphasizing different aspects of who He is and what He did. They are four witnesses, each highlighting the glorious King from a slightly different angle, tailored for different audiences and purposes within that burgeoning early faith community. Let’s explore these four unique yet harmonious voices. (Bulletin...
Welcome to Day 2638 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2638 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2638 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2638 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re embarking on a trek through a different kind of terrain – the deep, often turbulent waters of lament. We’re opening our Bibles to Psalm 69, starting with verses 1 through 8 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 69 is one of the Bible’s most poignant and powerful lament psalms. It’s a raw cry from a soul in deep distress, feeling overwhelmed by suffering, enemies, and profound reproach. While it speaks to the personal agony of the psalmist, often attributed to David, it is also a profoundly Messianic psalm, with many of its verses finding their ultimate fulfillment in the suffering of Jesus Christ. For our trek today, however, we’ll primarily focus on the psalmist’s immediate experience, allowing his desperate plea to resonate with our own moments of overwhelming hardship. Lament is a vital part of faith. It’s the language we use when life doesn’t make sense, when we feel abandoned, attacked, or misunderstood. The ancient Israelites understood this well; their psalms provided a divine vocabulary for every human emotion, including profound sorrow and confusion. This psalm offers us a sacred space to bring our deepest pain and rawest emotions before God. So, let’s immerse ourselves in the opening verses of Psalm 69. (Reads Psalm 69:1-4 NLT) Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am drowning in deep waters; the floods overwhelm me. I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is hoarse. My eyes are swollen red from weeping for my God. Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs on my head. These enemies who want to destroy me are powerful. They make me pay for crimes I didn’t commit. I am forced to return what I didn’t steal. Guthrie Chamberlain: What a visceral, immediate cry for help! The psalmist wastes no time in conveying the urgency and desperation of his situation. He uses powerful, evocative imagery of being consumed by water: “Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am drowning in deep waters; the floods overwhelm me.” This is more than just a metaphor for trouble; it speaks to a profound sense of being utterly submerged and losing control. In the ancient Near East, deep waters, floods, and mire often symbolized chaos, death, and overwhelming peril. When the psalmist says the waters are “up to my neck,” it means he is on the verge of suffocation, barely clinging to life. He’s not just in the water; he’s sinking into “mire,” thick mud that offers no solid ground, no hope of escape. He’s being “overwhelmed” – completely overcome and consumed by the torrents of his troubles. Have you ever felt like that? Like you’re sinking, unable to find firm ground, with the pressures of life threatening to swallow you
Welcome to Day 2637 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2637 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 68:28-35 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2637 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2637 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ve arrived at the triumphant conclusion of our trek through the powerful Psalm 68 in the New Living Translation. This psalm has taken us on an incredible journey, revealing God as the mighty Divine Warrior, the compassionate Defender of the vulnerable, the faithful Leader through the wilderness, and the triumphant King dwelling in Zion. Now, in these final verses, the psalmist brings these themes to a magnificent crescendo, focusing on God’s enduring strength, the future recognition of His sovereignty by all nations, and the ultimate source of power for His people. These verses offer a prophetic glimpse into a future where God’s glory is fully revealed and His reign is universally acknowledged. They would have filled the ancient Israelites with hope, reminding them of God’s ultimate plan amidst their present circumstances. Let’s conclude our exploration of Psalm 68 by reading verses 28 through 31: (Reads Psalm 68:28-31 NLT) Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past. The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem. Rebuke these enemy nations— these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war. Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bring tribute to God. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this concluding section with a powerful plea and affirmation: “Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.” This isn’t a request for God to somehow become more powerful; it’s a fervent prayer for Him to activate and demonstrate the immense power that is inherently His. The psalmist recalls God’s past acts of power – the Exodus, the victories in the wilderness, the scattering of enemies – and asks for that same mighty power to be openly displayed once again. It’s a prayer rooted in confidence in God’s unchanging nature and His historical faithfulness. This display of God’s power has a remarkable consequence, a vision of a future reality: “The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem.” In the ancient world, tribute was a sign of submission and recognition of a greater sovereign’s authority. Kings bringing tribute to Jerusalem, the site of God’s Temple and His dwelling place, signifies the acknowledgment of God’s supreme kingship by the rulers of the world. This was a truly audacious vision from an ancient Israelite perspective, given the power and arrogance of the empires that often dominated their world. It was a prophetic hope that one day, all earthly power wouldbow before the Almighty. The psalmist then calls for God to deal with persistent enemy nations, using vivid animal imagery: “Rebuke these enemy nations—these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.”
Welcome to Day 2636 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Perspective Changes Everything” – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2636 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2636 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 57th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Perspective Changes Everything.” Is the book of Revelation a linear chronology of distant future events? Or does the book describe the Roman persecution of Christians and Rome’s destruction of the temple—events that occurred in John's lifetime? The first view opts for a mid-AD 90s authorship (long after the temple was destroyed), the second supports a pre-AD 70s authorship (when the temple was still standing). Each of these readings is complicated by Revelation 11:1-2: Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty- two months." Taken literally, these verses indicate the Jerusalem temple still stands— apparent proof that Revelation was written before AD 70. If so, the idea that John is describing the Roman persecution and invasion—empowered by Satan and his hatred for the Church—must be valid. However, while the defense of this view takes this passage literally, most people who prefer to see Revelation written before AD 70 read the rest of Revelation symbolically, matching John’s descriptions to some feature of the Roman Empire and its caesars. Those who read Revelation in terms of distant future events often point to the mid-90s authorship. They prefer a symbolic reading of Revelation 11 —a departure from their preference for taking the rest of Revelation quite literally (even to the point of describing futuristic military weaponry in John’s visions). Who is the literalist now? It’s difficult to be consistent in the book of Revelation. The early church father Clement of Rome offers us clues for understanding how this passage might be understood. Clement wrote long after the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed, but he used the present tense when speaking of the temple (1 Clement 40-41). He does this to strike an analogy between the orderly worship of the temple in times past with a current concern about worship. The same may be true of Revelation 11:1-2. It’s not unusual for biblical writers to speak of a past event in language that sounds contemporary. In other words, the temple might be long gone, but references to it serve some other literary or theological purpose taking center stage in...
Welcome to Day 2635 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2635 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 68:21-27 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2635 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2635 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, continue our journey through the dynamic and multifaceted Psalm 68 in the New Living Translation. We’ve already seen God revealed as the powerful Divine Warrior, the compassionate Defender of the vulnerable, and the faithful Leader who guided Israel through the wilderness to His dwelling place in Zion. Now, as we move into verses 21 through 27, the psalm focuses on God’s decisive judgment against His enemies and the glorious, triumphant procession of His people entering His sanctuary. This section contains vivid and powerful language, reflecting the ancient Israelite understanding of divine justice and the consequences of opposing the Almighty. It’s a stark reminder that while God is merciful and compassionate, He is also just and will deal with wickedness. Yet, amidst the pronouncements of judgment, there is also the promise of restoration and a beautiful picture of the unity of God’s people in worship. Let’s delve into Psalm 68, starting with verses 21 through 23: (Reads Psalm 68:21-23 NLT) Surely God will shatter the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their guilty deeds. The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, that your foot may crush them in blood, and the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.” Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist opens this section with a strong declaration of God’s impending judgment: “Surely God will shatter the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their guilty deeds.” This is powerful, even confronting, language. In ancient warfare, striking the head symbolized a decisive and often fatal blow. The phrase “hairy crowns” might refer to the long, perhaps unkempt, hair of warriors from some enemy nations, or it could be a metaphor for their proud and untamed rebellion. Regardless of the specific imagery, the message is clear: God will utterly defeat those who are His adversaries, particularly those who “go on in their guilty deeds” – those who persistently and unrepentantly choose a path of wickedness and rebellion against Him. In the ancient Israelite worldview, God was seen as the ultimate source of justice. While they were called to seek justice in their own society, they also understood that there would be a time when God Himself would deal definitively with evil and those who actively opposed His righteous rule and harmed His people. This language, while strong, reflects that conviction – God will not allow wickedness to triumph indefinitely. Then, in verse 22, we hear a direct word from the Lord: “The Lord said, ‘I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea.’” This verse is rich with symbolic meaning. Bashan, known for its formidable mountains and strong inhabitants, represented a place of strength and perhaps a...
Welcome to Day 2634 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2634 – New Testament Orientation – The Jesus of History Putnam Church Message – 05/18/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 4: The Jesus of History Last week, we returned to the intertestamental period between the Old and New Testaments and explored The Culture and Cosmology of the Intertestamental Period. Our core verses for last week were Galatians 3:26-29. Verse 28 summarizes the message. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Today, we will explore how Jesus appears in history outside the Bible. Our core verses for today are: Matthew 25:31-36 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ (Opening Prayer) Heavenly Father, we gather once more, our hearts open to the enduring story of Jesus of Nazareth. We seek not just to remember him, but to truly understand him within the tapestry of his time. Expand our minds and hearts, Lord, as we delve deeper into the historical realities that shaped his earthly journey. May your Spirit illuminate the path of the Jesus of history, revealing the profound significance of his life for our faith today. It is in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. The Jesus of History (From the Perspective of Ancient Israelites and Early Christians): For generations, the whispers of the prophets had echoed in the synagogues and homes, foretelling the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One who would restore the fortunes of Israel. They clung tightly to these promises during times of both fleeting autonomy and prolonged subjugation under foreign powers. The anticipation was a constant hum beneath the surface of the Israelites daily lives, a yearning for the promised deliverer. Yet, when Jesus of Nazareth finally appeared, his presence and his message often defied the very expectations they had nurtured for centuries. (Connecting to Current Context): Consider the anticipation surrounding a significant historical event or the arrival of a long-awaited leader. We often build up a mental image, a set of expectations based on news, past experiences, and our own desires. Think of the fervor surrounding a new era, a revolutionary movement, or the promise of a technological breakthrough. We imagine a specific outcome, a particular way in which the change will manifest. When the reality unfolds, it can sometimes be surprising, even challenging, to reconcile our...
Welcome to Day 2633 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2633 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 68:15-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2633 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2633 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration of the majestic Psalm 68 in the New Living Translation. We’ve already witnessed God as the powerful Divine Warrior, scattering His enemies and bringing joy to the godly. We’ve journeyed with the Israelites through the wilderness, marveling at God’s leadership and provision. Now, as we reach verses 15 through 20, the psalm shifts its focus to God’s chosen dwelling place, His triumphant ascension, and His ultimate power over death itself. This section brings together the historical narrative of God’s dealings with Israel and a powerful preview of God’s ultimate victory and the blessings He bestows upon His people. It’s a passage that resonated deeply with the Israelites and holds profound meaning for us today. Let’s pick up our trek in Psalm 68, reading verses 15 through 17: (Reads Psalm 68:15-17 NLT) The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan. Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain God desired for his abode? The Lord will dwell there forever! God’s chariots are tens of thousands and thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them in the sanctuary as he was at Sinai. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins by referencing the “mountains of Bashan.” Bashan was a region known for its imposing, majestic mountains. They were geographically significant and perhaps viewed with a sense of awe or even pride by other nations. The psalmist acknowledges their grandeur but immediately contrasts them with another mountain – the one “God desired for his abode.” This mountain is, of course, Mount Zion in Jerusalem. From an ancient Israelite perspective, Mount Zion wasn’t as physically imposing as some other mountains in the region, including those in Bashan. Yet, its significance far surpassed any other peak because God had chosen it as His dwelling place. The psalmist’s question, “Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain God desired for his abode?” is a rhetorical one, highlighting the supreme honor and importance of Zion, not because of its natural features, but because of God’s presence there. In the ancient world, the dwelling place of a deity was central to the identity and security of a people. For the Israelites, the Temple on Mount Zion represented God’s tangible presence among them. It was the place where they could come to meet with Him, offer sacrifices, and seek His face. The declaration, “The Lord will dwell there forever!” underscored the permanence of God’s presence in Zion, offering a sense of stability and assurance in a world of shifting powers and temporary kingdoms. It was a powerful statement of God’s faithfulness to remain with His people. The psalmist then describes God’s arrival at His sanctuary in Zion in magnificent terms: “God’s chariots are tens of thousands and thousands upon thousands; the Lord...
Welcome to Day 2632 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2632 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 68:7-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2632 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2632 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration of the powerful Psalm 68 in the New Living Translation, picking up our trek in verse 7. In the opening verses, we encountered God as the mighty Divine Warrior before whom enemies scatter and the godly rejoice. Now, the psalmist takes us on a historical journey, recounting God’s powerful leadership of Israel from their deliverance in Egypt through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. This section is rich with imagery and speaks to God’s active presence and provision for His people throughout their history. Understanding this passage requires us to step back into the shoes of an ancient Israelite and appreciate the significance of the events being described. These were not just historical facts; they were foundational to their identity and their understanding of God’s character. Let’s begin our trek through Psalm 68, reading verses 7 through 10: (Reads Psalm 68:7-10 NLT) O God, when you led your people into battle, when you marched through the wastelands, Interlude the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You sent abundant showers, O God, to refresh the weary land. Your own people finally settled there, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins by recounting God’s leadership: “O God, when you led your people into battle, when you marched through the wastelands.” This isn’t a passive guiding from a distance; it’s an active, front-lines leadership. The image of God “marching through the wastelands” evokes the Israelites’ journey through the barren and dangerous wilderness after leaving Egypt. God Himself was their leader, present with them in the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22). They weren’t wandering aimlessly; they were on a divine march under the direct command and presence of God. The phrase “led your people into battle” reminds us that their journey was not without conflict; they faced enemies along the way, and God fought for them. The “Interlude” again gives us a moment to pause and consider the weight of God’s direct leadership in such challenging circumstances. When God marched, the earth responded: “the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before God, the God of Sinai.” This powerful imagery likely refers back to the dramatic events at Mount Sinai, where God descended to give the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19). The earth quaked, there was thunder and lightning, and thick clouds. The “heavens poured down rain” might be part of this fearful meteorological display accompanying God’s presence, or it could also anticipate God’s provision in the wilderness. The title “God of Sinai” specifically...
Welcome to Day 2631 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “666: What Theories Add Up?” – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2631 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2631 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 56th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “666: What Theories Add Up?.” If there’s one part of the Bible virtually everyone has heard of, it’s 666—the "number of Beast." And if there’s one thing no one can agree upon, it’s what that number stands for. We see 666 in Revelation 13:18: "let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666." The wording here is important: John tells readers that the number must be “calculated," which means there must be a hidden meaning behind it. But how do we calculate it? Calculating Symbolism One option for solving this biblical riddle is gematria, the idea that numbers have symbolic meaning. While some have called gematria a tool for speculation, it actually derives from an ancient convention in languages like Greek and Hebrew where letters of the alphabet are used to represent numbers. But gematria is not limited to just Revelation; the New Testament contains several other symbolic figures. The 153 fish of John 21:11 could be interpreted as ancient symbolism for the Church, the body of Christ, and the Old Testament sons of God as analogous to believers in the Church. The Greek word for "dove," like the dove that descends on Jesus at His baptism, has a numerical value equivalent to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, thus symbolizing the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8). Calculating 666 When it comes to 666, one gematria explanation is that the number represents Nero Caesar. The Greek Neron Kaisar adds up to 1,005, but when the name is transliterated into the Hebrew letters nrwn qsr, the sum is 666. Nero Caesar also would explain the variant number of the Beast (616) found in some New Testament manuscripts. Transliterating the Latin Nero Caesar into Hebrew, nrw qsr, yields 616, suggesting John may have been thinking of the well-known Nero Redivivus myth when writing about the Beast (i.e., that Nero would rise from the dead to destroy Christians). The gematria solution presents three major problems: It could be viewed as cheating with the spellings (the usual Hebrew spelling for Caesar is q’st, not qsr, although the qsr form does exist). It assumes that readers knew Hebrew well enough to do the transliteration from Greek back into...
Welcome to Day 2630 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2630 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 68:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2630 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2630 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re embarking on a powerful and vivid trek through the opening verses of Psalm 68 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 68 is a magnificent hymn, often associated with processions involving the Ark of the Covenant. It’s a celebration of God’s triumphant power, His leadership of His people, and His unique character as both a formidable warrior and a compassionate protector of the vulnerable. The imagery is strong, reflecting an ancient Israelite worldview where God was seen as actively involved in the battles and circumstances of His people. As we delve into verses 1 through 6, prepare to encounter a dynamic picture of God – one that might challenge our modern sensibilities but offers deep truths about His nature and His unwavering commitment to those who are His. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 68, verses 1 through 3: (Reads Psalm 68:1-3 NLT) Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Let those who hate him flee before him. As smoke is blown away by the wind, let them disappear. As wax melts in the fire, let the wicked perish at the sight of God. But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence and celebrate with joy. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm explodes with a dramatic call to action: “Let God arise!” This isn’t a suggestion that God is dormant or unaware. Instead, it’s an ancient liturgical or military cry, invoking God’s powerful presence and intervention. It echoes the words Moses would speak whenever the Ark of the Covenant set out during the Israelites’ wilderness journey: “Rise up, O Lord! Let your enemies be scattered!” (Numbers 10:35). The Ark symbolized God’s presence among His people, and this cry was a prayer for Him to go before them, clearing the way and defeating their foes. In the ancient Near East, the concept of a “divine warrior” was common. Many cultures had myths of their gods fighting battles, often against forces of chaos or other deities. However, the Israelite understanding of God as a divine warrior was distinct. Their God, Yahweh, was not one among many; He was the supreme and only God. His battles were fought not out of divine conflict among equals, but out of His sovereign power to defend His people and execute justice against wickedness and those who opposed His righteous rule. So, when the psalmist cries, “Let God arise,” he is calling upon the all-powerful God to manifest His presence and unleash His might against His adversaries. The immediate consequence is clear: “let his enemies be scattered. Let those who hate him flee before him.” This is a picture of utter rout and dispersal. When God acts, opposition crumbles. His enemies cannot stand against His power; they are compelled to scatter and flee in disarray. The psalmist uses two vivid similes to illustrate the complete destruction of the wicked in God’s...
Welcome to Day 2629 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2629 – New Testament Orientation – The Culture and Cosmology of the Intertestamental Period Putnam Church Message – 05/11/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 3: The Culture and Cosmology of the Intertestamental Period Last week, we had a dramatic reading covering ‘The Story of the New Testament,’ with Romans 5:8-11 as our core verses. The story of the New Testament can be summed up in verse 11. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends with God. Before we start today, I wanted to let you know that using the Hebrew name Yahweh for God and Yeshua for Jesus may have been somewhat confusing to some, as an attempt to put us into the mindset of an ancient Israelite. So today I will return to referring to the more familiar use of God and Jesus in the messages. Today, we will step back into the intertestamental period between the Old and New Testaments and explore The Culture and Cosmology of the Intertestamental Period. Our core verses for today are Galatians 3:26-29. Let’s read that passage now: 26 For you are all children[a] of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.[b] 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile,[c] slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children[d] of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. As we continue our journey through understanding the New Testament, we’ve established what these writings are – inspired, authoritative, and written in the common tongue for all to hear. We’ve seen that the New Testament isn’t a new, separate story, but the glorious continuation and fulfillment of the ancient narrative of God’s dealings with His creation and His people, Israel, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah, and His enthronement as Lord over all. We must pause before we move forward to the scrolls to Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth in two weeks. We need to understand the world into which Jesus came, the air people breathed, the ground they walked on, and the thoughts that filled their...
Welcome to Day 2628 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2628 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 67:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2628 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2628 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re embarking on a radiant trek through Psalm 67 in the New Living Translation. This psalm is a beautiful and concise prayer and song of praise, brimming with hope for God’s blessing to extend far beyond the borders of one nation and encompass the entire world. It’s a vision that was truly revolutionary in the ancient world, where most people believed in tribal or national gods. The Israelites, however, had a God whose plan from the beginning involved the blessing of all peoples on earth. Psalm 67 is closely linked to the ancient Aaronic blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26, a blessing that was a cornerstone of Israelite worship and a powerful declaration of God’s favor and protection. As we explore these verses, we’ll see how the psalmist expands on this priestly blessing, envisioning its impact reaching the farthest corners of the globe. Let’s begin our trek by reading the first two verses of Psalm 67: (Reads Psalm 67:1-2 NLT) May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us. Interlude May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with a prayer that would have been instantly recognizable to any Israelite: “May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us.” This echoes the ancient priestly blessing. “May God be merciful” acknowledges their dependence on God’s grace and compassion. It’s a recognition that any blessing they receive is not earned, but flows from God’s character. The phrase, “May his face smile with favor on us,” is a rich and powerful image in the ancient Near East. In many cultures, the king’s face symbolized his disposition towards his subjects. A frowning or hidden face could indicate displeasure or rejection, while a smiling or shining face conveyed favor, acceptance, and warmth. For God’s face to “smile with favor” on His people meant they were experiencing His approval, His presence, and His active goodness in their lives. It was a desire for tangible evidence of God’s blessing – prosperity, protection, peace, and fruitfulness. Think about the feeling of someone you admire deeply looking at you with warmth and approval. It’s uplifting, affirming, and empowering. How much more so is it when the Creator of the universe, the King of all kings, looks upon you with favor? For an Israelite, this was the ultimate source of security and well-being. The “Interlude” here, like the “Selah” in Psalm 66, likely indicates a pause for reflection or a musical transition. It’s a moment to absorb the weight of this prayer for divine blessing and favor. But the psalmist doesn’t stop with a prayer solely for the blessing of Israel. The very next verses reveal the profound purpose behind this request: “May your ways be known...
Welcome to Day 2627 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2627 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 66:16-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2627 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2627 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re on the final leg of our trek through the powerful Psalm 66 in the New Living Translation. We’ve joined the psalmist in calling all the earth to shout joyful praises to God for His awesome deeds and universal power. We’ve reflected on how God preserves and refines His people through trials, bringing them to a place of abundance. Now, in the concluding verses, the psalmist transitions to a deeply personal testimony, inviting others to hear what God has done for him. This shift from communal praise and historical reflection to individual experience is significant. It reminds us that while God works on a grand scale throughout history and for His entire people, He also intimately engages with each one of us. His power and faithfulness are not just abstract concepts; they are realities played out in the lives of ordinary individuals. Let’s delve into the final verses of Psalm 66, starting with verse 16: (Reads Psalm 66:16-18 NLT) Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I prayed. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist extends a personal invitation: “Come and listen, all you who fear God.” He’s not calling out to just anyone, but to those who already have a reverence and respect for God. This suggests that sharing our personal testimonies is often most impactful among fellow believers, those who can understand and appreciate the hand of God at work. He wants to “tell you what he did for me” – to share his story, his personal encounter with God’s power and grace. In ancient Israelite culture, sharing personal testimony was a vital part of communal worship and discipleship. It wasn’t about self-promotion, but about magnifying God and encouraging others in their faith. When someone experienced a significant deliverance or saw God answer a specific prayer, they would often publicly declare it, perhaps at the Temple, as a way of giving thanks and bearing witness to God’s faithfulness. Imagine gathering with others who also “fear God,” eager to hear how He has intervened in a fellow traveler’s life. These shared stories would strengthen their collective faith and remind them of God’s ever-present help. The psalmist recounts his prayer: “For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I prayed.” This paints a picture of a prayer offered in a time of need – a cry for help – but importantly, it was a prayer intertwined with praise. Even in the midst of difficulty, the psalmist maintained a heart of worship, acknowledging God’s character and past faithfulness even as he pleaded for intervention. This is a powerful model for our own prayer lives. Even when we are desperate for help, we can still find reasons to praise God for who He is, trusting in His good nature regardless of our circumstances. Then comes a profound...
Welcome to Day 2626 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Jesus, God, a.k.a., The Name” – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2626 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2626 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 55th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Jesus, God, a.k.a., The Name.” It only takes a few words to produce dramatic theology. In the short letter we know as 3 John, the apostle is writing to a beloved friend, Gaius (v. 1). He commends Gaius for ministering to fellow believers who were strangers because "they have gone out for the sake of the name" (v. 7). John doesn’t use the phrase "in Jesus’ name" or "the name of Jesus"; it’s simply, "for the sake of the name." Why this phrase? Is John trying to keep a secret? John isn’t trying to be cryptic. He’s actually drawing on an Old Testament expression. When understood in that original context—and the context of his other writings—‘ odd wording amounts to a powerful statement on the deity of Jesus. The Name in the Old Testament In Deuteronomy 12:5, God instructed the people of Israel that—when they got into the promised land—He would show them the place where they were to worship Him. God described that location as "the place that the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name." God wasn’t talking about writing His name on a town or a building. He was referring to where the tabernacle—and ultimately the temple—was to be stationed. But He wasn’t talking about writing "Yahweh" on that either. Nothing of the sort is ever recorded in Scripture. Rather, God was talking about the place where He would choose to meet Israel personally—His very presence. The description "the name" actually refers to the presence of God. This presence was at times visibly evident through the so-called "glory cloud" (e.g., 1 Kgs 8:10-11). At other times the name came in human form. For instance, in Exodus 23:20-23, God tells Moses that He is sending an angel to bring Israel to the promised land. God warned Moses that this angel would pardon no transgression since "My name is in him." We learn from Judges 2:1-5 that the angel did indeed lead them to the land. But how could God’s name be in an angel? The answer is that "the name" referred to the very presence of God—His essence. This is confirmed in Deuteronomy 4:3 7. Here, we read that—instead of the angel being credited as the one who would bring Israel to Canaan—it is God who brought them there "with his own presence." Jesus Has and Is the Name Before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prays: "I am no longer in the world, but they...
Welcome to Day 2625 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2625 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 66:8-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2625 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2625 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re continuing our exploration of Psalm 66 in the New Living Translation, picking up where we left off and delving into verses 8 through 15. In our last trek, we heard the psalmist’s exhilarating call for all the earth to shout joyful praises to God, acknowledging His awesome deeds and universal power. Now, the focus shifts slightly, moving from the broad scope of God’s global sovereignty to a more intimate look at His relationship with His people – how He preserves, tests, and ultimately delivers them. These verses speak to the sometimes challenging, yet always purposeful, path that God leads us on. They offer a perspective that would have resonated deeply with the Israelites, a nation whose history was a vivid tapestry of miraculous preservation and refining trials. As we journey through this passage, let’s consider what it meant to them, and what it means for us today on our own personal and collective wisdom treks. Let’s read Psalm 66, verses 8 through 12: (Reads Psalm 66:8-12 NLT) Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises. For he keeps us alive and prevents our feet from slipping. You, O God, have tested us, refining us like silver. You sent us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let our enemies trample over our heads. We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section by echoing the universal call to praise from the opening verses, but with a slightly different emphasis: “Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises.” The word “bless” here implies a deep sense of reverence and thankfulness, acknowledging God as the source of all goodness. It’s a call for a vocal, audible expression of this blessing – not a silent gratitude, but a declared praise that can be heard by others. The reason for this renewed call to praise is deeply personal and communal for the people of God: “For he keeps us alive and prevents our feet from slipping.” In the ancient world, life was often precarious. The threat of disease, famine, war, and natural disaster was ever-present. To be kept alive, to have one’s “soul in life” (as some translations render the Hebrew), was a profound blessing worthy of continuous praise. The imagery of “preventing our feet from slipping” speaks to God’s protection from stumbling, falling, or being utterly overthrown by the dangers that surrounded them. Think of trekking on a narrow, treacherous mountain path – one wrong step could be disastrous. The psalmist is praising God for being the sure ground beneath their feet, their stability in a shaky world. Then comes a remarkable and perhaps, to our modern ears, a challenging declaration: “You, O God, have tested us, refining us like silver.” This isn’t the voice of someone complaining about hardship; it’s the voice of someone who
Welcome to Day 2624 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2624 – New Testament Orientation – The Story of the New Testament Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2624 of our trek. The purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Each Tuesday, I will share the messages I have delivered at Putnam Congregational Church this year. This is the second of twelve messages covering a New Testament Orientation. Today’s messages are titled The Story of the New Testament. I pray it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement for you. Putnam Church Message – 05/04/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 2: The Story of the New Testament Last week, we discussed What is the New Testament and concluded that it is the collection of inspired writings in the common tongue, shared among us, and carrying divine authority. Today, we delve into the very heart of the story these writings tell in a message, ‘The Story of the New Testament,’ with Romans 5:8-11 as our core verses. Let’s read those verses to set the stage for our story today. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Since this is the story of the New Testament, I will present it as a dramatic reading. Let’s picture ourselves living towards the end of the first century, and I am a Rabbi who is a believer in Yeshua. I will tell you where this story is heading, because knowing the destination helps us make sense of the journey. (Blanket) It’s like looking at a woven tapestry – up close, you see individual threads, but when you step back, you see the magnificent pattern emerging. That pattern, that big story, is what gives meaning to all the individual threads. Let us begin with prayer, asking the God of the Story to open our ears and hearts to hear it truly. Opening Prayer: Eternal God, the God of Creation, the God of the Covenant, the God of our fathers! You are the Author of life, the Weaver of history, the Master Storyteller. From the beginning, You have been revealing Yourself to us; through the cosmos, You spread out like a tent, Through the whispers of the wind and the mighty roar of the sea, And most especially, through Your dealings with humanity, with our people Israel. As we explore this New Testament story, Challenge our assumptions, deepen our faith, and transform our lives. May we find our place within this divine drama, and live as loyal participants in Your unfolding plan. We ask all this in the name of Yeshua, the one who is the beginning and the end of this chapter, and the hope of the...
Welcome to Day 2623 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2623 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 66:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2623 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2623 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re lacing up our boots and setting out on a trek through the powerful opening verses of Psalm 66 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 66 is a magnificent call to worship, a global anthem acknowledging the awesome power and mighty acts of our God. It’s a psalm that would have resonated deeply with the ancient Israelites, a people whose history was marked by divine intervention and miraculous deliverance. As we explore these verses, let’s try to hear them through their ears, understanding the context of their world and the sheer wonder they experienced in the face of God’s power. We’ll be focusing on verses 1 through 7 today, breaking them down to uncover the rich layers of meaning they hold for us on our own wisdom trek. So, open your Bibles, or simply open your hearts and minds, as we begin our exploration. Let’s start with the first four verses of Psalm 66: (Reads Psalm 66:1-4 NLT) Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Make his praise glorious! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.” Selah. Guthrie Chamberlain: What a powerful opening! The very first word in the New Living Translation is “Shout!” This isn’t a polite suggestion to quietly contemplate. This is a command, a fervent exhortation for all the earth to erupt in joyful praise to God. Imagine the scene in ancient Israelite worship. While there were certainly moments of quiet reverence and personal prayer, there were also times of exuberant, even boisterous, celebration. The Hebrew word here for “shout” (rua’) is the same word used for a war cry, a signal of victory, or a trumpet blast announcing a significant event. It’s a sound intended to be loud, impactful, and undeniable. In the ancient world, many cultures attributed power to various gods associated with natural forces – the sun, the moon, storms, and rivers. Their worship often involved appeasement or manipulation of these deities. But the psalmist here calls for something entirely different. The call is to the one true God, the God of Israel, and the praise is not for abstract forces, but for concrete, “awesome deeds.” Think about that ancient context. The Israelites had witnessed God’s power in ways that would have been unimaginable to other nations. They saw the दस plagues fall upon Egypt, a direct challenge and defeat of the Egyptian pantheon. They saw the Red Sea parted, a divine act that demonstrated God’s absolute sovereignty over the most powerful natural elements – the very elements often deified by their neighbors. For them, “shouting joyful praises” wasn’t just an emotional release; it was a declaration of allegiance to the God who had demonstrated His power in undeniable ways, rescuing...
Welcome to Day 2622 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2622 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 65:1-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2622 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2622 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, it’s a privilege to explore Scripture with you, discovering truth that brings clarity, encouragement, and practical wisdom for everyday living. Today, our trek leads us into the rich, vibrant landscape of Psalm 65. This Psalm, authored by King David, is a beautiful and joyous hymn celebrating God’s incredible power, unfailing provision, and abundant blessings. Unlike many of David’s Psalms written during times of distress or hardship, Psalm 65 pours out joyful gratitude for God’s care, goodness, and creation’s splendor. Let’s journey through Psalm 65:1-13 from the New Living Translation, discovering the wisdom and wonder it holds for us today: Psalm 65:1-13 (NLT) 1 What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, 2 for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. 3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. 4 What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple. 5 You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas. 6 You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength. 7 You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations. 8 Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. 9 You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. 10 You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops. 11 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. 12 The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. 13 The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy! * Joyful Worship and Forgiveness (Verses 1-4)
David opens Psalm 65 with joyful worship and humble gratitude: “What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.” David vividly describes praise as something mighty and rightfully belonging to God. In ancient Israel, praise wasn’t just occasional—it was integral, woven deeply into daily life. David understands that when God faithfully answers...
Welcome to Day 2621 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Tough Love” – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2621 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2621 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 54th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Tough Love.” It’s a common myth that God will always bring us back to repentance. This myth is debunked in the first letter of John. While John writes that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), he also tells us that sometimes God never gives us another chance to confess our sins and be forgiven. In 1 John 5:16-17, the apostle gives us the other side of the sin-confession- forgiveness coin: If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. Put simply, there are sins that Christians commit that don’t lead to death— but there are some that do. Is John talking about a divine law of cause and effect, where a specific sin irrevocably results in death? Not exactly. We can be certain that John has no specific sin in mind because he never names a sin in this passage. John is saying there may come a time when God has had enough of our sin, and then our time on earth is up. We cannot know when such a time might come—so we shouldn’t be in the habit of sinning with impunity. John had actually seen this happen. In Acts 5:1-11, Luke relates the incident of Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to Peter (and to God) about the proceeds from a piece of property they had sold. They were under no obligation to give any of it to the church, but pretended that they had given all the money to the Lord’s work. When confronted by Peter, both of them collapsed and died on the spot. Luke writes that “great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things” (Acts 5:11). No kidding. No doubt this incident left an imprint on John’s mind. But John would have also known that there was Old Testament precedent for “sin unto death” as well. In Numbers 11, in response to the latest wave of complaining about their circumstances, the LORD sent the people of Israel meat to eat in the form of quails. “While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD
Welcome to Day 2620 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2620 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 64:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2620 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2620 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re exploring the Psalms—ancient prayers and songs filled with wisdom, hope, and practical guidance for everyday living. Today, we find ourselves in Psalm 64, a profound prayer written by King David during a time when hidden enemies surrounded him. David faced threats not just from swords and spears, but from deceptive words and hidden plots. In this Psalm, he honestly brings his fears before God, confidently trusting that God’s justice ultimately prevails. So, let’s explore Psalm 64:1-10 from the New Living Translation, carefully uncovering its wisdom verse by verse: Psalm 64:1-10 (NLT) 1 O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies’ threats. 2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. 5 They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. “Who will ever notice?” they ask. 6 As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!” Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning. 7 But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down. 8 Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. 9 Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does. 10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him. * An Honest Cry for Protection (Verses 1-2)
David begins Psalm 64 by honestly laying out his fears and frustrations to God: “O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies’ threats. Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.” Notice how openly David speaks to God. He doesn’t hide his feelings or pretend everything’s okay. Instead, he presents a genuine, straightforward plea. Ancient Israelites deeply understood the power and importance of honest prayer. Complaining here isn’t murmuring or grumbling—it’s openly sharing deep fears, pain, and injustices directly with God. David’s enemies threaten not just physical harm, but emotional and psychological torment through carefully orchestrated plots. He describes them vividly as “evil mob” and “gang of wrongdoers,” indicating organized, intentional attacks rather than random threats. Illustration: Imagine a peaceful community suddenly disturbed by an organized criminal gang secretly plotting harm. Fear and uncertainty fill the hearts of the community. David similarly experiences hidden threats and pleads with God for protection. * The Hidden Danger of Words (Verses 3-4)
Next, David highlights the destructive power of his enemies’ words: “They sharpen
Welcome to Day 2619 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2619 – New Testament Orientation - What is the New Testament? Putnam Church Message – 04/27/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 1: What Is the New Testament? Last week was our third and final Easter message about The Road to Jerusalem. We asked and answered the question, Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? This week, we will begin our twelve-week New Testament Orientation series. Our first lesson will be: What Is the New Testament? The core verse is: 2 Timothy 3:15-16 What is the New Testament? A Story from Our World Shalom, friends, and grace to you from the one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who has revealed Himself in the face of Yeshua, our Messiah! Think of our journey together in the Old Testament Orientation as walking a long, dusty road stretching centuries. We saw the mighty acts of God, the covenant made on Sinai, the struggles and triumphs of our ancestors, and the longing for a Messiah who would set things right. As we begin this New Testament Orientation, it is as if we have turned a corner on that road, and the landscape, while familiar in some ways, is also breathtakingly new. This is not a separate journey entirely, but rather, as some have rightly said, it is like entering the next chapter of the most important story ever told: the story of God’s relentless love and unfolding plan for humanity. Picture yourself as a Hebrew family when Yeshua, the Messiah, came. In our time, things are different than they were for Moses, David, or even the Prophet Malachi, whose voice was the last we heard before a long silence. We live under the watchful, often heavy, eye of Rome. Our world is connected in ways our ancestors could scarcely have imagined. Roman roads crisscross the land, and while they are built for legions and trade, they also carry whispers of a new movement, a new hope centered on Yeshua. Today, we ask a fundamental question: What is this “New Testament”? What are these new letters, these accounts of Yeshua’s life and teachings, these writings from the apostles that are now being read in our homes and our gatherings? To understand this, we must first understand how we, the people of this time – those of us steeped in the traditions of Israel and those who have come to faith from among the Gentiles – think about sacred writings and the very words of God. Let us open our hearts and minds, and let us pray. Opening Prayer: Gracious Spirit, the very breath of God, Who hovered over the waters at creation, Who inspired the prophets of old to speak Your truth, We pray that You would open our minds and hearts now. Quiet the anxious thoughts and the distractions of our busy lives. Help us to listen not just with our ears but with our souls. Illuminate these words and bring them to life within us. May they teach, challenge, correct, and train us in righteousness. May they make us wise for salvation through faith in Yeshua, the Messiah. We are like children learning a new song; help us to catch the tune. We are like travelers on a road, wondering where it leads; show us the way. Use this time, this message, to deepen our understanding, To strengthen our faith, and to draw us closer to Your...
Welcome to Day 2618 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2618 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 63:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2618 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2618 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our journey through the Psalms, ancient prayers, and songs that reveal deep insights about life, faith, and our relationship with God. Today, we arrive at Psalm 63—a passionate and vivid Psalm of longing, trust, and joyful praise. King David wrote this Psalm during a profoundly difficult period, hiding in the Judean wilderness, fleeing either King Saul or perhaps later from his own son, Absalom. Yet in these harsh conditions, David’s heart reveals a passionate hunger—not merely for relief or rescue, but for something far greater: an intimate and personal encounter with the living God. So, let’s embark on today’s journey into Psalm 63:1-11 from the New Living Translation, opening our hearts and minds to discover the wisdom within these verses: Psalm 63:1-11 (NLT) 1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. 9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. 10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced. * A Deep Spiritual Thirst (Verses 1-2)
David opens Psalm 63 by vividly expressing his deepest spiritual longing: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.” David begins with the deeply personal address: “O God, you are my God.” This isn’t merely a theological acknowledgment; it’s a passionate, personal declaration of relationship. In Hebrew culture, the phrase indicates covenant intimacy—a committed, deeply personal connection with God Himself. David’s physical surroundings in the Judean wilderness—harsh, dry, barren—mirror his spiritual thirst. He compares his inner longing for God to physical thirst in a parched desert. Ancient Israelites understood thirst profoundly—water was scarce, precious, and life-giving. David feels the same intense craving for God’s presence. Yet David also remembers vividly his past worship experiences. He recalls being in God’s sanctuary, where he experienced God’s powerful presence firsthand. These memories fuel...
Welcome to Day 2614 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2614 – The Road To Jerusalem: Why Are You Looking Among The Dead For Someone Who Is Alive? Putnam Church Message – 04/20/2025 Sermon Series: The Road to Jerusalem Message 3: Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? Last week, we explored The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. We answered the question, How do we respond to Jesus’ Triumphal Entry today? 1) Believe that Jesus is the Messiah. 2) Serve him as King. 3) Proclaim his praises. This week is the third and final Easter message about The Road to Jerusalem. Today, ask the question, Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? The passage we will cover today is Luke 24:1-12, pages 1642-1643 of your Pew Bibles. INTRODUCTION: Today is Easter, Resurrection Sunday. We have followed Jesus and his disciples on the road to Jerusalem in the last two weeks. Last week, we witnessed Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. But a lot happened in that one week between Palm Sunday and Easter, this week that we often call Holy Week. Let me recap the events of Holy Week for you. On Monday and Tuesday, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders escalated as he drove out the merchants in the Temple Court of Gentiles. On Wednesday, Judas met with the religious leaders and arranged for Jesus’ betrayal. On Thursday, Jesus met with his disciples in the Upper Room and shared the Last Supper with them. Later that night, Jesus was arrested while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Early Friday morning, Jesus was tried before Pilate and sentenced to death. By Friday evening, Jesus was crucified, dead and buried. Saturday was a Sabbath day of rest. And so, at last, we come to Sunday morning. Only seven days had passed since the triumphal entry, but so much had happened in between. Imagine how the disciples felt at this moment. They were in shock from the events of Thursday and Friday. They were in mourning over the death of their Lord and friend. And they were hiding in fear for their own lives. Jesus had warned them that the road to Jerusalem was the road to suffering and the cross, but somehow, they did not understand. But now Sunday morning had arrived, and everything was about to change. (Read Luke 24:5-8 and pray.) 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man[a] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” 8 Then they remembered that he had said this. OPENING PRAYER “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? (
Welcome to Day 2613 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2613 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 60:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2613 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2613 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll be your guide on this insightful journey through the timeless truths found in God’s Word. Together, we’ll explore the depths of Scripture to uncover wisdom for everyday life. It’s a joy to have you join me again today as we continue our meaningful journey through the Psalms. Today’s trek brings us to Psalm 60, a unique and powerful Psalm. Psalm 60 is intriguing because it addresses a time of national crisis in ancient Israel—a time when King David’s military campaigns faced unexpected setbacks, leaving Israel feeling vulnerable and abandoned. Yet even amidst these disappointments, Psalm 60 shows how the Israelites wrestled with their circumstances, honestly lamented their confusion, and ultimately placed their hope in God alone. Let’s journey together through Psalm 60:1-12 from the New Living Translation. Listen closely as we unpack its truths verse by verse: Psalm 60:1-12 (NLT) 1 You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses. You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor. 2 You have shaken our land and split it open. Seal the cracks, for the land trembles. 3 You have been very hard on us, making us drink wine that sent us reeling. 4 But you have raised a banner for those who fear you— a rallying point in the face of attack. 5 Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power. 6 God has promised this by his holiness: “I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth. 7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh, too. Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors, and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings. 8 But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia.” 9 Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom? 10 Have you rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march with our armies? 11 Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. 12 With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes. * A Heartfelt Lament: Feeling Abandoned (Verses 1-3)
David opens Psalm 60 with raw honesty about Israel’s crisis: “You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses. You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor. You have shaken our land and split it open. Seal the cracks, for the land trembles. You have been very hard on us, making us drink wine that sent us reeling.” These words capture the Israelites’ deep sense of abandonment and confusion. David and the nation experienced surprising military defeats—losses they never expected. Notice how directly David speaks to God—he does not soften his words or hide his pain. In the ancient Israelite worldview, national victories indicated God’s favor, while defeats suggested divine displeasure. David understands clearly that God has allowed these difficulties, yet he boldly asks God to restore them,...
Welcome to Day 2612 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2612 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 59:11-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2612 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2612 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll be your guide along the paths of wisdom and truth as we journey together through God’s Word, exploring its timeless insights for everyday life. It’s always a privilege to have you join me, and today, we’re continuing our exploration through Psalm 59, focusing specifically on verses 11 through 17. Psalm 59 is deeply personal—a powerful prayer penned by David when he faced terrifying danger from King Saul, who had sent men to assassinate him at his own home. David, hiding in fear, yet filled with confidence in God, offers profound lessons about dealing with opposition, injustice, and fear. Today, we explore how David’s prayer turns from urgency and fear toward deep trust, faith, and praise. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 59:11-17 from the New Living Translation: 11 Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield. 12 Because of the sinful things they say, because of the evil that is on their lips, let them be captured by their pride, their curses, and their lies. 13 Destroy them in your anger! Wipe them out completely! Then the whole world will know that God reigns in Israel. 14 My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. 15 They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied. 16 But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. 17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. * God’s Justice as a Teaching Moment (Verse 11)
David begins this section with an unusual prayer request: “Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield.” Here, David expresses a deep insight rooted in his concern for God’s people. He asks God not to immediately eliminate his enemies. Instead, David prays God would visibly demonstrate His power—humbling these proud enemies rather than instantly destroying them. Why this unusual request? Because David understood human nature profoundly. He knew immediate victory—quick removal of trouble—often led people to forget God’s intervention. David desires a deeper lesson: a visible display of God’s strength to remind everyone that God alone is protector and shield of Israel. In the ancient Israelite worldview, visible displays of God’s power were essential. They reinforced the people’s memory, reminding them to remain faithful to Yahweh. When God showed His mighty hand—like in Egypt during the Exodus or at the walls of Jericho—Israel remembered and trusted. David desires that same enduring lesson. Illustration: Consider a child who...
Welcome to Day 2611 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Jesus Is God: Jude and Peter Tell Me So.” - I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2611 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2611 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 52nd lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Jesus Is God: Jude and Peter Tell Me So.” The epistles of Peter and Jude are often overlooked in preaching and Bible study. Not only are they nestled among the more popular letters of Paul and the book of Revelation, but portions of these epistles sound odd to our modern sensibilities. That wasn’t the case in the first century. We can better grasp the meaning of these letters if we understand what they have in common with influential ancient Jewish and Christian writings that were circulating at the time. One of those literary works is known to us today as 1 Enoch, a book Peter and Jude draw upon in their letters. Jews and Christians of antiquity considered books such as 1 Enoch important resources for understanding biblical books and their theology. Peter and Jude were no exception. For example, Jude 14-15 draws directly from 1 Enoch. 1 Enoch 1:9 Behold, he comes with the myriads of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to destroy all the wicked, and to convict all flesh for all the wicked deeds that they have done, and the proud and hard words that wicked sinners spoke against him. Jude 14-15 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” All of the ideas found in 1 Enoch 1:9 can be found in three Old Testament passages (Jer 25:30-31; Isa 66:15-16; Zech 14:5). Rather than quote all three, Jude quotes the verse in 1 Enoch that combines them. But the real point of interest isn’t Jude’s succinctness; it’s his interpretation of 1 Enoch, as well as the Old Testament. In 1 Enoch 1:9 it is the “Great Holy One” (God) who is “coming with myriads of holy ones” from Sinai (1 Enoch 1:4) and who has promised to come to earth in the day of the Lord for final judgment. For Jude (as well as Mark and Paul; compare Mark 8:38; 1 Thess 3:13) this event is transformed into the return of Jesus Christ (Jude 17-18). By naming...
Welcome to Day 2610 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2610 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 59:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2610 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2610 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll be your guide on this exciting journey through the Scriptures, seeking timeless truths and practical wisdom for everyday living. Thank you for joining me again as we continue our exploration through the profound poetry, prayers, and songs found within the Book of Psalms. Today, we’re stepping into Psalm 59, a heartfelt plea written by David during one of his darkest and most fearful moments. Specifically, David wrote this Psalm when King Saul sent men to his house to assassinate him. Picture David hiding, watching through a window as powerful enemies close in, his life in immediate danger. Yet even in this terrifying moment, David turns confidently toward God. Let’s dive into Psalm 59:1-10, reading from the New Living Translation: 1 Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. 2 Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers. 3 They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord, though I have not sinned or offended them. 4 I have done nothing wrong, yet they prepare to attack me. Wake up! See what is happening and help me! 5 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, wake up and punish those hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors. 6 They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. 7 Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer. 8 But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations. 9 You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. 10 In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. * An Urgent Plea for Protection (Verses 1-2)
David begins Psalm 59 by urgently asking for God’s intervention and protection: “Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers.” Notice immediately the sense of urgency and seriousness in David’s prayer. He’s not exaggerating or speaking metaphorically—he literally faces death. King Saul, driven by envy and fear, sent his soldiers to kill David during the night. David’s cry is desperate yet focused entirely upon God’s power to deliver him. David calls his enemies “criminals” and “murderers,” emphasizing their injustice and violence. From an ancient Israelite perspective, killing someone innocent violated God’s sacred law. David highlights this injustice, confident that God—the righteous judge—will intervene. Illustration: Imagine waking in the night to find armed intruders circling your home, intent on taking your life. That fear and vulnerability perfectly capture David’s reality. His first instinct isn’t panic or despair, though; it’s immediate and...
Welcome to Day 2609 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2609 – The Road to Jerusalem: The Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem Putnam Church Message – 04/13/2025 Sermon Series: The Road to Jerusalem Message 2: The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem Last week, we explored Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning. It was about the parable of the Ten Servants and their investment in what the King had given them. This week is the second of three Easter messages about The Road to Jerusalem. Today, we will explore The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The passage we will cover today is Luke 19:28-40, pages 1631-1632 of your Pew Bibles. INTRODUCTION: Throughout the ministry of Jesus set his face towards his eventual arrival into Jerusalem. His disciples followed him as he walked the long road towards the cross, although they did not fully comprehend what Christ would have to go through./ It was on this day, what we call Palm Sunday, that he finally reached his goal. This is the week that Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to suffer and die for our sins. But you would hardly know it from the amazing reception he received as he entered the city. (Read Luke 19:36-38 and pray.) 36 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. 38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”[a] Opening Prayer This event we are looking at today in Jesus’ life is often called the Triumphal Entry. We all know the scene well: Jesus entering Jerusalem accompanied by waving palm branches, /cheering the crowds, /and great anticipation. If you were a visitor to Jerusalem on this day and were unfamiliar with Jesus’ life and teachings, you would probably be wondering what this was all about. Well, let’s take a closer look at this passage and find out for ourselves. There are three things we see happening in our passage this morning. First, Jesus presents himself as the Messiah./ Secondly, the people proclaim Jesus as the Messiah./ Finally, Jesus accepts their praise of him as Messiah. (Bulletin Insert) 1. Jesus presents himself as Messiah (28-34)
So, first of all, Jesus presents himself as Messiah. The Messiah was the coming Deliverer God had promised the Jewish people many years before. For much of the later part of the Old Testament and during the intertestamental period, the Israelites looked forward to the coming of Messiah. Messianic expectation ran high among the people of Jesus’ day. There were many false messiahs between the...
Welcome to Day 2608 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2608 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 58:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2608 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2608 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll be your companion and guide along the trails of life, exploring the timeless wisdom found in God’s Word. It’s such a privilege to have you join me again today as we continue trekking through the rich landscape of the Psalms. Our journey today brings us to Psalm 58—a passionate and vivid Psalm that directly confronts injustice, evil, and corruption. Penned by David, this Psalm boldly addresses human authorities and rulers who misuse their power, turning their backs on justice and righteousness. As we study this Psalm, we’ll discover deep insights about God’s unwavering justice, His response to evil, and our role in trusting His righteous judgment. Let’s start by reading Psalm 58:1-11 from the New Living Translation: 1 Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? 2 No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land. 3 These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way. 4 They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen, 5 ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play. 6 Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord! 7 May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands. 8 May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun. 9 God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats over burning thorns. 10 The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.” * Confronting Unjust Rulers (Verses 1-2)
David begins Psalm 58 by confronting corrupt leaders directly: “Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land.” Immediately, we sense David’s passionate outrage at injustice. He is specifically addressing those who had authority and responsibility—those who were supposed to uphold justice, fairness, and truth, yet instead plotted injustice and violence. From an Ancient Israelite perspective, rulers held great responsibility before God to administer justice impartially and compassionately. God’s law commanded rulers to defend the poor, protect the innocent, and uphold integrity. But here David calls them out for the opposite—abusing their power, spreading violence, and ignoring fairness completely. David’s words cut straight to the heart of the issue: justice is fundamentally a matter of character and integrity. These leaders, rather than using their authority to build up and bless, were corrupting society through their greed and...
Welcome to Day 2607 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2607 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 57:7-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2607 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2607 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll be your companion and guide along the trail of wisdom, encouragement, and truth, as we explore the riches of God’s Word together. Thank you for joining me once again as we continue our meaningful journey through the Psalms. Today, we’re concluding our exploration of Psalm 57, looking specifically at verses 7 through 11. Psalm 57 is a powerful prayer penned by David from the depths of a dark cave while fleeing King Saul’s relentless pursuit. Yet, despite being cornered and threatened, David’s words shift dramatically from fear to faith, from despair to praise, demonstrating profound confidence and joy in God. Let’s begin today by reading Psalm 57:7-11 from the New Living Translation: 7 My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! 8 Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. 9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. 10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth. * A Heart of Confidence and Praise (Verse 7)
David begins this concluding portion of Psalm 57 with profound confidence: “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” Notice David repeats, “My heart is confident,” emphasizing his unwavering trust and stability in God. His circumstances haven’t changed—he’s still hiding in a cave, still hunted, still facing imminent danger—but his heart has changed dramatically. Fear and uncertainty give way to unshakable confidence in God’s presence, protection, and promise. In ancient Israelite culture, the “heart” represented the center of thought, emotion, and spiritual life. When David says his heart is confident, he means that at his deepest core, he is secure in God’s promises, completely assured of God’s sovereign care. This internal assurance naturally produces praise: “No wonder I can sing your praises!” Praise, for David, isn’t forced or contrived; it’s the genuine overflow of his confident heart. Even in a cave—surrounded by darkness, isolation, and uncertainty—David’s soul is secure enough to rejoice. Illustration: Imagine an experienced sailor caught in a storm at sea. Waves crash violently, winds howl, yet he confidently steers his ship because he trusts his compass and his experience. Despite the chaos around him, he remains steady. David is like that sailor. His storm hasn’t subsided, yet he confidently steers his heart toward praise, trusting fully in God’s faithfulness. Application: When storms of life threaten you,...
Welcome to Day 2606 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Baptism as Spiritual Warfare. I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2606 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2606 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 51st lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Baptism as Spiritual Warfare.” The pastor had been preaching a series of messages through 1 Peter. When it was time for 1 Peter 3:14-22, he sincerely announced, “We’re going to skip this section since it’s just too strange.” He was right and wrong that day. As odd as it is, this passage is one of the most compelling in the New Testament —if you understand what it’s saying. But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. And now the antitype—that is, baptism—saves you, not be means of a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience on the basis of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. The theme of 1 Peter is that Christians must withstand persecution and persevere in their faith. To understand how our odd passage fits with that theme, we need to get our heads around the concept of “types” and typology —a kind of prophecy that occurs in the Bible. We’re most familiar with prophecies directly from the mouth of a prophet. But a “type” is an unspoken prophecy; it is an event, person, or institution that foreshadows something that will come. For example, Paul tells us that Adam was a type of Christ. He foreshadowed or echoed something about Jesus, namely that His work on the cross would affect all people just as Adam’s disobedience had a global effect (Rom 5:14)....
Welcome to Day 2605 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2605 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 57:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2605 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2605 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you through the Scriptures, exploring ancient wisdom for our daily lives. I’m so glad you’re joining me today on our journey as we continue our trek through the Psalms—poetic expressions that reveal deep truths, powerful emotions, and a profound trust in God’s faithful care. Today, we begin an exploration of Psalm 57, focusing specifically on verses 1 through 6. Psalm 57 is a remarkable Psalm, written by David during one of the most perilous and uncertain times of his life. Hiding from King Saul in a cave, David felt surrounded, vulnerable, and in imminent danger. Yet even amid fear and uncertainty, David turns to God, expressing unwavering confidence in His protection, mercy, and faithfulness. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 57:1-6 from the New Living Translation: 1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. 3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. 4 I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey— whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth. 6 My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. * Seeking Shelter Under God’s Wings (Verse 1)
David begins this Psalm with an urgent, heartfelt plea: “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.” Notice the repetition, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!” This reveals David’s desperation and urgency. He isn’t casually praying—he’s pleading deeply for God’s mercy, help, and protection. David’s imagery of hiding “beneath the shadow of your wings” is powerful and deeply comforting. This image would have resonated strongly with the ancient Israelites, who often used the metaphor of God’s protective wings. It pictures God as a compassionate parent—like a mother bird sheltering vulnerable chicks under her wings from danger, predators, or harsh weather. David doesn’t deny the reality of his danger; he fully acknowledges it. Yet even as he hides physically in a cave from Saul, spiritually and emotionally, he hides himself within God’s presence—knowing true protection comes not from stone walls but from the Almighty God. Illustration: Imagine a mother eagle perched high on a mountain ledge, wings spread wide to shelter her young from storm and danger. Those baby...
Welcome to Day 2604 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2604 – The Road to Jerusalem: Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning Putnam Church Message – 04/06/2025 Sermon Series: The Road to Jerusalem Message 1: Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning? Last week, we finalized our Old Testament Orientation series. Our focus was on What We Know: Preparing for the New Testament. We wrapped up with a complete overview of the series. This week is the first of three Easter messages about The Road to Jerusalem. Today, we will explore Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning? The passage we will be covering today is Luke 19:11-27. This is the Parable of the Ten Servants. Opening Prayer Let’s start by reading verses 11-13: 11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin immediately. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver,[a] saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ Introduction There is a sense of excitement when you get close to reaching your destination. Whether you are traveling by car and you see the city limits sign, or traveling by air and the airplane begins its descent, or traveling by boat and you sight land in the distance: whatever your mode of travel, it always feels good when you reach the end. No matter how long the trip is or how tired you are or worn out from the road, your adrenaline kicks in, and you experience a lift as you near your destination. That is how the disciples must have felt in today’s passage. For over three years now, they have been following Jesus. For six months, they have been heading towards Jerusalem. Now, at last, they were near Jerusalem. They were in Jericho, only seventeen miles away. The end of the road was in sight. During this time, the disciples have come to understand that Jesus is the Messiah, that he is the Promised One, the Great Deliverer prophesied about in the Scriptures. He is the One who God sent to deliver his people. The crowds are swelling, more and more disciples are joining the band, and now they are heading to Jerusalem, the Holy City, with Jesus the Messiah in their midst. Talk about excitement growing as you near your destination! But this is more than just an adrenaline boost at the end of a journey. In all their excitement and enthusiasm, the disciples fully believe that the kingdom of God is about to come immediately. They believe Jesus will enter Jerusalem and take his rightful place as King. They have seen his power and his miracles. They know that he is well able to deliver them from the Romans. The people are already rallying to his side, and they expect nothing less than complete liberation from their enemies. Jesus...
Welcome to Day 2603 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2603 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 56:8-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2603 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2603 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you along the path of wisdom, encouragement, and strength as we journey together through God’s Word. Thank you again for joining me as we continue exploring the Psalms—rich in wisdom, authenticity, and hope. Today, we’re completing our exploration of Psalm 56 by focusing specifically on verses 8 through 13. Psalm 56 is one of those deeply personal Psalms written by King David in a time of great fear and vulnerability. Captured by enemies in Gath, David faced overwhelming danger, yet his honest emotions and unwavering faith in God provide profound insight into how we can respond to fear, pain, and uncertainty today. Let’s start by reading Psalm 56:8-13 from the New Living Translation: 8 You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. 9 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! 10 I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. 11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? 12 I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. 13 For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light. * God’s Tender Compassion (Verse 8)
David begins this section with a beautiful and comforting image of God’s intimate care: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” This verse is profoundly moving and deeply comforting. David vividly portrays God not as a distant observer but as intimately involved in every detail of our lives. He uses poetic language, reflecting an ancient custom where mourners collected tears in small bottles as a way of remembering their grief. David imagines God doing this very thing—not literally, of course, but symbolically. It shows that God sees, understands, and values our deepest pain. In ancient Israelite culture, recording important events in a book signified permanence, remembrance, and value. David applies this practice metaphorically, affirming God’s close attention to our grief and struggles. Every tear is remembered, every sorrow acknowledged. This reveals God’s profound compassion and care. Illustration: Imagine a loving parent comforting a crying child after a painful experience. The parent carefully wipes each tear, holding the child close. Though tears themselves evaporate quickly, the child’s emotional pain is remembered, comforted, and cared for by the parent. David’s imagery suggests the same profound, intimate care from God. Application: Have you ever felt your struggles or sorrows were unseen or...
Welcome to Day 2602 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2602 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 56:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2602 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2602 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you as we journey together through God’s Word, discovering truth, encouragement, and practical wisdom for everyday life. Thanks for joining me on today’s trek. We continue our adventure through the Psalms, stepping into the powerful and emotional Psalm 56. Today, we’re looking specifically at verses 1 through 7. In this Psalm, we find David in a time of deep fear and distress, yet even in the middle of those emotions, he vividly shows us how faith and trust in God overcome even our greatest anxieties. Psalm 56 is a prayer for help, written by David during one of the most challenging moments in his life—when he was captured by the Philistines in the city of Gath. Facing very real enemies and intense fear, David turns his eyes upward, anchoring himself in God’s protection. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 56:1-7 from the New Living Translation: 1 O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. 2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. 3 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? 5 They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me. 6 They come together to spy on me— watching my every step, eager to kill me. 7 Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down. * David’s Cry for Mercy Amid Threats (Verses 1-2)
Psalm 56 begins with David’s earnest plea for mercy and help: “O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.” These opening verses powerfully express David’s distress. Notice the repetition—“hounding me," “attack me," “constantly hounded,” and “boldly attacking me.” David is clearly overwhelmed, surrounded, and relentlessly pursued. To fully grasp David’s emotional state, we must remember his situation historically. At the time he penned Psalm 56, David was fleeing King Saul, who was obsessed with killing him. Ironically, David ran to Gath—home of his greatest enemy, the Philistines—hoping for refuge. But instead, he was seized by King Achish’s servants, who remembered vividly that David had previously slain Goliath, their hometown champion. In ancient Israelite culture, being pursued by enemies wasn’t merely an inconvenience—it represented life-threatening danger. David was trapped between his own jealous king and foreign enemies, both eager to end his life. Feeling cornered, betrayed, and utterly vulnerable, David cries urgently to God for mercy. Illustration: Picture a deer frantically pursued by hunters, fleeing through...
Welcome to Day 2601 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – God's Right-Hand Woman? - Wisdom in Hebrews 1 – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2601 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2601 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 50th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “God’s Right-Hand Woman? – Wisdom in Hebrews 1” Hebrews 1:2 tells us that in these “last days,” God has spoken to humanity “by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he created the world” (compare Col 1:16; 1 Cor 8:6). Jesus’ role as co-creator with God is a familiar doctrine. But in verse 3, there’s something that’s a bit odd: “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God.” What’s strange about the phrase isn’t its meaning. We get the metaphor. Jesus “shines forth” the glory of God; He is a brilliant reflection of what God is like. What’s odd is where the idea comes from, and how startling it would have been to the Jewish Christians for whom the book of Hebrews was intended. The word “radiance” (átaúyaoua, apaugasma) occurs only here in the New Testament. To figure out what the writer of Hebrews meant, we have to look at his source. The writer is quoting the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, but the Septuagint included books that many Jews and Christians today do not consider part of the biblical canon, but which some in ancient times considered sacred. The phrase in Hebrews 1:2 comes from one of these books—Wisdom of Solomon. How can we be sure? Because the word apaugasma is found only one time in the Septuagint: Wisdom of Solomon 7:26. Sure, the scarcity of the word is curious, but where’s the surprise? Not only is the word extremely uncommon, but the source of the Hebrews 1:2 quotation has a woman as God’s personified reflection. Welcome to the biblical twilight zone. For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection {apaugasma) of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. (Wisdom of Solomon 7:24-26 NRSV) The Jewish writer of Wisdom of Solomon got the idea of personified Wisdom as a woman from the book of Proverbs 1....
Welcome to Day 2600 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2600 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 55:20-23 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2600 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2600 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you on this trek through God’s Word, exploring truths that can transform our lives, one step at a time. Thank you for joining me today as we conclude our thoughtful journey through Psalm 55. Today, we’re focusing on the closing verses—Psalm 55:20-23. Throughout this Psalm, we’ve seen David pour out his heart in deep anguish over betrayal, yet he continually turns his eyes toward God, reaffirming his trust. These final verses bring clarity to the nature of David’s pain, highlight God’s justice, and encourage us toward authentic trust, even when life feels confusing and painful. Let’s read Psalm 55:20-23 from the New Living Translation together: 20 As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises. 21 His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers! 22 Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. 23 But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me. * The Pain of Personal Betrayal (Verses 20-21)
David begins this final portion by vividly describing the nature of his deep emotional pain: “As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises. His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!” In these verses, David pinpoints the source of his distress: betrayal by someone close—a trusted companion. It’s essential to recognize the intensity here. David isn’t simply troubled by enemy armies or hostile nations. Instead, the most profound pain comes from within his own circle, from someone he had fully trusted. In ancient Israelite culture, friendship was sacred. Covenants, promises, and trust formed the very fabric of relationships, binding families, tribes, and communities. To betray those bonds wasn’t just hurtful—it was deeply shameful, destructive, and dishonorable. David emphasizes this betrayal vividly: “His words are smooth as butter, but in his heart is war.” Externally, this person appeared loyal, kind, supportive—even comforting. Internally, however, he harbored destructive intent, ready to strike at the first opportunity. David uses another striking image: “His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!” Outward charm masks inward deceit, making the betrayal especially painful. Historically, scholars often associate Psalm 55 with Ahithophel’s betrayal. Ahithophel was David’s wise counselor, highly respected and trusted. But when David’s son Absalom rebelled, Ahithophel switched allegiance. This personal betrayal deeply wounded David, prompting this painful,...
Welcome to Day 2599 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2599 – Old Testament Orientation – What We Know: Preparing for the New Testament Daniel 7:13-14
Welcome to Day 2598 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2598 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 55:15-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2598 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2598 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you through the trails of life’s challenges, opportunities, and moments of insight that come directly from the Word of God. It’s an honor to journey together, digging deeper into the Psalms and finding strength, comfort, and wisdom for everyday living. Today, our trek continues in Psalm 55. Specifically, we’re exploring verses 15 through 19. In this powerful section, we hear King David wrestling deeply with feelings of betrayal, pain, and anger—yet ultimately turning to God, reaffirming his faith in divine justice. These verses speak candidly about human emotions, vividly expressing David’s honesty before God and reminding us of the tension between our desire for justice and our trust in God’s perfect timing. First, let’s read Psalm 55:15-19 from the New Living Translation: 15 Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them. 16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. 18 He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. 19 God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God. * David’s Raw Desire for Justice (Verse 15)
David begins this section with a strikingly harsh request: “Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.” At first glance, these words can be shocking. David’s anger and pain leap off the page. We might feel uncomfortable reading such blunt honesty. Yet, there’s powerful authenticity here. David is openly expressing a deep longing for immediate justice because his pain from betrayal is incredibly real and personal. The phrase “let the grave swallow them alive” echoes the dramatic story in Numbers 16, where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses, and God caused the earth to open up and swallow them alive as judgment. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, such judgment represented God’s swift and direct action against rebellion and wickedness. David isn’t asking merely out of spite; he’s calling upon God’s known character of righteousness, believing that justice demands intervention. Evil had taken root deeply in his betrayers—friends turned enemies—who had rejected God’s ways and embraced wickedness wholeheartedly. David sees their sin clearly, and he pleads passionately for God’s righteous judgment. Illustration: Imagine watching someone intentionally harm a child. Most of us would feel an immediate sense of righteous anger, desiring swift justice to protect the innocent. David’s intense words capture this same passion for justice. He’s deeply hurt by betrayal from those who once walked closely beside him. His reaction is raw and honest. Application: Have...
Welcome to Day 2597 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2597 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 55:9-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2597 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2597 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you along the paths of wisdom, truth, and spiritual insight as we journey through God’s Word together. I’m honored to walk alongside you today as we continue exploring Psalm 55, a profoundly personal psalm written by King David during one of the most painful periods of his life. Today, we’ll focus on Psalm 55:9-14, where David vividly describes the agony of betrayal—not from strangers or known enemies—but from someone he loved, trusted, and considered a close friend. In these verses, David invites us into his world of intense emotional pain, showing us how even godly leaders experience heartache, conflict, and confusion. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 55:9-14 from the New Living Translation: 9 Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. 10 Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city. 11 Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets. 12 It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. 13 Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. 14 What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God. * David’s Cry Against Evil (Verses 9-11)
David opens this section with a passionate plea to God: “Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city. Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.” These words highlight David’s deep distress at seeing the corruption and chaos inside Jerusalem. Notice he doesn’t merely pray for deliverance—he prays specifically that God would disrupt and frustrate evil plans. David recognizes that enemies and threats are not merely external; the deeper danger comes from within. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, the city—especially Jerusalem—was meant to be a place of order, justice, and peace, reflecting God’s righteousness. City walls were symbolic of protection and security, guarding against external threats. Yet here, David identifies that the walls, though guarded diligently, can’t protect against the internal moral decay. Wickedness, corruption, deceit, and violence permeate Jerusalem, threatening the very fabric of society. David’s request—“Confuse them and frustrate their plans”—echoes back to Genesis 11 and the Tower of Babel, where God disrupted human plans built on pride and rebellion. David trusts that God can similarly frustrate evil plots and restore justice. Illustration: Imagine a fortress city carefully guarded by strong, vigilant soldiers. While they focus intently outward, enemies cleverly slip through unnoticed gates inside, causing chaos from within.
Welcome to Day 2596 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – What is Jesus Waiting For? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2596 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2596 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 49th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “What is Jesus Waiting For?” I recall the traumatic experience of seeing the movie A Thief in the Night as a teenager. The film was about how Jesus could return at any moment— like a thief in the night, a description borrowed from 1 Thessalonians 5:2. The message: If we weren’t believers, we could be left behind by the Lord. The movie didn’t lead to my decision to put my faith in Christ, but it did accomplish one desired effect—it scared me. Is the idea of the imminent return of Jesus biblical? Jesus warned His followers to be ready for His return; even He did not know the precise day or hour it would happen (Matt 24:36). Therefore, He would return unexpectedly (24:50). Other passages written after Jesus’ resurrection suggest that His return could be very soon (1 Cor 1:7; Titus 2:13), even “at hand” (Phil 4:5; Jas 5:8-9). Two thousand years have passed since these blunt statements were made, leading many to believe that they have been misunderstood. Additional obstacles to the idea of an “imminent” return emerge from other Scripture passages. The New Testament suggests that certain signs or events would precede the return of Jesus. For example, the temple had to be destroyed (Matt 24:2), and there would be celestial signs indicating His return (Matt 24:30; Luke 21:11). In three of His parables, Jesus suggested that His return would not be immediate but after a delay (Luke 19:11-27; Matt 25:5, 19)—at least until the death of an aged Peter (John 21:18). Paul believed, apparently on the basis of Matthew 24:14, that the gospel had to reach all the Gentile nations before the salvation plan of God was fulfilled and Jesus would return (Rom 11:12, 25). Even 1 Thessalonians 5, the chapter in which the “thief in the night” phrase is found, suggests that believers will have some sort of inkling about the time of His return. Note how Paul uses nouns and pronouns to distinguish believers as able to discern something unbelievers will not: Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you...
Welcome to Day 2595 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2595 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 55:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2595 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2595 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’ll guide you through the winding trails of wisdom, insight, and spiritual truths found in God’s Word. I’m delighted you’re joining me today as we continue our exploration of the Psalms, where we discover authentic human experiences and God’s faithful presence in every situation. Today, we’ll journey into Psalm 55:1-8, a profoundly emotional prayer where King David reveals the depths of his distress, anxiety, and longing for escape. This Psalm speaks profoundly to those moments in life when pressures feel overwhelming, relationships break down, and we simply desire relief and peace. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 55:1-8 from the New Living Translation: 1 Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! 2 Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. 3 My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down. 4 My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me. 5 Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking. 6 Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! 7 I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. 8 How quickly I would escape— far from this wild storm of hatred. * An Urgent Appeal to God (Verses 1-2)
David begins this Psalm with an earnest plea: “Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.” In these first two verses, David immediately sets the tone of urgency. He cries out desperately, seeking God’s attention and intervention. David doesn’t attempt to sugarcoat his emotions. Instead, he lays bare his soul, expressing openly how overwhelmed he truly feels. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, prayer was never merely ritual or routine—it was deeply personal. People approached God believing He was near, involved, and willing to respond. David’s urgent tone reflects this belief vividly. He’s calling out not to a distant deity, but to a personal, loving God who hears the heartfelt cries of His children. David’s words here capture our experiences vividly. When we’re overwhelmed, our hearts instinctively turn to God, seeking His comfort and rescue. David reminds us that honest prayers—even desperate prayers—are not only acceptable but deeply welcomed by God. Illustration: Imagine a small child who’s lost in a crowded market, anxiously crying out for their parent. They don’t politely whisper—they cry out loudly, urgently, until they’re heard. That’s how David prays—like a frightened child desperate for the attention of a loving Father. Application: Do we bring our genuine feelings to God? Are we comfortable expressing the depth of our distress, anxiety, and need? Psalm 55 reassures us that we can—and should—approach God openly and honestly. He welcomes our authenticity. * Enemies and Intense Anxiety (Verses...
Welcome to Day 2594 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2589 – Wisdom Nuggets – Old Testament Orientation – Staying Loyal to God: Poetry, Theodicy, Salvation, and Afterlife – Psalm 119:9-16 Putnam Church Message – 03/23/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 11: Staying Loyal to God: Poetry, Theodicy, Salvation, Afterlife Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series and explored the Books of Wisdom: Knowing God and Being Loyal to Him. These books are my favorite genre in the Old Testament. We explored from an ancient Israelite worldview. This week, we will investigate the concept of Staying Loyal to God as we consider Poetry, Theodicy (understanding the ways of God), Salvation, and Afterlife. These concepts allow us to view the Old Testament from an Ancient Israelite worldview. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, Creator of all things, we humbly gather in Your presence today to open our hearts and minds to the richness of Your Word. God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, You have spoken to us through stories, poems, wisdom, and prophecy, all revealing Your character and guiding us into deeper loyalty toward You. Help us today, O Lord, to understand the poetry that reflects our deepest feelings, to wrestle honestly with God’s ways with questions of suffering and justice, to grasp the nature of Salvation as You have revealed it through Your faithful servants, and to trust in Your promises regarding life beyond death. Enlighten us by Your Spirit. We humbly come before You to dive deeply into Your timeless truths. Speak to us clearly, gracious God, and mold our lives according to Your Word. In Your Holy Name, we pray, Amen. Introduction Today, we gather to explore poetry, theodicy (the ways of God), what is Salvation, and the afterlife from the eyes and hearts of our ancient Israelite brothers and sisters. More than 50% of the Old Testament is written in Hebrew poetry, and yet it does not reveal itself in that manner using our English translations. Imagine yourselves living in a time when poetry was the primary language of your heart’s deepest cries,/ when wrestling with God’s justice was your constant reality,/ when Salvation hinged on loyalty rather than ritual,/ and when the afterlife was a shadowy unknown./ Let us journey through these truths, with Psalm 119:9-16 as our anchor. Psalm 119:9-16 (NLT) “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us. I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.” Main Points with Object Lessons, Stories, and Illustrations 1. Poetry: Speaking Honestly to God Ancient Israelites used poetry as a heartfelt dialogue with Yahweh, full of honesty and passion. Like David in Psalm 69, their words weren’t always polite but always genuine.
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Welcome to Day 2593 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2593 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 54:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2593 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2593 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re looking at Psalm 54, a heartfelt prayer of David recorded during a time of deep distress and danger. Specifically, Psalm 54 was written when the Ziphites betrayed David to King Saul. Imagine the pain of betrayal, the anxiety of being hunted, and the loneliness of feeling surrounded by enemies—yet still turning confidently toward God. That’s precisely the scene unfolding in today’s Scripture. Let’s read Psalm 54:1-7 from the New Living Translation: 1 Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. 2 Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. 3 For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. 4 But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! 5 May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them. 6 I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. 7 For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies. * A Desperate Cry for Help (Verses 1-2)
David begins Psalm 54 with an urgent appeal to God: “Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea.” Notice David’s desperate honesty. He does not pretend everything is fine. He doesn’t mask his fear or try to handle the crisis alone. Instead, he openly acknowledges his vulnerability and urgently cries out to God. From an Ancient Israelite perspective, this plea makes perfect sense. God was not distant or indifferent. He was a warrior and defender—someone who actively fought for and protected His people. David calls specifically on God’s “great power” and “might,” knowing God’s strength is infinitely greater than that of any enemy. Illustration: Imagine a child who’s trapped, frightened, or in danger, immediately crying out, “Dad, help me!” The child doesn’t stop to explain carefully or calmly—they just cry out instinctively. This is precisely what David is doing here. He’s God’s child, crying out instinctively because he trusts that God hears and will respond swiftly. Application: How do we react in crisis? Do we try to handle everything ourselves, or do we immediately turn to God, openly and honestly seeking His intervention? Psalm 54 reminds us there’s no shame in vulnerability. God invites us to come to Him urgently, openly, honestly, knowing He hears and responds to our cries. * The Pain of Betrayal (Verse 3)
David clarifies the source of his anguish in verse 3: “For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God.” These “strangers” refer specifically to the Ziphites, inhabitants of the wilderness town of Ziph. Though fellow Israelites, they...
Welcome to Day 2592 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2592 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 53:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2592 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2592 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re exploring Psalm 53, specifically verses 1 through 6. This Psalm is intriguing because it closely resembles Psalm 14, almost word for word, emphasizing the importance and seriousness of its message. Psalm 53 confronts the human heart’s tendency to reject God, describing the universal impact of such rejection and emphasizing our deep need for God’s salvation. First, let’s read Psalm 53:1-6 from the New Living Translation: 1 Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! 2 God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. 3 But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! 4 Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to God. 5 Terror will grip them, terror like they have never known before. God will scatter the bones of your enemies. You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them. 6 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When God restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. * The Heart of Foolishness (Verse 1)
David begins Psalm 53 with a strong statement: “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” In the ancient Israelite worldview, calling someone a “fool” wasn’t merely an insult—it described a serious moral failing. The Hebrew word for fool here is “nabal,” meaning someone spiritually insensitive, morally bankrupt, or willfully blind to truth. Such a person isn’t simply ignorant—they deliberately reject God and choose a life defined by self-centeredness and evil. When the fool declares, “There is no God,” he isn’t always openly denying God’s existence intellectually. Rather, he’s living as though God does not exist, behaving as if there are no consequences or accountability. His decisions and actions show practical atheism—a life lived ignoring God’s presence, authority, and moral order. Illustration: Think of someone driving recklessly on a highway, ignoring speed limits, stop signs, and safety warnings, convinced that rules simply don’t apply to them. Eventually, consequences catch up. Similarly, the person who denies God’s authority eventually faces consequences because moral laws, like traffic laws, are not optional—they’re woven into the fabric of creation itself. Application: This verse challenges us: Are we living practically as though God doesn’t exist—making decisions without prayer, without seeking His guidance, and without honoring Him in our daily actions? It’s not only the vocal atheist who can fall into this trap. Even those who claim faith can slip into foolishness by living as though God were distant...
Welcome to Day 2591 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – How Many Times Is Jesus Coming Back? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2591 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2591 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 48th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “How Many Times is Jesus Coming Back?” [Few things in the Bible attract more attention than prophecies about the end times. Even people with only a passing acquaintance with the Bible know that it foretells a second coming of Jesus. Those who study the Bible know the book of Revelation reveals that the second coming brings an end to the reign of the antichrist (the "beast"; Rev 19:11-21). The risen Christ, the incarnation of God, returns to earth not as a suffering Savior, but as the glorious warrior- king. But does the Bible describe an earlier return of Jesus—one that precedes this triumphant arrival? The “Rapture” Some Christians believe that 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes how all believers will be taken from earth, dead or alive, at an appearing of Jesus before the second coming described in Revelation 19. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:16-17). This earlier return of Jesus is called the "rapture" by believers who embrace this idea. The term is derived from the Latin word rapiemur (from rapio, meaning "to carry off") used by the translator of the Latin Vulgate for the Greek word harpazõ (drtráw), translated "caught up" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Other Christians, however, reject the idea that 1 Thessalonians 4 speaks of a different event than the return of Jesus to earth described in Revelation 19. For them, there will only be one return of Jesus in the future. So, who’s right? Harmonizing The answer to the question is "it depends." If we were to read all the passages in the New Testament that speak of Jesus’ future return, along with Old Testament passages that speak of a final, climactic visitation by God on earth that will put an end to evil ("the Day of the LORD"), we would notice immediately that they do not agree in the details or descriptions. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 seemingly has Jesus returning in the air, gathering believers into the clouds, whereas the prophet Zechariah foretold the physical arrival of the pierced Lord on the Mount of Olives...
Welcome to Day 2590 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2590 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 52:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2590 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2590 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll finish our study of Psalm 52, focusing specifically on verses 6 through 9. In the first part of this Psalm, we saw King David boldly confronting the arrogance and destructive speech of Doeg the Edomite—a man who used his tongue as a weapon, betraying David and slaughtering innocent people. David declared confidently that God would bring justice to the wicked. Now, in verses 6-9, David turns his attention to how the righteous will respond to God’s judgment. This portion contrasts the secure fate of those who trust God with the tragic end of those who rely on their own power and wealth. Let’s read Psalm 52:6-9 from the New Living Translation: 6 The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say, 7 “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.” 8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. 9 I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people. * The Amazement of the Righteous (Verses 6-7)
Let’s begin by looking closely at verses 6 and 7 again: “The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say, ‘Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.’” These verses describe the ultimate reaction of the righteous when they see God’s judgment finally unfold upon the wicked. David paints a picture here of surprise, astonishment, and even a kind of ironic laughter—not because they rejoice over someone’s suffering, but because justice has triumphed after appearing delayed or even absent. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, such amazement came from witnessing God’s sudden reversal of what seemed inevitable. The wicked, like Doeg, often appear to have the upper hand for a time. They boast about their power and wealth, seeming untouchable. They become more arrogant, trusting in their own resources rather than in God. However, the righteous know a profound truth that escapes the wicked: security built apart from God is always temporary. This idea resonates throughout Scripture. In Proverbs 16:18, we read, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” The righteous understand that no matter how powerful someone appears, without God their foundation is fragile and ultimately doomed to collapse. Illustration: Consider the story of the Titanic—hailed as “unsinkable” because of its impressive engineering and luxurious design. Yet, as history tells us, on its maiden voyage, it tragically sank. Passengers and crew placed their complete confidence in human innovation, wealth, and strength, only to discover painfully how quickly it all could fail. In a...
Welcome to Day 2589 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2589 – Wisdom Nuggets – Old Testament Orientation – Books of Wisdom: Knowing God and Being Loyal to Him – Ecclesiastes 34:13-14 Putnam Church Message – 03/16/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 10: Books of Wisdom: Knowing God and Being Loyal to Him Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series and reviewed Prophecy, Idolatry, the Day of the Lord, Loyalty, and Messiah. We explored from an ancient Israelite worldview. This week, we will explore the Books of Wisdom: Knowing God and Being Loyal to Him. These books are my favorite genre in the Old Testament. So let us think like an Ancient Israelite and their worldview of the Wisdom books. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, Creator of heaven and earth, we humbly come before You today to seek Your wisdom and guidance. Just as You once walked with Adam and Eve in Eden, may You walk with us today through the gardens of Your Word. Grant us open hearts and receptive spirits to hear Your voice through the wisdom of the Scriptures. May the ancient words of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon awaken within us a renewed passion for knowing You intimately. Let our hearts not merely gather knowledge, but let our lives demonstrate steadfast faithfulness and loyalty to You. May our understanding deepen, and our love for You grow stronger with each word we hear. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen. Introduction Let’s climb back into the imagination station. Today, we are an ancient Israelite living in the flourishing kingdom of Israel under King Solomon. The land is peaceful, your fields are productive, and the nation is prospering like never before. Yet, despite material wealth, you sense a more profound emptiness within your community. The priests offer sacrifices daily, and the temple is bustling>with activity, yet people’s hearts seem distant from Yahweh. Then, one day, you hear a wise teacher speaking openly at the city gate, challenging people to think differently, to move beyond mere ritual to a deeper understanding and loyalty to God. He shares wisdom not just about how to be successful in life, but about what truly matters>knowing God and living faithfully for Him./ Even today, people seek wisdom and true knowledge that wealth alone cannot provide. The sages and teachers call out to people in the streets and city gates: “Seek wisdom! Seek God above all else!” Today, we journey through the wisdom literature of the Old Testament—Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon—to explore the ancient path of knowing God intimately and remaining loyal to Him. Let’s briefly examine the concepts found in each of these books. (Bulletin Insert) Main Points 1. The Wisdom of Job: Trusting God in Times of Suffering
Expanded Narrative: In ancient Israel, the story of Job was both inspiring and troubling. The book of Job shows a very clear picture of God and His interaction with His Divine Council. Let me read Job 1: 6-9 6 One day the members of the heavenly...
Welcome to Day 2588 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2588 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 52:1-5 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2588 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2588 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re stepping into Psalm 52, specifically focusing on verses 1 through 5. This Psalm provides a vivid contrast between those who boast in wickedness and the righteous judgment of God. In these verses, King David boldly confronts a man whose pride, deceit, and misuse of power have brought harm upon others. Let’s first read Psalm 52:1-5 from the New Living Translation: 1 Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever? 2 All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies. 3 You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. 4 You love to destroy others with your words, you liar! 5 But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living. As we begin, it’s helpful to understand the context behind this Psalm. Psalm 52 was written during a particularly dark moment in David’s life. According to 1 Samuel chapters 21 and 22, David was fleeing from King Saul, who was jealous and desperate to kill him. During his escape, David sought refuge from Ahimelech, the priest at Nob. Ahimelech provided food and the sword of Goliath to David, unaware that David was fleeing from Saul. Unfortunately, this act of kindness was witnessed by a man named Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman. Doeg maliciously informed Saul about Ahimelech’s aid to David, deliberately misrepresenting the priest’s intentions. Saul, in his paranoia and rage, ordered Doeg to kill Ahimelech and the priests—an action so brutal that Doeg slaughtered eighty-five innocent priests and destroyed their families and their entire town. This event left a deep scar on David’s heart, leading him to pen the words of Psalm 52 as an expression of grief, anger, and ultimate trust in God’s justice. * A Heart of Arrogance (Verse 1)
Let’s look again at verse 1: “Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?” Here David directly confronts the arrogance of Doeg. Notice how David ironically calls him a “great warrior.” It’s a stinging sarcasm. Doeg’s “bravery” wasn’t noble or heroic—it was wicked, cowardly, and unjust. He had used his position of trust and authority not to protect the innocent, but to destroy them. Doeg’s boasting reflects a deeply distorted worldview—one in which power and manipulation appear to triumph. But David’s question is piercing: “Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?” From an Ancient Israelite perspective, this is a profound truth. They deeply believed that while wickedness might temporarily succeed, God’s righteousness and justice ultimately prevail. Evil men might think they’ve gotten away with their crimes, but God sees...
Welcome to Day 2587 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2587 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 51:16-19 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2587 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2587 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we conclude our study of Psalm 51, focusing on verses 16-19. This psalm is one of the most well-known prayers of repentance in Scripture. It was written by King David after his grievous sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. When confronted by the prophet Nathan, David’s response was not one of denial or excuses, but of genuine sorrow and a heartfelt plea for God’s mercy. In the previous verses, we saw David begging for cleansing, renewal, and restoration. Now, in these final verses, he reveals a profound truth about what God truly desires—not just outward religious actions, but a heart that is broken and humble before Him. From an Ancient Israelite perspective, this was a revolutionary understanding of worship. The sacrificial system was central to their religious life. Yet David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, realizes that God does not just want sacrifices—He wants genuine repentance and obedience. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 51:16-19 from the New Living Translation: Psalm 51:16-19 (NLT) 16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on Your altar. God Desires True Repentance, Not Empty Rituals (Verses 16-17) David begins with a profound realization: “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.” (Verse 16) This is a striking statement. The entire religious system of Israel revolved around sacrifices—burnt offerings, sin offerings, and peace offerings were all required under the Law of Moses. However, David understands something deeper: God is not primarily interested in rituals—He desires a heart that is truly repentant. Verse 17 expands on this thought: “The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” In Ancient Israel, sacrifices were meant to symbolize atonement and reconciliation. But David realizes that without a humble, repentant heart, those sacrifices are meaningless. God wants sincerity, not religious performance. This aligns with what the prophet...
Welcome to Day 2586 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – When Abraham Met Jesus – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2586 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2586 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 47th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “When Abraham Met Jesus.” Some of the most startling things in the Bible are hidden in plain sight. Galatians 3:7-9 is a case in point. Amid the predictable focus on law, grace, and the gospel, Paul blindsides us: 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. 8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”[a] 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. But Abraham lived two millennia before Jesus. There’s nothing about a crucified Savior in the stories about Abraham. What is Paul thinking? To correctly process Galatians 3:7-9, we need to think about the gospel in different terms. We typically think of the gospel in terms of the crucified Savior, Jesus, dying for our sins. But the work of Christ was just the means to accomplish what God sought. God wanted a sinless, holy, human family. The sacrifice of Jesus —fully God and fully human—was the necessary mechanism to achieve that larger goal. The gospel is God’s plan to become a man so He could have that holy, human family. Could Abraham have grasped that? God’s decision to produce His family through Abraham is described in Genesis 12:1-3: The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Paul quoted part of that passage in Galatians 3:7-9. Paul believed that as a result of that divine encounter, Abraham came away with the knowledge of the gospel: God would become a man to provide the means for a...
Welcome to Day 2585 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2585 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 51:7-15 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2585 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2585 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue exploring Psalm 51, focusing on verses 7-15. Psalm 51 is one of the most profound prayers of repentance in all of Scripture. As we discussed in our last episode, this psalm was written by King David after his sin with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover it up by orchestrating the death of her husband, Uriah. When the prophet Nathan confronted him, David responded not with excuses but with genuine sorrow and a cry for cleansing and restoration. In these next verses, we see David’s deep longing for forgiveness. He not only asks for God’s mercy but also pleads for renewal—a fresh start, a restored relationship with God, and a transformed heart. From an Ancient Israelite worldview, this is significant. In their culture, purity laws and ritual cleansing were essential for restoring one’s standing before God and the community. However, David recognizes that external cleansing is not enough—he needs a heart that is purified and renewed by God’s Spirit. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 51:7-15 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 51:7-15 (NLT)
7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; You have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from Your presence, and don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You. 13 Then I will teach Your ways to rebels, and they will return to You. 14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of Your forgiveness. 15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise You. * The Plea for Cleansing (Verses 7-9)
David begins with a vivid request for cleansing and renewal: “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” (Verse 7) In Ancient Israel, purification rituals involved hyssop, a plant used for sprinkling blood or water to symbolize cleansing (see Leviticus 14:6-7). David’s request is not about physical purity but about spiritual cleansing—removing the deep stain of sin from his soul. He continues:...
Welcome to Day 2584 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2584– Prophecy, Idolatry, the Day of the Lord, Loyalty, Messiah – Jeremiah 23:5 Putnam Church Message – 03/09/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 9: Prophecy, Idolatry, the Day of the Lord, Loyalty, and Messiah Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series and reviewed Prophetic Literature – God’s Call to Repentance and Restoration. We also explored how it impacted the Ancient Israelites and our lives today. This week, we will expand our review of Prophetic Literature and focus on Prophecy, Idolatry, the Day of the Lord, Loyalty, and Messiah. We will touch on some of the same themes as last week but from a slightly different aspect. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, From the very beginning, You have called Your people to follow You with wholehearted devotion. You have spoken through Your prophets to call Your people back to You. You have warned against idolatry, declared the coming Day of the Lord, and promised restoration through Your Messiah. Today, as we open Your Word, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts ready to respond. May we understand the urgency of loyalty to You and recognize that our ultimate hope is in the Messiah You have sent. Teach us through the voices of the prophets and guide us in faithfulness. Teach us what it means to be truly loyal to You and help us understand the depth of Your promises. May we not fall into the same mistakes as those who came before us, but instead, may we stand firmly on Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Let’s climb back into our imagination station again this week. Picture yourself standing in the streets of Jerusalem during the reign of King Josiah. The temple has been cleaned of its idols, and a great revival has begun. The Book of the Law, long forgotten, has been rediscovered. The priests read its words aloud, and the people tremble before Yahweh for the first time in generations. But as you walk through the city, something troubles you. Not everyone is truly repentant. Some still carry small household idols hidden beneath their robes. Some mutter against the reforms, longing for the old days of the worship of idols that represented their false gods. The prophets continue to warn the people: “The Day of the Lord is coming! Do not return to idolatry! Be faithful to Yahweh, for He alone is God!” People stop. Some scoff. Some listen. “You have turned away from Yahweh! You bow before idols, chase after the gods of other nations, and forsake the covenant of your fathers! The Day of the Lord is coming—a day of judgment for the wicked and restoration for the faithful! But do not fear, for the Lord has promised a righteous King from David’s line, one who will reign forever in justice and truth!” And yet, many ignore the warnings. Centuries later, we find ourselves in a similar situation. Many claim to follow God, yet their hearts are divided. Some chase after material wealth, some place their trust in human power, and some simply ignore the call of the Gospel. The message of the prophets is still relevant today. Today, we will explore five key prophetic themes: 1. The Role of...
Welcome to Day 2583 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2583 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 51:1-6 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2583 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2583 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we begin our exploration of Psalm 51, focusing on verses 1-6. This psalm is one of the most well-known passages of repentance in all of Scripture. It is a psalm of David, written after his great moral failure—his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. When the prophet Nathan confronted him, David did not make excuses or attempt to justify his actions. Instead, he responded with deep sorrow and a cry for God’s mercy. From an Ancient Israelite worldview, this psalm is profound. The Israelites understood that sin required atonement. The sacrificial system provided temporary covering for sin, but David recognizes here that true cleansing must come from within—from a heart that is genuinely broken before God. Psalm 51 is a model of true repentance, teaching us that God desires honesty, humility, and a heart that longs for renewal. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 51:1-6 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 51:1-6 (NLT)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against You, and You alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight. You will be proved right in what You say, and Your judgment against me is just. 5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But You desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. * A Cry for Mercy (Verses 1-2)
David begins his prayer with a desperate cry for mercy: “Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.” David does not appeal to his own righteousness or try to bargain with God. Instead, he pleads for forgiveness based solely on God’s character—His unfailing love and compassion. This verse is a reminder that God’s mercy is not something we earn—it is something He freely gives. Verse 2 continues the plea: “Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.” David uses the imagery of washing and purification, which would have been deeply familiar to an Israelite. In their culture, ritual cleansing was essential before entering God’s presence. However, David recognizes...
Welcome to Day 2582 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2582 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 50:16-23 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2582 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2582 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we conclude our study of Psalm 50 by examining verses 16-23. This passage shifts the focus to God’s rebuke of the wicked—specifically, those who claim to follow Him but live in hypocrisy. The psalmist Asaph presents God as the divine Judge, calling out those who speak His commands yet reject His discipline. From an Ancient Israelite perspective, this would have been a shocking indictment. Many believed that outward religious acts—such as reciting the Law or offering sacrifices—were enough to secure God’s favor. But here, God makes it clear: lip service without obedience is meaningless. This passage challenges us to examine our hearts and reminds us that true worship requires integrity, thankfulness, and a life that honors God. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 50:16-23 from the New Living Translation: 1. Psalm 50:16-23 (NLT)
16 But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting My decrees and pretending to obey My covenant? 17 For you refuse My discipline and treat My words like trash. 18 When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. 19 Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. 20 You sit around and slander your brother— your own mother’s son. 21 While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all My charges against you. 22 Repent, all of you who forget Me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. 23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me. If you keep to My path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” 1. The Problem of Hypocrisy (Verses 16-17)
The passage begins with a strong rebuke: “But God says to the wicked: ‘Why bother reciting My decrees and pretending to obey My covenant?’” This statement is directed at those who claim to follow God but live in disobedience. They speak His words, but their actions tell a different story. Verse 17 adds: “For you refuse My discipline and treat My words like trash.” Here, God exposes their real attitude—they reject His correction and ignore His teachings. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, God’s Law was seen as the foundation of life, meant to guide His people in righteousness. But these individuals saw it as optional,...
Welcome to Day 2581 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Charlton Heston Had Company – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2581 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2581 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 46th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Charlton Heston Had Company.” When we hear “Moses’ Law,” we think of the story we heard in Sunday school, or the scene from The Ten Commandments where Charlton Heston (a.k.a., Moses) gets the two tablets from God. But what if I told you Moses and God weren’t alone? It may come as a surprise, but the New Testament tells us in three places that the Law was delivered by angels, members of God’s divine council. Here are two of those passages: * Acts 7:52-53: “Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” * Hebrews 2:1-2: “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”
I was pretty shocked the first time I saw these verses. And I certainly hadn’t heard about them in church. So what passage in the Old Testament were they quoting? That’s the second jolt: There isn’t a clear reference to it—at least not in the Old Testament we use. The New Testament writers didn’t invent the idea, though. They got it from Deuteronomy 33:2-4 in their Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The Septuagint more clearly connects angels to the Law than the traditional Hebrew text upon which our English translations are based. So they were using a translation. We can understand that. But we’re not done. It gets a bit stranger. The third New Testament passage that talks about the Law and angels is found in Galatians 3:19-20. And this time, it isn’t just a crowd of angels with Moses and God: What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. Galatians 3:19 informs us that there was a mediator between God and the angels when the Law was given. Most...
Welcome to Day 2580 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2580 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 50:7-15 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2580 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2580 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will explore Psalm 50:7-15, a passage where God speaks directly to His people, correcting their misunderstanding of true worship. In this passage, God reminds Israel that He does not need their sacrifices, but rather, He desires their genuine faith and dependence on Him. From an Ancient Israelite perspective, this was a challenging message. Sacrificial offerings were central to their worship and covenant relationship with God. Yet, the psalmist Asaph presents God as the ultimate judge, correcting those who relied more on outward religious rituals than on a sincere heart devoted to Him. This passage teaches us that God desires thanksgiving, obedience, and trust—not empty religious actions. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 50:7-15 from the New Living Translation: 1. Psalm 50:7-15 (NLT)
7 “O My people, listen as I speak. Here are My charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! 8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly bring to My altar. 9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. 10 For all the animals of the forest are Mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are Mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is Mine and everything in it. 13 Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? 14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15 Then call on Me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give Me glory.” 1. God Speaks as the Judge (Verse 7)
The passage begins with a dramatic shift. Up until now, God has been summoning the heavens and the earth as witnesses, preparing to judge His people. Now, He speaks directly to Israel: “O My people, listen as I speak. Here are My charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God!” The phrase “I am God, your God” is significant. It reminds the Israelites of their covenant relationship with Him. This echoes Exodus 20:2, where God says: “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt.” God is not addressing foreign nations but His own people—those who should already know His ways. However, they have drifted into a mechanical form of worship, offering...
Welcome to Day 2579 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2579– Prophetic Literature - God's Call to Repentance and Restoration – Ezekiel 34_22-24 Putnam Church Message – 03/02/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 8: Prophetic Literature – God’s Call to Repentance and Restoration Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series and dove into Historiography, Conquest, Kingdom, and Exile. We will also tie in how the ancient Israelites experienced and would have understood them. This week and next, we move on to the books of prophecy in a message titled Prophetic Literature – God’s Call to Repentance and Restoration. Since it covers the same timeframe as the historical books, some of the information will be similar to the past two weeks, but from a prophet’s perspective. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, You have spoken through Your prophets to call Your people back to You. As we explore Your prophetic Word today, open our hearts to understand Your call to repentance, Your warnings against idolatry, and Your promises of restoration. May we not harden our hearts as Israel once did, but instead turn toward You in faithfulness. May Your Spirit guide us as we learn from the voices of Your prophets. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Picture yourself living in ancient Israel during a time of great prosperity. Solomon was the King. The country was at peace, and the economy was good. The fields are full, the markets are bustling, and the temple stands tall in Jerusalem. Outwardly, everything seems well. But as you walk the streets, you see people bowing to the gods of other nations, offering incense to Baal, and engaging in corrupt business practices. You see leaders oppressing the poor, and despite the outward religious activity, you sense that something is deeply wrong. Then, a prophet appears in the city square. He lifts his voice and proclaims: Isaiah 29:13 And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. In other words, God is saying through Isaiah: You have turned to other gods, and judgment is coming! Repent and return to Yahweh before it is too late!” How would you respond? Would you listen? Would you scoff? The prophets were sent by God during Israel’s most critical moments—calling the people to repentance, warning of coming judgment, and declaring a future restoration. Today, as we study prophetic literature, we must ask: Are we listening to God’s call today, or are we ignoring His voice like Israel once did? The prophetic books—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets—carry a unified message: (Bulletin Insert) 1. The Prophets Warned of the Dangers of Worshipping Other Gods 2. Repentance Was the Only Path to Restoration 3. Judgment Came to Purify, Not Destroy 4. Hope Remained—The Promise of Restoration
Main Points 1. The Prophets Warned of the Dangers of Worshipping Other...
Welcome to Day 2578 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2578 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 50:1-6 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2578 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2578 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we begin our exploration of Psalm 50, focusing on verses 1-6. This psalm, written by Asaph, presents a dramatic scene in which God Himself appears as the divine Judge, summoning the heavens and the earth to witness His judgment over His people. From an Ancient Israelite perspective, this psalm would have carried deep significance. The imagery of God speaking from Zion, fire and storm surrounding Him, and His call for justice would have reminded them of God’s covenant at Mount Sinai. The Israelites were well aware that God was not just their Deliverer but also their Judge, calling them to righteousness and true worship. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 50:1-6 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 50:1-6 (NLT)
1 The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and He has spoken; He has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. 2 From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. 3 Our God approaches, and He is not silent. Fire devours everything in His way, and a great storm rages around Him. 4 He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of His people. 5 “Bring My faithful people to Me— those who made a covenant with Me by giving sacrifices.” 6 Then let the heavens proclaim His justice, for God Himself will be the judge. * God Calls the Whole Earth to Attention (Verses 1-2)
The psalm begins with a grand and powerful statement: “The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and He has spoken; He has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets.” The threefold name of God—“The Lord, the Mighty One, is God”—immediately establishes His authority and power. In the Ancient Near East, kings and rulers would summon their people for important announcements, but here, it is God Himself summoning all of humanity. This is not a private revelation—God’s message is for the entire world. From east to west, all people are called to attention. Verse 2 continues: “From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.” Zion, referring to Jerusalem and the temple, was seen as the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence. The psalmist calls it “the perfection of beauty”, not because of its architecture, but because God’s glory radiates from there. This verse echoes passages like Isaiah 2:3, which...
Welcome to Day 2577 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2577 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 49:16-20 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2577 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2577 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we conclude our study of Psalm 49 by examining verses 16-20. Throughout this psalm, the writer has challenged the common belief—especially in the Ancient Israelite worldview—that wealth is a sign of God’s lasting blessing and security. In many parts of the ancient world, riches were often equated with divine favor, and poverty with misfortune. Yet, the psalmist makes it clear: wealth cannot save anyone from death, nor can it secure an eternal legacy. In today’s passage, we will see the final contrast between the fate of the rich who trust in their wealth and those who put their confidence in God’s redemption. The psalmist reminds us that no matter how much a person accumulates, they cannot take it with them. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 49:16-20 from the New Living Translation: Psalm 49:16-20 (NLT) 16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. 17 For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. 18 In this life, they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. 19 But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. 20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die just like animals. Do Not Envy the Wealthy (Verse 16) The passage begins with a clear instruction: “So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.” The psalmist anticipates a common human reaction—envy. It is easy to feel discouraged when we see those who seem to prosper despite living unrighteously. Their homes expand, their riches increase, and they seem to live without trouble. This was a challenge for people in Ancient Israel as well. Many believed prosperity was a direct sign of God’s blessing, while suffering was a sign of divine punishment. The psalmist, however, reminds his listeners that outward success does not always reflect a person’s true standing before God. Illustration: Imagine a person who spends their life climbing the corporate ladder, acquiring wealth, and living in luxury. They are admired by many, yet they lack spiritual depth and have no relationship with God. When their time comes, all they have built remains behind, and they must face eternity with nothing but their soul. Application: Have you ever struggled with envy when others seem to prosper while you struggle? This verse
Welcome to Day 2576 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Treason & Translation – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2576 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2576 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 45th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Treason & Translation.” *A famous Italian proverb declares atraduttore, traditore,” which means, “translator, traitor.” Those who assume this is true are unaware of how difficult it is to produce a translation. Every translator invariably discards the original text's meaning at some point. A committee of scholars assembled to produce a translation typically adopts an overarching philosophy of translation. In simplest terms, there are two. The first is called “formal equivalence,” which seeks to account for virtually every word in the original text by producing its English counterpart in translation. This is a “word-for-word” or “literal” translation. The second is called “dynamic equivalence.” This approach seeks to capture the thought of the original verse in context, and then re-create that thought using whatever English words are most precise. This is a “thought-for-thought” translation. However, adopting this approach does not mean all translators will apply it equally. There is also a matter of interpretation. When the biblical text allows more than one translation due to ambiguity in the context, grammar, or word usage, a translator needs to make their own decision—which can lead to controversy. First Corinthians 7:1 is illustrative of the potential hazard. ESV "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." NASB "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." NIV "It is good for a man not to marry." NLT "It is good to live a celibate life.” The most “word-for-word” of these translations is that of the NASB, which captures the literal reading of the Greek words in the verse, particularly the verb "touch" (TTOLO, haptomai). Other translations move away from the ambiguous "touch" to "have sexual relations with" (ESV). The most controversial renderings are the NIV ("It is good for a man not to marry") and the NLT ("It is good to live a...
Welcome to Day 2575 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2575 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 49:10-15 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2575 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2575 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In our last episode, we discussed the first nine verses of this psalm, where the writer emphasized that wealth cannot buy eternal life. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, Today, we take that thought further, examining the inevitability of death and the contrast between those who trust in riches and those who trust in God. From an Ancient Israelite worldview, wealth was often seen as a blessing from God, yet the psalmist warns against placing false security in material wealth. Instead, he points to the only true hope—God’s power to redeem from the grave. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 49:10-15 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 49:10-15 (NLT)
10 Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. 11 The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, 12 but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals. 13 This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. 14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning, the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. 15 But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. * The Certainty of Death (Verses 10-12)
The psalmist begins with a sobering truth: “Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.” This verse reminds us that no one can escape death, no matter how much wisdom, intelligence, or wealth they possess. In the Ancient Near East, people often built lasting legacies, hoping their names and wealth would endure. Yet the psalmist points out that death is the great equalizer—both the wise and the foolish must leave everything behind. Verse 11 expands on this: “The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves.” Many wealthy individuals throughout history have named buildings, cities, or foundations after themselves, seeking immortality through legacy. In Ancient Israel, land ownership was a significant part of one’s identity and security. However, no amount of land or property could keep a person from death. Then comes a striking statement in verse 12: “But their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.” This is a humbling image. No matter how powerful or wealthy a person is, they are...
Welcome to Day 2574 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2574– Old Testament Orientation – The Historical Books – Lessons from Israel’s Journey – Psalm 78:5-7 Putnam Church Message – 02/23/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 7: Historiography, Conquest, Kingdom, Exile Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series; we covered an overview of The Books of Historical Narrative and how the ancient Israelites experienced and would have understood them. This week, we will expand on last week’s lesson and dive into Historiography, Conquest, Kingdom, and Exile. We will tie this into how the ancient Israelites experienced and would have understood them. Core Verse: Psalm 78:5-7 (NLT) “For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.” Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we come before You today as students of history, seeking to understand Your hand in the rise and fall of nations, the victories and failures of Your people, and the ultimate fulfillment of Your promises. Open our hearts to the lessons You have woven into the Old Testament so we may live in obedience and trust in Your divine plan. May Your Spirit guide us as we learn. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Let’s climb back into the imagination station once again; as we become ancient Israelites, we stand among the elders of Israel in Babylonian exile. You hear them whisper about the glory days of King David, the majesty of Solomon’s temple, and the mighty victories of Joshua. Yet, here you are—strangers in a foreign land, serving a pagan king, with no temple to worship in, no kingdom to call your own. How did this happen? How did God’s chosen people go from conquest and dominion to exile and shame? The Old Testament provides more than just a record of Israel’s history. It reveals God’s hand in shaping, guiding, and disciplining His people. Unlike other ancient civilizations that saw history as a meaningless cycle, Israel understood history as linear—moving toward a divine purpose. The books of history teach us how God establishes His kingdom, how human failures lead to judgment, and how, even in exile, hope remains. The story of Israel is not just about a nation—it is a spiritual journey that mirrors our own struggles with obedience, faith, and identity. The historical books of the Old Testament teach us that God is in control of history, that His promises are sure, but that our choices carry consequences. Today, we will examine four major themes in Israel’s history: 1. Historiography: Seeing God’s Hand in History 2. Conquest: Establishing God’s Kingdom on Earth 3. Kingdom: The Rise and Fall of Leadership and Israel’s Monarchy 4. Exile: Judgment, Discipline, and Hope
Main Points 1. Historiography: Seeing God’s Hand in History
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Welcome to Day 2573 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2573 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 49:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2573 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2573 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 49:1-9, a passage that challenges us to consider the fleeting nature of wealth and the reality of life’s ultimate destiny. Unlike many psalms that focus on praise, lament, or victory, Psalm 49 is a wisdom psalm, offering insight similar to Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. This psalm is written from the perspective of an Ancient Israelite worldview, where wealth was often seen as a sign of God’s blessing. However, the psalmist warns that riches cannot save a person from death or secure eternal life. The true measure of a life is not found in possessions but in one’s relationship with God. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 49:1-9 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 49:1-9 (NLT)
1 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! 2 High and low, rich and poor—listen! 3 For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. 4 I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. 5 Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? 6 They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. 7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. 8 Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough 9 to live forever and never see the grave. * A Universal Message (Verses 1-2)
The psalmist begins with a call to all people: “Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor—listen!” This introduction is significant. It tells us that the wisdom in this psalm applies to everyone, regardless of status, wealth, or background. In Ancient Israel, social class often determined one’s standing in the community, but the psalmist declares that this message is for all humanity. The repetition—“Listen! Pay attention!”—emphasizes the importance of what follows. This is not just another song; it is a timeless truth that requires reflection. Illustration: Imagine a town crier standing in a marketplace, calling for silence before delivering an urgent message. The psalmist takes on this role, ensuring everyone, from rulers to laborers, hears this wisdom. Application: Do we approach God’s wisdom with the seriousness it deserves? In a world full of distractions, this passage reminds us to pause and listen to what truly matters. * The Gift of Wisdom...
Welcome to Day 2572 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2572 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 48:9-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2572 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2572 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 48:9-14, a powerful passage that calls us to reflect on God’s unfailing love, His protection, and the eternal nature of His guidance. Psalm 48 celebrates God’s presence in Jerusalem, portraying the city as a symbol of His power and faithfulness. In the first half of the psalm, we saw how God’s presence made Jerusalem secure, causing enemy nations to flee in terror. Now, in verses 9-14, the focus shifts to worship, reflection, and passing on the knowledge of God’s greatness to future generations. This passage invites us to pause, reflect, and praise God for His faithfulness, reminding us that He is not just a temporary help but a God who guides us forever. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 48:9-14 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 48:9-14 (NLT)
9 O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love as we worship in Your Temple. 10 As Your name deserves, O God, You will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory. 11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice. Let all the towns of Judah be glad because of Your justice. 12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem. Walk around and count the many towers. 13 Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations. 14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and He will guide us until we die. * Reflecting on God’s Unfailing Love (Verse 9)
The passage begins with a call to meditate on God’s love: “O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love as we worship in Your Temple.” The word meditate suggests deep reflection, a pause to truly consider God’s faithfulness. The people are gathered in the Temple, the place where God’s presence dwelt, to focus on His steadfast love. This verse reminds us that worship is more than singing or rituals—it’s about reflecting on who God is. His love is unfailing, unchanging, and eternal. Even when life is uncertain, God’s love remains our foundation. Illustration: Imagine a sailor navigating by the stars. Even in the middle of a storm, the stars remain constant, guiding the way. God’s love is like that—it never wavers, even when everything else seems unstable. Application: Do we take time to meditate on God’s love? In our busy world, we often rush through worship without pausing to truly reflect on His goodness. This verse encourages us to...
Welcome to Day 2571 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Signed, Sealed, and Delivered – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2571 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2571 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 44th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Signed, Sealed, and Delivered – To Satan.” Throughout the New Testament, “family language” is used to describe the relationship of believers to God and Jesus. The Lord’s prayer instructs us to address God as “our Father” (Matt 6:9). Hebrews 2:11-12 reveals that Jesus considers believers His own siblings. Paul says Christians comprise “the household of faith” (Gal 6:10). How is it, then, that Paul tells Christians living in Corinth that believers unrepentantly living in sin should not only be put out of the Church (1 Cor 5:9-13). but also “delivered to Satan” (1 Cor 5:5)? If a person is given over to Satan, does that mean they then belong to Satan? Does the person lose salvation and have to be re-converted to Christ? Nowhere in the passage does Paul suggest that the believer in question becomes an unbeliever or is without hope of salvation. After demanding the unrepentant believer be delivered to Satan, Paul notes the goal of such a decision is “for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Cor 5:5). What does Paul mean by “destruction of the flesh?” Paul often uses the word “flesh” (oap^; sarx) to refer to the physical body, but sometimes he uses it to refer to self-sufficiency, worldliness, or manner of life.- Since someone expelled from a church is not going to die as a result, the second possibility is best. Paul is insisting that the unrepentant person be dismissed from the Church to live in their sin and endure the consequences of their behavior. Paul’s explanation in verse six helps answer what he means by “destruction of the flesh,” but it does not explain what the phrase “delivered to Satan” means. For that, we need to look to the Old Testament. The Israelites viewed their land as holy ground and the territory of the non-Israelite nations as controlled by demonic gods. Israel was holy ground because that was where the presence of God resided. The opposite was true everywhere else. This perspective shifted after the formation of the Church. God’s presence was no longer in the Jerusalem temple, but in the temple which is the body of believers (1 Cor
Welcome to Day 2570 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2570 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 48:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2570 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2570 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 48:1-8, a psalm of praise that celebrates God’s greatness and His protection over His people. Psalm 48 is a song of Zion, the city of God. It was likely sung in celebration of God’s deliverance, possibly after a great military victory. The psalmist paints a picture of Jerusalem as an unshakable fortress, not because of its walls, but because of the presence of God Himself. This passage reminds us that our ultimate security is not found in human strength, but in the God who reigns over all. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 48:1-8 from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 48:1-8 (NLT)
1 How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on His holy mountain! 2 It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King! 3 God Himself is in Jerusalem’s towers, revealing Himself as its defender. 4 The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city. 5 But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away. 6 They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor. 7 You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind. 8 We had heard of the city’s glory, but now we have seen it ourselves— the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. It is the city of our God; He will make it safe forever. * God’s Greatness and His Holy City (Verses 1-2)
The psalm begins with a declaration of God’s greatness and worthiness of praise: “How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on His holy mountain!” This verse immediately establishes who God is and why He deserves worship. His greatness is evident in His presence in Jerusalem, described here as His holy mountain. Verse 2 continues: “It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King!” Here, Mount Zion represents Jerusalem, the place where God’s presence dwelt in the temple. But beyond its physical location, Zion symbolizes God’s eternal kingdom—a place of joy, strength, and divine protection. Illustration: Imagine visiting a great city—perhaps seeing the skyline of a place like Rome, London, or Jerusalem for the first time. The sight of ancient structures and historical landmarks fills you with awe....
Welcome to Day 2569 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2569– Old Testament Orientation – The Historical Books - Lessons from Israel's Journey – Joshua 24:22-24 Putnam Church Message – 02/16/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 6: The Historical Books – Lessons from Israel’s Journey Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series, exploring the Covenant, Law, Sacred Space, and Sacrifice from an ancient Israelite perspective. This week, we will focus on The Books of Historical Narrative and how the ancient Israelites experienced and would have understood them. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, as we explore the historical books of Your Word, open our eyes to the lessons You have woven into these narratives. Help us see Your faithfulness, the consequences of disobedience, and the call to trust in You wholeheartedly. Let these ancient stories shape our present lives and lead us into a deeper relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Imagine standing on the plains of Moab, looking across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The anticipation is palpable. The journey has been long and arduous, filled with moments of doubt and divine intervention. The generation before had faltered in faith, wandering for forty years. Now, a new generation is poised to claim the inheritance. The tension is thick with anticipation and uncertainty. What will the future hold? This is the reality for Israel as they step into the Promised Land. As the Israelites prepare to enter, they carry with them stories of faith, rebellion, conquest, and covenant. These narratives, captured in the Historical Books of the Old Testament, serve not only as a record of Israel’s past but as a mirror reflecting the spiritual journey of every believer. The Historical Books—Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther—chronicle the journey of God’s people from the conquest of Canaan to the return from exile and restoration of Jerusalem. Through their stories, we glean insights into God’s character, human nature, and the principles that guide a life of faith. Main Points (Bulletin) 1. God as Faithful Guide and Deliverer (Joshua)
Introduction: Picture the scene as if you were an ancient Israelite: Imagine standing on the threshold of a new beginning. Their leader, Moses, had passed away, and now Joshua must lead. They have seen God’s power before, but will He be faithful again? After wandering for 40 years, the Israelites stand at the brink of the Jordan River. The Promised Land lies ahead, a land flowing with milk and honey, yet occupied by formidable foes. Fear and uncertainty grip the hearts of many. It is in this moment that Joshua, their appointed leader, steps forward with a message of assurance. Joshua 1:13: “Remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you: ‘The Lord your God is giving you a place of rest. He has given you this land.’” Narrative: The Book of Joshua recounts the Israelites’ entry into Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. God’s faithfulness is evident as He delivers Jericho into their hands through miraculous means. Joshua leads the...
Welcome to Day 2568 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2568 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 47:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2568 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2568 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 47, a psalm of celebration, praise, and the declaration of God’s sovereignty. Psalm 47 is a triumphant call to worship, reminding us that God reigns over all the earth. It is a psalm of victory, written in a time when God’s people saw His power and responded with shouts of joy and praise. While it was originally a song celebrating God’s kingship over Israel, it ultimately points to His reign over all nations and peoples. Let’s begin by reading the entire passage from the New Living Translation: * Psalm 47:1-9 (NLT)
1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! 2 For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. 3 He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. 4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom He loves. 5 God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! 7 For God is the King over all the earth. Praise Him with a psalm. 8 God reigns above the nations, sitting on His holy throne. 9 The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere. The psalm opens with a universal invitation: “Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!” This is not a quiet, reserved call to worship. It’s an enthusiastic, joyful declaration, inviting all people to express their gratitude through clapping and shouting. These are signs of victory and celebration—the kind of response you would expect after witnessing a great triumph. The reason for this excitement is given in verse 2: “For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth.” This verse establishes why we should worship—because God is supreme. He is not just the King of Israel; He is the King of all the earth. The word awesome here conveys a sense of reverence, respect, and wonder at God’s power and authority. Illustration: Think of a championship sports game. When a team wins, fans erupt in cheers, clapping and shouting in excitement. That kind of uncontained joy is the same response Psalm 47 calls for—but it is directed toward God, the ultimate King, who has already won the...
Welcome to Day 2567 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2567 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 46:8-11 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2567 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2567 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we conclude our exploration of Psalm 46 by focusing on verses 8 through 11 from the New Living Translation. This psalm has been a powerful reminder that God is our refuge, strength, and ever-present help in times of trouble. We’ve seen how His presence brings joy, how He remains steadfast even when the world seems chaotic, and how He stands as a fortress for His people. In this final section, the psalmist invites us to step back, reflect on God’s mighty works, and rest in the assurance that He is in control. These verses call us to stop striving and recognize that God alone reigns supreme. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: * Psalm 46:8-11 (NLT)
8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how He brings destruction upon the world. 9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; He burns the shields with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” 11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. * Invitation to Witness God’s Power (Verse 8)
The psalmist begins this section with a bold invitation: “Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how He brings destruction upon the world.” This verse calls us to take a step back and observe what God has done. The phrase “glorious works” suggests that God’s actions are not just powerful but also righteous. They display His sovereignty over the earth. The mention of “destruction” may seem unsettling, but in context, it refers to God’s ultimate justice—how He intervenes to bring an end to oppression, evil, and conflict. This destruction is not random or senseless; it is God’s way of restoring righteousness in the world. Illustration: Imagine a sculptor chiseling away at a block of stone. At first, the process looks like destruction—pieces of marble are shattered and removed. But in reality, the sculptor is revealing a masterpiece. In the same way, God’s mighty works may sometimes seem like destruction, but they are ultimately part of His plan to restore and redeem. Application: Are we willing to see God’s hand at work, even in difficult times? When we look at the world, do we focus only on the chaos, or do we recognize that God is working behind the scenes, bringing about His ultimate plan? * God Ends Wars and Destroys Weapons (Verse 9)
Verse 9 continues to describe God’s power: “He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; He burns the shields with fire.”
Welcome to Day 2566 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – A Female Apostle – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2566 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2566 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 43rd lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “A Female Apostle.” Paul’s final greetings to the Roman church seem typical. We might just skim over the list of names without a second thought. But one name within that list has become the focus of controversy and heated debate: Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. (Rom 16:7). Junia is most likely the name of a woman. When you read the phrase “among the apostles,” you understand how a simple salutation has become a prooftext in the debate over the role of women in ministry. The evidence that Junia is a woman is compelling. Its Greek spelling (Iounian) could point to either a man or a woman. However, the addition of an accent mark would specify gender—depending on what mark was chosen (Greek has several) and on which syllable the accent mark was placed. The earliest manuscripts of the New Testament were written in an uppercase Greek script (uncial) that did not include accents. However, copies of the Greek New Testament from later periods in a cursive script (minuscule) accent the name as female. In ancient Greek literature, outside the New Testament, the masculine form of the name has only surfaced once. Ancient Latin texts have also been searched, with some theorizing that Junia might be a shortened form of the male Junianus. Of the 250 or more citations of the name Junia, where a shortening of the name is possible, all have referred to women. The phrase “among the apostles” can also be translated as “to the apostles,” placing Junia within or outside this ministry category. Either translation is possible within the scope of Greek grammar. External examples, though, statistically favor the first option. However, there are other issues that are rarely raised in this debate. New Testament apostles, for instance, are not all described on equal terms. The original 12 disciples, along with Paul, were a special group. They were firsthand pupils of Christ, some of whom God endowed with supernatural spiritual gifts (Acts 5:12) and divine revelation in the form of the New Testament. Not all apostles had such gifts, however. Aside from the 12 disciples and Paul, it is unclear that the term “apostle” spoke of high authority or...
Welcome to Day 2565 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2565 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 46:4-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2565 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2565 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration of Psalm 46, focusing on verses 4 through 7 from the New Living Translation. If you joined us for the last episode, we reflected on how God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. In this next section, the psalmist shifts from describing chaos to revealing a place of peace—the city of God, where His presence dwells. This passage reminds us that no matter how turbulent the world may seem, there is a place of security in God’s presence. Whether we face personal struggles, societal upheaval, or global crises, Psalm 46:4-7 assures us that God remains unshaken and His people can find refuge in Him. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: * Psalm 46:4-7 (NLT)
4 A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. 5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it. 6 The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! 7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. * A River of Joy in the City of God (Verse 4)
The psalmist opens this section with a striking contrast to the earlier imagery of roaring seas and trembling mountains. Instead of chaos, we now see a peaceful, life-giving river: “A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.” In Scripture, rivers often symbolize life, sustenance, and divine blessing. In contrast to the raging waters of turmoil described in verse 3, this river represents the peace and provision that flow from God’s presence. For the ancient Israelites, the “city of God” referred to Jerusalem, where the temple—the dwelling place of God—stood. However, Jerusalem itself had no literal river, which means this imagery speaks to something more significant: the spiritual sustenance that comes from God Himself. Illustration: Imagine a dry, barren land that suddenly experiences a steady stream of water, transforming it into a lush, fertile place. That’s the power of God’s presence—it brings joy and renewal, even amid uncertainty. Application: What sources are we relying on for joy? Too often, we seek happiness in temporary things—success, relationships, or material wealth. But true joy flows only from God’s presence. Just as a river brings life to a city, God’s Spirit brings refreshment to our souls. * The Security of God’s Presence (Verse 5)
Verse 5 builds on this theme: “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.” The reason the city of God is secure is not...
Welcome to Day 2564 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2564– Old Testament Orientation – Covenant, Law, Sacred Space, Sacrifice – Genesis 26:4-5 Putnam Church Message – 02/09/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 5: Covenant, Law, Sacred Space, Sacrifice Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series with ‘The Books of the Pentateuch.’ This week, we will expand on The Books of the Pentateuch and explore the Covenant, Law, Sacred Space, and Sacrifice from an ancient Israelite perspective and insights into the Divine Council Worldview. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we stand before You, seeking to understand Your Word as Your people did in ancient times. We desire to know You as the Israelites knew You—to understand the depth of Your covenant, the wisdom of Your law, the holiness of Your presence, and the meaning of sacrifice. Open our hearts to receive these truths and guide us in faithfulness, reverence, and worship. May our hearts be transformed as we journey through Your Word today. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Imagine yourself as an Israelite living in the time of Moses. Your entire worldview is shaped by a relationship with Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God who brought your people out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders. You are part of a chosen nation, set apart from the peoples around you. But what does that mean in daily life? It means you live by the covenant Yahweh made with your ancestors. It means you follow His laws, recognizing them as wisdom and guidance. It means you approach His sacred presence with reverence. And it means you worship through sacrifice, not because God needs it, but because it expresses your loyalty and gratitude. These four concepts—Covenant, Law, Sacred Space, and Sacrifice—defined life for an Israelite. Understanding them through their perspective will illuminate how they point forward to Christ and apply to us today. (Bulletin Insert) * Covenant was the binding agreement (contract) between Yahweh and His people, requiring faithfulness and loyalty. * Law provided the structure of Israelite society, shaping their ethics and worship. * Sacred Space defined where Yahweh’s presence>was>encountered/and how to approach Him. * Sacrifice was the means by which purification and worship were carried out.
Understanding these concepts through the eyes of an ancient Israelite will deepen our appreciation for God’s redemptive plan, which ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Main Points 1. Covenant: A Relationship of Loyalty
Imagine you are sitting at the fire outside of your tent, listening to your grandfather tell the story of Abraham. His voice is filled with reverence as he recounts the moment when Yahweh spoke to our ancestor and made a covenant with him. “My children,” he says, “Yahweh took Abraham outside and said, ‘Look up at the stars. So shall your descendants be.’” He pauses and points to the night sky. “That is why we are here. That is why we
Welcome to Day 2563 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2563 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 46:1-3 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2563 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2563 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we begin our exploration of Psalm 46, focusing on verses 1 through 3 from the New Living Translation. This psalm is a powerful declaration of God’s protection and strength, reminding us that He remains our refuge even in times of chaos and uncertainty. The themes in this passage are deeply relevant to our lives today. We all face seasons of turmoil—times when the world around us seems unstable, and fear threatens to overwhelm us. Yet Psalm 46 calls us to shift our focus from the storms to the unshakable security of God’s presence. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: 1. Psalm 46:1-3 (NLT)
1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! 1. God—Our Refuge and Strength (Verse 1)
The psalm opens with a powerful statement: “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” The word refuge paints the picture of a strong fortress, a place of safety amid a storm. When life feels overwhelming, God offers Himself as a shelter where we can find peace and security. But God is not just a place of refuge—He is also our strength. He doesn’t simply offer protection and leave us to fend for ourselves; He empowers us to stand firm. This reminds us that God is not distant or indifferent. He is “always ready to help,” present in our struggles, and never caught off guard by our troubles. Illustration: Imagine a lighthouse standing firm during a raging storm. No matter how fierce the winds and waves become, the lighthouse remains unmoved, offering guidance and safety to weary sailors. That’s the picture of God as our refuge—unshaken, ever-present, and always available. Application: What do we turn to when trouble comes? Some seek refuge in financial security, relationships, or personal strength. But those things can fail us. Psalm 46:1 calls us to find our security in God alone. When we make Him our refuge, we discover peace that surpasses understanding. 1. No Fear in the Face of Chaos (Verse 2)
Because God is our refuge and strength, “we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.” This verse describes a scene of utter destruction—earthquakes, crumbling mountains, and shifting landscapes. These are images of things we assume to be unmovable suddenly collapsing. The psalmist is not just speaking of natural disasters; he is...
Welcome to Day 2562 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2562 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 45:10–17 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2562 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2562 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our journey through Psalm 45. In this episode, we’ll be exploring verses 10 through 17 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 45 is a beautiful and poetic wedding song that originally celebrated the marriage of an Israelite king, but it also carries prophetic significance, pointing to Christ as the ultimate King and the Church as His bride. Today’s passage shifts the focus to the bride—her calling, her beauty, and her glorious future. This passage invites us to reflect on what it means to be part of God’s kingdom and how we are called to embrace our new identity in Christ. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: * Psalm 45:10-17 (NLT)
10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. 11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. 12 The princess of Tyre will shower you with gifts. The wealthy will beg your favor. 13 The bride, a princess, looks glorious in her golden gown. 14 In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king, accompanied by her bridesmaids. 15 What a joyful and enthusiastic procession as they enter the king’s palace! 16 Your sons will become kings like their father. You will make them rulers over many lands. 17 I will bring honor to Your name in every generation. Therefore, the nations will praise You forever and ever. * A Call to Leave the Past Behind (Verses 10-11)
The passage begins with a call to the bride: “Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away.” This is an invitation for her to leave behind her old life and fully embrace her new identity as the king’s bride. This verse reflects a common theme in royal marriages of the ancient world—when a woman married a king, she often left her homeland to become part of his kingdom. This wasn’t just a geographical shift; it represented a new allegiance, a new way of life. Verse 11 continues: “For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” This highlights the bride’s cherished status. She is not merely accepted—she is delighted in. The king values her and calls her to a place of honor. Illustration: Imagine a young woman from a humble background being chosen to marry a great and noble king. At first, she might struggle with leaving behind her familiar life, but as she embraces her new role, she realizes the honor and love bestowed upon her. Application: For believers, this passage mirrors our calling in Christ. When we become followers of Jesus, we are invited to leave behind anything...
Welcome to Day 2561 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Destiny & Destination – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2561 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2561 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 42nd lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Destiny & Destination.” “I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain,” Paul said while imprisoned. His ambitions are repeated a few verses later: “When therefore I have completed this ... I will leave for Spain by way of you” (Rom 15:28). It’s certainly ambitious for him to be making travel plans. But Paul wasn’t making casual conversation or planning a vacation. He believed his life and ministry would not end until he reached Spain. We aren’t sure if Paul made it, but he was passionate about getting there. Why? He saw himself in the prophecy of Isaiah 66. Day of Salvation Throughout his letters, Paul quotes Isaiah and other Old Testament books to show that the long-promised day of salvation would come during his lifetime. In the Old Testament, the Jewish belief in Jesus as the Messiah was preceded by something Paul referred to as “the fullness of the Gentiles” (Rom 11:25). In Romans 9-11, Paul says that Gentile (non-Jew) inclusion in the people of God was made possible by the hearts of the Jewish people being temporarily hardened (11:25-26). Accomplishing the mission of Gentile evangelism would undo this hardening. Only then would Paul’s longing for the Jews to believe in Jesus come to full fruition. And only then would the deliverer (Jesus) come again from Zion (11:26). Isaiah 66:18-20 prophesies that the Lord would gather all nations to see His glory. He would give them a “sign” of His promised salvation. The sign would be delivered by Jewish exiles, sent by God into far-off nations—specifically, the lands of Tarshish, Put, Lud, Tubal, and Javan. The conversion of the Gentiles would result in the Jews from those nations returning to the Lord. The Sign Paul Saw Paul interpreted Isaiah 66 through Christian eyes. The “sign” (TH, ’ot,) was the virgin-born Jesus (compare Isa 7:14—“The Lord himself will give you a sign”).- At Pentecost, Jews whose ancestors were exiled to foreign nations came to Jerusalem from those nations. They witnessed a sign of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples, heard the gospel miraculously in their own language, and...
Welcome to Day 2560 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2560 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 45:6-11– Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2560 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2560 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue exploring the majestic Psalm 45, focusing on verses 6 through 11 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 45 is often called a royal wedding psalm. It was likely written to celebrate the wedding of an Israelite king, but it also holds deeper significance as a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, our eternal King. These verses shift the focus from the king’s strength in battle to his righteous rule and the glory of his bride. This passage is rich in meaning, pointing not only to an earthly king’s wedding but ultimately to Christ’s reign and His bride—the Church. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: 1. Psalm 45:6-11 (NLT)
6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. 7 You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. 8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes. In ivory palaces, the music of strings entertains you. 9 Kings’ daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir. 10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. 11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. 1. The Eternal Reign of the King (Verses 6-7)
Verse 6 begins with a bold and powerful declaration: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.” Here, we see a remarkable transition. The psalmist, who was speaking about the earthly king, now directly addresses God. This shift is significant because it suggests that the king’s reign is not merely human—it is divinely appointed and foreshadows Christ’s eternal kingdom. The imagery of the throne enduring forever reminds us that God’s rule is not temporary. Earthly kings and rulers come and go, but God’s reign is everlasting. Unlike human governments that can be corrupt or unstable, His kingdom is built on perfect justice. Verse 7 reinforces this idea: “You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” This passage highlights the King’s character—He is not just powerful; He is righteous. He loves justice and hates evil, which is why He is anointed above all others. This verse is directly quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9, where it is applied to Jesus Christ. This confirms that Psalm 45 is not just about an earthly ruler but ultimately points to Jesus, the true King who reigns in righteousness. Illustration: Imagine a...
Welcome to Day 2559 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/02/2025 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 4: “The Books of the Pentateuch” Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series with ‘The Language, Cosmology, Geography, and Interpretation of the Old Testament.’ This week, we will begin exploring the Old Testament’s different groups of books (genres), starting with The Books of the Pentateuch from an ancient Israelite perspective and insights into the Divine Council Worldview. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, eager to learn and grow through Your Word. As we delve into the Pentateuch, the foundation of Your covenant and story with humanity, open our eyes to the wisdom within these books. Help us see through the perspective of Your people, ancient Israel, and to apply these timeless truths to our lives. Guide our hearts to understand Your purpose, Your love, and Your sovereignty. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction The Pentateuch, also known as the Torah, consists of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books form the foundation of God’s covenantal relationship with His people. To the ancient Israelites, these texts were not merely stories or laws; they were the blueprint for life, the anchor of their identity, and the revelation of Yahweh’s character. Today, we will explore these books from the perspective of an ancient Israelite, uncovering the themes of creation, covenant, worship, and faithfulness. These books teach us who God is, who we are in relationship to Him, and how to live in faithfulness to His commands. We will examine four main points: (Bulletin Insert) 1. The Creation and Covenant of Genesis 2. The Redemption and Revelation of Exodus 3. The Holiness and Worship of Leviticus 4. The Journey and Renewal of Numbers and Deuteronomy
Through each of these points, we will discover the richness of the Pentateuch and its relevance for our faith today. Main Points 1. The Creation and Covenant of Genesis
Genesis lays the foundation for understanding God’s relationship with humanity. It begins with the grand narrative of creation, establishing Yahweh as the sovereign Creator. The ancient Israelites would have contrasted this with the pagan creation myths of their neighbors, which depicted chaotic battles among competing gods. Key Themes: * Creation: In Genesis 1, God speaks the universe into existence. Unlike other ancient Near Eastern accounts, Yahweh creates without struggle, emphasizing His supreme authority. * Covenant: In Genesis 12, God calls Abraham, establishing a covenant that will shape Israel’s identity. This covenant is marked by promises of land, descendants, and blessings.
Expanded Narrative: For an Israelite, Genesis was more than just an origin story. It explained their very existence and purpose. Imagine an Israelite child asking, “Father, why do we live in this land?” The father would tell the story of Abraham, who left everything to follow Yahweh, trusting His promise of land and descendants. This story instilled a sense...
Welcome to Day 2558 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2558 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 45:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2558 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2558 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore the majestic and poetic Psalm 45, focusing on verses 1 through 5 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 45 is unique among the psalms because it is a royal wedding song. It celebrates the beauty, strength, and righteousness of the king and paints a picture of majesty and divine favor. While it originally may have been written for an earthly king, many see it as a prophetic foreshadowing of Christ, the ultimate King. As we go through these verses, we’ll reflect on the significance of the King’s glory, his strength in battle, and how his reign points to God’s eternal rule. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 45:1-5 (NLT) 1 Beautiful words stir my heart. I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet. 2 You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever. 3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic! 4 In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds! 5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts. The nations fall beneath your feet. * A Song Overflowing with Praise (Verse 1)
The psalm begins with a personal declaration from the writer: “Beautiful words stir my heart. I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.” Right from the start, we see that this psalm is not just an ordinary song—it is a work of deep admiration and love, meant to honor the king. The imagery of the poet’s tongue being like a pen suggests that the psalmist is filled with inspiration, compelled to speak of the king’s greatness. This reminds us that when we reflect on God’s majesty and goodness, our hearts should overflow with praise. Illustration: Think about a time when you were so moved by someone’s kindness, leadership, or character that you couldn’t help but speak highly of them. Perhaps it was a mentor, a family member, or a friend who inspired you deeply. The psalmist feels this same passion when speaking of the king’s majesty. Application: How often do we let our hearts overflow with praise for God? When we take time to meditate on His goodness, our natural response should be worship. Like the psalmist, we can let our words be an offering of gratitude and admiration. * The King’s Beauty and Divine Favor (Verse 2)
In verse 2, the psalmist describes the king’s appearance and speech: “You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you...
Welcome to Day 2557 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2557 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 44:17-26 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2557 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2557 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be concluding our exploration of Psalm 44 by focusing on verses 17 through 26 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 44 is a heartfelt and raw psalm of lament, where the psalmist reflects on God’s faithfulness in the past but struggles with present suffering and apparent silence from God. In these final verses, we see a deep cry for deliverance and a powerful reminder that even in the midst of unexplainable suffering, we can confidently turn to God. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 44:17-26 (NLT) 17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten You. We have not violated Your covenant. 18 Our hearts have not deserted You. We have not strayed from Your path. 19 Yet You have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home. You have covered us with darkness and death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods, 21 God would surely have known it, for He knows the secrets of every heart. 22 But for Your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep. 23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do You sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. 24 Why do You look the other way? Why do You ignore our suffering and oppression? 25 We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt. 26 Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of Your unfailing love. * Faithfulness Amid Suffering (Verses 17-19)
The psalmist begins this section with a remarkable declaration: “All this has happened though we have not forgotten You. We have not violated Your covenant.” Despite their intense suffering, the psalmist asserts that the people have remained faithful to God. They haven’t turned away from Him or abandoned His covenant, yet they’re still experiencing crushing trials. In verse 18, the psalmist reinforces this point: “Our hearts have not deserted You. We have not strayed from Your path.” This heartfelt plea emphasizes the seeming contradiction between their faithfulness and their suffering. By verse 19, the psalmist vividly describes their plight: “Yet You have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home. You have covered us with darkness and death.” This section highlights one of the most challenging aspects of faith: remaining steadfast when suffering doesn’t make sense. The psalmist doesn’t sugarcoat the pain or pretend to understand why it’s happening, but he continues to direct his questions and concerns to God. Illustration: I once heard a story about a young missionary who faced relentless hardship while serving in a remote area....
Welcome to Day 2556 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Paul's Lost Letters – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2556 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2556 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the 41st lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Paul’s Lost Letters.” Unless you’ve been on an extended vacation from popular culture over the last couple of years, you know there’s been a lot of recent discussion about how we got the New Testament. Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code based its conspiratorial plot in part on the notion that other gospels had been eradicated by spiteful church authorities and an emperor openly partial to orthodoxy. The success of the novel prompted many churchgoers to ask whether or not all the books that should be included in the New Testament actually were. To be sure, Dan Brown took a lot of liberties with facts in his story. But what if we’re not dealing with fiction? The New Testament itself tells us that there were books written by apostles that didn’t make it into in the Bible. Surprised? Let’s take a look. 1 Corinthians 5:9 In 1 Corinthians, Paul himself mentions an earlier letter he wrote to this same church: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people” (1 Cor 5:9). While some interpreters have argued that Paul was referring to the letter he was currently writing (1 Corinthians), most acknowledge that this explanation is weak. Taken at face value, 1 Corinthians 5:9 tells us that Paul had written to this church before—but that letter has not survived and thus is not part of the New Testament. Colossians 4:16 In Paul’s letter to the church at Collosae, he says, “And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea” (Col 4:16). What was this letter from Laodicea? What happened to it? The phrase “letter from Laodicea” is a literal translation of the Greek and suggests that the letter came from Laodicea. This is a bit misleading, though. The phrase does not necessarily mean that this letter was written by someone in Laodicea to Paul or to the Colossians. Colossians 4:16 tells us that letters to churches were circulated, and so it may be that this Laodicean letter was written by Paul and sent to the Christians at Colossae—like the Colossian letter was to be sent to the believers in Laodicea. Some scholars have speculated that this letter isn’t actually missing. The region of Laodicea was also identified with the city of Ephesus, indicating that the letter from Laodicea may actually be the epistle to the...
Welcome to Day 2555 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2555 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 44:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2555 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2555 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll continue our journey through Psalm 44, focusing on verses 9 through 16 from the New Living Translation. While the first part of Psalm 44 celebrates God’s past faithfulness, this section shifts dramatically to lamentation. The psalmist grapples with the tension between God’s promises and their current suffering. These verses reflect feelings of abandonment, shame, and confusion, yet they also show us the importance of bringing even our deepest struggles to God. Let’s start by reading the passage together: Psalm 44:9-16 (NLT) 9 But now You have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle. 10 You make us retreat from our enemies and allow those who hate us to plunder our land. 11 You have butchered us like sheep and scattered us among the nations. 12 You sold Your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale. 13 You let our neighbors mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us. 14 You have made us the butt of their jokes; they shake their heads at us in scorn. 15 We can’t escape the constant humiliation; shame is written across our faces. 16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers. All we see are our vengeful enemies. * The Pain of Feeling Abandoned by God (Verses 9-11)
The psalmist begins this section with a stark contrast to the earlier celebration of God’s victories: “But now You have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle.” This abrupt shift captures the psalmist’s sense of abandonment. After recounting God’s past faithfulness in delivering His people, the writer now wrestles with the reality that God seems absent in their current struggles. In verses 10 and 11, the psalmist describes their defeat and suffering: “You make us retreat from our enemies and allow those who hate us to plunder our land. You have butchered us like sheep and scattered us among the nations.” The imagery here is striking and brutal—God’s people feel defenseless, humiliated, and dispersed. The psalmist isn’t afraid to express these raw emotions, showing us that even our feelings of abandonment can be brought to God. Illustration: Imagine a child who, after years of being lovingly guided by their parent, suddenly feels left alone in a confusing situation. They cry out, “Why aren’t you helping me?” This is the psalmist’s cry—a heartfelt expression of confusion and grief. Even though they feel abandoned, they direct their lament toward God, showing that they still trust Him enough to share their pain. Application: Have you ever faced a season where God seemed
Welcome to Day 2553 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2553 – Old Testament Orientation – The Language, Cosmology, Geography, and Interpretation of the Old Testament– Joshua 1:8 Putnam Church Message – 01/26/2024 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 3: “The Language, Cosmology, Geography, and Interpretation of the Old Testament” Last week, we continued our Old Testament Orientation series with ‘The Grand Narrative of the Old Testament.’ This week, we will cover the four key themes of language, cosmology, geography, and interpretation from an ancient Israelite perspective and Divine Council Worldview insights. Next week, we will begin to review the various groups of books based on their genre. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word, which transcends time and culture. As we gather to explore the rich tapestry of language, cosmology, geography, and interpretation in the Old Testament, guide our hearts and minds. Help us see through the eyes of the ancient Israelites, and may this understanding deepen our faith and relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Imagine standing on the hills of ancient Israel, gazing at the horizon. The world, as you know it, is filled with tangible signs of God’s provision—the rains that water the crops, the stars that mark the seasons, and the sacred land promised by Yahweh. As an ancient Israelite, your understanding of life and faith is profoundly shaped by your language, your view of the cosmos, the land you call home, and how you interpret the laws and stories passed down through generations. Today, we will explore these four key aspects of the Old Testament: 1. The Language of the Old Testament 2. The Cosmology of the Ancient Israelites 3. The Geography of the Promised Land 4. The Importance of Interpretation 5. The Language of the Old Testament
The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, a language deeply connected to the culture of the ancient Near East. It’s a language of pictures and symbols, where words evoke images and emotions. For example, the Hebrew word ruach means both “spirit” and “wind,” emphasizing the unseen yet powerful presence of God. Object Lesson #1: The Breath of Life (Fan with Ribbons) Bring a small fan or a balloon. As the fan blows or the balloon inflates, explain how the unseen wind represents ruach. Just as the wind is invisible but powerful, so is the Spirit of God moving through creation and history (Genesis 1:2). The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Cultural Insight For the Israelites, language wasn’t just a means of communication; it was an act of creation and covenant. In Genesis 1, God spoke the universe into existence. The Ten Commandments, spoken by God, weren’t just rules—they were a covenant (contract) sealed by His Word. Words carried weight and authority, shaping reality and relationships. But beyond its theological significance, Hebrew also shaped the daily lives of the Israelites. The act of reciting prayers, like the Shema,...
Welcome to Day 2553 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2553 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 44:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2553 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2553 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll dive into Psalm 44:1-8 from the New Living Translation. These verses reflect on God’s mighty deeds in the past, His faithfulness to His people, and a call to trust Him in the present. Psalm 44 is attributed to the sons of Korah, a group of temple musicians known for their heartfelt and poetic psalms. In the first eight verses, the psalmist recalls God’s great works in history and expresses confidence that His power and guidance remain active. It’s a reminder that while we honor what God has done, our faith must be alive in the present. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 44:1-8 (NLT) 1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears— our ancestors have told us of all You did in their day, in days long ago: 2 You drove out the pagan nations by Your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed their enemies and set our ancestors free. 3 They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was Your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from Your face that helped them, for You loved them. 4 You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel. 5 Only by Your power can we push back our enemies; only in Your name can we trample our foes. 6 I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. 7 You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; You disgrace those who hate us. 8 O God, we give glory to You all day long and constantly praise Your name. * Remembering God’s Faithfulness in History (Verses 1-3)
The psalm begins with a reflection on God’s past faithfulness: “O God, we have heard it with our own ears—our ancestors have told us of all You did in their day, in days long ago.” This verse highlights the importance of remembering and passing down stories of God’s mighty works. The psalmist recalls how God delivered His people, drove out nations, and gave the land to Israel as an inheritance. In verses 2 and 3, the psalmist emphasizes that these victories were not achieved by human strength: “They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was Your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from Your face that helped them, for You loved them.” These verses acknowledge that Israel’s success came solely from God’s power and love. This historical perspective is significant because it reminds us that the same God who worked in the past is still at work today. The psalmist’s words challenge us to recognize that our victories, too, are the result of God’s hand, not merely our efforts. Illustration: I once heard a story about a family who, at every Thanksgiving, took time to recount how God had provided for them
Welcome to Day 2552 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2552 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 43:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2552 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2552 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 43 in its entirety, focusing on verses 1 through 5 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 43 is a short but powerful psalm, expressing a heartfelt cry for God’s help amid adversity. It’s closely connected to Psalm 42, as it echoes the same themes of longing for God, wrestling with discouragement, and choosing to hope in Him. In this psalm, the writer turns to God as his source of justice, light, and joy, offering us a beautiful model of faith amid trials. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 43:1-5 (NLT) 1 Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars. 2 For You are God, my only safe haven. Why have You tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? 3 Send out Your light and Your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You live. 4 There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise You with my harp, O God, my God! 5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again— my Savior and my God! * A Cry for Justice and Rescue (Verse 1)
The psalm begins with a direct and urgent plea: “Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars.” The writer is seeking vindication, asking God to defend him against those who are unjustly accusing him. This plea for justice reflects a deep trust in God as the ultimate judge and defender. What stands out in this verse is the writer’s understanding that true justice comes from God. Instead of taking matters into his own hands or retaliating against his enemies, he turns to God, trusting Him to act on his behalf. Illustration: I’m reminded of a story about a young man who was falsely accused of wrongdoing at work. Rather than becoming defensive or lashing out, he chose to act with integrity and trust that the truth would eventually come to light. In time, his innocence was proven, and his reputation was restored. Like the psalmist, this young man placed his confidence in a higher authority, knowing that justice ultimately belongs to God. For us, this verse encourages us to bring our struggles with injustice to God. When we feel wronged or misunderstood, we can trust Him to be our defender, knowing He sees the truth even when others do not. * Questioning Yet Trusting God (Verse 2)
In verse 2, the psalmist expresses a profound tension between trust and doubt: “For You are God, my only safe haven. Why have You tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my...
Welcome to Day 2551 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Dumbledore Meets Philip and Peter – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2551 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the Fourtyth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Dumbledore Meets Philip & Peter.” The book of Acts is a favorite of preachers, so you are likely familiar with the showdown in Acts 8:9-24 between Peter and Simon the Magician.- Luke tells us that Simon had practiced his magic in a city in Samaria where he had been hailed as “God’s Great Power.” Simon heard the gospel preached by Philip and believed, but later, after Peter’s arrival, he tried to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit from Peter. His name has not been remembered for any great deeds, but for the payment of money for the church office (“simony”). But is that all there is to the story? Hardly. Don’t look away now, or you’ll miss what’s behind the magic. Let’s examine how a first-century audience would have comprehended the episode in its Samaritan setting. That Simon was referred to by the people of the Samaritan city as “God’s Great Power” is significant. That title comes from the Samaritan Targum—an Aramaic translation of the Samaritan Hebrew Bible, known as the Samaritan Pentateuch.- In the Samaritan Targum, the Hebrew word ‘el or, “God”) is translated as hela (“power”). God is then called “great” (m, rab). Not surprisingly, “the Great Power” was used in Samaritan hymns and writings as a substitute for the divine name, much in the same way orthodox Jews say ha-shem ( “the Name”) instead of pronouncing the divine name Yahweh. But how could the Samaritans speak of Simon as though he were God? Well, Simon was able to do amazing things. We aren’t told if what he was doing was something he picked up, learning magical trickery or enablement from a demonic power, but the effect was the same. Second, the plural of “power” (heliri) was also used by Samaritans of angels. Like many Jews and Christians, Samaritans considered one particular angel—the one in whom Yahweh’s name dwelled (Exod 23:20-23)—as the embodied Yahweh. Since this angel was viewed as a physical manifestation of the true God—the “Great Power”—Simon’s acts of magical power had convinced many Samaritans that he, too, was a fleshly manifestation of God. It’s easy to see how Luke, writing in full knowledge of the incarnation of God in Christ, would have sought to use this encounter. The drama is palpable. Philip had taken the message that God had become man in Jesus Christ to...
Welcome to Day 2550 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2550 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 42:5-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2550 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2550 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore the second half of Psalm 42, focusing on verses 5 through 11 from the New Living Translation. This passage offers a raw, honest look at spiritual struggle, emotional turmoil, and the psalmist’s ongoing effort to trust in God amid deep sorrow. Psalm 42 is often described as a “psalm of lament,” where the psalmist expresses both despair and hope. It’s a deeply relatable psalm because we’ve all faced moments when life felt overwhelming, and God seemed distant. Yet, as we’ll see, even amid his anguish, the psalmist repeatedly turns back to God, reminding us of the importance of anchoring our hope in Him. Let’s begin by reading the passage: Psalm 42:5-11 (NLT) 5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again— my Savior and my God! 6 Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. 7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as Your waves and surging tides sweep over me. 8 But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life. 9 “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” 10 Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” 11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again— my Savior and my God! * The Inner Conflict: Wrestling with Discouragement (Verses 5-6)
In verses 5 and 6, the psalmist begins with a heartfelt question: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” He’s engaging in a sort of self-reflection, trying to understand the source of his deep emotional pain. Yet, even as he acknowledges his discouragement, he doesn’t remain stuck in that place. Instead, he declares, “I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!” This moment highlights a key theme in Psalm 42: the tension between despair and hope. The psalmist feels overwhelmed, yet he chooses to place his trust in God. He doesn’t deny his feelings, but he also doesn’t let them define his faith. The phrase “I will praise Him again” is significant—it shows that the psalmist believes his current situation won’t last forever. He trusts that a time will come when he can once again worship God with joy. In verse 6, he continues: “Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You—even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount...
Welcome to Day 2549 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2549 – Old Testament Orientation – The Grand Narrative of the Old Testament Putnam Church Message – 01/12/2024 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 2: The Grand Narrative of the Old Testament Last week, we started a new series called Old Testament Orientation. We answered the question, “What is the Old Testament?” We explored how it is ultimately linked to the New Testament and that The entire Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. This week, we are continuing our series and exploring ‘The Grand Narrative of the Old Testament.’ Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we gather here today to explore the beauty and depth of Your story revealed in the Old Testament. Open our minds and hearts to see Your hand at work, weaving redemption and hope through every page. May we learn to trust You more deeply and understand our place in Your grand narrative. Guide us now by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction The Old Testament isn’t just a collection of ancient laws, prophecies, and genealogies. It is a grand narrative—a sweeping story of God’s work among humanity, beginning with creation and pointing forward to ultimate redemption. For the ancient Israelites, this story was not just history; it was their identity, faith, and hope. The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that the Old Testament is the story primarily of Israel. Starting with Genesis 12 all the way through the Old Testament, the story is focused on Israel. After the world implodes in Genesis 1-11, God decides to preserve a remnant so He can get what He desires, and what he desires is a human family. So, out of the chaos and depravity, he calls Abram, changes his name to Abraham, and starts over the Edenic (Garden of Eden) plan. God says, “I want a human family. That is why I created humanity. Things have gone terribly, but I am not giving up. I am going to take this one guy and his wife who cannot have children, and I am going to supernaturally create a people from them, and that is how I am going to keep the plan alive to eventually bring all nations back to me.” The nations dispersed at Babbel were reunited when Jesus Christ began God’s kingdom on earth, and Pentecost was bringing together all nations under Christ. Today, we’ll walk through the grand narrative of the Old Testament from an ancient Israelite’s perspective. We must take on the mindset of an ancient Israelite. (Bulletin) We’ll focus on: 1. God as Creator and Sustainer 2. God’s Covenant with His People 3. The Consequences of Disobedience 4. The Hope of Redemption
Let’s immerse ourselves in the story and see how it speaks to our lives today. 1. God as Creator and Sustainer
The story begins with God’s act of creation. Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” For the Israelites, this was not just an explanation of origins but a proclamation of God’s authority over all creation. From a Divine Council worldview, this narrative also introduces the unseen realm, where God presides over a council of divine beings who...
Welcome to Day 2548 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2548 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 42:1-4 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2548 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2548 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll reflect on Psalm 42, specifically verses 1 through 4, from the New Living Translation. Psalm 42 is a deeply personal and emotional psalm, capturing the longing of a soul that feels distant from God. It’s attributed to the sons of Korah, a group of temple musicians, and it beautifully expresses a heartfelt yearning for God’s presence. In these opening verses, we find imagery that speaks to seasons of spiritual dryness, a thirst for God, and memories of past joy. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 42:1-4 (NLT) 1 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him? 3 Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” 4 My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! * A Thirst for God (Verses 1-2):
The psalm opens with a vivid and relatable image: “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him?” This poetic metaphor captures the intensity of the psalmist’s desire for God. Just as a deer in a dry and barren land desperately seeks out streams of water to quench its thirst, the psalmist yearns for the presence of God. This imagery of thirst is significant. Thirst is one of the most basic and urgent human needs. When you’re truly thirsty, nothing else matters until that thirst is satisfied. The psalmist uses this comparison to convey the depth of his spiritual longing—his soul is parched, and only God’s presence can quench it. Illustration: Think of a traveler lost in the desert, searching desperately for water. Every moment without it increases their longing. In a similar way, the psalmist feels spiritually dry, yearning to experience the refreshing presence of God once again. Many of us have experienced seasons when we’ve felt distant from God, longing for the connection we once had. This psalm reminds us that such longing is natural and even healthy—it’s a sign of our soul’s deep desire for its Creator. The psalmist also refers to God as the “living God,” emphasizing that his longing isn’t for rituals or traditions but for a real, personal relationship with a God who is alive and active. When he asks, “When can I go and stand before Him?” he’s expressing a deep desire to return to the temple, the place where he once felt closest to God....
Welcome to Day 2547 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2545 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 41:10-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2547 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2547 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll wrap up our journey through Psalm 41 by focusing on verses 10 through 13 from the New Living Translation. These final verses capture David’s plea for deliverance, his trust in God’s sustaining power, and a declaration of praise for God’s eternal reign. David, who began this psalm by highlighting the blessings for those who care for the poor, now turns his attention to his personal struggles. He cries out for God’s help amid betrayal and suffering, but he doesn’t stay in a place of despair. Instead, he ends with a resounding note of trust and praise. Let’s begin by reading these verses together: Psalm 41:10-13 (NLT) 10 Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back! 11 I know You are pleased with me, for You have not let my enemies triumph over me. 12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent; You have brought me into Your presence forever. 13 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen! * A Plea for Mercy and Restoration (Verse 10):
David begins verse 10 with a heartfelt plea: “Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back!” This is a continuation of David’s earlier request for God’s mercy and healing. However, here, he adds a specific desire—to be restored so he can deal with those who have wronged him. At first glance, the phrase “so I can pay them back” might seem vengeful. However, understanding David’s context helps us see things differently. David isn’t talking about personal revenge. As Israel’s king, his role was to uphold justice and protect the nation. By asking to “pay them back,” he’s seeking to restore order and righteousness, trusting that God will empower him to carry out justice in accordance with His will. This plea also reveals David’s dependence on God for both physical healing and the ability to fulfill his responsibilities as a leader. He recognizes that he can’t move forward without God’s intervention. Illustration: Think about a time when you faced a significant challenge—perhaps an illness or a period of emotional struggle—that left you feeling powerless. Like David, you may have cried out for God’s help, not just for your own benefit, but so you could resume your role as a parent, a leader, or a caregiver. David’s plea reminds us that it’s okay to ask God for restoration when our goal is to serve others and bring about His purposes. * Trusting in God’s Approval (Verse 11):
In verse 11, David expresses confidence in God’s favor: “I know You are pleased with me, for You have not let my enemies triumph over me.” Despite his struggles, David finds reassurance in the fact that God has...
Welcome to Day 2546 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Born Again...and Again and Again – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2546 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2546 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-ninth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Born Again…and Again and Again.” Was Jesus open to the idea of reincarnation? The question may seem odd, but it’s one that many people, even biblical scholars, contend has a positive answer.- The idea comes from a passage you’ve likely read dozens of times. As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but in order that the works of God might be made manifest in him (he was born blind). We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:1-4). Notice the disciples’ question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Many presume the question indicates that the disciples believed the man born blind really could have sinned before he was born, and that his pre-birth sins caused his congenital blindness. This presumption is followed by another: that Jesus’ answer wasn’t a categorical denial. Since Jesus doesn’t come out and say, “What a silly idea, don’t be ridiculous!” Some have argued that His response means that in this case the man born blind didn’t sin in a previous life, but perhaps that could have happened in another case. Could this interpretation be correct? Reincarnation is the belief that the soul migrates from one body to another, different body, in a long (possibly endless) succession. The idea of the “migration of the soul” cannot be found in the Bible, or in other Jewish writers of antiquity,- which indicates the disciples were likely presuming something different: People can do good and evil while still in the womb. Paul addresses this misconception in Romans 9:9-13 when dealing with the case of Jacob and Esau. Even if a pre-born person could sin in the womb, this does not involve the migration of a soul. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated”...
Welcome to Day 2545 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2545 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 41:4-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2545 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2545 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 41:4-9 from the New Living Translation. This passage is a heartfelt plea from David during a time of personal suffering, betrayal, and the weight of sin. It shows us how to turn to God for healing and comfort in moments of pain and when facing betrayal by those we trust. As we walk through these verses, we’ll uncover profound truths about God’s mercy, the reality of human frailty, and how we can find hope even when we feel abandoned or betrayed. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 41:4-9 (NLT) 4 “O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against You.” 5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask. 6 They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere. 7 All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst. 8 “He has some fatal disease,” they say. “He will never get out of that bed!” 9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me. * A Cry for Mercy and Healing (Verse 4):
David begins this section with a personal and vulnerable prayer: “O Lord, I prayed, ‘have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against You.’” This verse highlights David’s recognition of his physical need for healing and his spiritual need for forgiveness. He acknowledges that his suffering isn’t just external—it’s tied to his own sin and brokenness. David’s plea for mercy is a model of humility. He doesn’t demand healing or try to justify himself; instead, he admits his sin and asks for God’s mercy. This shows us that when we approach God, we should do so with a spirit of repentance, trusting in His compassion and grace. Illustration: I once heard a story about a young man who had distanced himself from his family after making poor choices. When he finally returned home, he didn’t come with excuses—he simply asked for forgiveness. His parents welcomed him with open arms, overjoyed that he had returned. In a similar way, when we come to God with a repentant heart, He is ready to offer mercy and healing. David’s prayer reminds us that God’s mercy is always available. Whether we’re seeking physical healing, spiritual renewal, or emotional restoration, we can come to God, knowing that He is compassionate and ready to heal. * Facing Hostility and Gossip (Verses 5-7):
In verses 5 through 7, David describes the hostile environment he faces: “But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. ‘How soon will he die and be forgotten?’ they ask. They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather...
Welcome to Day 2544 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2544 – Old Testament Orientation – What is the Old Testament? Putnam Church Message – 01/05/2024 Sermon Series: Old Testament Orientation Message 1: What is the Old Testament? Last week was the final Sunday of 2024, and our focus was to press forward with a message titled “A Christ-Centered Perspective on the New Year.” This week, we are starting a new series called Old Testament Orientation. Unlike a deep dive into a particular book, this series will be a mile wide and a foot deep. We will take on the mindset of an ancient Israelite and God’s plan of redemption for humankind. We will invest the first quarter of 2025 covering an Old Testament Orientation, and the second quarter of 2025 with a New Testament Orientation. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, we come into Your presence with hearts eager to learn and grow. As we begin this journey through the Old Testament, help us to see Your story of redemption, love, and purpose. Open our minds to understand, and let our hearts be transformed by Your Word. Guide this time together, and may all we do glorify You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction What is the Old Testament? For many, this question stirs thoughts of thick genealogies, ancient laws, or confusing prophecies. Yet, the Old Testament is the foundation of our faith and the beginning of God’s grand story. It sets the stage for the New Testament and introduces us to the God who creates, redeems, and sustains. I like the tagline that The Bible Project uses. The Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. In both of our series, we will connect this unified story. (Tapestry) The Old Testament is like a vast tapestry, each thread holding a unique story that contributes to the overall masterpiece of God’s plan. When we study it, we uncover the deep emotions of loss, hope, and faith. It teaches us that even during the most challenging times, like the Israelites in exile, God’s presence is a promise of restoration and love, urging us to keep our eyes fixed on Him. This message will cover three key aspects: 1. The Authorship and Structure of the Old Testament 2. How the Old Testament Was Preserved 3. The Authority and Relevance of the Old Testament Today
Let’s dive in, not just to gain knowledge, but to deepen our relationship with the Author behind the text. 1. The Authorship and Structure of the Old Testament
The Challenge of Anonymous Authorship Most Old Testament books do not name their authors explicitly. For example, Moses is traditionally considered the author of the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy), yet his name does not appear in the opening verses. This anonymity reflects the communal and oral culture of the ancient Near East. * Story Illustration #1: Imagine a group of people passing down family stories at a campfire. Each storyteller adds vivid details, but the heart of the story remains the same. Similarly, the Old Testament emerged from a culture that valued the collective preservation of truth over individual credit. * Story Illustration #2: Consider a seasoned storyteller sitting by the fire, narrating tales of ancient...
Welcome to Day 2543 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2543 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 41:1-3 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2543 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2543 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 41, focusing on verses 1 through 3 from the New Living Translation. This passage offers a powerful message about God’s blessings for those who care for the poor, His protection in times of trouble, and His ability to restore health and strength. In these few verses, David paints a picture of what it means to live a life that reflects God’s heart—one that cares for the most vulnerable and trusts in God’s provision during life’s difficult moments. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 41:1-3 (NLT) 1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. 2 The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. 3 The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. * The Joy of Kindness and Compassion (Verse 1):
David opens this psalm by highlighting the joy and blessings that come from showing kindness to the poor: “Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.” This verse is more than just a call to charity—it reflects God’s character. Throughout Scripture, God consistently shows His heart for the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. When we care for the poor, we align ourselves with His values and demonstrate His love in action. David doesn’t simply say, “Be kind to the poor because it’s the right thing to do.” He goes a step further by pointing out that there are tangible blessings for those who practice compassion. Specifically, he mentions that the Lord rescues them in times of trouble. This shows that kindness isn’t just about helping others—it’s also a way of opening ourselves to God’s help and protection. Illustration: There’s a story of a man who, during a harsh winter, gave his coat to someone who was homeless. Though it left him cold for a while, he later found warmth in the kindness of a stranger who offered him shelter. This story illustrates a truth we often see in life: when we care for others, God’s blessings have a way of finding us, often in ways we don’t expect. David’s words encourage us to look beyond ourselves and seek ways to serve those in need, knowing that as we do, God sees our actions and responds with His own kindness. * God’s Protection and Provision (Verse 2):
In verse 2, David expands on the blessings that come to those who care for the poor: “The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies.” This verse emphasizes that God’s protection is comprehensive. He not only keeps us safe, but He also sustains us and ensures that we have what we...
Welcome to Day 2542 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2542 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 40:13-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2542 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2542 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll conclude our study of Psalm 40 by exploring verses 13 through 17 from the New Living Translation. These closing verses show us David in a moment of urgent prayer, seeking God’s help amid trouble, danger, and opposition. In this passage, David demonstrates a remarkable blend of honesty, humility, and trust. As we reflect on these verses, we’ll discover how to bring our fears and struggles to God while remaining confident in His power to deliver and protect. Let’s start by reading the passage together: Psalm 40:13-17 (NLT) 13 Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. 14 May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. 15 Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!” 16 But may all who search for You be filled with joy and gladness in You. May those who love Your salvation repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!” 17 As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in His thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay. * A Cry for Immediate Help (Verse 13):
Guthrie: David begins this section with an urgent plea: “Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me.” These words are simple yet profound, capturing the desperation of someone who knows their only hope lies in God. David doesn’t mince words—he gets straight to the point, asking for rescue and assistance with a sense of urgency. This verse is a reminder that we can approach God directly in our moments of need. Whether our struggles are external threats or internal battles, God invites us to cry out to Him. David’s prayer shows that we don’t need to have polished words or lengthy explanations—what matters is the sincerity of our hearts. Illustration: Imagine a child who trips and falls, immediately crying out, “Daddy, help me!” The parent doesn’t pause to analyze the situation or wait for the child to explain—they rush to help because they love their child. Similarly, God is eager to come to our aid when we call on Him with childlike trust and urgency. * Seeking Justice for Opponents (Verses 14-15):
In verses 14 and 15, David shifts his focus to those who oppose him: “May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, ‘Aha! We’ve got him now!’” David’s prayer here is a request for justice. He’s not seeking personal revenge—he’s asking God to deal with his enemies in a way that upholds righteousness and truth. Those who seek to harm him and take...
Welcome to Day 2541 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – What Walking On Water Really Means – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2541 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2541 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-eighth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “What Walking on Water Really Means.” Tales of tempests battering ships inspire respect for the sea. En route to Capernaum, Jesus’ disciples watched these stories become reality as the roaring wind transformed the waters around them. As they fought against the waves and wind, they witnessed a miracle: “They saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat” (John 6:19). Appearing in three of the four Gospels, this event inspires Sunday school lessons and has become ingrained in our portrait of Jesus’ life. As spectacular and unforgettable as the event is to us, however, a Jewish audience would have seen in it a profound theological meaning against the backdrop of the Old Testament. An Old Testament Symbol In the Old Testament, the unpredictable sea is a common symbol of cosmic disorder—conditions contrary to God’s design for an ordered world. This symbol for cosmic anarchy is also personified as a sea monster, known as Leviathan or Rahab. The image of chaos as an untamed monster in a churning, erratic sea was common throughout the ancient world. People accustomed to land would naturally view the vast, raging ocean as uncontrollable and potentially deadly, filled with terrifying unknown creatures. Religions across the ancient Mediterranean often depicted their important deities destroying or subduing the sea dragon, thereby calming the sea and restoring order. In the Old Testament, it is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who conquers the forces of chaos and imposes order in the cosmos (Job 26:12- 13; Psa 89:5-14). This imagery is applied even to the exodus from Egypt (Psa 74:12-17), where God split the sea to deliver His people, thereby conquering the forces of evil that sought their demise. Final Victory God’s ultimate victory at the end of the age is also depicted as God dominating the forces of the sea: “In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the twisting serpent, Leviathan the crooked serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea” (Isa 27:1). This is why the description of the final paradise of the new heaven and new earth contains the phrase, “the sea was no more” (Rev...
Welcome to Day 2540 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2540 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 40:9-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2540 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2540 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will journey into God’s Word. In this episode, we’ll continue our exploration of Psalm 40, focusing on verses 9 through 12 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, David shifts his focus from personal praise and thanksgiving to sharing God’s goodness with others and seeking God’s mercy in the face of overwhelming challenges. This passage is a beautiful blend of gratitude, proclamation, and dependence on God, offering profound lessons for our faith journey. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 40:9-12 (NLT) 9 I have told all Your people about Your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as You, O Lord, well know. 10 I have not kept the good news of Your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about Your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of Your unfailing love and faithfulness. 11 Lord, don’t hold back Your tender mercies from me. Let Your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. 12 For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage. * Proclaiming God’s Justice and Faithfulness (Verses 9-10):
David begins this section with a bold declaration of his commitment to sharing God’s justice and faithfulness: “I have told all Your people about Your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as You, O Lord, well know.” David isn’t content to keep his experiences with God to himself—he feels compelled to tell others about God’s righteousness and saving power. In verse 10, David continues, “I have not kept the good news of Your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about Your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of Your unfailing love and faithfulness.” These verses emphasize the importance of openly declaring God’s goodness. David doesn’t just whisper his gratitude in private—he proclaims it publicly, ensuring that others can be encouraged and inspired by what God has done. This is a reminder for us as well. Our faith isn’t meant to be a private affair. When God works in our lives, it’s an opportunity to testify to His greatness, so others might see His hand at work and be drawn to Him. Illustration: Imagine someone who has been rescued from a life-threatening situation—perhaps pulled from a burning building or saved from drowning. Would they keep their gratitude to themselves, or would they share the story with others, highlighting the hero who saved them? David’s proclamation is like that. He recognizes that his deliverance isn’t just for his benefit; it’s an opportunity to point others toward God’s faithfulness and love. For us, sharing our testimony doesn’t have to be...
Welcome to Day 2539 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2539 – Pressing Forward - A Christ-Centered Perspective on the New Year Putnam Church Message – 12/29/2024 A Christ-Centered Perspective on the New Year For our Christmas Eve service, we learned what it means to ‘Live in Christ, Daily’ and were encouraged to bring light into every corner of the world. This week is the final Sunday of 2024, and to extend our previous message, we must be Pressing Forward with a message titled “A Christ-Centered Perspective on the New Year.” Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we gather on this final Sunday of 2024, we pause to reflect on Your faithfulness throughout the year. Thank You for walking with us through every joy and challenge. As we look to Your Word today, open our hearts to hear Your call to press on toward the purpose You have for us. Teach us what it means to live as citizens of heaven, with our eyes fixed on Christ. Inspire us to move forward with renewed faith and hope in the year to come. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen. Introduction: A Year’s End and a New Beginning As we gather on this final Sunday of 2024, we find ourselves at the crossroads of time—looking back at the year that was /and looking forward to the coming year. It’s a time of reflection, thanksgiving, and anticipation. Around the world, year-end traditions help people mark this transition: from fireworks in Sydney Harbor/ to the dropping of the ball in Times Square,/ from sharing resolutions/ to symbolic rituals like cleaning houses or eating special foods. These traditions, though varied, share a common theme: leaving the old behind and embracing the new. As Christians, this is also a fitting time to reflect on our spiritual journey. Today, we’ll turn to Philippians 3:12-21 (NLT), where the Apostle Paul uses the image of a race to describe the Christian life—a race that calls us to press forward, forgetting the past and striving toward the future God has for us. Reading: Philippians 3:12-21 (NLT) “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their God is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and...
Welcome to Day 2538 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2538 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 40:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2538 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2538 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 40:1-8 from the New Living Translation. This passage is a heartfelt song of praise and dedication from David, celebrating God’s deliverance and expressing a deep desire to do His will. These verses teach us about waiting patiently for God, the joy of His salvation, and the importance of aligning our lives with His purposes. As we walk through this passage, we’ll reflect on how David’s words can inspire us in our faith journeys today. Let’s begin by reading the passage: Psalm 40:1-8 (NLT) 1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. 4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. 5 O Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. 6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that You have made me listen, I finally understand— You don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. 7 Then I said, “Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: 8 I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your instructions are written on my heart.” * Waiting Patiently for God (Verse 1):
David begins this psalm with a testimony of God’s faithfulness: “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry.” These opening words reflect the importance of trusting in God’s timing. David doesn’t describe how long he waited or how difficult the waiting was, but his tone suggests a season of perseverance. Waiting on God can be one of the most challenging aspects of faith. It requires trust, patience, and a belief that God hears us even when His answers seem delayed. David’s testimony reminds us that God does hear our cries, and His response is always right on time. Illustration: I’m reminded of a farmer who plants seeds in the spring and patiently waits for the harvest. He can’t rush the process—he must trust that the seeds will grow in due time. Similarly, when we wait on the Lord, we trust He is working behind the scenes to bring about His perfect will. * God’s Deliverance and Steadfastness (Verse 2):
In verse 2, David describes God’s deliverance with vivid imagery: “He lifted me out...
Welcome to Day 2537 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2537 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 39:12-13 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2537 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2537 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll complete our exploration of Psalm 39 by focusing on its final verses—verses 12 and 13—from the New Living Translation. These two verses are short, but they contain profound truths about human frailty, the brevity of life, and our dependence on God’s mercy. David’s closing words in this psalm are both a plea for God’s attention and an acknowledgment of life’s transient nature. They invite us to reflect on our own mortality, our relationship with God, and the hope we have in Him. Let’s begin by reading these verses together: Psalm 39:12-13 (NLT) 12 Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am Your guest— a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. 13 Leave me alone so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more. * A Plea for God’s Attention (Verse 12):
David begins this final section with an impassioned plea: “Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears.” These opening words express David’s longing for God’s presence and attention. He doesn’t merely ask for answers—he asks for God to hear him, to listen to his cries, and to see his tears. This is a deeply personal and vulnerable appeal. David’s repetition emphasizes the intensity of his feelings. He’s not asking casually—he’s crying out from a place of deep emotional pain. His request that God not ignore his tears highlights the power of tears as an expression of the heart. They speak when words fail, and David trusts that God understands what even his tears are saying. Illustration: This reminds me of a story about a child who, after a rough day at school, sat quietly next to his mother, tears streaming down his face. The mother didn’t need words to understand her child’s pain. She simply held him, letting her presence offer comfort. In the same way, David trusts that God sees his tears and hears the unspoken prayers behind them. For us, this verse is a reminder that we can come to God with our raw emotions. He isn’t distant or indifferent—He’s a compassionate Father who hears our cries and values our tears. * A Recognition of Life’s Transience (Verse 12, Continued):
David continues, “For I am Your guest—a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me.” Here, David acknowledges the temporary nature of life. He compares himself to a guest in God’s world, a traveler passing through on a journey that will one day end. This imagery underscores the brevity of human life and the fact that we are not permanent residents on earth. The phrase “as my ancestors were before me” connects David’s experience to the broader human condition. He recognizes that his life is part of a continuum—just as his ancestors lived and died, so...
Welcome to Day 2536 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Who Took Verse 4 Out of my Bible – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2536 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2536 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-seventh lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Who Took Verse 4 Out of My Bible?” Most of us have read John 5:1-9, the story of the blind, paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, many times, but I’ll bet there’s something that escaped your attention. Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked (John 5:1-9 niv). If you read closely you’ll notice that verse 4 is missing! Start at verse one and count out loud: 1, 2, 3 ... 5? In case your Bible version doesn’t have the verse, the omitted words read: “for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted” (nasb). The verse is not just missing in the niv; the situation is the same in the esv, nrsv, cev, NLT, and the net Bible. If you use the nasb or ncv you will see the verse, but it’s been placed inside brackets, whereas the kjv and the nkjv contain verse 4 without any notation or demarcation. So what’s going on here? Who took John 5:4 out of the Bible? If you’re using a study Bible that doesn’t have verse 4, you will likely see a note at the end of verse 3, or the beginning of verse 5, explaining why it isn’t there. This is a textbook case of a disagreement between manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. What would be John 5:4 (the missing material that begins in verse 3) is not found in any of the earliest and most accurate manuscripts of the Gospel of John. Scholars who make a career of comparing manuscripts (“textual critics” and “paleographers”) have...
Welcome to Day 2535 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2535 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 39:6-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2535 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2535 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll continue our journey through Psalm 39, focusing on verses 6 through 11 from the New Living Translation. This section of the psalm is a deeply introspective and humbling reflection from David, where he contemplates the fleeting nature of life, the futility of earthly pursuits, and the discipline of God. As we unpack these verses, we’ll discover timeless truths about how to live with purpose, humility, and trust in God’s eternal perspective. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 39:6-11 (NLT) 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. 7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You. 8 Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me. 9 I am silent before You; I won’t say a word, for my punishment is from You. 10 But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from Your hand. 11 When You discipline us for our sins, You consume like a moth what is precious to us. Each of us is but a breath. * The Futility of Earthly Pursuits (Verse 6):
David opens this section with a sobering observation: “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.” This verse captures the transience of human life and the futility of striving for earthly success. David compares our lives to “moving shadows,” a metaphor that underscores how fleeting and insubstantial our existence is. The phrase “all our busy rushing” speaks to the frantic pace of life that often consumes us. We work hard, pursue goals, and accumulate possessions, but in the end, it amounts to nothing if disconnected from eternal purposes. David highlights the ultimate uncertainty of wealth, noting that we “heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.” This truth is a humbling reminder that material possessions are temporary and beyond our control. Illustration: I’m reminded of the story of a wealthy man who spent his life building an empire. He worked tirelessly to amass his fortune, but when he passed away, his children squandered his wealth within a few years, arguing over his estate. This story mirrors David’s point—our earthly pursuits, no matter how impressive, can quickly fade if they lack eternal significance. It challenges us to consider: are we investing in things that last, or are we chasing shadows? * A Hope Anchored in God (Verse 7):
In verse 7, David shifts his focus from the futility of earthly pursuits to the foundation of true hope: “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You.” After...
Welcome to Day 2534 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2534 – Fourth Week of Advent – Living in Love, Daily and Christmas Eve Service - Living in Christ, Daily Putnam Church Message – 12/22/2024 Living in Love, Daily Last week was the third Sunday of Advent, and our focus was “Living in joy, Daily. We learned that we need to carry the joy of Jesus with us, reflecting His light and love to a world that desperately needs it. Let’s celebrate the incredible gift of joy we have in knowing Christ, the One who brings “good news of great joy for all people.” This week is the Fourth Sunday of Advent: “The Candle of Love” in a message titled “Living in Love, Daily.” As mentioned previously, during the weeks of Advent, I want to slow life down a bit so we can truly take time to reflect on the purpose of the Advent season. I will also tie in some Christmas traditions in each message so we can reflect on the meaning of some traditions we practice during this blessed time. Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we gather on this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we come with grateful hearts to reflect on the love You have shown us through the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for loving us unconditionally, even when we were unworthy. Open our hearts today to receive Your love afresh, and help us to live in that love daily, extending it to others. May Your Spirit guide us as we seek to grow in our understanding of what it means to truly live in love. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen. Introduction: Love as the Heart of Christmas On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we come to one of the Christmas story’s most profound and central themes: Love. We have lit the fourth Advent candle, representing love. We remember that love is at the heart of the Christmas season. It’s a time when we celebrate God’s love coming down to us through the birth of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John describes this love beautifully in 1 John 4:9-10 (NLT): “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” As we dive into this message today, let’s explore the love God showed by sending His Son. We’ll unpack what it means for us and look at how this love, revealed at Christmas, can change our lives if we embrace it. Problem Statement: The Search for Love We live in a world that is desperate for love. People search for it in so many places—relationships, careers, achievements, social media. But often, the love we find is temporary, conditional, or transactional. Many of us have felt the sting of love lost or love that wasn’t what we hoped it would be. In this world, love can be fickle. It can be something given only when we perform or meet specific standards. But the love we’re talking about today, the love of Christmas, is entirely different. Illustration: The Unbreakable Thread (Red Ribbon) Imagine a red thread that stretches across time and space, unbroken and unyielding. No matter how tangled, stretched, or pulled it gets, it never snaps. This thread represents God’s love for us—constant, unchanging, and enduring. Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
Welcome to Day 2533 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2533 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 39:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2533 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2533 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re diving into Psalm 39, focusing on verses 1 through 5 from the New Living Translation. This reflective psalm, attributed to David, wrestles with themes of self-control, the brevity of life, and our dependence on God. David’s words in this passage are raw, honest, and thought-provoking. They challenge us to examine our hearts and consider how we live in light of the fleeting nature of life. Let’s begin by reading the verses together: Psalm 39:1-5 (NLT) 1 I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” 2 But as I stood there in silence— not even speaking of good things— the turmoil within me grew worse. 3 The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words: 4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to You; at best, each of us is but a breath.” * The Resolve for Self-Control (Verses 1-2):
David begins this psalm with a firm resolution: “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” David is keenly aware of the power of words and their potential to lead to sin. His decision to guard his speech reflects a deep desire to honor God, even in difficult circumstances. However, in verse 2, David describes the struggle of staying silent: “But as I stood there in silence—not even speaking of good things—the turmoil within me grew worse.” Holding his tongue, especially in the presence of the ungodly, creates inner tension. It’s as though his emotions are bubbling just beneath the surface, and the effort to suppress them only intensifies the turmoil. Illustration: Think about a teapot on the stove. As the water heats, the steam builds pressure inside until it whistles. Similarly, David’s silence creates an emotional buildup. His intention to remain quiet is commendable, but it doesn’t alleviate his inner struggle. This image reminds us that while it’s wise to choose our words carefully, suppressing all communication can sometimes leave us feeling even more conflicted. * The Fire of Words (Verse 3):
David’s internal struggle comes to a head in verse 3: “The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words.” His silence, though well-intentioned, ultimately gives way to an outpouring of emotion. The phrase “igniting a fire of words” captures the intensity of his feelings as they spill out in prayer to God. This verse illustrates a...
Welcome to Day 2532 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2532 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 38:17-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2532 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2532 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll conclude our journey through Psalm 38 by focusing on verses 17 through 22 from the New Living Translation. These final verses are a heartfelt cry for deliverance as David brings his pain, his guilt, and his hope to the Lord. Psalm 38 is one of David’s most vulnerable psalms, and these closing verses offer profound lessons on humility, repentance, and unwavering trust in God’s mercy. Let’s read the passage together: Psalm 38:17-22 (NLT) 17 I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain. 18 But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. 19 I have many aggressive enemies; they hate me without reason. 20 They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good. 21 Do not abandon me, O Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. 22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior. * The Depth of Suffering (Verse 17):
David opens this section with a raw and honest admission: “I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.” His words reveal the intensity of his physical, emotional, and spiritual distress. The phrase “on the verge of collapse” conveys a sense of being completely overwhelmed, as though he has reached the limits of his endurance. This verse reminds us that there are seasons in life when we feel utterly drained, as if the weight of our struggles is too much to bear. David’s pain is not just physical—it’s deeply tied to his feelings of guilt and the opposition he faces from his enemies. Yet, even in his suffering, David turns to God, showing us that no matter how broken we feel, we can bring our pain to the Lord. Illustration: A friend once shared a story about a particularly challenging season in her life. She was caring for an ailing parent, managing a demanding job, and dealing with personal health issues. One day, after a long hospital visit, she sat in her car and wept, feeling like she couldn’t take another step. But in that moment, she prayed a simple prayer: “Lord, I can’t do this without You.” She described how God gave her the strength to carry on, one day at a time. Like David, she found that admitting her weakness and turning to God was the first step toward healing and renewal. * A Heart of Repentance (Verse 18):
In verse 18, David transitions from describing his suffering to confessing his sins: “But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.” This verse captures the heart of David’s prayer—his recognition of his need for forgiveness. David doesn’t try to justify or minimize his actions. Instead, he takes full responsibility, expressing genuine sorrow for his sins. Confession is a crucial part of our
Welcome to Day 2531 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Healing Serpent – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2531 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2531 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-sixth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “The Healing Serpent.” Many people can recite John 3:16, but how many know what John 3:14- 15 says? Jesus’ words in these two verses have generated confusion and controversy: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:15 presents no problem; it declares the gospel—that Jesus, the Son of Man in this passage, is the true object of faith for all who would have eternal life. The difficulty lies in verse 14, where Jesus compares His destiny on the cross to a serpent “lifted up” in the wilderness. In this analogy, Jesus draws on Numbers 21:4-9, one of many incidents in which the Israelites complained about their circumstances on their journey to the promised land. God punished their impatience and lack of faith by sending venomous “fiery serpents” into the camp (Num 21:6). After many fatalities, the people begged Moses to intercede with God on their behalf. God relented and instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Anyone bitten by a serpent would be healed by gazing at the bronze serpent. Although the parallel between the serpent on the pole and Jesus on the cross is apparent, the incident raises questions. Why didn’t God heal the people directly? Was the bronze serpent an idol, and thus a violation of the second commandment? Wouldn’t the Israelites have recoiled at the association of healing with a serpent? Not Out of Eden We might incorrectly link the serpent on the pole (Num 21) and the serpent in the garden (Gen 3), but the only similarity between these two passages is the word “serpent” (wm, nachash). The nachash of Genesis 3 is a figure acting independently of—and in opposition to—the will of God. In Numbers 21 the biting serpents are God’s instrument of judgment for sin, and the nachash on the pole is God’s instrument of healing for those punished for sin. Maybe Magic In part the answer to “why a serpent?” is found in the ancient practice of sympathetic magic—the idea that a person afflicted by an object can be cured or delivered by an image of that same object. In the absence of sophisticated medical knowledge, ancient cultures sought cures for physical ailments or perceived curses by such means. We can find several examples of this ancient medical...
Welcome to Day 2530 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2530 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 38:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2530 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2530 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll continue our journey through Psalm 38 by focusing on verses 9 through 16 from the New Living Translation. This section is a heartfelt cry from David as he navigates the pain of guilt, the loneliness of isolation, and the hope he clings to in God’s faithfulness. In these verses, David pours out his heart with raw honesty, offering us a model for bringing our struggles to God. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 38:9-16 (NLT) 9 You know what I long for, Lord; You hear my every sigh. 10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind. 11 My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease. Even my own family stands at a distance. 12 Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me. Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me. All day long they plan their treachery. 13 But I am deaf to all their threats. I am silent before them as one who cannot speak. 14 I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply. 15 For I am waiting for You, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God. 16 I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies gloat over me or rejoice at my downfall.” * An Honest Cry to God (Verses 9-10):
David begins this section with a vulnerable confession: “You know what I long for, Lord; You hear my every sigh.” Here, David acknowledges that God is fully aware of his deepest desires and struggles. He doesn’t need to explain or justify himself because God already knows. This verse highlights the intimate relationship David shares with God, where even his unspoken sighs are understood. In verse 10, David describes the physical toll of his anguish: “My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind.” His distress is so overwhelming that it affects him physically—his pounding heart, depleted strength, and dimming vision all reflect the depth of his suffering. This vivid description reminds us that emotional and spiritual struggles can manifest in our bodies, leaving us feeling completely drained. David’s honesty here is a powerful reminder that we can bring every part of our pain to God. Sometimes, we may not have the words to express what we’re feeling, but as David shows, even our sighs and longings are heard by a compassionate God. Illustration: Have you ever had a moment where the weight of your emotions left you feeling physically exhausted? Perhaps after a difficult conversation, a heartbreak, or a significant loss? I remember hearing about a woman who, after the loss of her spouse, found herself sitting in silence on her porch, unable to form words in prayer. She later shared that in those moments of quiet sighs, she felt God’s presence most profoundly....
Welcome to Day 2529 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2529 – Third Week of Advent – Living in Joy, Daily Putnam Church Message – 12/15/2024 Living in Joy, Daily Last week was the second Sunday of Advent, and our focus was “Living in peace, Daily. We were encouraged by the promise from Isaiah 26:3 (NLT): “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” This is a reminder of the peace that is found only in Christ, who calms our hearts and directs our steps each day. This week is the Third Sunday of Advent: “The Candle of Joy” in a message titled “Living in Joy, Daily.” As mentioned previously, during the weeks of Advent, I want to slow life down a bit so we can truly take time to reflect on the purpose of the Advent season. I will also tie in some Christmas traditions in each message so we can reflect on the meaning of some traditions we practice during this blessed time. Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come before You this Advent season to prepare our hearts for the coming of our Savior. Today, as we reflect on the joy that Christ brings into our lives, we ask that You fill us with that unshakable joy that is found only in Your presence. Help us understand the depth of joy You give and to carry it into our daily lives as a testament of Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen. Introduction: The Season of Joy The third Sunday of Advent is about joy, a word we often associate with Christmas. When we think of joy, we might picture laughter, excitement, or the delight of receiving something we’ve longed for. But the joy we focus on today, the joy we celebrate in Advent, is much deeper than any temporary happiness. Luke 2:10 (NLT) records the angel’s announcement to the shepherds: “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” This joy wasn’t just for a few; it was for everyone. And it’s not fleeting. The joy of Christ’s coming brings a lasting sense of peace, security, and hope—because God is with us. Today, we’ll explore what it means to “Experience True Joy in Jesus,” a joy that stays with us regardless of life’s ups and downs. 1. The Source of True Joy (Bulletin – 4 Aspects of Joy)
Let’s start by looking at the source of this joy. In the Bible, joy is always connected to God’s presence and His promises. The joy of the Lord is not based on external circumstances but on a relationship with Him. This joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), meaning it’s something God plants and grows within us as we walk with Him. Christmas Tradition: The Advent Wreath and the Candle of Joy The Advent wreath is a beloved Christmas tradition that symbolizes the journey toward the birth of Christ. The pink candle, also known as the “Shepherd’s Candle” or the “Candle of Joy,” is lit on the third Sunday of Advent. It reflects the joy of the shepherds who heard the angel’s announcement of Jesus’s birth in Luke 2:10 (NLT): “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” The pink color stands out against the other candles, symbolizing the joyful...
Welcome to Day 2528 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2528 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 38:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2528 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2528 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 38:1-8 from the New Living Translation, a deeply personal and heartfelt prayer from David as he cries out to God in a time of anguish. These verses give us a glimpse into David’s raw emotions, his recognition of sin’s weight, and his desperate plea for God’s mercy and healing. Psalm 38 is often referred to as a penitential psalm, one in which David expresses sorrow for his sins and reflects on the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll of his transgressions. It’s a powerful reminder of our need for God’s grace and the hope we have in His unfailing love. Let’s start by reading the passage together: Psalm 38:1-8 (NLT) 1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your rage. 2 Your arrows have struck deep, and Your blows are crushing me. 3 Because of Your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. 4 My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear. 5 My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. 6 I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. 7 A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. 8 I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart. * A Cry for Mercy (Verses 1-2):
David begins this psalm with an urgent plea: “O Lord, don’t rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your rage.” These opening words reveal David’s deep awareness of his sin and his fear of God’s righteous judgment. He knows he has fallen short, and he acknowledges God’s right to discipline him. Yet, he appeals to God’s mercy, asking that His discipline not come from a place of anger or rage. In verse 2, David continues, “Your arrows have struck deep, and Your blows are crushing me.” Here, David uses vivid imagery to describe the intensity of his suffering. The “arrows” symbolize the conviction he feels, piercing him deeply, while the “blows” represent the weight of God’s discipline. David’s words remind us that sin has real consequences, not only in our relationship with God but also in our overall well-being. This cry for mercy brings to mind the story of a young boy who accidentally broke his father’s prized antique clock. Overwhelmed with guilt and fearing his father’s anger, the boy confessed, trembling as he awaited judgment. Instead of responding in rage, the father knelt down, embraced his son, and explained the importance of honesty and responsibility. The father’s response was firm but loving, showing the boy that discipline and mercy can coexist. Similarly, David appeals to God’s mercy, trusting His discipline is rooted in love. * ...
Welcome to Day 2527 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2527 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 37:35-40 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2527 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2527 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll conclude our study of Psalm 37 by exploring verses 35 through 40 from the New Living Translation. This final section offers powerful reflections on the fleeting success of the wicked, the enduring security of the godly, and the faithfulness of God as our refuge and deliverer. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 37:35-40 (NLT) 35 I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. 36 But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them. 37 Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. 38 But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future. 39 The Lord rescues the godly; He is their fortress in times of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in Him. * The Fleeting Success of the Wicked (Verses 35-36):
David begins this passage in verses 35-36 with a sobering observation about the wicked: “I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them.” These verses acknowledge a reality we’ve all encountered: there are times when the wicked seem to thrive. David compares them to a tree planted in its native soil, growing strong and spreading its influence. This imagery reflects how the wicked often appear deeply rooted, prosperous, and invincible. Their success can be intimidating or even disheartening to those striving to live righteously. But David quickly contrasts this perception with reality. He looks again, and the wicked are gone. Their apparent strength and permanence are revealed to be temporary. No matter how deeply rooted they seem, their time is limited, and their influence fades away. David’s inability to find them serves as a reminder that the success of the wicked is fleeting and ultimately insignificant in the grand scope of God’s justice. These verses encourage us to maintain an eternal perspective. When we see wickedness flourishing, it’s easy to feel discouraged or envious. But David reminds us that such success is short-lived. God’s justice will prevail, and the wicked will vanish like a fleeting shadow. * The Future of the Godly and the Wicked (Verses 37-38):
David then shifts his focus in verses 37-38 to the contrasting futures of the godly and the wicked: “Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no...
Welcome to Day 2526 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – I Saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning - When? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2526 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2526 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-fifth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning.”: When? In one of the more puzzling verses in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells His disciples, “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! (Luke 10:18). The question isn’t about what Jesus’ statement is about. It’s clear that Satan is under judgment. Instead, the confusion is over the when of the statement. It might sound like a reference to when Satan became Satan, before or in the Garden of Eden —abandoning his status among God’s heavenly host—but that conclusion would be too hasty. We essentially have three options when it comes to figuring out the timing of Satan’s fall: before, during, or after Jesus’ own time. Many people have offered opinions. Perhaps the most common interpretation is that Jesus is seeing or remembering the original fall of Satan. This option makes little sense in context. Before the statement, Jesus had sent out the disciples to heal and preach that the kingdom of God had drawn near them (Luke 10:1-9). They return amazed and excited by the fact that demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus (10:17). Jesus then says, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!” There is a connection between the kingdom, the defeat of demons, and Satan. But if Satan’s fall in Luke 10:18 speaks of an event in the remote past, why wasn’t the kingdom established then? Why was Satan still powerful when Jesus showed up on the scene? Even with the kingdom of Israel under David and the presence of God in the temple, the power and influence of Satan are evident on nearly every page of Old Testament history. The view that Jesus was referring to Satan’s fall during his own ministry is better, but it is not without problem. We don’t read anywhere in the Bible of anyone casting out demons prior to Jesus’ ministry. That display of power —as well as the announcements of the kingdom and the ruling authority of God on earth—is unmistakable. This is consistent with Luke’s writing in the next chapter (11:14-23), where he identifies Jesus as the “strong man” who binds Satan. With Jesus having bound the strong man (Satan), He and His disciples can plunder Satan’s realm. This seems to tie in with what Jesus says after His...
Welcome to Day 2525 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2525 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 37:30-34 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2525 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2525 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re diving into Psalm 37, verses 30 through 34, from the New Living Translation. This section of the psalm is packed with practical wisdom, highlighting the characteristics of the righteous, the protection God provides, and the importance of trusting in His justice. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 37:30-34 (NLT) 30 The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. 31 They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from His path. 32 The wicked wait in ambush for the godly, looking for an excuse to kill them. 33 But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial. 34 Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along His path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed. * The Speech and Teaching of the Godly (Verses 30-31):
David begins this section in verse 30 by describing the speech and character of the righteous: “The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.” The righteous, or godly, are those who live in alignment with God’s will. Their speech reflects wisdom and integrity, offering guidance and clarity to those around them. They use their words to counsel others and to teach the difference between right and wrong, helping others navigate life’s challenges. In verse 31, David explains the source of this wisdom: “They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from His path.” The righteous are rooted in God’s Word, internalizing His teachings and making them a part of their lives. This deep connection to God’s law provides stability, keeping them on the path of righteousness and preventing them from slipping into sin. These verses challenge us to consider how we use our words and where we root our lives. Are we speaking wisdom and offering encouragement to those around us? Are we immersing ourselves in God’s Word, allowing it to guide our steps and shape our character? When we internalize God’s law, it becomes the foundation of our actions, speech, and decisions. * The Schemes of the Wicked and God’s Protection (Verses 32-33):
In verse 32, David shifts his focus to the opposition the godly face: “The wicked wait in ambush for the godly, looking for an excuse to kill them.” This verse vividly depicts the hostility and malice the righteous often encounter. The wicked, motivated by jealousy, hatred, or fear of God’s truth, actively seek to harm the godly. Their actions are deliberate and premeditated, aiming to undermine or destroy those who stand for righteousness.
Welcome to Day 2524 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2524 – Second Week of Advent – Living in Peace, Daily Putnam Church Message – 12/08/2024 Living in Peace, Daily Last week was the first Sunday of Advent, and our focus was “Living in Hope, Daily. “We were reminded that Hope is alive because Jesus is alive. May we carry this truth with us this Advent season, lighting the way for others to see His love and faithfulness. This week is the Second Sunday of Advent: “The Candle of Peace” in a message titled “Living in Peace, Daily.” During the weeks of Advent, I want to slow life down a bit so we can truly take time to reflect on the purpose of the Advent season. I will also tie in some Christmas traditions in each message so we can reflect on the meaning of some traditions we practice during this blessed time. Opening Prayer: Lord, we come before You today with hearts open to receive the peace You promise. As we light the second candle of Advent, the Candle of Peace, it reminds us of the deep, lasting peace that can only be found in Jesus. In this season of anticipation and reflection, help us quiet our hearts and place our trust fully in You. In Jesus’s name, we pray, Amen. Introduction: The Meaning of Advent Peace Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and we focus on peace. Advent is a time of waiting and preparation, and the peace we remember today is not just an absence of conflict but a deep, abiding calm that comes from knowing Christ. Peace may feel elusive amid the busyness and sometimes stress of the holiday season. But true peace, the kind that quiets our hearts, is not tied to our circumstances or feelings. It’s rooted in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who entered our world to reconcile us with God and with one another. 1. The Promise of Peace in Scripture (Bulletin Insert)
The Bible’s understanding of peace goes beyond what we often think of as peace today. It’s more than silence or a moment of calm; it’s a completeness, wholeness, and harmony only God can provide. This peace is found in the Hebrew word shalom, which means completeness or well-being. Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT) “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” The prophet Isaiah spoke these words hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, yet they describe who Jesus would be to His people: the Prince of Peace. This title is not just a name; it’s a role and an identity. Jesus didn’t just bring peace—He is peace. Through Him, we find true harmony with God, ourselves, and others. Illustration: The Christmas Truce of 1914 One remarkable story you may be familiar with that reflects this peace is the Christmas Truce of 1914, during World War I. For a brief time, soldiers on both sides put down their weapons and celebrated Christmas together. They sang carols, exchanged small gifts, and...
Welcome to Day 2523 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2523 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 37:23-29 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2523 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2523 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue exploring Psalm 37, focusing on verses 23 through 29 from the New Living Translation. These verses are filled with assurance and encouragement, reminding us of God’s faithfulness, guidance, and provision for those who follow Him. David, the author of this psalm, paints a beautiful picture of the security and blessings that come from living a life aligned with God’s will. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 37:23-29 (NLT) 23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. 25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26 The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing. 27 Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice, and He will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. 29 The godly will possess the land and will live there forever. * God’s Guidance and Delight (Verse 23):
David begins this section in verse 23 with a profound truth: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” This verse reminds us that God actively guides the lives of those who trust Him. He doesn’t just set us on a path and leave us to figure it out—He is continually directing and ordering our steps, ensuring that we walk in His purposes. The second part of the verse is especially comforting: “He delights in every detail of their lives.” This shows the intimate and personal nature of God’s care for us. He is not distant or detached; He takes joy in every aspect of our lives, from the big decisions to the small, everyday moments. This verse encourages us to trust God’s guidance and to seek His direction in all we do. When we align our lives with His will, we can rest assured that He leads us with love and delight. * God’s Support in Challenges (Verse 24):
In verse 24, David addresses a reality we all face: “Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Stumbling is a natural part of life. We all face moments of weakness, mistakes, or difficulty. But David assures us that those stumbles will not lead to ultimate failure or defeat when we belong to God. The image of God holding us by the hand is incredibly tender and reassuring. It speaks to His constant presence and support. Just
Welcome to Day 2522 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2522 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 37:16-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2522 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2522 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re continuing our exploration of Psalm 37, focusing on verses 16 through 22 from the New Living Translation. This passage contains profound wisdom about trusting God, valuing righteousness over riches, and understanding the fate of both the godly and the wicked. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 37:16-22 together: Psalm 37:16-22 (NLT) 16 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. 17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly. 18 Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. 19 They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. 20 But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke. 21 The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. 22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those He curses will die. * The Superiority of Godliness Over Wealth (Verse 16):
David opens this section with a powerful statement: “It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.” This verse challenges our cultural assumptions about success and prosperity. The world often measures value and significance by wealth and material possessions, but David reminds us that godliness holds far greater worth. The phrase “better to be godly” emphasizes the eternal value of living a righteous life. Even if we have limited resources, a life lived in alignment with God’s will is infinitely more meaningful than one filled with riches but marked by wickedness. The wealth of the wicked is temporary and can’t bring true fulfillment or peace. In contrast, the godly have the assurance of God’s presence and blessings, which far outweigh any earthly treasure. This verse encourages us to evaluate what we prioritize. Are we striving for temporary wealth or eternal righteousness? By choosing godliness, we align ourselves with God’s purposes and experience the lasting joy and peace that come from living in His will. * God’s Care for the Godly (Verse 17):
In verse 17, David contrasts the fate of the wicked and the godly: “For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.” The “strength of the wicked” refers to their power, influence, or resources—things they often rely on to assert their dominance or achieve their goals. David assures us that this strength is temporary and will ultimately be broken. God’s justice ensures that the wicked cannot sustain their power indefinitely. In contrast, the Lord...
Welcome to Day 2521 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The New Testament Quotes The Old Testament – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2521 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2521 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-fourth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: The New Testament Quotes the Old Testament. Sometimes when a New Testament writer quotes the Old Testament, the two passages do not match precisely. Is the New Testament writer misquoting the Old Testament? Or is there another explanation? Luke records that when Jesus began His ministry, He went to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day. When He stood up to read the Scriptures, “The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him" (Luke 4:17). Jesus read the description of a climactic arrival of the anointed one from Isaiah 61:1- 2, excluding the last half of verse two. That omission is understandable, but if you look at Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2 side by side, several dissimilarities in what Jesus read are readily apparent. In the original Old Testament passage, there is no reference to making the blind see. Conversely, Isaiah speaks of “binding up the brokenhearted," a phrase absent in Luke. Since Luke is clear that Jesus was reading from a scroll, the divergence is not due to Luke (or Jesus) quoting from memory and messing up the passage! What's going on here? Luke 4:18-19 Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Most of the time when a divergence occurs between a New Testament quotation and the Old Testament, the answer is the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It often does not match the Hebrew text from which most Old Testaments were translated. Jesus apparently either read from a Hebrew text that reflected the Septuagint, or Luke fills in the quoted passage with the Septuagint. (And since Luke was not Jewish and spoke Greek, the Septuagint would have been his Bible.) The Septuagint
Welcome to Day 2520 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2520 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 37:8-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2520 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2520 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our journey through Psalm 37, focusing on verses 8 through 15 from the New Living Translation. This section builds on David’s earlier reflections about trusting God and avoiding envy of the wicked, providing practical guidance for living in peace and trusting in God’s justice. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 37:8-15 together: Psalm 37:8-15 (NLT) 8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. 9 For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. 10 Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. 11 The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity. 12 The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. 13 But the Lord just laughs, for He sees their day of judgment coming. 14 The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. 15 But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. * Turn Away from Anger (Verse 8):
David begins this section with a strong admonition: “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.” Here, David addresses a natural human response to injustice—anger. When we see wickedness thriving or experience wrongdoing, it’s easy to let frustration and rage take over. However, David warns against letting anger control us because it leads to harm. Anger, when unchecked, can cause us to act impulsively or make decisions that go against God’s will. It can disrupt our peace, damage relationships, and even hinder our ability to trust God’s justice. Instead, David encourages us to let go of our anger and trust that God will handle the situation. This verse is a reminder to guard our hearts and minds when we encounter situations that provoke us. Anger itself isn’t sinful—it’s a natural emotion—but how we respond to it matters. By turning to God in prayer and seeking His perspective, we can release our anger and avoid the harm it might otherwise cause. * Trust in God’s Justice (Verses 9-10):
In verses 9 and 10, David contrasts the fate of the wicked with the hope of those who trust in the Lord: “For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. Soon, the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.” These verses emphasize the temporary nature of the wicked’s success. While it may seem like they’re thriving now, their time is limited. God’s justice ensures that evil will not endure. On the other hand, those who trust in the...
Welcome to Day 2519 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2519 – First Week of Advent - Living in Hope, Daily Putnam Church Message – 12/01/2024 Living in Hope, Daily Last week, we celebrated Thanksgiving in a message titled “A Heart of Gratitude, daily,” from Psalm 100 This week is the First Sunday of Advent: “The Candle of Hope” in a message titled “Living in Hope, Daily.” During the weeks of Advent, I want to slow life down a bit so we can truly take time to reflect on the purpose of the Advent season. I will also tie in some Christmas traditions in each message so we can reflect on the meaning of some traditions we practice during this blessed time. Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come to You with open hearts as we enter into this season of Advent, where we celebrate the anticipation of Your Son, our Savior. Today, as we focus on the hope that is found only in You, fill our hearts with expectation. Let us be reminded of Your promises and the faithfulness You’ve shown throughout all generations. May the words we hear today stir a deeper longing for You and Your presence in our lives. In Jesus’s name, we pray, Amen. Introduction: The Season of Advent and the Theme of Hope Today marks the beginning of Advent, a season that draws us into the story of Christ’s coming. Advent is a time of waiting, of expectation, and of preparation. This period represents the hope that the world held before Christ came for the first time as a human to initiate God’s kingdom, and the hope that we, as His people, hold as we look forward to His second coming when He will finalize God’s kingdom on earth, the new Global Eden. Today, we lit the first candle of the Advent wreath, known as the Candle of Hope. In lighting it, we remember that our hope isn’t rooted in anything temporary or uncertain. Our hope is in Jesus Christ, who came once to save us and will come again to restore all things. (Bulletin Insert) 1. What is Hope? - A Biblical Perspective
In our world today, hope can often feel like a faint wish or something uncertain. We say, “I hope it won’t rain,” or “I hope I get that job.” But biblical hope is much more than wishful thinking; it’s a confident expectation based on God’s promises and character. Let’s look at the words of the prophet Isaiah, who lived centuries before Jesus was born, yet spoke words that still give us hope today. Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (NLT) “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine… For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” Isaiah speaks to a people walking in darkness, promising them a great light. He points to the coming of Jesus as the hope that would break into the world, overcoming all darkness. This is the foundation of biblical hope: the absolute assurance that God will fulfill His promises. Illustration: The Hope of a...
Welcome to Day 2518 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2518 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 37:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2518 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2518 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re diving into Psalm 37, focusing on verses 1 through 7 from the New Living Translation. This portion of Scripture offers timeless wisdom for navigating life’s challenges, especially when we’re tempted to compare ourselves to others or feel overwhelmed by the apparent success of the wicked. David, the author of this psalm, gives us practical and spiritual guidance for keeping our focus on God, trusting His timing, and living in peace. Let’s begin by reading the passage together: Psalm 37:1-7 (NLT) 1 Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. 2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Don’t Worry or Envy the Wicked (Verses 1-2): David begins this psalm with clear instructions: “Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.” This is an important reminder because it’s easy to become frustrated when we see people who disregard God seemingly thriving in life. We may wonder why those who do wrong appear to prosper while those who strive to live righteously face struggles. David encourages us not to let these thoughts consume us. In verse 2, David explains why: “For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.” The success of the wicked is temporary, just like grass that withers under the sun or flowers that bloom briefly and fade. Their prosperity may look impressive for a time, but it will not last. God’s justice is inevitable, and the fleeting nature of worldly success is a reminder not to base our worth or focus on such things. Instead of envying the wicked, David encourages us to trust in God’s plan and to rest in His timing. This perspective helps us stay grounded, knowing that God’s justice and eternal purposes far outweigh temporary appearances. Trust in the Lord and Do Good (Verse 3): In verse 3, David shifts our focus to what we should do instead: “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.” Trusting in the Lord means placing our faith in His character, His promises, and His sovereignty. It involves letting go of our need to control every outcome and instead relying on God’s wisdom and provision. But trust isn’t passive—it’s paired...
Welcome to Day 2517 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2517 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 36:10-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2517 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2517 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to journey with you through the closing verses of Psalm 36—verses 10 through 12 from the New Living Translation. This psalm, written by David, began with a sobering reflection on the nature of sin and transitioned into a celebration of God’s unfailing love, faithfulness, and provision. In these final verses, David offers a prayer for God’s continued protection and justice while expressing confidence in God’s ultimate victory over evil. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 36:10-12: Psalm 36:10-12 (NLT) 10 Pour out Your unfailing love on those who love You; give justice to those with honest hearts. 11 Don’t let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around. 12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen! They are thrown down, never to rise again. A Prayer for Love and Justice (Verse 10): David opens this section with Verse 10 in a heartfelt prayer: “Pour out Your unfailing love on those who love You; give justice to those with honest hearts.” This verse reflects David’s deep desire for God’s love and justice to be evident in the lives of His people. The phrase “pour out Your unfailing love” calls to mind an image of abundance and overflow. David isn’t asking for a small measure of God’s love—he’s asking for it to be lavished on those who are devoted to God. The recipients of this love are described as “those who love You.” This highlights the reciprocal nature of our relationship with God. While His love is unconditional, it flourishes in the hearts of those who seek Him, honor Him, and respond to His love with devotion and obedience. It’s a reminder that loving God involves more than words; it’s reflected in how we live, trust, and align our lives with His will. David also prays, “Give justice to those with honest hearts.” Justice, in this context, is about fairness and righteousness. David is asking for God to protect and vindicate those who live with integrity, ensuring that they are not wronged by the wicked or overlooked in the chaos of the world. An “honest heart” represents a life lived in transparency and truth before God, free from deceit or hypocrisy. This verse encourages us to seek both God’s love and His justice. As we walk in integrity and love for Him, we can trust He will pour His love upon us and ensure that justice prevails, even in a world that often seems unfair. A Plea for Protection (Verse 11): In verse 11, David shifts his focus to a plea for protection: “Don’t let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around.” Here, David acknowledges the threats posed by those who are arrogant and wicked. The “proud” represent individuals who rely on their own strength and disregard God’s authority, while the “wicked” are those who actively oppose God’s ways...
Welcome to Day 2516 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – My Guardian Angel – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2516 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2516 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-third lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: My Guardian Angel. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.” These are familiar words for those of us who follow the holiday tradition of watching the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life. The angel Clarence helps George Bailey discover the unseen but tremendous significance his mundane life played in the lives of others. It’s a heartwarming story, full of hope and encouragement. But what about its theology? Are guardian angels—like Clarence—really biblical? Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10 suggest the answer is yes: “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. The passage affirms that children have angels who represent them before God. Where did Matthew get such an idea? In Job 5:1, angels are presented as mediators between God and people. Job’s friend Eliphaz challenges him: “Cry for help, but will anyone answer you? Which of the angels[a] will help you? Eliphaz presumes that angels would act as mediators between God and Job. This understanding was common in the biblical world. Ancient Mesopotamians, for example, believed that humans had “personal gods” who could appeal for them before the assembly of gods. We no longer need a mediator. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus now intercedes on our behalf before God (1 Tim 2:5). But the New Testament still describes angels as having an immediate ministry to believers, as demonstrated by Hebrews 1:14: Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. Also, the narrative in Acts 12 shows us a continued connection between angels and people. After an angel frees Peter from prison and execution, Peter goes to the house of his fellow believers (12:6-10). Those inside don’t believe the servant girl’s report that he is at the door. They reply, “It must be his angel!” (12:15). This statement testifies to the early Christian...
Welcome to Day 2515 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2515 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 36:5-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2515 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2515 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue exploring Psalm 36. In the previous verses, David reflected on the nature of sin and its devastating effects. In verses 5 through 9, David turns his focus to God’s character, celebrating His love, faithfulness, righteousness, and provision. These verses contrast humanity’s sinfulness with God’s majesty and goodness, drawing our hearts to worship and gratitude. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 36:5-9 from the New Living Translation: Psalm 36:5-9 (NLT) 5 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. 7 How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings. 8 You feed them from the abundance of Your own house, letting them drink from Your river of delights. 9 For You are the fountain of life, the light by which we see. God’s Unfailing Love and Faithfulness (Verse 5): David begins this section in Verse 5 by declaring, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” This verse paints a breathtaking picture of God’s love and faithfulness. David compares God’s love to the heavens, emphasizing its immeasurable and infinite nature. The vastness of the sky reminds us that God’s love is beyond human comprehension—it’s limitless, all-encompassing, and enduring. Likewise, God’s faithfulness is described as extending “beyond the clouds.” Faithfulness here refers to God’s reliability and unwavering commitment to His promises. God remains steadfast no matter what happens in our lives or the world around us. He is faithful to His Word, His character, and His people. These descriptions offer us comfort and assurance. In a world where relationships and commitments often falter, God’s love and faithfulness stand firm. When we feel uncertain or overwhelmed, we can look to the heavens and be reminded that His care for us is unfailing and eternal. God’s Righteousness and Justice (Verse 6): In verse 6, David continues to exalt God’s character: “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.” Here, David uses the imagery of nature to describe God’s righteousness and justice. The “mighty mountains” symbolize strength, stability, and permanence, reflecting God’s righteousness and unchanging and perfect nature. Just as the mountains are immovable, God’s righteousness is unwavering—it forms the foundation of His rule and His actions. David then compares God’s justice to “the ocean depths.” The...
Welcome to Day 2514 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2514 – Thanksgiving - A Heart of Gratitude, Daily - Psalm 100 Putnam Church Message – 11/24/2024 A Heart of Gratitude – Psalm 100 Last week, Paul’s short but powerful letter to Philemon reminds us about the profoundly Christ-centered concepts of freedom, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. This week is our celebration of Thanksgiving; in a message titled “A Heart of Gratitude, daily,” we will absorb Psalm 100 on 937 of your Pew Bibles. Introduction: Thanksgiving is a time when many of us gather with friends and family, enjoy good food, and reflect on the blessed Thanksgiving season. It’s a day set aside to express our gratitude, but true thanksgiving—the kind that goes beyond a single day and shapes our daily lives. Thanksgiving is something we are called to embody year-round. Psalm 100 is a short, yet powerful passage that captures the essence of this kind of heartfelt gratitude toward God. Today, we’ll walk through this Psalm together and unpack what it means to live with a heart of thanksgiving. Problem Statement: We live in a world where gratitude often gets lost. Life’s challenges, stress, and busyness can distract us from focusing on the blessings we have. Sometimes, we focus more on what’s missing rather than what we already possess. As Christians, we are called to live differently. We’re called to live in a constant state of thankfulness, not just for what God has done but for who He is. Reading Psalm 100:1-5 (NLT): 1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Main Points: (Bulletin Insert) 1. Gratitude Starts with Joyful Worship (Psalm 100:1-2)
“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.” The psalm opens with a call for everyone to shout joyfully to the Lord. This isn’t just for a select few—it’s a universal call for all the earth! It’s a reminder that worship isn’t just something we do out of duty or obligation, but it should flow out of a heart full of joy. Illustration: Imagine a little child who runs to greet their father after he comes home from work. They don’t just walk quietly to him—they run, they shout, and they jump into his arms with excitement. That’s the kind of joyful worship God desires from us. He wants us to come to Him like children, filled with joy and awe. Memorable Point: Thankful hearts lead to joyful worship. When we’re truly aware of God’s goodness, our natural response is to worship Him with gladness, not out of a sense of duty, but out of sheer delight. 1. Acknowledging Who God Is (Psalm 100:3)
“Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” True thanksgiving...
Welcome to Day 2513 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2513 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 36:1-4 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2513 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2513 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re beginning our exploration of Psalm 36, focusing on verses 1 through 4 from the New Living Translation. These verses reveal a stark contrast between humanity’s sinful heart and God’s righteousness, setting the stage for deeper reflection on the character of God later in the psalm. In these opening verses, David examines the nature of sin and its impact on a person’s thoughts, actions, and relationship with God. It’s a sobering reminder of the dangers of living apart from God’s truth. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 36:1-4 together: Psalm 36:1-4 (NLT) 1 Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. 2 In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are. 3 Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good. 4 They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil. The Subtle Whisper of Sin (Verse 1): In Verse 1, David addresses the root of sinful behavior: “Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all.” The imagery of sin “whispering” highlights its subtle and deceptive nature. Sin doesn’t always shout; instead, it quietly works its way into a person’s heart, influencing their thoughts and desires. It appeals to our selfish and prideful tendencies, gradually leading us away from God. This verse also identifies a key issue at the heart of wickedness: “They have no fear of God at all.” The fear of God, in biblical terms, means having reverence, respect, and awe for His holiness and authority. When someone lacks this fear, they live as though God doesn’t exist or as though His judgment doesn’t matter. Without this foundational reverence, there’s no accountability, and sin gains a strong foothold. David’s words remind us of the importance of being vigilant about the whispers of sin in our own lives. Sin often begins in the heart, with subtle thoughts or desires that seem harmless at first. But these whispers can grow into full-blown rebellion against God when left unchecked. Cultivating a healthy fear of God—recognizing His authority and a commitment to honor Him—helps guard our hearts against sin’s influence. Blindness to Sin’s Reality (Verse 2): In verse 2, David describes the self-deception that accompanies a life of sin: “In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.” Sin has a way of blinding people to their own condition. Those caught in its grip often live in denial, unable—or unwilling—to recognize the depth of their wrongdoing. Instead, they become consumed with pride, convinced of their own righteousness or invincibility. This “blind conceit” prevents honest...
Welcome to Day 2512 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2512 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 35:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2512 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2512 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we conclude our journey through Psalm 35 by exploring verses 22 through 28 from the New Living Translation. In this final section of the psalm, David shifts his focus to a heartfelt plea for God to act on his behalf. He speaks openly of his pain and the injustice he faces, but he also proclaims his confidence that God’s justice will prevail. This passage is a powerful reminder of God’s role as the ultimate judge and the One who defends His people. It encourages us to trust in God’s timing and to commit to praising Him, even as we wait for His deliverance. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 35:22-28 together: Psalm 35:22-28 (NLT) 22 O Lord, You know all about this. Do not stay silent. Do not abandon me now, O Lord. 23 Wake up! Rise to my defense! Take up my case, my God and my Lord. 24 Declare me not guilty, O Lord my God, for You give justice. Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles. 25 Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted! Now we will eat him alive!” 26 May those who rejoice at my troubles be humiliated and disgraced. May those who triumph over me be covered with shame and dishonor. 27 But give great joy to those who came to my defense. Let them continually say, “Great is the Lord, who delights in blessing His servant with peace!” 28 Then I will proclaim Your justice, and I will praise You all day long. A Plea for God’s Attention and Action (Verses 22-23): David begins this final section with Verse 22 by addressing God directly: “O Lord, You know all about this. Do not stay silent. Do not abandon me now, O Lord.” This opening line expresses David’s confidence in God’s knowledge of his situation. He acknowledges that nothing is hidden from God—not the injustices he has endured, nor the actions of his enemies. Yet, David doesn’t stop at recognizing God’s awareness; he urgently calls on God to act. In verse 23, David continues, “Wake up! Rise to my defense! Take up my case, my God and my Lord.” This plea for God to “wake up” is not a sign of doubt but a cry for immediate intervention. David knows that God is always present and attentive, but in his distress, he longs for a tangible display of God’s power and justice. By calling God “my God and my Lord,” David emphasizes his personal relationship with God and his reliance on Him as his ultimate advocate. These verses remind us that it’s okay to bring our emotions, urgency, and desperation to God. He is not offended by our cries for help; instead, He invites us to cast our burdens on Him, trusting in His care and timing. The Call for Justice (Verses...
Welcome to Day 2511 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Burying Hell – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2511 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2511 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-second lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: Burying Hell. “ Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,[a] because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),[b] and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell[c] will not conquer it.” (Matt 16:17-18). The “powers of hell”? Why did Jesus respond to Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah,[d] the Son of the living God.” in this way? (16:16) The Powers or Gates of Hell in Cosmic Geography When we read “hell,” we naturally think of the realm of the unbelieving dead. But the Greek word translated “hell” (qôqç, hadës) is also the name for the Underworld—Hades, the realm of all the dead, not just unbelievers. The Hebrew equivalent to Hades is Sheol—the place “under the earth” where all went after this life ended. Sheol had “bars” (Job 17:16) and “cords” to tie down its inhabitants (2 Sam 22:5-6), preventing any escape (Job 7:9). Both the righteous and the unrighteous went to Sheol. The righteous believer, however, could hope for deliverance and eternity with God (Psalm 49:15). While the imagery associated with the Underworld would have unnerved the disciples, Jesus’ reference to the powers or gates of Hades would...
Welcome to Day 2510 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2510 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 35:11-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2510 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2510 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our journey through Psalm 35, focusing on verses 11 through 21 from the New Living Translation. In this portion of the psalm, David shares his deep anguish over betrayal and unjust accusations. His words are raw and honest as he pleads with God for justice. Yet, even in his pain, David demonstrates trust in God’s ultimate sovereignty. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 35:11-21 together, and then we’ll unpack it verse by verse. Psalm 35:11-21 (NLT) 11 Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. 12 They repay me evil for good. I am sick with despair. 13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them. I denied myself by fasting for them, but my prayers returned unanswered. 14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family, as if I were grieving for my own mother. 15 But they are glad now that I am in trouble; they gleefully join together against me. I am attacked by people I don’t even know; they slander me constantly. 16 They mock me and call me names; they snarl at me. 17 How long, O Lord, will You look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions! 18 Then I will thank You in front of the great assembly. I will praise You before all the people. 19 Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat. Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow. 20 They don’t talk of peace; they plot against innocent people who mind their own business. 21 They shout, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we saw him do it!” Facing False Accusations (Verses 11-12): David begins this section with Verse 11 by expressing his frustration and heartbreak over false accusations: “Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.” This verse paints a picture of injustice, with witnesses intentionally lying to harm David. Being falsely accused is one of the most painful experiences, as it attacks both our character and our integrity. In verse 12, David continues, “They repay me evil for good. I am sick with despair.” David isn’t just being mistreated; he’s being hurt by people he once treated well. The betrayal is personal and cuts deeply. His despair shows us how devastating it can be when those we’ve cared for or helped turn against us. These verses remind us that even the most righteous people can face slander and injustice. But instead of seeking revenge, David brings his pain to God, trusting that God sees and will respond. When we experience similar trials, we can find comfort in knowing that God is aware of the truth, even when others...
Welcome to Day 2509 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2509 – A God of Second Chances - A Study in Forgiveness - Philemon Putnam Church Message – 11/17/2024 A God of Second Chances – A Study in Forgiveness Philemon 1:1-25 Last week, we finished Paul’s letter to the Colossians and learned about the importance of co-laborers in building God’s Kingdom. This week, we will learn the lessons from the letter to Philemon. Paul’s letter to Philemon has great practical value for us today. It illustrates for us the reality and importance of second chances,/ the equality believers have in Christ, /and the power of the gospel to transcend cultural and social boundaries./ In short, Paul’s postcard to Philemon reminds us about the profoundly Christ-centered concepts of freedom, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. This brief letter is the shortest of Paul’s writings—just twenty-five verses in our Bibles. But don’t let its size fool you. Although brief compared to Paul’s other New Testament letters, it contains a magnificent study of forgiveness. It is a warm appeal to Philemon, a slave owner, that he accept back into his household the runaway slave Onesimus, who had become a Christ follower because of Paul’s preaching. Just as Jesus Christ acts as the Advocate for Christians before God, Paul acted as Onesimus’s advocate before Philemon. Philemon is found on page 1860 of your Pew Bibles, and I will read it from the NLT. 1 This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your[a] house. 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. 8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. 9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.[b] 10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while...
Welcome to Day 2508 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2508 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 35:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2508 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2508 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 35:1-10 from the New Living Translation. This passage is a powerful prayer from David, asking God to intervene in the face of injustice and persecution. It’s a raw, heartfelt plea for divine protection and deliverance, yet it also reflects deep trust in God’s justice and sovereignty. As we go through these verses, we’ll see David’s honest emotions, his reliance on God, and his commitment to praise God for deliverance. Let’s read Psalm 35:1-10 together: Psalm 35:1-10 (NLT) 1 O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me. 2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. 3 Lift up your spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Let me hear you say, “I will give you victory!” 4 Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me; turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me. 5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind— a wind sent by the angel of the Lord. 6 Make their path dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. 7 I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me. I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me. 8 So let sudden ruin come upon them! Let them be caught in the trap they set for me; let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me. 9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me. 10 With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?” A Call for Divine Intervention (Verses 1-3): David begins this psalm in Verse 1 with a direct and urgent appeal: “O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me.” This is not just a plea for help; it’s a call for God to act as a defender and warrior on David’s behalf. David is facing enemies who seek to harm him, and instead of taking matters into his own hands, he turns to God for deliverance. In verses 2 and 3, David uses imagery of battle: “Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Lift up your spear and javelin against those who pursue me.” This vivid language paints God as a divine warrior, fully equipped and ready to fight for His people. David’s words reflect his deep faith and recognition that ultimate victory comes from God alone. The plea, “Let me hear you say, ‘I will give you victory!’” reveals David’s desire for assurance. He’s asking for God’s action and the comfort of hearing God’s promise of deliverance. This request reflects a deeply personal relationship with God—David wants to know...
Welcome to Day 2507 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2507 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 34:15-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2507 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2507 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be wrapping up our exploration of Psalm 34 by diving into verses 15 through 22. This final section of the psalm reveals God’s compassionate nature and His faithfulness to those who are brokenhearted, facing hardships, or enduring injustice. David reminds us that God is both near to us in our pain and powerful enough to deliver us from it. These verses offer both comfort and hope, assuring us that God’s watchful eye is on His people and that He responds to their cries for help. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 34:15-22 in the New Living Translation, and then we’ll unpack it together. Psalm 34:15-22 (NLT) 15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; His ears are open to their cries for help. 16 But the Lord turns His face against those who do evil; He will erase their memory from the earth. 17 The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. 20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken! 21 Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 But the Lord will redeem those who serve Him. No one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned. God’s Awareness and Care (Verses 15-16): David begins this section with verse 15, a beautiful reminder of God’s attentive care: “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; His ears are open to their cries for help.” Here, David paints a picture of a watchful and responsive God. God isn’t distant or disengaged; He is fully aware of His people and actively listens for their cries. This image of God’s eyes watching over the righteous emphasizes His protective presence. He sees the paths we walk, the challenges we face, and the moments when we feel overwhelmed. He is with us, watching over us with love and care. The phrase “His ears are open to their cries for help” assures us that God sees and hears. In our moments of distress, our cries do not fall on deaf ears. God listens with compassion and readiness to respond. This is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to face life’s hardships alone; we have a loving Father who hears and cares. Verse 16, however, presents a contrast: “But the Lord turns His face against those who do evil; He will erase their memory from the earth.” This may seem like a harsh statement, but it reflects God’s commitment to justice. God’s face is turned away from evil, meaning He doesn’t align Himself with those who act unjustly or harm others. His justice...
Welcome to Day 2506 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Do The Dead Sea Scrolls Answer the Canon Question? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2506 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2506 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-first lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: Do the Dead Sea Scrolls Answer the Canon Question? The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered between 1947 and 1956, transformed biblical studies. Found in a series of caves near an archaeological site on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea known as Qumran, they contributed to research on ancient scribal practices and the history of the Hebrew language. But beyond this research, the scrolls also directly affected an issue that has long been debated—the Old Testament canon. Did this find solidify what should or should not be included in our Bibles? The word “canon” refers to the collection of books considered sacred and authoritative by a religious community—in this case, Judaism and Christianity. Historical evidence reveals that within the Jewish community, there was still uncertainty about some books (e.g., Esther and the Song of Solomon) or portions of books (Ezekiel 40-48) after ad 100. The question of whether Jewish leaders of earlier centuries had similar doubts—or different ones—was shrouded in mystery before the discoveries at Qumran. Fragments of all the Old Testament books in the current Protestant evangelical canon have been found among the scrolls—all except the book of Esther. However, its omission by the Jewish community at Qumran does not indicate much about its canonical position today. The omission of the book tells us nothing about how the Qumran community actually felt about Esther. The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in modern times are only a fraction of the material originally stored at Qumran. The ravages of time have left us with an incomplete picture, nullifying such a definitive conclusion. In addition, the Jews at Qumran were one sect of Judaism among several. Even if there was evidence that they had rejected Esther, that position would have represented only a segment of opinion. Even today, major segments of modern Christendom do not agree on the canon.- That certain books meet approval or disapproval provides no guidance as to which opinion is correct. Beyond this, Qumran scribes often indicated a book’s sacred status by citing the book as authoritative for some point of belief or practice in their community documents. They also indicated a book’s sacred status through produced commentaries. However, not every biblical book of today’s Old Testament canon meets this criterion. For example, Judges, Jeremiah, and Job are never cited in...
Welcome to Day 2505 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2505 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 34:8-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2505 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2505 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration of Psalm 34, focusing on verses 8 through 14. This section of the psalm is a powerful call to taste and see God’s goodness, live in the fear of the Lord, and pursue peace. David’s words remind us that a life centered on God brings joy and purpose. It’s an invitation to experience God deeply and to live a life marked by goodness, integrity, and reverence. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 34:8-14 together from the New Living Translation: Psalm 34:8-14 (NLT) 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! 9 Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need. 10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. 11 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. 12 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? 13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! 14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. An Invitation to Experience God’s Goodness (Verse 8): David opens this passage with a warm invitation: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!” This is one of the most memorable verses in the Psalms, inviting us to experience God’s goodness personally. To “taste” suggests a direct encounter, not just hearing about God or observing Him from afar. David invites us to engage with God, to experience His goodness firsthand, much like savoring a delicious meal. It’s an invitation to come close, to test and know for ourselves that God is truly good. The second part of the verse speaks of the joy that comes from taking refuge in God. When we choose to rely on Him, to find safety and shelter in His presence, we experience a peace and joy that cannot be found elsewhere. God offers stability and a deep sense of well-being in a chaotic and uncertain world. David is saying, “Come and find out for yourself—see that God is trustworthy, loving, and a true source of joy.” This verse challenges us to move beyond mere knowledge about God to a personal encounter with Him. It’s a reminder that faith isn’t just intellectual; it’s experiential. Our lives are transformed when we truly “taste and see” God’s goodness. The Promise of Provision for Those Who Fear the Lord (Verses 9-10): In verse 9, David continues, “Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need.” Here, David speaks to “His godly people,” those who have chosen to follow God and honor Him. To...
Welcome to Day 2504 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2504 – A Final Farewell – Daily Wisdom – Colossians 4:7-18 Putnam Church Message – 11/10/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Leader – A Friendly Farewell Colossians 4:7-18 Last week, we explored The Big Deal About “Little” Things and how important our vertical and horizontal communications are: our talk and our walk reflect our new life in Christ. This week, we will finish Paul’s letter to the Colossians chapter 4:7-18 in a message titled ‘A Friendly Farewell.’ It is on page 1835 of your Pew Bibles, but I will read it from the NLT 7 Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. 9 I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here. 10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin.| As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. 11 Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been! 12 Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. 13 I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. 15 Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters[b] at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house. 16 After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them. 17 And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.” 18 HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you. The great poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote a poem, “Friendship is a sheltering tree.” How right he was. Think about it. Friends reach out to us and offer us refuge like the branches of a tree. They give us shade, shelter, provision, and protection. They invite us to a familiar place of refreshment, retreat, and repose. In particular, true friends provide three vital...
Welcome to Day 2503 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2503 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 34:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2503 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2503 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 34, focusing on verses 1 through 7 from the New Living Translation. This psalm is a powerful expression of gratitude, praise, and the assurance of God’s care, written by David during a time of personal hardship. Despite his circumstances, David found joy and confidence in God, and he shares this joy with us, encouraging us to do the same. Let’s read these verses together, and then we’ll explore the richness of David’s words and how they can strengthen our faith and perspective today. Psalm 34:1-7 (NLT) 1 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises. 2 I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. 3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt His name together. 4 I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles. 7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him. A Commitment to Praise (Verses 1-3): David begins this psalm with verse 1 in an unwavering declaration of praise: “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises.” In the opening line, we see David’s determination to make worship and gratitude a constant part of his life, regardless of his circumstances. Notice he doesn’t say he’ll praise God only in good times or when things are going well—he says “at all times.” This is a powerful choice that requires a commitment to keep God at the center, even in the most challenging moments. David goes on in verse 2, “I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.” Here, David is not boasting in his own strength, wisdom, or accomplishments, but solely in God. By directing his focus entirely to the Lord, he sets an example for those who feel weak or helpless. David’s experience of God’s faithfulness offers encouragement to anyone who feels overwhelmed or powerless. He’s saying, “Take heart, because God is with you, and He is more than enough.” In verse 3, David invites us to join him in this praise: “Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt His name together.” David recognizes that worship is more powerful and fulfilling when shared with others. He invites his community—and now, us—to celebrate the goodness of God together. This is a beautiful picture of corporate worship, where our voices join to lift up God’s name, reminding each other of His greatness and strengthening our collective faith. These verses remind...
Welcome to Day 2502 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2502 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 33:18-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2502 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2502 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll look at Psalm 33, verses 18 through 22, from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we see a beautiful shift in perspective, moving from focusing on human limitations to God’s boundless strength, compassion, and reliability. This passage reveals God’s faithful character and the importance of placing our trust and hope in Him alone. Let’s start by reading Psalm 33:18-22: Psalm 33:18-22 (NLT) 18 But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love. 19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. 20 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. 21 In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. 22 Let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in You alone. God’s Watchful Care (Verse 18): Psalm 33:18 opens with a powerful truth: “But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love.” Here, David assures us that God is aware of those who honor Him and actively watches over them. In this verse, the Hebrew concept of “fear” isn’t about terror or dread, but rather a reverence and respect for God’s holiness and authority. It’s a posture of humility, recognizing our dependence on Him and honoring His place in our lives. This watchful care is not random or conditional. It’s directed toward those who choose to lean on God, who rely on His unfailing love. This idea of “unfailing love” is such a beautiful aspect of God’s character. It’s the Hebrew word chesed, which encompasses loyal love, mercy, and faithfulness. God’s love is steadfast and unwavering, and we can cling to this reliable, enduring love. When we truly understand that God watches over us, we can rest in His protection and guidance. We can trust that we’re not alone or lost or forgotten in a world full of challenges. Instead, we have a God who sees us and is actively involved in our lives. Knowing this can bring us a profound sense of security and peace, especially when life feels uncertain or overwhelming. God as Our Protector and Provider (Verse 19): Verse 19 builds on this theme by describing God’s role as our protector and provider: “He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.” This verse speaks to the essential truth that God is both a deliverer and a sustainer. When it mentions that He “rescues from death,” it’s a reminder that God is ultimately sovereign over life itself. He holds us in His hands, and our lives are under His protection. In times of famine or scarcity, God promises to keep His people alive. Now, “famine” here doesn’t just refer to...
Welcome to Day 2501 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Bizarre Visions for the Worst of Times – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2501 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2501 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirtieth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: Bizarre Visions for the Worst of Times. We are prone to make assumptions about God and His favor when life has us down due to sin, mistakes, or incomprehensible circumstances. Of all the Scripture passages we might turn to during these times, the bizarre vision that opens the book of Ezekiel would not register high on our list. However, reading this passage with its original ancient context in mind reveals a powerful message for its original recipients and for every believer. The Babylonian Context Ezekiel had his vision in Babylon as one of the captive exiles (Ezek 1:1- 3). Comparing his vision to Babylonian iconography reveals that Ezekiel saw a divine “throne chariot” of the heavens—widely described in the ancient biblical world. Just as human kings had chariots, so did deities. A deity would traverse the heavens in his chariot throne, inspecting his domain and exercising authority over it. In Ezekiel’s vision, this throne sits atop the “expanse” (vpl, raqia, 1:26)—the same word used in Genesis 1:6-8 for the heavens (see also Psa 29:10) and to describe God’s abode (Psa 150:1). Wheels supported the chariot throne, along with four unusual creatures (identified as cherubim in Ezek 10:4). Each creature had four faces: human, lion, eagle, and ox (Ezek 1:10).- Next to each cherub were four gleaming wheels (Ezek 1:15-16). These wheels were set on edge, since they are described as “tall” (Ezek 1:18). They had wheels within them—that is, each one had at least one concentric circle within it. The vision describes the outer edge, or “rim,” of each wheel as having “eyes” (py, ‘ayin). The prophet Daniel, who was also in Babylon, described the very same blazing throne with wheels (Dan 7:9). The Vision in Context The four faces of the four animals or cherubim correspond to the iconography of the Babylonian zodiac. Each represents a seasonal constellation in Babylonian astrology, and each face or constellation also represented one of the four directions (N, S, E, W) or quadrants of the sky. Babylonians knew that the heavens were connected...
Welcome to Day 2500 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2500 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 33:13-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2500 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2500 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 33, verses 13 through 17 from the New Living Translation. These verses are filled with incredible insights into the nature of God’s watchfulness over humanity, His wisdom in assessing our hearts, and the limitations of human strength. We’re invited to recognize that while we might rely on various sources for security or strength, ultimately, God alone is our true source of help and hope. So, let’s start by reading these verses: Psalm 33:13-17 (NLT) 13 The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. 14 From His throne He observes all who live on the earth. 15 He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do. 16 The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. 17 Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory— for all its strength, it cannot save you. God’s Perspective on Humanity (Verses 13-14): Starting with verses 13 and 14, we’re given an incredible image of God’s position and His all-seeing nature. “The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From His throne, He observes all who live on the earth.” Here, we’re reminded that God’s perspective is vastly different from ours. He sits enthroned above us, seeing everything—every action, every choice, every hidden motive. From His heavenly vantage point, He isn’t limited like we are by time, location, or understanding. When we think about God “seeing” us, it’s important to remember that His vision is not just a surface-level glance. God is fully aware of each life, each heart, and every thought. He isn’t just watching; He’s profoundly aware and invested. In our fast-paced world, it can be easy to feel unnoticed or even insignificant, but these verses remind us that no one escapes God’s attention. He’s aware of the entire human race, yet He cares about each individual person. This truth should be both humbling and comforting. To know that the Creator of the universe watches over us with care gives us assurance. We are not alone, unnoticed, or left to wander aimlessly. God sees each of us, and He is personally aware of what we face, what we need, and what weighs on our hearts. God’s Knowledge of Our Hearts (Verse 15): Verse 15 takes this even further by revealing that God doesn’t just observe us from a distance; He understands the depths of our hearts. The verse says, “He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do.” This is a profound truth. Since God crafted our hearts—our innermost being—He has an intimate understanding of who we are and why we act as we do. When David says that God “understands everything we do,” it’s a reminder that God’s knowledge of us goes beyond mere observation. He sees beyond...
Welcome to Day 2499 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2499 – The Big Deal About 'Little' Things – Daily Wisdom – Colossians 4:2-6 Putnam Church Message – 11/03/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Leader – The Big Deal About “Little” Things- Colossians 4:2-6 Last week, our focus was having Christ as the center and source of our lives. Today, we move on to the third and final section of the letter to the Colossians. If you remember when we started this series, the theme is: Jesus Christ is sufficient as our Lord, our Life, and our Leader. For baby Christians under attack from false teachers who were rejecting Christ’s person and reducing His power, this message was the perfect defense. In the first section of Colossians, Paul underscored the sufficiency of Christ as our Lord (1:1–2:23). In the second section, he highlighted the sufficiency of Christ as our Life (3:1–4:1). Now, in the remainder of the final chapter of this short but formidable book, Paul emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ as our Leader (4:2–18). Paul ended the previous section by pointing out that we all have a “Master in heaven” (4:1). Now, he wraps up this letter by outlining several practical and personal ways that Christ’s leadership is to manifest itself in our lives.| Christ directs our paths, navigating us through ministry opportunities and obstacles (4:2–6).| Next week, we will learn that when we serve Him as bond-servants, we must depend on our fellow laborers, acknowledging that we all serve one Leader and have one goal: the widespread proclamation of His message, which is to build God’s Kingdom on earth (4:7–18). Only when we depend on Christ as our sufficient Leader will we be able to fulfill this goal. Today’s passage is Colossians 4:2-6 on page 1835 of your Pew Bibles. We will explore The Big Deal About “Little” Things. I am reading from the NLT. 2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. 5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive[a] so that you will have the right response for everyone. In our world of information overload, where tweets, posts, pins, and texts are thrown around like empty disposable wrappers, it’s easy to believe that words are unimportant, weak, meaningless, vaporous, and hollow. This notion is completely false! Contrary to the familiar expression, ‘talk is cheap,’| talk is not cheap. Words do matter —especially spiritual words. As we’ll see in these five insightful verses from Paul’s letter to the Colossians,...
Welcome to Day 2498 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2498 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 33:6-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2498 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2498 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re exploring Psalm 33, verses 6 through 12. These verses are rich with awe, reminding us of the power and sovereignty of God in creation, in the direction of human history, and in the lives of those who trust Him. David, the psalmist, calls us to look beyond ourselves and into the greatness of God, whose plans and purposes are solid and unchanging. I’ll start by reading Psalm 33:6-12 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 33:6-12 (NLT) 6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. 7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. 8 Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of Him. 9 For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command. 10 The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. 11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken. 12 What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people He has chosen as His inheritance. God’s Power in Creation (Verses 6-7): Let’s dive into verses 6 and 7, where David speaks about God’s role as Creator. Verse 6 begins, “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.” Here, we’re reminded that God’s power is unmatched. Creation wasn’t a struggle or a lengthy process for Him—God simply spoke, and everything came into being. In a single breath, all the stars in the heavens burst into existence, vast and uncountable, each one a testament to His power and glory. This speaks to the ease with which God can do things that, to us, are utterly incomprehensible. Imagine the scale of this. Every star, every planet, every galaxy—God created them effortlessly. His words have the power to shape reality. This is a powerful reminder for us to trust His word. When He speaks, it carries weight, authority, and the power to bring things to pass. Verse 7 continues: “He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.” God not only created the world but also established its boundaries and order. The seas, powerful and relentless, obey Him. He has set the boundaries for the oceans and keeps them within their limits. This detail isn’t just about the physical boundaries of creation; it’s a reminder that God’s power is vast, yet precise. He governs every detail of the universe, large and small. In a world that often feels chaotic, it’s comforting to remember that God has ordered creation with care and intention. He is in control, not only over the great expanses of the universe but also over the smallest details of our lives. When we feel overwhelmed or out of control, we can look to...
Welcome to Day 2497 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2497 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 33:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2497 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2497 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we dive into Psalm 33, specifically verses 1 through 5. In these opening verses, we find a powerful call to praise, a reminder of the beauty of God’s word, and a celebration of His love and faithfulness. This psalm begins with exuberance, inviting all who trust in God to lift their voices and celebrate His goodness. It’s a psalm filled with joy, urging us to recognize the beauty of God’s work and His unfailing love. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 33:1-5 together in the New Living Translation: Psalm 33:1-5 (NLT) 1 Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord; it is fitting for the pure to praise Him. 2 Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for Him on the ten-stringed harp. 3 Sing a new song of praise to Him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. 4 For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything He does. 5 He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth. A Call to Praise (Verses 1-2): We begin in verse 1 with a beautiful call to worship: “Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord; it is fitting for the pure to praise Him.” This verse is an invitation, almost a command, for the people of God to lift their voices in joy and celebration. The term “godly” here refers to those who seek to live in harmony with God’s will, who aim to walk in righteousness and humility. For these individuals, it is “fitting” to praise the Lord. David reminds us that singing and praising God isn’t just an obligation; it’s the natural response of a heart in tune with Him. Think about it: when we experience something amazing, don’t we feel an urge to share it with others? It’s similar with our relationship with God. When we truly recognize His goodness and faithfulness, our hearts naturally overflow with gratitude, and we want to express it. This is what David is encouraging us to do—to let our lives be an offering of praise to God. In verse 2, he urges us to “praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for Him on the ten-stringed harp.” Music has a powerful way of expressing emotions that words alone often cannot. The psalmist here mentions instruments—the lyre and harp—encouraging us to make our praise as expressive as possible. God delights in our creativity, and using music, song, and even art as expressions of our gratitude and love is a wonderful way to connect with Him. This invitation isn’t just about organized worship or a specific style of music; it’s about authenticity in our praise. Whether we have musical talent or not, the important thing is that our hearts are sincerely focused on God. God is honored when we lift our praise to Him with a genuine spirit. A New Song of Joy (Verse 3): Verse 3...
Welcome to Day 2496 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – He, Him, Me, Myself, and I – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2496 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2496 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-ninth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: He, Him, Me, Myself, and I. How strange would it sound if a friend described what they did this morning like this? “After she got out of bed, she took a shower and then made a quick breakfast for herself—just some coffee and a bagel. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even finish my bagel and just took the coffee with me!” Be honest. You would probably wonder if your friend needed medication. Although your friend was describing what she did this morning, the first few details sounded like she was talking about someone else. If the information was about her and spoken by her, why not use “I” and “my”—what we call “first person” pronouns in grammar? Why would she refer to herself in the third person? We just don’t talk or write like that. Neither would the biblical writers—but that is exactly what we read in many biblical passages. Consider the first four verses of the book of Ezekiel: On July 31[a] of my thirtieth year,[b] while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. 3 (The Lord gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians,[c] and he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him.) 4 As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.[
Welcome to Day 2495 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2495 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 32:6-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2495 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2495 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue through Psalm 32, focusing on verses 6 through 11. In the previous verses, David laid out the blessing of forgiveness and the power of confession. Now, in verses 6 through 11, he shifts to address what this forgiveness leads to: the assurance of God’s protection, the joy of being guided by His wisdom, and the steadfast love God extends to those who trust in Him. Psalm 32 is a “maskil,” a teaching psalm, and here, David instructs us on how to respond to God’s grace. These verses encourage us to draw close to God, to lean on Him during difficult times, and to trust in His faithfulness. Let’s read these verses together in the New Living Translation, then unpack them individually. Psalm 32:6-11 (NLT) 6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to You while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. 7 For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. 8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” 10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. 11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! A Call to Prayer and Protection (Verse 6): Verse 6 opens with an invitation and a sense of urgency. David says, “Therefore, let all the godly pray to You while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.” The phrase “while there is still time” implies that we shouldn’t take for granted the opportunity we have now to come to God. In a world full of distractions, David calls the godly—the faithful, those who seek God’s heart—to pray and stay close to God. When David speaks of the “floodwaters of judgment,” he’s referring to the overwhelming consequences of living apart from God’s wisdom and protection. He uses the image of floodwaters as a symbol of the chaos, difficulty, and, sometimes, the natural consequences of our own choices. But David’s message is one of hope and urgency: we’re encouraged to seek God and to do so while we have the chance. In the New Testament, we see this echoed in Jesus’ call to abide in Him, to come to Him for refuge and peace. David’s plea here reminds us that God is always near, ready to hear us when we call on Him. It’s never too late to pray, to ask for forgiveness, or to seek His wisdom. We should make the most of this grace and seek God’s guidance while we can. God as Our Hiding Place (Verse 7): In verse 7, David continues,...
Welcome to Day 2494 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2494 – Wherever, Whatever, Whenever, However...Christ – Daily Wisdom – Colossians 3:15-4:1 Putnam Church Message – 10/27/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Life – Wherever, Whatever, Whenever, However…Christ - Colossians 3:15-4:1 Last week, we learned that guided experience is the best teacher, as our mentor, the Apostle Paul, taught us to take off our old, dirty, stinking habits and put on the new, fresh habits of a new life in Christ. Today’s passage is Colossians 3:15-4:1 on page 1835 of your Pew Bibles. Our focus today is having Christ as the center and source of our lives. I am reading from the NLT. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. 20 Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. 23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.[e] 25 But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites. 4:1 Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven. In English, a brief but meaningful expression helps us characterize a person’s values, loves, priorities, and passions, telling us what that person is all about. If a person dearly loves music, we say, “Music is his life.” If someone finds fulfillment in training and motivating athletes, we say, “Coaching is her life.” For a woman whose work means everything to her, who finds great joy in her career, we might say, “Her job is her life.” Of a prolific author who cranks out one book after another, we might say, “Writing is his life.” Since I enjoy almost everything I do, I would say that life is my life! This idiom is clearly a hyperbole—an exaggerated claim not intended to be taken...
Welcome to Day 2493 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2493 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 32:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2493 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2493 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re diving into the richness of Psalm 32:1-5. This passage reveals a heartfelt message from David about the profound joy of forgiveness and the relief that comes from confessing our sins to God. Psalm 32 offers a close look at the nature of repentance, confession, and the freeing power of God’s forgiveness. In these first five verses, David’s words are clear and transparent as he recounts the blessings of forgiveness and the weight lifted when we openly turn to God with our sins. Let’s read these verses together in the New Living Translation and then explore each of them to grasp the life-giving truths they hold. Psalm 32:1-5 (NLT) 1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. The Joy of Forgiveness (Verses 1-2): David opens Psalm 32:1 by celebrating the “joy” that comes from forgiveness: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!” Here, David doesn’t just mention forgiveness; he emphasizes the deep happiness, peace, and liberation that follow it. The word “joy” tells us that there’s something more to forgiveness than just a clean slate—it’s an experience that brings a renewed sense of freedom and wholeness. This joy, David says, is for those “whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight.” He uses two distinct terms—disobedience and sin—to cover the range of human failings. Disobedience reflects deliberate actions against God’s law, while “sin” represents falling short, missing the mark of what God intends for us. David shows us that, whether intentional or unintentional, God can completely forgive any wrongdoing. In verse 2, David continues, “Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” This is a beautiful reminder that God doesn’t just forgive us in a surface-level way; He clears the entire record of our guilt. It’s as if our wrongs were never recorded, never held against us. This isn’t a license to live as we please but rather a call to embrace honesty. David says the blessed life is marked by “complete honesty.” True joy comes when we bring everything into the light, not hiding...
Welcome to Day 2492 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2492 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 31:19-24 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2492 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2492 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, as we continue our exploration of Psalm 31. Today’s passage, Psalm 31:19-24, takes us from a place of distress to one of praise and confidence in God’s goodness. In the previous verses, we saw how David poured out his heart to God, pleading for mercy and rescue amid his pain and danger. In these final verses of the psalm, David shifts his focus. He celebrates God’s goodness, faithfulness, and protection, encouraging all who trust in the Lord to take courage and place their hope in Him. Let’s read Psalm 31:19-24 from the New Living Translation, and then we’ll break it down verse by verse. Psalm 31:19-24 (NLT) 19 How great is the goodness You have stored up for those who fear You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world. 20 You hide them in the shelter of Your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in Your presence, far from accusing tongues. 21 Praise the Lord, for He has shown me the wonders of His unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack. 22 In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But You heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help. 23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to Him, but He harshly punishes the arrogant. 24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! The Goodness of God (Verses 19-20): David begins this final section of the psalm with a powerful declaration of God’s goodness: “How great is the goodness You have stored up for those who fear You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world” (verse 19). After pouring out his heart in the earlier verses, expressing his fears, pain, and distress, David now turns to praise, acknowledging the abundant goodness of God. God’s goodness isn’t something that’s merely experienced in the abstract or on rare occasions. It’s stored up, waiting for those who fear the Lord and come to Him for protection. There’s an image here of God’s goodness as a treasure, something He’s carefully reserved and prepared for those who seek refuge in Him. This isn’t a meager or stingy supply—it’s lavish, overflowing, and abundant. David also mentions that this blessing is given “before the watching world.” God’s faithfulness to His people is evident to others. When we trust in the Lord, His goodness and favor in our lives serve as a testimony to those around us. The way God cares for His people shines like a beacon, showing His greatness to the world. Verse 20 continues this theme: “You hide them in the shelter of Your presence, safe from those who...
Welcome to Day 2491 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Why the Ark of the Covenant Will Never be Found – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2491 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2491 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-eighth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: Why the Ark of the Covenant Will Never Be Found. I can still recall the thrill of first seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark. As a young adult, I had already been infected with the Biblical archaeology bug. This movie boosted my interest to a whole new level. As Providence would have it, I followed the path of Indiana Jones—at least on a cursory basis. I’m still fascinated by the ark, but I no longer believe it is lost and awaiting discovery. I have Jeremiah to blame for that. The idea that the ark of the covenant survived Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Judah is based on the absence of any explicit reference to the ark being among the vessels of gold carried to Babylon (2 Chr 36:5-8). Likewise, the list of items brought back to Judah after the end of the exile makes no mention of the ark (Ezra 1:5-11). The simplest explanation is that the ark was among the “vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord” that Nebuchadnezzar cut to pieces (2 Kgs 24:13). No one would pay to see that movie. From ancient times until the present day, people have resisted the idea that God would allow Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Israel’s holiest object. Testifying to the power of this resistance, there are nearly a dozen theories on how the ark survived. Some of these theories are drawn from biblical events. Perhaps Hezekiah gave the ark to Sennacherib as part of his tribute payment (2 Kgs 18). Might it have been removed by faithful priests when Manasseh put an idol in the temple (2 Kgs 21:1-9)? Indiana Jones told millions that Pharaoh Shishak took the ark to the city of Tanis in Egypt when he invaded Jerusalem (1 Kgs 14:25- 28). Perhaps the most intricate theory involves Menelik I, the alleged son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, taking the ark to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian royal chronicle, the Kebra Nagast, presents this idea so seriously that rulers of Ethiopia well into the 20th century had to prove their descent from Menelik I. Other theories grew out of specific passages in ancient texts. 2 Maccabees 2:5 records Jeremiah hiding the ark in a cave before Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion. 2 Baruch 6:1-9 describes the ark being supernaturally swallowed up by the earth before the invasion,...
Welcome to Day 2490 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2490 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 31:19-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2490 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2490 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into Psalm 31:9-18 from the New Living Translation. David continues his heartfelt prayer to God in this passage, crying out for mercy and deliverance. He’s deeply troubled—emotionally, physically, and spiritually—but what stands out is how, amid this pain, he continues to turn to God for refuge and rescue. We can all learn from David’s vulnerability before God, especially when we find ourselves in times of distress. Let’s take a moment to read Psalm 31:9-18, and then we’ll break it down into smaller sections to see what lessons we can draw from David’s words. Psalm 31:9-18 (NLT) 9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. 10 I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. 11 I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way. 12 I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. 13 I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life. 14 But I am trusting You, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” 15 My future is in Your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. 16 Let Your favor shine on Your servant. In Your unfailing love, rescue me. 17 Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord, for I call out to You for help. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave. 18 Silence their lying lips—those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly. A Cry for Mercy (Verses 9-10): David begins Verse 9 of the psalm with an intense cry for mercy: “Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.” Right away, we sense the depth of David’s anguish. He’s not just feeling a little down—he’s in a place of deep, overwhelming distress. His tears are so frequent that his vision is blurred, and his emotional pain is so intense that it’s affecting him physically. He says his body and soul are withering away, a vivid picture of someone who feels completely spent, both spiritually and physically. This is a reminder that as human beings, we are not just spirits or bodies, but whole persons. When we are in deep emotional or spiritual distress, it can affect us physically. David isn’t ashamed to admit his weakness and weariness. Instead, he brings it before God, asking for mercy. In verse 10, he continues: “I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.” Here, David reflects on how his prolonged sorrow and grief have taken a toll on his...
Welcome to Day 2489 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2489 – Spot-On Advice From a Seasoned Mentor – Daily Wisdom - Colossians 3:1-14 Putnam Church Message – 10/20/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Life – Spot-On Advice From a Seasoned Mentor - Colossians 3:1-14 Last week, we continued in the letter of Colossians and learned we can live forgiven and forever free. The overarching theme of Paul’s letter to the Colossians is that Jesus Christ is sufficient as our Lord, our Life, and our Leader. In chapters 1 and 2, Paul developed the principle that Jesus Christ is sufficient as our Lord. In the second major section (3:1–4:1), Paul emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ as our Life. Today’s passage is Colossians 3:1-14 on page 1834 of your Pew Bibles. We will gain spiritual insight from our seasoned mentor, Paul. I am reading from the NLT. 1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you....
Welcome to Day 2488 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2488 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 31:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2488 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2488 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 31:1-8 from the New Living Translation—a passage that speaks deeply to the human experience of seeking refuge, trusting in God, and finding security in Him during moments of distress. Psalm 31 is a psalm of David, and it reflects both his deep trust in God and his desperation in times of difficulty. What’s beautiful about this psalm is its raw honesty and deep reliance on God as a refuge. David faced many trials throughout his life—times of danger, betrayal, and even his own personal failures—but he consistently turned to God for protection and deliverance. This psalm invites us to do the same, no matter what challenges we face. So, let’s dive into Psalm 31:1-8 and discover how it can guide us in our daily lives. Psalm 31:1-8 (NLT) 1 O Lord, I have come to You for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for You do what is right. 2 Turn Your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. 3 You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of Your name, lead me out of this danger. 4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in You alone. 5 I entrust my spirit into Your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for You are a faithful God. 6 I hate those who worship worthless idols. I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place. A Cry for Protection and Deliverance (Verses 1-2): The psalm begins in verse 1 with David’s plea for protection: “O Lord, I have come to You for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for You do what is right.” From the very first verse, we see David’s complete reliance on God. He turns to the Lord for refuge, recognizing that only God can offer the protection he needs. David’s request is personal and direct. He’s not just asking for general safety; he’s asking God to prevent him from being disgraced or shamed amid his troubles. This could refer to various situations in David’s life, from personal failures to being pursued by enemies. He’s seeking not only physical protection but also spiritual and emotional preservation. He wants his reputation, his honor, and his relationship with God to remain intact through whatever trials he faces. In verse 2, David continues by asking God to “turn Your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.” The imagery here is powerful—David is asking God to listen to his cry and respond swiftly. He describes God as his rock and fortress, a place of solid security where he can find...
Welcome to Day 2487 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 30:6-12 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2487 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2487 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll look at the second half of Psalm 30, verses 6-12, from the New Living Translation. This passage is rich in personal reflection and full of profound truths that can help guide us through the highs and lows of life. Psalm 30 is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise, attributed to David, who reflects on God’s deliverance. It’s a reminder that even when we feel secure in ourselves, it is God who sustains us, and when we experience trouble, He is the one who turns our mourning into joy. As we dive into these verses, let’s consider how David’s journey of faith can speak to us in our own times of trial and triumph. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 30:6-12 together: Psalm 30:6-12 (NLT): 6 When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” 7 Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then You turned away from me, and I was shattered. 8 I cried out to You, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, 9 “What will You gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise You? Can it tell of Your faithfulness? 10 Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.” 11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever! Self-Reliance and the Illusion of Security (Verses 6-7): David begins this portion of the psalm by looking back on a time in his life when he felt secure in himself: “When I was prosperous, I said, ‘Nothing can stop me now!’” It’s easy to relate to David here. When things are going well—when we have success, wealth, health, and everything seems to be in order—we can slip into a mindset of self-reliance. We might think that we’ve got it all together, that nothing can shake us. David admits that during his prosperity, he felt invincible. But in verse 7, we see the reality check: “Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then You turned away from me, and I was shattered.” David acknowledges that it wasn’t his own strength or ability that made him secure—it was the favor of the Lord. God’s protection and blessing were the foundation of David’s security. And when God’s presence seemed to withdraw, David was immediately shaken. What once felt like a solid mountain of security crumbled in an instant. This is a humbling reminder for all of us. It’s tempting to rely on our own resources, skills, or achievements, but we must never forget that it is God who sustains us. Our security, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, comes from Him alone. Without His favor, we are vulnerable. When things go well, we should give thanks to God and recognize that it is by His hand, not our...
Welcome to Day 2486 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Jeremiah's Double Vision – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2486 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2486 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-seventh lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Jeremiah’s Double Vision. If we look beyond the details of Jeremiah’s anguish and apparently fruitless ministry, we can spot a dual emphasis in the book that bears his name: judgment and repentance. But emphasis is not the only double issue. Two complete versions of the book have survived from antiquity and diverge in many ways. The “Jeremiah Problem” The book of Jeremiah has come to us in two versions—a Hebrew version, the Masoretic Text, and a Greek version, the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament). Our modern English Bibles follow the arrangement and content of the Masoretic Text (mt). The Septuagint version (or lxx) was translated from a Hebrew text of the book that differed in many ways from the mt. Because of this, the Greek version is roughly one-eighth shorter than the mt, and after Jeremiah 25:13, the order of the chapters differs dramatically. Despite attempts to solve the “Jeremiah problem,” the textual history of both versions remains unresolved. We still don’t know which Hebrew text is older —the one we have today (mt) or the one used by the scribes who created the Septuagint. The fragmentary scrolls of the book found among the Dead Sea Scrolls usually follow the order and content of mt, but some of the material matches the Hebrew manuscript that was translated into the Septuagint. Consequently, the Dead Sea Scrolls cannot offer a definitive answer regarding which version of the book more closely aligns with the time of the prophet. We also find mixed results when examining the history of these versions. The Jewish community favored the mt version, but this is only apparent from around ad 100 onward, after the time of Jesus and the apostles. New Testament writers favored the Septuagint when quoting the Old Testament. Studies reveal that when the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament, the wording found in the Greek New Testament, the mt, and the Septuagint differs in some way 80 percent of the time. Word-for-word quotations of mt are not common, amounting to less than five percent. Even when factoring in nearly identical quotations of mt, it is clear that the New Testament writers only appear to have used mt 20 percent of the time. The New Testament writers most often quoted from the Septuagint,- but this doesn’t mean they endorsed it, since they used both versions. They were writing in Greek,...
Welcome to Day 2485 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 30:1-5 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2485 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2485 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will be diving into a beautiful psalm of thanksgiving and deliverance, Psalm 30:1-5, from the New Living Translation. Psalm 30 was written by David, and it is often referred to as a psalm of dedication for the Temple. However, we see in this psalm that David expresses deep gratitude to God for delivering him from a time of great trouble and restoring him to a place of joy. It’s a reminder that our God is a God who lifts us out of the pits of despair and replaces our sorrow with joy. Let’s read Psalm 30:1-5 together: Psalm 30:1-5 (NLT): 1 I will exalt You, Lord, for You rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You restored my health. 3 You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. 4 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise His holy name. 5 For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. David’s Rescue and Triumph (Verses 1-3): David begins this psalm with a declaration of praise: “I will exalt You, Lord, for You rescued me.” Right from the start, we can sense the overwhelming gratitude David feels. He exalts the Lord, not out of duty, but out of a heart filled with thanksgiving. Why? Because God has rescued him. David reflects on how the Lord refused to let his enemies triumph over him. This tells us that David had been in a dangerous physical, emotional, or spiritual situation, and his enemies thought they had the upper hand. Yet, God intervened. He didn’t allow David’s enemies to claim victory. Then, in verse 2, David gives more insight into his distress. He says, “O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You restored my health.” Here, we see that David was facing external threats and a personal crisis. Whether it was a physical illness or an emotional/spiritual low point, David found himself in a place of deep need. His response was to cry out to God, and God heard his plea. This is an important reminder for all of us. When we face challenges—whether they are health-related, spiritual struggles, or external pressures—our first response should be to cry out to God. David’s experience shows us that God hears, and He answers. Verse 3 takes the imagery even deeper: “You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.” David uses dramatic language here—he compares his situation to being brought up from the grave. Whether he was close to death or just felt overwhelmed by despair, David acknowledges that without God’s intervention, he would have been lost. The “pit of death” symbolizes the lowest of lows—a place of hopelessness. Yet, God, in His mercy, reached
Welcome to Day 2484 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2484 – Living Forgiven and Forever Free – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/13/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – Living Forgiven…and Forever Free - Colossians 2:11-23 Last week, we continued in the letter of Colossians and learned of Paul’s heart and his love for the early church. Today’s passage is Colossians 2:11-23 on page 1833 of your Pew Bibles. We will learn how we can live forgiven and forever free. I am reading from the NLT. 11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.[c] 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed[d] the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. 16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. 18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels,[e] saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. 20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. Strange as it may sound, one of life’s most challenging aspects is learning how to live our lives. Far too many Christians are merely proceeding from one day to the next. They don’t know how to truly...
Welcome to Day 2483 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 29:1-11 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2483 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2483 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we are focusing on Psalm 29, a powerful and majestic psalm of David that directs our attention to the overwhelming glory of God displayed through His voice in creation. Psalm 29 offers us a vivid picture of God’s sovereignty over nature and His ability to command the forces of the earth with His voice. Through the sounds of thunder, the strength of storms, and the power of water, we see the unmatched might of God. Yet, in the end, this psalm also reveals that God, in His great power, blesses His people with strength and peace. So, let’s read through Psalm 29:1-11 from the New Living Translation: Psalm 29:1-11 (NLT): 1 Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings; honor the Lord for His glory and strength. 2 Honor the Lord for the glory of His name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. 3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. 5 The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; He makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord strikes with bolts of lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In His Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!” 10 The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. 11 The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. Calling the Heavens to Worship (Verses 1-2): Psalm 29 begins with a call to honor and worship the Lord. In verses 1 and 2, David says: “Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings; honor the Lord for His glory and strength. Honor the Lord for the glory of His name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.” Here, David is calling on the heavenly beings, the angels, and all those in the spiritual realm, to give honor and praise to God. He is asking them to recognize the magnificence of God’s glory and strength. This call to worship is an invitation for all of creation—both heavenly and earthly—to recognize and praise the name of the Lord for who He is. David emphasizes worshiping the Lord in “the splendor of His holiness.” God is holy, set apart, and His very being is majestic. His glory shines brighter than anything in creation, and it’s only fitting that all creatures, especially those in the heavenly realm, would bow in worship before Him. For us today, this call extends beyond the...
Welcome to Day 2482 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 28:1-9 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2482 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2482 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our journey through the Psalms. We’ve reached Psalm 28, a powerful prayer and declaration by David that teaches us about seeking God’s help in times of trouble and recognizing His role as our protector and strength. In Psalm 28, David turns to the Lord in a moment of deep need, pleading for God’s mercy and intervention. As we walk through these verses, we’ll see David’s heartfelt cry for help, his trust in God’s deliverance, and his praise for the Lord’s faithfulness. Let’s read through Psalm 28:1-9 from the New Living Translation together: Psalm 28:1-9 (NLT): 1 I pray to You, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if You are silent, I might as well give up and die. 2 Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to You for help, as I lift my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. 3 Do not drag me away with the wicked— with those who do evil— those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts. 4 Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness; pay them back for all their evil deeds. Give them a taste of what they have done to others. 5 They care nothing for what the Lord has done or for what His hands have made. So He will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt! 6 Praise the Lord! For He has heard my cry for mercy. 7 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. 8 The Lord gives His people strength. He is a safe fortress for His anointed king. 9 Save Your people! Bless Israel, Your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in Your arms forever. Crying Out in Desperation (Verses 1-2): In the opening two verses of Psalm 28, David begins with a cry of desperation: “I pray to You, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if You are silent, I might as well give up and die.” David’s words here reveal his deep dependence on God. He refers to the Lord as his “rock,” which symbolizes a place of stability, safety, and refuge. Yet, despite this confidence in God’s role as his protector, David is experiencing a moment of intense need. He fears what might happen if God does not respond to him. This is a powerful reminder that even those with strong faith, like David, experience moments of fear and desperation. It’s not that David doubts God’s power or goodness, but the intensity of his circumstances makes him feel as though God’s silence would be unbearable. In verse 2, David continues: “Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to You for help, as I lift my...
Welcome to Day 2481 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Standing in the Council – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2481 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2481 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-sixth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Standing in the Council. Most people think a prophet is someone God empowers to foretell the future. No doubt, prophets announced God’s intentions, but forecasting future events wasn’t their primary job description. A prophet’s chief task was to serve as God’s mouthpiece to His covenant people, Israel, and her enemies. So, how did someone become a prophet? Was there some sort of heavenly qualification? In fact, there was. You might think the standard for a prophet was whether their words came to pass exactly as uttered (Deut 18:15-22). But that’s actually a by-product of the real litmus test, which we read about in Jeremiah: For who among them has stood in the council (no, sod) of the Lord to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened? [The Lord says] ... “If they had stood in my council (no, sod), then they would have proclaimed my words to my people” (Jer 23:18, 22). What does it mean to “stand in the council”? Jeremiah elaborates: “to see and to hear his word ... to pay attention to his word and listen.” The one essential test of a prophet—that preceded their ability to deliver a divine message—was that the prophet had to see and hear God in His council. In the Bible, God and His heavenly host were thought to live and conduct business in the divine throne room. This assembly, with God as its CEO, is called “a divine council” (Pss 82:1; 89:5-7).- God chose prophets and commissioned them directly for ministry. When a prophet “stood in the council,” they had a direct encounter with God in His throne room. This motif of “standing in the council” is a repeated pattern in the Bible. In the case of Isaiah, the prophet was transported to the throne room of Yahweh (Isa 6:1-6) to receive his call to service (Isa 6:8-9). For Ezekiel, the circumstances were reversed, with the throne of the Lord coming to him (Ezek 1:1-14, 26-28). Jeremiah was also commissioned via a direct encounter with God. At the beginning of his ministry, the “word of the Lord” came to him (Jer 1:4) and appointed him a prophet. The “word” is identified as Yahweh (Jer 1:6-7) who has come in human form. He reaches out His hand to touch Jeremiah’s mouth (Jer 1:9). It was this encounter that...
Welcome to Day 2480 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 27:7-14 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2480 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2480 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration through Psalm 27. This psalm is a powerful declaration of trust in God, especially when life feels overwhelming and uncertain. Last time, we walked through verses 1-6, where David expressed his confidence in God’s protection and presence. Today, we’ll be focusing on Psalm 27:7-14 from the New Living Translation. In this section, David moves from a confident proclamation to a heartfelt prayer. We’ll see him calling out to God in a moment of need, seeking assurance and guidance. Even as David asks for God’s help, his trust in the Lord remains firm. Let’s read the passage in its entirety before we dive into the details: Psalm 27:7-14 (NLT): 7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! 8 My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with Me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 9 Do not turn Your back on me. Do not reject Your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. 11 Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. 12 Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath, they threaten me with violence. 13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. A Cry for Help and Mercy (Verses 7-9): In the opening verses of this section, David shifts from his earlier confidence in God’s protection to a direct and earnest plea for help. He begins in verse 7, saying, “Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!” This is a deeply personal cry. David is not reciting a formal prayer or offering a distant request; he is pouring out his heart to God. He knows he needs God’s mercy and intervention, and he is asking for an answer. What’s significant here is the relationship David has with God. He doesn’t approach God timidly or with uncertainty; instead, he calls out, knowing that God hears him. David is confident that God will respond to his cry. In verse 8, David expresses a beautiful truth about his relationship with the Lord: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’” This verse reveals the intimacy between David and God. God has extended an invitation to David, saying, “Come and talk with Me,” and David responds with a willing heart. What an amazing privilege it is to know that the Creator of the universe invites us to come and speak with Him! God...
Welcome to Day 2479 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2479 – Counsel From a Concerned Apostle – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/06/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – Counsel From a Concerned Apostle - Colossians 2:1-10 Last week, we continued in the letter of Colossians and dove into what authentic Christian Ministry really is. Today’s passage is Colossians 2:1-10 on page 1833 of your Pew Bibles. We will investigate the heart of Paul and his love for the early church. I am reading from the NLT. 1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. 6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers[a] of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.[b] 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. There is a period of time during most young Christians’ lives when we go through an unhealthy phase of spiritual independence. We think that we don’t need anybody but God or anything but the Bible. We know Christ. We have the Holy Spirit. We begin to read God’s Word. We engage in daily study of Scripture. For many of us, our parents had played their part in raising us and sending us on a wholesome spiritual trajectory. Our spouse or other family member was there to provide encouragement and companionship. We plow forward with a go-it-alone attitude and a pioneering spirit. It’s the way of Western culture, especially in America. This thinking is not Biblical. As we grow spiritually through the years, one of the greatest things we learn is that we need others. Not occasionally, but continually. And not just our families and close friends. We need all our brothers and sisters in Christ, in our local churches, and in the universal body of Christ. This is one of the most challenging truths to convince believers of. We talk about accepting Christ as our “personal Savior” and
Welcome to Day 2478 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 27:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2478 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2478 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we embark on another trek through God’s Word. Today, we’re diving into a powerful and encouraging passage—Psalm 27:1-6 from the New Living Translation. This is a psalm of David, where he expresses his unwavering trust in the Lord, even in the face of danger and adversity. It’s a psalm that teaches us about finding confidence and security in God, especially when life feels uncertain. Let’s start by reading the passage in full, and then we’ll walk through it together: Psalm 27:1-6 (NLT): 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. 4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His Temple. 5 For He will conceal me there when troubles come; He will hide me in His sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At His sanctuary, I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. Confidence in God’s Protection (Verses 1-3): David opens this psalm with a bold and clear declaration of confidence: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Verse 1) What a powerful way to begin! David acknowledges God as his light, his salvation, and his fortress. These three distinct images reveal the fullness of God’s protection and provision. God is the light that dispels the darkness of fear and uncertainty. He is the salvation that rescues David from his enemies, and He is the fortress that provides shelter and security. David’s rhetorical questions—“So why should I be afraid? Why should I tremble?”—are meant to reinforce his confidence. There is no reason to fear when the Lord provides protection and deliverance. David understands that his security doesn’t come from his own strength or resources but from God alone. In verse 2, David continues, “When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.” Notice the certainty in his language. David doesn’t say “if” enemies attack but “when.” He knows that trouble is inevitable in life. But he is equally confident that those who oppose him will ultimately fail because God is on his side. Verse 3 takes this confidence even further: “Though a mighty
Welcome to Day 2476 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 26:1-12 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2477 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2477 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be exploring Psalm 26:1-12 from the New Living Translation. This is a powerful psalm in which David, the writer, boldly declares his innocence and integrity while asking God for protection and vindication. We’ll unpack these verses to understand David’s confidence in the Lord, his commitment to integrity, and how this can apply to our lives today. As we explore Psalm 26, I invite you to reflect on your own walk with God, seeking to live in integrity and trusting Him to guide and protect you. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 26 in its entirety: Psalm 26:1-12 (NLT): 1 Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 2 Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. 3 For I am always aware of Your unfailing love, and I have lived according to Your truth. 4 I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites. 5 I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked. 6 I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to Your altar, O Lord, 7 singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all Your wonders. 8 I love Your sanctuary, Lord, the place where Your glorious presence dwells. 9 Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don’t condemn me along with murderers. 10 Their hands are dirty with evil schemes, and they constantly take bribes. 11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity. So redeem me and show me mercy. 12 Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the Lord. A Declaration of Integrity and Trust (Verses 1-3): David begins this psalm with a bold declaration: “Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.” From the start, we can sense David’s confidence in his relationship with God. He is unafraid to ask God to declare him innocent because he knows he has lived a life of integrity. But this isn’t a prideful statement. David is not claiming perfection; instead, he’s acknowledging that his heart is committed to the Lord and has walked according to God’s truth. In verse 2, David goes even further by inviting God to test him: “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.” This is a courageous request. David isn’t hiding anything from God. He’s opening himself up to God’s scrutiny, asking God to evaluate his actions, heart, and motives. What would it look like for us to have that same kind of confidence before God? It’s important to note that...
Welcome to Day 2476 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Immanuel's Mother: Virgin or Not? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2476 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2476 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-fifth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Immanuel’s Mother: Virgin or Not? Immanuel’s Mother: Virgin or Not? The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is among the most well-known passages in the book of Isaiah. It’s also one of the most controversial, for many reasons. All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin[a] (almah) will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). It’s difficult to get through the Christmas or Easter season without seeing one of the major news periodicals or educational television networks cast doubt about the meaning of almah in Isaiah 7:14. A favorite argument is that the Hebrew word almah cannot mean “virgin” but instead refers to a young woman of marriageable age—without respect to prior sexual activity. The more precise word for “virgin” is betulah, a word not used in Isaiah 7:14. The New Testament author Matthew, we are so often told, mistakenly assumed the term meant “virgin.” His ignorance led to the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus. But are these assertions correct? Betulah indeed refers to someone who has been sexually inactive (Lev 21:3; Judg 21:12: Deut 22:23, 28; Exod 22:15), but does that mean almah never means virgin? Outside of Isaiah 7:14, the word almah occurs only six times in the Old Testament. In all but one of those occurrences, the context provides no clue as to the sexual status of the young woman or women (Gen 24:43; Exod 2:8; Psa 68:25; Song 1:3; 6:8; Prov 30:19). Virginity is suggested, however, in Song of Solomon 6:8, where almah occurs in the plural (alamot): “There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins (alamot) without number.” The distinction between queens, concubines, and alamot is important. A queen was a...
Welcome to Day 2475 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 25:16-22 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2475 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2475 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll explore Psalm 25:16-22 from the New Living Translation. These verses represent the concluding portion of a prayer from King David, where he expresses deep feelings of loneliness, distress, and the need for God’s help. In this passage, David opens his heart to God, pleading for deliverance from his troubles and asking for protection. As we unpack these verses, I invite you to reflect on how they speak to the struggles and challenges we face in our lives and how they encourage us to lean on God for strength and relief. Let’s read the passage together before diving into the details. Psalm 25:16-22 (NLT): 16 Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. 17 My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! 18 Feel my pain and see my trouble. Forgive all my sins. 19 See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! 20 Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in You I take refuge. 21 May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in You. 22 O God, ransom Israel from all its troubles. A Cry for Mercy (Verse 16): David begins this final section of the psalm with an impassioned plea in verse 16: “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.” The tone is one of personal anguish. David feels isolated—cut off from those who might comfort him—and he recognizes that his only hope is to call out to God. This feeling of loneliness is something many of us can relate to. There are moments in life when it seems like no one understands what we’re going through, and even if people surround us, we can still feel alone. David’s response is to cry out for God’s mercy. He doesn’t approach God with pride or a sense of entitlement; instead, he comes humbly, acknowledging his need for God’s compassion. This is a crucial reminder for us: when we’re in distress, it’s not a time to rely on our own strength or wisdom. Instead, like David, we need to turn to God and ask for His mercy. God’s mercy is His loving response to our weakness. It’s not something we earn, but something He freely gives when we come to Him in humility and faith. Escalating Troubles and the Need for Salvation (Verse 17): In verse 17, David continues to pour out his heart, saying, “My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!” Here, we see David acknowledging that his troubles are not easing up—they’re intensifying. It’s a vivid expression of how we often feel when life seems to be closing in on us. Problems can pile up, and the weight of it all can become overwhelming. What’s striking here is that David doesn’t simply ask for relief from one...
Welcome to Day 2474 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2474 – A Precise Explanation of Ministry – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/29/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – A Precise Explanation of Ministry Colossians 1:24-29 Last week, we continued in the letter of Colossians, explored the great Christ Hymn, and studied the six realms in which Christ is supreme. Today’s passage is Colossians 1:24-29, on page 1832 of your Pew Bibles. We are going to dive into what Christian Ministry really is. I am reading from the NLT. 24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. 28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect[g] in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. (Show large knife) If used occasionally, a knife remains sharp and continues to cut with precision. However, when we use a knife regularly, it begins to lose its edge. Words are like that. Certain words are used so frequently that they begin to lose their edge. Their real meanings become blunted by clichés, dulled by familiarity, and rendered ineffective by diminished precision. This is especially true of the word ministry, a word that is tossed around in churches and other Christian contexts. Because of its overuse, the term now conveys a wide variety of meanings, many of which have little, if anything, to do with actual ministry. The same could be said of those who serve as “ministers.” What exactly does it mean to be a “minister”? And what is involved in having a “ministry” in the lives of others? Interestingly, when we think about ministry, we’re often better at pointing out what it’s not supposed to be | than explaining what it should be. For example, we know it’s not supposed to be a commercial enterprise that involves the sale of goods and services. We know it’s not supposed to be an entertainment industry that sells tickets to an eager audience, hoping to get great reviews and boost ratings. And we know it’s not supposed to be an educational institution that charges tuition, offers degrees, or provides on-the-job training to further a person’s career. A ministry should not be a country club, a manufacturing plant, or a war room. We know that much. But how do we define an authentic, healthy ministry? Paul understood his role as God’s servant. He was first and foremost under the authority of the Lord, to whom he had to give an account....
Welcome to Day 2473 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 25:8-15 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2473 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2473 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into Psalm 25:8-15 from the New Living Translation. This section of the psalm continues David’s heartfelt prayer for guidance and forgiveness, as he reflects on God’s character and how the Lord leads those who trust in Him. As we explore these verses together, let’s keep in mind how they apply to our daily walk with God. Whether seeking direction, struggling with sin, or wanting to grow closer to the Lord, these verses offer profound wisdom and hope. Let’s read the passage together before we unpack it. Psalm 25:8-15 (NLT): 8 The Lord is good and does what is right; He shows the proper path to those who go astray. 9 He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way. 10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep His covenant and obey His demands. 11 For the honor of Your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins. 12 Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. 13 They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land. 14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear Him. He teaches them His covenant. 15 My eyes are always on the Lord, for He rescues me from the traps of my enemies. The Goodness and Guidance of the Lord (Verses 8-9): David begins this portion of the psalm by focusing on the goodness of the Lord. He declares, “The Lord is good and does what is right; He shows the proper path to those who go astray.” Here, we are reminded of God’s fundamental nature: He is good. He is just. Everything He does is right and aligned with His perfect character. This is the starting point for understanding how God relates to us as His people. His goodness is not just a passive quality; it’s active. Because He is good, He leads us. He shows the proper path to those who have gone astray. All of us, at some point, stray from the right path. We make mistakes, choose the wrong direction, or allow sin to cloud our judgment. But God, in His goodness, doesn’t leave us to wander aimlessly. He guides us back to the proper way. His goodness actively seeks to correct and direct us. In verse 9, David tells us who God leads: “He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way.” Humility is essential if we are to be led by the Lord. Pride says, “I can figure this out on my own,” but humility recognizes our need for God’s guidance. The humble heart is teachable, willing to submit to God’s leading, and eager to learn His ways. And when we approach God with this kind of heart, He leads us in doing what is right. There is a beautiful simplicity to these verses. The Lord, who is good, shows the way to those who go astray and leads...
Welcome to Day 2472 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 25:1-7 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2472 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2472 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re going to dig into Psalm 25:1-7 from the New Living Translation. This is a psalm of David—a prayer for guidance, mercy, and forgiveness. As we’ll see, David’s heart is fully turned toward God, and he expresses his deep dependence on the Lord for direction and forgiveness in the face of difficulties. Let’s begin by reading the passage: Psalm 25:1-7 (NLT): 1 O Lord, I give my life to you. 2 I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. 3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. 4 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. 6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. Surrender and Trust (Verses 1-2): Psalm 25 opens with a powerful declaration of surrender: “O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!” This opening verse reveals David’s posture toward the Lord—one of complete submission and trust. He doesn’t just ask for help or guidance; he gives his entire life to God. There is a deep sense of surrender here, as David acknowledges that his life is not his own. He recognizes that the only safe place to entrust his life is in the hands of the Lord. David’s trust in God is not just intellectual—it is personal. He says, “I trust in you, my God!” This is not the detached faith of someone who merely believes in a distant deity. This is the deep, relational trust of someone who knows God personally and has experienced His faithfulness. David trusts that God is for him and that God will protect him. But in this declaration of trust, David also expresses a fear: “Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.” Here, we see David’s vulnerability. He knows that life is full of challenges and opposition. He has enemies, people who would rejoice in his downfall. His prayer is that God would protect him from shame and disgrace. It’s a reminder that while we place our trust in God, life’s difficulties don’t just vanish. Trusting in God doesn’t mean that we won’t face hardships, but it does mean that we can be confident that God is with us in those hardships. David’s trust is that God will not abandon him to his enemies or allow him to fall into disgrace. The Security of Trusting in God (Verse 3): Verse 3 continues this thought: “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who...
Welcome to Day 2471 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2471 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2471 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-fourth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs? Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs? The first book of Proverbs announces, “These are the proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel” (compare Prov 10:1; 25:1). By its own testimony, though, the book of Proverbs had many authors: “These are the sayings of the wise [literally, wise ones]” (Prov 24:23). This same idea—that the proverbs in the book were written by several sages—is reiterated in Proverbs 1:6 and 22:17. But old traditions die hard, and the authorship of these proverbs is still debated. What role did Solomon actually play in writing this Wisdom literature? Solomon Had a Pen Name? In some passages of Proverbs, the sages who wrote the book are named. Proverbs 30 was written by Agur, son of Jakeh (30:1), but we know nothing else about him. Some believe Agur is a pen name for Solomon. However, there is little evidence to support this. The name may also be translated more commonly as “the assembler,” which may point to an anonymous collector of proverbs who also wrote chapter 30. Proverbs 31:1 informs us that King Lemuel wrote the famous chapter about the virtuous woman. In this verse, we learn that Lemuel was taught proverbs by his mother. There is little else known about this elusive king. Jewish tradition views the writer as yet another pen name of Solomon, but there is no reliable proof for this connection. In the Tradition of Solomon Proverbs 25:1 provides another insight into authorship: “These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.” The word translated “copied” can also mean “transcribed.” This suggests that some of the proverbs (perhaps chapters 25-29) were produced by scribes living in the days of Hezekiah (ca. 715-687 bc), after the lifetime of Solomon. At least one anonymous sage did contribute to Proverbs. Portions of Proverbs 22-23 come from an Egyptian wisdom text composed before Solomon’s lifetime, The Instruction of Amenemope.- In addition,...
Welcome to Day 2470 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 24:1-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2470 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2470 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into Psalm 24:1-10 from the New Living Translation—a powerful psalm that celebrates the sovereignty of God as King of all the earth. Psalm 24 is often associated with the entrance of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, which represented the presence of God dwelling with His people. But it also speaks to larger truths about God’s ownership of the world, His holiness, and the triumph of His eternal kingship. Let’s begin by reading the entire psalm, and then we’ll unpack its rich meaning together. Psalm 24:1-10 (NLT): 1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. 7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. 9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 10 Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory. The Earth is the Lord’s (Verses 1-2): Psalm 24 opens with a majestic declaration of God’s ownership over the entire earth: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” This statement sets the foundation for the entire psalm. It reminds us that everything we see, touch, and experience in this world ultimately belongs to God. The natural world—the mountains, oceans, skies, and forests—all are His creation. But it doesn’t stop there. Everyone who walks the earth, regardless of background, nationality, or belief, also belongs to God. David, the psalmist, attributes this ownership to God being the Creator of all things: “For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.” This reflects the truth found in Genesis—that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, bringing order to the chaotic waters. The entire universe came into being by His word, and therefore, all creation is subject to His authority. What a humbling truth! We often fall into the trap of thinking that we own our possessions, our lands, or even our lives. But Psalm 24 reminds us that it all belongs to the Lord. We are stewards of what He has created. This mindset shifts how we view our resources, relationships, and the environment. We are called to care for and honor what God has entrusted to us...
Welcome to Day 2469 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2469 – Crowning Christ as Lord of All – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/22/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – Crowning Christ as Lord of All Colossians 1:15-23 Last week, we began the letter of Colossians and ended the first 14 verses encouraging us to pray for three specific items that all believers need. Pray for knowledge, Pray for God-honoring lives, and Pray for strength. Today’s passage is Colossians 1:15-23, on page 1832 of your Pew Bibles. This section is titled Christ is Supreme. I am reading from the NLT. 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,[e] 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.[f] So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it. The hymn that comes to mind with this passage is also our closing hymn today. “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” It is referred to as the “Diadem” or “National Anthem of Christendom.” All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him Lord of all. Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him Lord of all! The writing of such God-exalting hymns has gone on for millennia. Throughout the Old Testament, we find songs composed to praise and thank the Lord for His marvelous works. The book of Psalms is an entire inspired collection of ancient hymns that many churches still set to music and sing in worship...
Welcome to Day 2468 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 23:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2468 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2468 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we are diving into one of the most cherished and well-known passages in all of Scripture—Psalm 23. This psalm, written by David, is often called “The Shepherd’s Psalm,” and for good reason. It paints a beautiful picture of God as our caring and protective shepherd, guiding us through the ups and downs of life. Whether you’re familiar with these verses or hearing them for the first time, I believe Psalm 23 holds timeless truths that can bring peace and reassurance to our souls. Today, we will focus on Psalm 23:1-6 from the New Living Translation. We’ll walk through these six powerful verses, reflecting on the profound truths they convey, and how they apply to our lives. So, let’s begin by reading the passage in full. Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT): 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord is My Shepherd (Verse 1): The psalm begins with one of the most profound declarations in all Scripture: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” In just a few words, David paints a powerful picture of God’s relationship with His people. He identifies the Lord as his shepherd, who watches over, protects, and provides for him. In the ancient world, shepherds were responsible for the safety and well-being of their sheep. They guided their flocks to food and water, protected them from danger, and ensured they didn’t wander off into harm. David, having been a shepherd himself in his youth, understood the responsibilities of a shepherd and knew the intimate care required for the sheep. David acknowledges that he is under God’s care by calling God his shepherd. He trusts that the Lord will meet all his physical and spiritual needs. The phrase “I have all that I need” reflects a sense of complete contentment. When God is our shepherd, we lack nothing. We may not always have everything we want, but we will always have everything we need. This verse invites us to consider the same truth in our own lives. When we allow the Lord to shepherd us, to guide and direct us, we can trust that He will provide for us in every situation. We can rest in the assurance that we are cared for by the Creator of the universe. Rest, Peace, and Restoration (Verses 2-3): In...
Welcome to Day 2467 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 22:22-31 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2467 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2467 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be focusing on Psalm 22:22-31 from the New Living Translation. This portion of Psalm 22 shifts from a cry for help to a triumphant declaration of God’s faithfulness and a vision of the global impact of His deliverance. Let’s begin by reading the passage together. Psalm 22:22-31 (NLT): 22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. 23 Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. 25 I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. 28 For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. 29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. 30 Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done. A Declaration of Praise (Verses 22-23): In verse 22, we immediately notice the shift in tone. Where the earlier verses of Psalm 22 were filled with cries of desperation and anguish, here David begins with a bold declaration: “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” David has moved from personal distress to public praise. It’s a significant transformation—a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always the potential for God’s deliverance and a reason to testify of His goodness. David promises to proclaim God’s name, not just privately but among “brothers and sisters”—his fellow Israelites, those who fear the Lord. This is a communal celebration of God’s faithfulness, and it sets the tone for what follows. In verse 23, he calls upon all who fear the Lord to join him in praising God: “Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!” David is urging everyone who reveres God, especially the people of Israel, to lift up their voices in worship and honor. The language here is one of corporate praise—a gathering of God’s people united in worship. This teaches us an important truth: God’s deliverance in our lives is never just for our
Welcome to Day 2466 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Does God Need a Co-Signer? The Witness in the Clouds. – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2466 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2466 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-third lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Does God Need a Co-Signer? The Witness in the Clouds. We all know why co-signing a loan is required. The bank assumes that the person who is being loaned the money may not be able to repay it. Their commitment or ability is in question. In the Bible, God typically swears by His own character when entering a covenant since there is no one above Him who needs to cosign the agreement (Heb 6:13). There is a fascinating exception to this in the book of Psalms. Psalm 89:35-37 repeats the covenant between God and David from 2 Samuel 7 with an addendum at the end that is not found in 2 Samuel 7. I’ve arranged the verses to show their parallelism, labeling them by letters: * A I have sworn by my Holy One; * B I will not lie to David. * C His descendants shall be forever. * C His throne [his dynastic descendants] shall be as the sun before me. * B It [David’s throne] shall be established forever like the moon, * A And a witness in the clouds will be faithful.
God swears a covenant oath to David and promises that David’s descendants will forever have the right to sit on Jerusalem’s throne. This promise is guaranteed by an unidentified witness in the clouds (God’s “Holy One”). Why would God need someone to witness an agreement He initiated? Who in heaven (“the clouds”) has that authority? It was common in polytheistic religions of the ancient world to have gods witness the covenant agreements made by other gods.- But there are no other gods in Israel’s faith equal to or above the God of Israel. Yet Psalm 89 requires an equal to Yahweh, who will uphold the covenant. Who is this witness in the heavens who will be faithful to the covenant of David’s eternal dynasty? Who will make sure God’s promise comes to pass and never fails? The New Testament answers these questions in Revelation 1:4-5: John says to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit[
Welcome to Day 2465 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 22:11-21 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2465 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2465 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be focusing on Psalm 22:11-21 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 22 is one of the most profound and prophetic Psalms, offering a glimpse into deep suffering but also a steadfast trust in God’s deliverance. In the previous verses, David cried out to God in anguish, feeling abandoned and mocked by his enemies. As we move forward, we see his distress intensify, but at the same time, his desperate plea for God’s presence and rescue becomes even more urgent. Let’s read Psalm 22:11-21 together before we break it down and explore its message. Psalm 22:11-21 (NLT): 11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. 12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! 13 Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. 14 My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. 19 O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! 20 Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. 21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen. The Depth of Desperation (Verses 11-13): The first thing we notice in verse 11 is David’s desperate plea for God not to stay far away from him. “Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.” David acknowledges that God is his only source of rescue. The situation is dire, and there is no one else he can turn to. This is a common theme throughout the Psalms—turning to God in moments of desperation when human strength and resources have utterly failed. David is surrounded by his enemies, who he describes as being like a “herd of bulls” in verse 12. These aren’t just any bulls, but the “fierce bulls of Bashan,” known for their strength and power. The imagery here is vivid—David feels completely encircled by these mighty, untamable forces. In verse 13, he takes the metaphor further, likening his enemies to lions who have opened their jaws, roaring and ready to tear into their prey. This vivid imagery paints a picture of the danger David is in—he’s not just threatened, he’s on the verge of being consumed, like a vulnerable animal in the jaws of a predator. These verses express the urgency of David’s cry for help. The bulls and lions symbolize overwhelming danger, and...
Welcome to Day 2464 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2464 – Praying for Knowledge of the Truth – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/15/2024 Jesus Christ, Our Lord – Praying for Knowledge of the Truth Colossians 1:1-14 Last week, we finished the letter of 2 Peter with Four Strong Commands, which were: Be diligent (3:14), Be confident (3:15-16), Be on guard (3:17), Be fruitful (3:18). Today’s passage is Colossians 1:1-14, on page 1831 of your Pew Bibles. 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.[b] 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d] behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[
Welcome to Day 2463 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 22:1-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2463 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2463 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into a profound and emotional passage: Psalm 22:1-10 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 22 is known for its deep anguish and sorrow, as well as its prophetic elements that point to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. It is often referred to as the “Psalm of the Cross” because of its vivid depiction of suffering that would later be mirrored in the crucifixion of Christ. As we walk through these first ten verses, we’ll see a range of emotions: despair and loneliness, but also trust and hope in God. Let’s begin by reading the entire passage and then breaking it down together. Psalm 22:1-10 (NLT): 1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? 2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. 5 They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. 6 But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!” 9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. 10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. The Cry of Despair (Verses 1-2): We begin with a cry of deep anguish: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” These words resonate through the ages, famously spoken by Jesus on the cross in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. In this moment of despair, David, the psalmist, feels utterly forsaken by God. His heart is breaking, and he can’t understand why God seems so distant in his time of need. Many of us can relate to this feeling of abandonment at various points in our lives. There are moments when we cry out to God, and it seems like our prayers are met with silence. Like David, we may groan for help, wondering why God seems far away when we need Him the most. Verse 2 continues this plea: “Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.” David’s pain is unrelenting, day and night, and despite his fervent prayers, he finds no solace. This paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to be in a season of deep suffering, where it feels as though God has turned His back, and no answer comes despite our cries. It’s important to note that David addresses God as “my God.” Even in his despair, he hasn’t lost his connection to God. He’s still calling out in faith, even though it feels like God isn’t listening. This teaches us something...
Welcome to Day 2462 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 21:8-13 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2462 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2462 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our trek through the Psalms, and we’re going to explore Psalm 21:8-13 from the New Living Translation. In this passage, David reflects on the justice and power of God, especially as it relates to how God deals with His enemies and defends His people. While Psalm 21 began with a focus on God’s blessings and favor toward the king, these verses shift to describe God’s righteous judgment against those who oppose Him. Let’s read the passage in full and then break it down together. Psalm 21:8-13 (NLT): 8 You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you. 9 You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The Lord will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them. 10 You will wipe their children from the face of the earth; they will never have descendants. 11 Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed. 12 For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them. 13 Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts. God’s Judgment on His Enemies: In verse 8, David begins by proclaiming God’s power and authority over His enemies. “You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you.” This imagery of God’s “strong right hand” is a common biblical expression that symbolizes God’s power and might. David is acknowledging that no enemy can escape God’s justice—His hand will capture them all. It’s essential to recognize that the enemies referred to here aren’t just David’s personal adversaries, but they represent all who oppose God and His purposes. This verse emphasizes that God will not allow evil to prevail indefinitely. Those who stand against Him and His people will ultimately face His righteous judgment. For us, this is both a sobering and comforting truth. It’s sobering because it reminds us of God’s holiness and the reality of His justice. But it’s also reassuring to know that God is in control in a world where evil often seems unchecked. He sees everything and will act in His perfect timing to bring about justice. David continues this thought in verse 9, saying, “You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The Lord will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them.” This vivid language of fire and consuming anger is used throughout Scripture to describe God’s judgment. Fire is often a symbol of purification and destruction—burning away the impurities and eradicating what is evil. Here, David is describing the fate of those who rebel against God. When God appears—when His presence is fully revealed—His enemies will not be able to stand. They will be thrown into a fiery judgment, consumed by the righteous anger of the Lord. This isn’t an arbitrary or capricious punishment—it’s a response to the deep and willful rebellion of those who have rejected God’s...
Welcome to Day 2461 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Slaying the Sea Monster – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2461 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2461 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-second lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Slaying the Sea Monster! Slaying the Sea Monster When we think of creation, we think of everything beginning with God’s spoken word—as Genesis 1 tells us. But some Old Testament writers concentrate on another aspect of creation—and a weird one at that. In Psalm 74, in the middle of God’s ordering of the sea and dry land, His establishing of the sun, moon, stars, and the seasons, we find another event: God destroying sea monsters. 12 You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth. 13 You split the sea by your strength and smashed the heads of the sea monsters. 14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan[a] and let the desert animals eat him. 15 You caused the springs and streams to gush forth, and you dried up rivers that never run dry. 16 Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight[b] and the sun. 17 You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter. (Psa 74:12-17). Warring the Sea Monster The reference to God breaking “the heads of the sea monster” and crushing “the heads of Leviathan” has led many on a desperate study of Old Testament zoology. But this, along with many other confusing Old Testament images, has a cultural context. In the ancient world, the original (“primordial”) chaotic conditions of creation were often portrayed as a monstrous dragon. This is reflected in stories from ancient Babylon and Israel’s closest neighbor, Ugarit (ancient Syria, just north of Israel). In the literature of ancient Ugarit, the god Baal battles Yamm, who is portrayed as a chaotic, churning sea, and a terrifying sea dragon named Tannun or Litanu. These terms are equivalent to the Hebrew words in...
Welcome to Day 2460 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 21:1-7 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2460 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2460 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will focus on Psalm 21:1-7 from the New Living Translation. This psalm is a song of thanksgiving and celebration for the victories and blessings that God has given to His chosen king. As we journey through these verses, we’ll see how King David acknowledges God’s provision, strength, and favor. We’ll also uncover how this psalm speaks to our own lives, especially in the ways we experience God’s blessings and victories. Let’s start by reading the passage in full: Psalm 21:1-7 (NLT): 1 How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord! He shouts with joy because you give him victory. 2 For you have given him his heart’s desire; you have withheld nothing he requested. 3 You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. 4 He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. 5 Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. 6 You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence. 7 For the king trusts in the Lord. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. Rejoicing in God’s Strength: Psalm 21 begins with King David expressing his joy in the strength of the Lord. He says, “How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord! He shouts with joy because you give him victory.” The very first verse sets the tone for the entire psalm—it’s a song of praise and gratitude for what God has done. As the king, David had been victorious in battle many times, but he knew that those victories weren’t because of his own strength or wisdom. He was fully aware that it was the Lord who gave him the strength to succeed. Therefore, his joy is rooted not in his accomplishments but in God’s power and provision. This is a profound reminder for us as well. When we experience victories in life—whether they are big or small—it’s essential to recognize that our strength ultimately comes from the Lord. It’s easy to take credit for our successes or to attribute them to our hard work, intelligence, or resources. But like David, we should rejoice in God’s strength, knowing that He is the source of every victory. David’s response is one of joy—he shouts with joy because of the victory God has given him. His heart is filled with gratitude, and he can’t help but praise the Lord. As we reflect on our own lives, how often do we stop to truly rejoice in what God has done? We should be intentional about celebrating the ways God has shown up in our lives and given us strength, even when we face challenges. God’s Generosity in Answering Prayer: In verse 2, David continues, saying, “For you have given him his heart’s desire; you have withheld nothing he requested.” Here, we see the king acknowledging that God has answered his prayers, providing him with the desires of his heart. David recognizes that God, in His goodness, has given him not only...
Welcome to Day 2459 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2459 – Living in Troubled Times – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/08/2024 Anticipation of Christ’s Return – Living in Troubled Times 2 Peter 3:14-18 Last week, our focus was on what we should do in light of the coming day of the Lord. And we determined that we should Clean up. Look up. Speak up. These three commands alone will keep us plenty busy until the Lord returns. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:14-18, on page 1897 of your Pew Bibles. I will read it from the NLT for clarity of flow. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. 15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. 17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. Beware! Be ready! Those two commands could summarize the theme of Peter’s second letter. In Chapter 1 Peter warned against moral corruption, encouraging believers to beware of temptations and be ready with a virtuous life. In Chapter 2, he warned against false teachers, urging us to beware of their deceptive wickedness and be prepared to stand against their lies. Finally, in Chapter 3, Peter reminded us that scoffers would come, doubting the coming judgment. In light of this challenge, Peter encouraged us to beware of their persuasive skepticism and always be ready for the coming judgment. Peter wrote this letter to remind believers of sound teaching, to encourage diligence in the faith, and to strengthen biblical foundations of beliefs and practices. As he transitions to his final words to believers everywhere, we see him emphasize the need to read Scripture rightly, rejecting the destructive heretical interpretations of the false teachers. Only in this way will we be stable in the face of false teaching and fruitful in our spiritual growth. In these five verses, Peter leaves his readers with four strong commands: * Be diligent (3:14). * Be confident (3:15-16). * Be on guard (3:17). * Be fruitful (3:18).
In that order, let Peter fill in the blanks and firm up his final words. — 3:14 — The first thing we notice about Peter’s clear command to be diligent is that he ties it in with the previous discussion. He begins with the logical connector, “And so,” pointing us back to his appeal...
Welcome to Day 2458 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 20:6-9 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2458 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2458 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will complete our journey through Psalm 20 by focusing on verses 6 through 9. This section of the psalm is a declaration of confidence in God’s deliverance and power. It’s a powerful conclusion to a psalm that began as a prayer for the king before battle. In these last few verses, the psalmist expresses faith that God will give victory to His anointed one. Together, we’ll explore the meaning of these verses and consider how they apply to us in our daily lives as followers of Christ. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 20:6-9 from the New Living Translation: Psalm 20:6-9 (NLT): 6 Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power. 7 Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. 8 Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm. 9 Give victory to our king, O Lord! Answer our cry for help. Confidence in God’s Rescue: In verse 6, we see a decisive shift in tone. The psalm began as a prayer for deliverance and protection for the king, but now the psalmist declares confidently, “Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king.” There’s no longer a sense of uncertainty or pleading—there is assurance. The psalmist is confident that God will rescue His anointed one, King David, and grant him victory. This declaration of confidence is rooted in the understanding of God’s covenant relationship with His chosen people. In the Old Testament, the term “anointed” referred to someone chosen by God for a specific purpose, often a king or a priest. In this case, the anointed king is David, and the psalmist expresses faith that God will protect and deliver him because of the special relationship that God has established with him. For us today, this verse holds great meaning as well. As believers, we are “anointed” through our relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate Anointed One. Jesus is our King, and God has promised to rescue and deliver all who belong to Him. This confidence that the psalmist speaks of can be our confidence as well. We can know that the Lord rescues His people—He hears our cries and answers us from His holy heaven. When we face challenges and battles in life, we can rest assured that God is with us. His great power is at work to deliver us from our troubles, just as it was for King David. Whether our struggles are spiritual, emotional, or physical, God is faithful to intervene and rescue us according to His will. The True Source of Strength: In verse 7, we see one of the most well-known and profound statements in this psalm: “Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.” This verse draws a sharp contrast between two sources of strength. On the one hand, there are...
Welcome to Day 2457 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 20:1-5 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2457 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2457 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re trekking through Psalm 20, specifically focusing on verses 1 through 5 from the New Living Translation. This is a unique and beautiful psalm because it represents a prayer for the king before he goes into battle. It’s a community prayer, asking for God’s blessing and protection on their leader. Today’s study will explore what these verses meant for King David and how they apply to us in our spiritual battles and challenges. Let’s begin by reading Psalm 20:1-5 in the New Living Translation: Psalm 20:1-5 (NLT): 1 In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm. 2 May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem. 3 May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. 4 May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. 5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers. A Prayer in Times of Trouble: The first verse begins with a powerful declaration: “In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.” Here, we see the community rallying around their leader, lifting up a prayer for divine protection in the face of impending danger. This psalm was likely sung before King David went into battle, reflecting a deep confidence in God’s ability to provide security and protection. This prayer is not just for the king, though. It has broader implications for all of us who face our own “times of trouble.” The psalmist reminds us that when we cry out to the Lord in our distress, we can trust that He hears us and will answer. There’s a comforting assurance here—God is not distant or unaware of our struggles. He is near, and His name—the name of the God of Jacob—is a strong and mighty refuge. The reference to “the God of Jacob” is significant. Jacob, as we know from Genesis, was a man who encountered many challenges and struggles, both externally and within himself. Yet, God remained faithful to Jacob, protecting him and fulfilling His promises to him. In invoking the name of the God of Jacob, the psalmist reminds us that this is a God who stays true to His covenant people, even in times of trouble. Just as God was faithful to Jacob, He will be faithful to us, keeping us safe from harm as we trust in Him. This verse speaks to the heart of every believer who has ever faced difficulty. Whether our troubles are physical, emotional, or spiritual, we can cry out to God, knowing that He is both willing and able to answer. Help from God’s Sanctuary: The prayer continues in verse 2: “May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.” Here, we see the request for divine help coming directly from...
Welcome to Day 2456 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Cookin The Books – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2456 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2456 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twenty-first lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: Cookin The Books. Corporations cook their books. Politicians get caught taking bribes. Scientists fudge data. Should the writer of Chronicles be judged the same way? It’s widely known that the books of 1-2 Chronicles are a reiteration of the history of Israel found in the books of 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings. What isn’t as well known is that the writer of Chronicles carefully and deliberately omits any negative material about David and Solomon from his historical record. Try to find the account of David’s adultery and murder of Uriah in 1 Chronicles—you won’t be able to.- Why would the Chronicler omit it? History written this way isn’t necessarily unreliable or deceptive. If I picked up a book entitled The Native American History of the Pioneer West, I know what I’m getting. I have no reason to believe the contents will be misleading; I have every reason to believe the work is selective and incomplete. I know the book was written with a specific slant, so that I won’t take it as the last word on the American West. First and Second Chronicles deserve the same consideration. Those books went into the Hebrew Bible (and later Bibles) along with the books of Samuel and Kings. Anyone who read their Bible would learn about the unsavory acts of David and Solomon. No one would be fooled. Deception could not possibly be the point. There was another agenda. First and Second Chronicles were written during (or shortly) after the exile of the Jews in Babylon. Israel would once again have its own nation and leadership. The writer of Chronicles wanted the new generation returning to the land to remember and keep the covenant God made with David, and remember that his dynasty had been chosen to rule. Disloyalty to David’s dynasty had fractured the kingdom, producing a deviant religion and, ultimately, the destruction of Israel (Amos 7:9-11). The Chronicler wanted to revive loyalty to David’s line, and so David and Solomon are cast as ideal monarchs. The Chronicler didn’t want to deceive, but inspire. The lessons that make up Theology Thursday on the Wisdom-Trek Podcast for the next couple of years will satisfy the statement, “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.” I trust you’ll enjoy them—and, of course, not be...
Welcome to Day 2454 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 19:12-14 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2455 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2455 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will explore the final verses of Psalm 19—verses 12 through 14. These three verses form a reflective conclusion to the psalm, where David moves from marveling at God’s creation and the perfection of His law to a deeply personal prayer. Here, he acknowledges his own need for God’s mercy and guidance, revealing a humility that we can all learn from as we strive to walk in wisdom. As we look closely at these verses, we’ll see the importance of recognizing our own sin, seeking God’s help in avoiding it, and committing ourselves to live in a way that is pleasing to Him. Let’s read Psalm 19:12-14 from the New Living Translation: Psalm 19:12-14 (NLT): 12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Recognizing Our Hidden Faults: David begins in verse 12 by asking a question that reveals the depth of his awareness of human frailty: “How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?” This question strikes at the core of one of life’s significant challenges—understanding the full extent of our sinfulness. David acknowledges that sin is not always obvious to us. There are hidden faults, subtle sins, and blind spots in our lives that we may not even be aware of. This verse invites us to reflect on the idea that we are often unaware of the ways in which we fall short. It’s easy to recognize some of our more obvious sins—like anger, dishonesty, or pride—but there are also those sins that are more insidious, lurking beneath the surface. These hidden faults can be things like unrecognized selfishness, envy, or even misplaced priorities. David’s question—“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?”—is one of humility. He realizes that, on his own, he cannot fully comprehend his own sinfulness. And this is true for all of us. Our hearts are complicated, and without God’s light to reveal the darkness within, we may never fully understand the ways in which we’ve strayed from His path. David follows his question with a plea: “Cleanse me from these hidden faults.” What a beautiful and humble request! He’s not asking to be excused from responsibility; instead, he’s asking God to cleanse him. This is a powerful reminder for us to regularly come before God, not just confessing the sins we know about but also asking for cleansing from the sins we might not yet see. This verse emphasizes the importance of humility in our relationship with God. We must be willing to admit that we don’t always know the full extent of our own shortcomings. It’s a call to examine ourselves, to ask God to reveal anything that might be hindering our relationship with Him,...
Welcome to Day 2454 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2454 – The Day of the Lord – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/01/2024 Anticipation of Christ’s Return – The Day of the Lord 2 Peter 3:8-13 Last message: we learned we should be about building God’s kingdom on earth and preparing it as much as humanly possible for Christ’s return when He finalizes God’s kingdom, and that in the end, God Wins! Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:8-13, on page 1896 of your Pew Bibles. Because of the complexities of the subject matter, I will read it from the NLT for clarity of flow. 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.[a] 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. When I was a younger believer, Bible prophecy was the hottest of all topics. If you wanted to increase attendance at the local church, you just scheduled a prophecy conference or announced your plan to start a sermon series on the book of Revelation. And it seemed like dozens of books on prophecy were coming out every year! It was sometimes hard to keep up. And, yes, I read the entire ‘Left Behind’ series. They were interesting, but as I studied Scripture in more context, I changed how I look at particular ‘end times’ scenarios. Interest in general has cooled over the decades, but you’ll still find fervent fans of end-times teachers. In light of this curiosity about prophecy and the tendency for some to go overboard on the issue, let me interject a few general facts about the future. I want to share a few essential points of counsel briefly. First, while some things are revealed about the future, much still remains a mystery. One of the marks of immaturity in the Christian life is to read more into the biblical text than is actually there. We can be sure of the big picture regarding Bible prophecy, but many details remain shrouded in obscurity. Second, when searching for answers, continue to leave room for questions. Try not to make the agreement on the particulars of future events| a basis for fellowship with other believers. If you agree on the fundamental saving truths of the faith related to the triune God and the person and work of Christ in His incarnation, death,...
Welcome to Day 2453 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 19:7-11 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2453 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2453 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration of Psalm 19, a psalm of David that reveals the glory of God both in the natural world and in His Word. In the previous episode, we looked at the first six verses of this psalm, where David marvels at how the heavens declare the glory of God, and how creation continuously proclaims His handiwork. In verses 7 through 11, David shifts his focus from the general revelation of God in nature to the specific revelation of God in His Word. These verses are a beautiful meditation on God’s law’s perfection, power, and value, which guides, enlightens, and satisfies the soul. So, let’s dive into these verses together and uncover the treasure that is God’s Word. Psalm 19:7-11 (NLT): 7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. 9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. The Perfection and Power of God’s Word: David begins verse 7 with a powerful declaration: “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” David introduces us to the profound truth that God’s Word is perfect and complete. When he speaks of “the instructions of the Lord,” he is referring to the Torah, the law given to Israel through Moses. But in a broader sense, it includes all of God’s revealed will in Scripture. David tells us that these instructions are perfect, meaning they are without flaws or defects. They are precisely what we need to live a life that pleases God. One of the most remarkable aspects of God’s Word is its ability to “revive the soul.” In our busy, often chaotic lives, it’s easy to become weary and burdened. We face challenges, disappointments, and struggles that can drain our energy and sap our enthusiasm. But David reminds us that God’s Word has the power to restore our vitality and renew our inner being. It revives us, not just physically or emotionally, but at the very core of who we are. David also highlights the trustworthiness of God’s decrees. He says they are “trustworthy, making wise the simple.” In a world where so much information is unreliable, God’s Word stands as a beacon of truth. It is a solid foundation on which we can build our lives. Even those who are “simple,” or lacking in understanding, can become wise by following the precepts of the Lord. The wisdom that comes from God’s Word is not dependent on our intellect or education; it is available to all who seek it with...
Welcome to Day 2452 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 19:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2452 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2452 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ll be diving into the first six verses of Psalm 19, one of the most beautiful and profound passages in Scripture. This psalm, attributed to King David, takes us on a journey from the heavens’ vastness to God’s very presence, revealing His glory through the natural world. David’s words in these verses invite us to open our eyes, hearts, and minds to the magnificence of God’s creation, which constantly speaks of His power, majesty, and divine nature. In this episode, we’ll explore how the heavens declare the glory of God, how the skies proclaim His craftsmanship, and how this continuous testimony of creation impacts our understanding of the Creator. So, let’s set out on this trek together, allowing Psalm 19 to deepen our appreciation of God’s handiwork and draw us closer to Him. Psalm 19:1-6 (NLT): 1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. 5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. 6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. The Heavens Declare the Glory of God: We begin with verse 1, where David makes a powerful declaration: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship.” Here, David invites us to lift our gaze to the heavens, to observe the vast expanse above us—the sun, moon, stars, clouds, and all that fills the sky. In this simple yet profound observation, David recognizes that the heavens are not silent; they are constantly proclaiming the glory of God. The term “glory” here refers to the weightiness, the splendor, and the majesty of God. It is His beauty, His power, and His divine nature, all on display for the world to see. When David speaks of the skies displaying God’s craftsmanship, he is pointing us to the intricate and awe-inspiring design of creation. Just as a skilled artist or craftsman leaves a signature on their work, so too does God leave His mark on creation. The heavens’ symmetry, order, and beauty testify to a wise, powerful, and purposeful Creator in His design. Every cloud, every star, every sunrise and sunset, reflects the meticulous care and attention of our Creator. As we look to the heavens, we are reminded that the universe is not random or chaotic. It is the product of a divine Craftsman who has woven His glory into the very fabric of creation. The vastness of space, the movement of celestial bodies, and the brilliance of the stars—all these things declare that there is a God who is far greater than we can imagine. In our own lives, this verse challenges us...
Welcome to Day 2451 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – 1003 bc - Who Authorized It - God or Satan – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2451 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2451 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twentieth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is: 1003 bc Census – Who Authorized It – God or Satan. One of the more vexing problems in the Old Testament is how to parse the parallel accounts of 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 and 2 Samuel 24:1-25. 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 2 Samuel 24:1-2 Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.” Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him. 2 So the king said to Joab and the commanders[a] of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—so I may know how many people there are.” The two accounts are nearly identical, save for one glaring disparity: The Chronicler’s version has Satan as David’s instigator, while 2 Samuel names Yahweh, the God of Israel, as the provocateur. The Chronicler’s account notes that David’s act “was evil in the sight of God,’ but this line is omitted in 2 Samuel. Both accounts have God posing three punishments before David, but David leaves the decision to the Lord. The Angel of Yahweh executes a plague on the land in both versions. The two accounts are contradictory. The options for resolution are all somewhat disconcerting. If we want to blame Satan, we must identify Yahweh as Satan. The reverse strategy requires that we identify Satan with the sovereign Yahweh. If Satan can somehow be removed from the picture, then we are faced with the fact that Yahweh incited David to do something, and then punished him for doing so. Is there any way out of this mess? The solution is surprisingly straightforward. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word satan (|OW) is not a proper personal name. This is because the definite
Welcome to Day 2450 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:46-50 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2450 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2450 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue from our previous episodes, where we’ve explored how King David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned this magnificent psalm to praise God for delivering him from all his enemies and the hand of Saul. David, a warrior and a man after God’s heart, experienced life’s ups and downs—battles, betrayals, victories, and defeats. Yet through it all, he recognized that his strength and salvation came from God alone. Today, we will delve into the concluding verses of Psalm 18, specifically verses 46 through 50, from the New Living Translation. These final verses form a powerful declaration of praise and thanksgiving to God, who is not only David’s deliverer but also the deliverer of His people. David reflects on God’s faithfulness in this passage and proclaims His goodness for all to hear. Let’s embark on this trek together, allowing the wisdom of these verses to guide us as we journey toward a deeper understanding of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. Psalm 18:46-50 (NLT): 46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted! 47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under me 48 and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. 49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. 50 You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever. The Living God: We begin with verse 46, where David boldly proclaims, “The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!” In this powerful declaration, David starts by affirming the reality and presence of God. “The Lord lives!”—this is not just a statement of belief, but a shout of triumph, recognizing that the God of Israel is not a distant or lifeless deity. He is the living God, active and present in the lives of His people. This living God is the source of all life, strength, and deliverance. He is not an idea, a philosophy, or an abstract concept. He is the living, breathing, sovereign Lord intimately involved in humanity’s affairs. David then moves to praise, exalting God as his Rock. The imagery of God as a Rock is powerful and multifaceted. A rock is solid, unchanging, and immovable, symbolizing stability and protection. For David, God is the unshakable foundation upon which he builds his life. Amid battles and trials, when everything around him was in turmoil, David found his security in the unchanging nature of God. He continues by calling for the exaltation of “the God of my salvation.” Here, David acknowledges that God is the one who has saved him, not just from physical danger, but from every form of destruction. Salvation, in the fullest sense, encompasses deliverance from all that threatens our physical and spiritual well-being.
Welcome to Day 2449 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2449 – A Warning for Skeptics and Sinners – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/18/2024 Anticipation of Christ’s Return – A Warning to Skeptics and Sinners- 2 Peter 3:1-7 Last week, we learned to keep your discernment high by Going to your Knees, Going to the Word, and Going to the Wise because Discernment is better caught than taught. We must stay close to those seasoned saints, the proven men and women overflowing with wisdom. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:1-7, on page 1896 of your Pew Bibles. Because of the complexities of the subject matter, I will read it from the NLT for clarity of flow. 1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. 3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. As the menacing clouds begin to break and Peter’s stormy condemnation of false teachers subsides, a beam of light pierces the gloominess. This great apostle decides it’s now time to inject a ray of hope into his otherwise frightening portrayal of the future. Though the threat of false teachers is real and imminent, he wants us to lift our eyes beyond the immediate landscape and see the bright horizon that is yet to come. It’s important to remember that between the rough period of false prophets and the coming restoration of creation, two unforgettable events intervene. Much of the evangelical teaching during the late 20th century focused on a period of Great Tribulation, by which the present world and all its wickedness will be destroyed,| and then the return of Christ, by which a new era of righteousness will begin. We must be careful not to be too dogmatic about the events preceding Christ’s return to earth. The study of the ‘end times’ is called escatology, and views can vary widely on what will take place. We know Christ will return to earth at some point, judge those who have rejected Him, and remake the earth into a global Eden as he finalizes the Kingdom of God. Heaven and earth will be joined at that point, our dwelling place for all eternity. This leads to Peter’s finale in chapter 3. He further develops the issue of the end times,>which he mentioned several times in the first two chapters. In his final written words to the churches before...
Welcome to Day 2448 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:37-45 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2448 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2448 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our exploration of Psalm 18, a powerful psalm of David that reflects his gratitude to God for deliverance and victory over his enemies. In the previous episodes, we’ve seen how David praised God for His strength, faithfulness, and protection. We’ve reflected on how God’s way is perfect, how He arms us with strength, and how He makes our paths secure. Now, as we dive into Psalm 18:37-45 from the New Living Translation, we’ll witness David’s description of his triumph over his enemies, a victory that he attributes entirely to God’s enabling power. These verses depict the battle’s intensity, the victory’s totality, and David’s humility in recognizing God’s role in his success. So, let’s set out on today’s trek together, delving into the depths of Psalm 18:37-45. Psalm 18:37-45 (NLT): 37 I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered. 38 I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet. 40 You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me. 41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer. 42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt. 43 You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me. 45 They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds. The Pursuit and Conquest: We begin with verses 37 and 38: “I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered. I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet.” Here, David vividly describes his relentless pursuit of his enemies. His words paint a picture of determination and total victory. David did not merely defend himself or avoid confrontation; he actively pursued his enemies until they were completely subdued. This pursuit symbolizes the spiritual battles we face in our lives. When we confront sin, fear, or any obstacle that stands in our way, we must do so with the same tenacity, not stopping until we have overcome it by God’s power. David’s description of striking down his enemies so they could not get up and falling beneath his feet illustrates the totality of his victory. This wasn’t a partial or temporary win; it was a decisive and final conquest. In our spiritual walk, this reminds us that God calls us to be more than conquerors. We are not meant to live in a state of ongoing defeat or partial victories. Through Christ, we can achieve complete victory over the challenges we face. God as the Source of Strength: Verse 39 is a crucial turning point
Welcome to Day 2447 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:30-36 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2447 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2447 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. I’m delighted to have you join me today as we continue exploring the depth and beauty of Psalm 18. In our last episode, we reflected on Psalm 18:25-29, where David praised God’s faithfulness, justice, and strength. We saw how God is faithful to those who are faithful, how He lights our way in darkness, and how, with His strength, we can overcome any obstacle. Today, we’ll be diving into Psalm 18:30-36 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, David continues to praise the greatness of God, focusing on His perfect way, His provision, and His empowerment for the battles of life. These verses are a powerful reminder of God’s sufficiency and how He equips us to stand firm and victorious. So, let’s embark on today’s trek together as we uncover the wisdom and encouragement in Psalm 18:30-36. Psalm 18:30-36 (NLT): 30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 31 For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? 32 God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. 35 You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. 36 You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. God’s Perfect Way: We begin with verse 30: “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” David starts by affirming that God’s way is perfect. In a world full of uncertainty, where our plans often falter and our paths can be unclear, it’s comforting to know that God’s way is flawless. His plans are without error, and His guidance is always trustworthy. When we follow His path, we walk in a way that is right and leads to ultimate fulfillment and peace. David also reminds us that “all the Lord’s promises prove true.” This statement is a testimony to the faithfulness of God’s Word. Throughout Scripture, we see countless promises made by God to His people—promises of protection, provision, guidance, and love. David assures us that these promises are not just empty words; they are steadfast and reliable. We can build our lives on the certainty that God will do what He has said. Moreover, David declares that God is “a shield for all who look to him for protection.” This image of God as a shield is a recurring theme in the Psalms. A shield is a defense against attacks, a protector amid danger. When we place our trust in God, He becomes our shield, guarding us against the spiritual and physical dangers we face. This doesn’t mean that we’ll...
Welcome to Day 2446 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Sanctified Dirt – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2446 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2446 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the eighteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, Sanctified Dirt. Elisha’s healing of Naaman, the leper, commander of the army of the king of Syria, is a familiar story to many (2 Kgs 5:1-27). Naaman hears that Elisha, the prophet of Israel, can heal him, so he makes the trip. When the two meet, Elisha tells him rather dismissively that he needs to take a bath in the Jordan River. Naaman doesn’t take this well and prepares to go home. At the behest of some servants, he consents to dip himself in the Jordan. The simple act miraculously heals him. The display of power, so transparently without sacrifice or incantation, awakens Naaman to the fact that Yahweh of Israel is the true God. Here’s where the story usually ends in our telling, but that would result in the omission of one very odd detail—what Naaman asks to take back home. In 2 Kings 5:15-19, the elated Naaman returns to Elisha and begs him to take payment for healing him. Elisha repeatedly refuses. Finally, before embarking on a trip to Syria, Naaman makes a strange request: to load two mules with dirt to take back with him. Dirt? I can think of a few favors I would ask of a prophet in a receptive mood, but dirt certainly isn’t one of them. The request is so odd that it’s hard to avoid wondering if Naaman needed some other kind of therapy. Why would he ask for dirt? But Naaman was completely in his right mind. In 2 Kings 5:17, Naaman follows the request with an explanation: “From now on, I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord.” The dirt and Naaman’s new allegiance to the God of Israel are related. Naaman was a man who had significant duties in his home country. He couldn’t stay in Israel, but he could take Israel with him. Why would he want to? Naaman’s unusual request stems from the ancient—and biblical— conception that the earth is the locale for a cosmic turf war. Naaman wanted dirt from Israel because Israel was Yahweh’s territory. The dirt, which is Yahweh’s domain, is holy ground. The idea of “holy ground” is an essential element of Israelite theology. This phrase is used when Moses is in the presence of the Angel of the Lord and the God of Israel at the burning bush (Exod 3:1-5) and when Joshua meets the Angel of the Lord...
Welcome to Day 2445 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:25-29 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2445 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2445 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. I’m excited to be on this journey with you today as we continue to explore the profound truths of God’s Word. In our last episode, we walked through Psalm 18:16-24, where David reflected on God’s deliverance, his own righteousness, and the rewards that come from living a life aligned with God’s will. Today, we’ll dive into Psalm 18:25-29 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, David shifts his focus to God’s character and the way He interacts with people based on their hearts and actions. These verses are rich with insight into the nature of God’s justice and the encouragement that comes from walking in His light. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots and set out on today’s trek, as we uncover the wisdom and guidance in Psalm 18:25-29. Psalm 18:25-29 (NLT): 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 26 To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. 27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. 28 You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 29 In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. God’s Reciprocity: Let’s start with verses 25 and 26: “To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” These verses highlight a principle about God’s interaction with humanity: reciprocity. David observes that God’s dealings with people are often a reflection of their own character and behavior. To those who are faithful, God reveals His faithfulness. To those who live with integrity, God responds with integrity. And to the pure, God shows Himself pure. This isn’t to suggest that God’s character changes based on human behavior—God is unchanging in His holiness, righteousness, and love. Instead, David emphasizes that the condition of our hearts often influences our experience of God. If we approach God with sincerity, faithfulness, and purity, we’ll experience His attributes in a way that aligns with those qualities. But what about the crooked? David says, “To the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” Here, the word “shrewd” implies that God deals with the deceitful and wicked in a way that matches their cunning. God’s justice ensures that those who live dishonestly or with malicious intent will eventually face the consequences of their actions. In other words, God is not fooled by those who try to manipulate or deceive—He meets them on their own terms, with divine wisdom and justice. This principle reminds us that how we live our lives profoundly impacts our relationship with God. If we seek Him with a heart full of faith and integrity, we will find Him to
Welcome to Day 2444 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2444 – Disobedience Gone to Seed – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/11/2024 Denunciation of False Teachers – Disobedience Gone To Seed - 2 Peter 2:12-22 Last week, we observed that scripture does seem to present two sides of the same God—the attributes of justice, judgment, and wrath on the one side and the attributes of mercy, salvation, and blessing on the other. The side that we are on depends on whether we have accepted God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you miss any messages, you can watch them online on our FaceBook page or at PutnamChurch.org. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 2:12-22, on page 1895 of your Pew Bibles. Because of the complexities of the subject matter, I will read it from the NLT for clarity of flow. 12 These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. 13 Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception[e] even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. 14 They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. 15 They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor,[f] who loved to earn money by doing wrong. 16 But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice. 17 These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness. 18 They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. 19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.”[g] And another says, “A...
Welcome to Day 2443 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:16-24 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2443 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2443 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through Psalm 18. We’ll be focusing on verses 16 through 24 from the New Living Translation. David reflects on God’s deliverance, righteousness, and faithfulness in these verses. They offer us valuable insights into the character of God and the way He interacts with those who love and obey Him. So, let’s embark on this trek together, uncovering the timeless wisdom contained within these powerful words. Psalm 18:16-24 (NLT): 16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 19 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. 22 I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. 23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence. God’s Rescue and Deliverance: Let’s begin with verses 16 through 18. David writes, “He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me.” In these verses, we see a vivid depiction of God’s intervention in David’s life. The imagery of being drawn out of deep waters suggests a situation of overwhelming danger and helplessness. David acknowledges that his enemies were too strong for him, but it was God who rescued him. This rescue wasn’t just a casual or distant act—God “reached down from heaven.” This personal involvement shows God’s deep care and commitment to those who trust Him. David’s enemies attacked him when he was most vulnerable, “at a moment when I was in distress.” But even in his weakest state, David found strength in the Lord’s support. This is a powerful reminder that no matter how desperate our situation may seem, God is always present to support and deliver us. God’s Delight and Reward: Moving on to verse 19, David writes, “He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.” This verse is incredibly encouraging. David recognizes that God’s deliverance wasn’t just an act of duty—it was motivated by delight. God takes pleasure in rescuing and protecting those He loves. This idea of God delighting in us is a profound one. Often, we think of God’s actions as driven by His righteousness or His justice, which they are. But here, David emphasizes God’s delight. This is not the delight of a...
Welcome to Day 2442 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:7-15 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2442 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2442 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through Psalm 18, focusing on verses 7 to 15 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we witness a powerful depiction of God’s might and His response to the prayers of His people. So, let’s prepare our hearts and minds as we delve into this passage’s vivid imagery and profound truths. Psalm 18:7-15 (NLT): 7 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. 8 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. 10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. 12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused. 15 Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. The Majesty and Power of God: In these verses, we are presented with a stunning portrayal of God’s majesty and power. David describes the Lord’s intervention in dramatic terms, using vivid imagery that evokes awe and reverence. In verse 7, the earth quakes, and trembles, and the very foundations of the mountains shake in response to God’s anger. This is a powerful reminder of the might and sovereignty of God over all creation. The following verses, 8 and 9, continue this depiction of God’s power: “Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.” The imagery here is striking, emphasizing God’s overwhelming strength and the intensity of His presence. God’s Divine Intervention: As we move to verses 10 and 11, we see God’s divine intervention described in terms of a celestial journey: “Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.” This poetic description highlights the swiftness and majesty of God’s movement, as well as the mystery surrounding His actions. In verse 12, “Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals,” we see a continuation of the theme of God’s power over the elements. The brightness of His presence is so intense that clouds must shield it, and the hail...
Welcome to Day 2441 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Promise Undelivered? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2441 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2441 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the eighteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, Promise Undelivered? When exposed to evil, we might doubt God’s presence. Soldiers’ accounts and memoirs often recall times of doubt as they grappled with war atrocity and, ultimately, the struggle between good and evil. While Scripture is clear that good will triumph, it also says evil will win its share of battles. Second Kings 3 records a war event where evil won. Yahweh Takes Sides Second Kings 3 describes the rebellion of Moab, led by its king, Mesha, against the monarch of the northern kingdom of Israel, King Jehoram (3:5). Like his father Ahab, Jehoram solicited King Jehoshaphat of Judah (the southern kingdom) for assistance against his enemy (3:7). They were joined by the king of Edom (3:9). The invasion route—“by way of the wilderness of Edom”—is critical to the storyline. Edom was the territory settled by the descendants of the red-haired Esau (Gen 25:25: 36:1, 8). “Edom,” a play on the word adorn (DIN, “red”), was epitomized by the reddish soil and rock of its wilderness. By taking a circuitous approach to Moab, the invading armies must cross desert terrain without water (3:9). Jehoshaphat called the wilderness wandering prophet Elisha for advice (3:11-12). After a testy response to Jehoshaphat’s plea (3:13-14), Elisha received word from Yahweh: God would supply the armies with water (3:16-17). It would appear—without rain—in a streambed that was presently bone dry. Elisha had even better news: “This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand” (3:18). No Faith, No Gain When they arrived at the place of battle, the Moabite soldiers were fooled by the pools of water that appeared red against the ground and the sun’s reflection (3:21-22). They assumed it was blood and that invading armies (often enemies themselves) had erupted in battle against each other (3:23). When the Moabites approached to strip and plunder the dead, they were ambushed by the invading armies. In desperation, the king of Moab committed a horrible...
Welcome to Day 2440 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 18:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2440 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2440 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. We’re diving into the powerful and heartfelt words of Psalm 18, focusing on verses 1 through 6 from the New Living Translation. This psalm is a beautiful expression of gratitude, trust, and reliance on God, penned by David in a moment of reflection on God’s deliverance. So, grab your walking sticks, and let’s trek together through these inspiring verses. Psalm 18:1-6 (NLT): 1 I love you, Lord; you are my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. 4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5 The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. Expressing Love and Strength in God: We start with David’s heartfelt declaration in verses 1 and 2, “I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” David opens this psalm with a simple yet profound expression of love and devotion to the Lord. He recognizes God as the source of his strength, portraying Him as a rock, fortress, and savior. These metaphors paint a vivid picture of God’s unwavering stability and security in David’s life. As we reflect on these verses, we’re reminded of the importance of recognizing God’s strength and protection in our own lives. Like David, we can find refuge in God, trusting Him to be our stronghold in times of trouble. This relationship of love and trust in God becomes the foundation upon which we build our lives. Calling on the Lord for Salvation: In verse 3, David continues, “I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.” David’s experience of calling on the Lord and being saved is a powerful testament to God’s faithfulness. He acknowledges God’s worthiness of praise, attributing his deliverance to the Lord’s intervention. This verse encapsulates the essence of David’s relationship with God—a dynamic interaction where David’s praise and prayers are met with God’s saving power. This encourages us to cultivate a life of prayer and praise, knowing that our cries for help do not go unnoticed. God is attentive to our pleas, ready to extend His hand of salvation and deliverance. When we face adversities, let us remember to call on the Lord, confident that He hears and responds. The Overwhelming Threats of Death and Destruction: David vividly describes the perilous situations he faced in...
Welcome to Day 2439 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2439 – The God of Wrath and Rescue – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/04/2024 Denunciation of False Teachers – The God of Wrath and Rescue- 2 Peter 2:4-11 Last week, we learned to be on guard against false teachers by knowing God’s Word and taking time to Stop, Look, Listen, and Think about what is being taught compared to God’s Word. If you miss any messages, you can watch them online on our FaceBook page or at PutnamChurch.org. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 2:4-11, on page 1895 of your Pew Bibles. Because of the complexities of the subject matter, I will read it from the NLT for clarity of flow. 4 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell,[a] in gloomy pits of darkness,[b] where they are being held until the day of judgment. 5 And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. 6 Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. 7 But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. 8 Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. 10 He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings[c] without so much as trembling. 11 But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord[d] a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings. The early church reacted quickly and decisively against heresies in the first and second centuries, but the “problem” of the two sides of God’s character still puzzles believers. Like two sides of the same coin (coin), scripture does seem to present two sides of the same God—the attributes of justice, judgment, and wrath on the one side and the attributes of mercy,...
Welcome to Day 2438 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:1-15 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2438 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2438 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. In today’s episode, we’ll explore Psalm 17 from the New Living Translation. This heartfelt prayer of David presents a compelling plea for justice and protection from God. It’s a powerful example of seeking refuge in the Lord amid life’s adversities. So, let’s set out on this trek and uncover the profound insights David’s words offer us today. Psalm 17:1-15 (NLT): 1 O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips. 2 Declare me innocent, for you see those who do right. 3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say. 4 I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people. 5 My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you. 6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. 7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies. 8 Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. 9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me, from murderous enemies who surround me. 10 They are without pity. Listen to their boasting! 11 They track me down and surround me, watching for the chance to throw me to the ground. 12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart— like young lions hiding in ambush. 13 Arise, O Lord! Stand against them, and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with your sword! 14 By the power of your hand, O Lord, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones. May their children have plenty, leaving an inheritance for their descendants. 15 Because I am righteous, I will see you. When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied. A Plea for Justice and Honesty: In the opening verses of Psalm 17, David’s prayer begins with an earnest plea: “O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips” (verses 1-2). David appeals to God’s sense of justice, asserting his innocence and integrity. He confidently declares that his prayer is sincere, coming from a place of honesty and transparency. David’s plea reflects a deep trust in God’s ability to discern truth. He knows that God sees beyond outward appearances, right into the heart. This is a powerful reminder for us as well. When we approach God with our concerns and requests, we should do so with an honest and pure heart, trusting that He knows our deepest thoughts and desires. A Commitment to Righteousness: In verses 3 through 5, David says,...
Welcome to Day 2437 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 16:7-11 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2437 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2437 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re diving into the second half of Psalm 16, specifically verses 7 through 11, from the New Living Translation. This portion of the Psalm continues David’s expression of trust and joy in God, and it beautifully encapsulates themes of guidance, joy, security, and eternal life. Let’s explore these verses and uncover the profound truths they hold for us today. Psalm 16:7-11 (NLT): 7 I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. 10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Guidance from God: David begins this section by expressing his gratitude for God’s guidance: “I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me” (verse 7). This verse highlights the constant and intimate guidance that God provides. David acknowledges that God’s wisdom and direction are not limited to specific times or circumstances but are available even in the stillness of the night. This guidance is not just intellectual but also heartfelt. David’s heart instructs him because it is attuned to God’s wisdom. For us today, this verse serves as a reminder that God’s guidance is always available if we seek it. Whether through prayer, scripture, or the prompting of the Holy Spirit, God is eager to lead us on the right path. We should cultivate a sensitivity to His direction, allowing Him to instruct our hearts even in our quiet moments. Presence and Stability: In verse 8, David declares, “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.” This powerful statement reflects David’s unwavering confidence in God’s presence. The assurance of God’s nearness brings stability and strength, enabling David to face any challenge without fear. This verse speaks to the profound truth that God’s presence is a constant source of support. When we acknowledge that God is always with us, we can remain steadfast and unshaken, regardless of our circumstances. The knowledge that God is right beside us, guiding and protecting us, provides a foundation of security and peace. Imagine facing life’s difficulties with the confidence that the Creator of the universe is by your side. This truth transforms our perspective, enabling us to confront challenges with courage and assurance. We can draw strength from God’s presence, knowing we are never alone. Joy and Rest: David continues in verse 9, “No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.” The recognition of God’s constant presence fills...
Welcome to Day 2436 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Divine Arrow – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2436 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2436 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the seventeenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, The Divine Arrow. Few characters in the Bible are as maligned for their wickedness as King Ahab of Israel. While Ahab’s predecessors “did evil in the sight of the Lord’ Ahab had an agenda: He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him. (1 Kgs 16:33). Ahab’s rule includes Baal worship, forbidden foreign covenants (Syria) and foreign alliances (Jezebel), and the murder of Naboth. In 1 Kings 22, the prophet Micaiah warns Ahab of his impending fate. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill prophecy. It’s mixed with a vision of how God came to the final details of His decision: a divine boardroom discussion. Yes-Men and Yahweh’s Man The 12 tribes of Israel had been split into two kingdoms for a century by the time Ahab took the throne (ca. 869 bc). Ahab ruled the northern kingdom (called Israel or Ephraim), which often fought with the southern kingdom, Judah. After peace reigned between Israel and Judah for three years (22:1), Ahab decided he wanted to capture the city of Ramoth in Gilead from the Arameans. He asked Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, for military assistance. Jehoshaphat agreed to the battle for political reasons, but he wanted assurance that God was in the endeavor (22:5). The 400 prophetic yes-men Ahab consulted endorsed the idea, but Jehoshaphat wanted another opinion (22:6, 11-12). Ahab agreed to summon Micaiah, the prophet of Yahweh, though he openly admitted to hating him (22:8). The real prophet of Yahweh never had anything positive to say about the ungodly Ahab and his rule. The Prophecy At first, Micaiah told Ahab that God loved the plan, but Ahab saw through his mockery. Apparently, this was not the first time: “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord?” (22:16). Micaiah proceeded to tell Ahab he was about to meet his Maker, so chances are good he wanted Ahab to go through with the battle, knowing the end result. Rebuked by Ahab, Micaiah holds nothing back, revealing to Ahab and to us the inner workings of God’s counsel:...
Welcome to Day 2435 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 16:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2435 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2435 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re diving into Psalm 16:1-6 from the New Living Translation. This Psalm, attributed to David, is a beautiful expression of trust and confidence in God’s protection and provision. As we read through these verses, we’ll explore the themes of refuge, loyalty, joy, and inheritance. Let’s embark on this journey together. Psalm 16:1-6 (NLT): 1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. 2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” 3 The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them! 4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods. 5 Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. 6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! Seeking Refuge in God: David begins this Psalm with a heartfelt plea in verse 1: “Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.” This opening line sets the tone for the entire Psalm, establishing a foundation of trust and dependence on God. David acknowledges his vulnerability and recognizes that true safety and security come from seeking refuge in the Lord. This sentiment resonates with us today, reminding us that we can find shelter and protection in times of uncertainty and danger in God. The concept of refuge is not merely about physical safety; it encompasses spiritual and emotional security as well. When we turn to God, we find a sanctuary for our souls, a place where we are shielded from the storms of life. This assurance allows us to face challenges with confidence, knowing that we are under the care of a loving and powerful God. Acknowledging God’s Sovereignty: In verse 2, David declares, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.’” This statement is a profound acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and generosity. By referring to God as his Master, David is expressing his submission and devotion. He recognizes that all the blessings in his life are gifts from God. This verse invites us to reflect on our own lives and recognize God’s hand in the good things we experience. It’s easy to take our blessings for granted or attribute them to our own efforts, but David’s words remind us to give credit where it’s due. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, and acknowledging this truth fosters a heart of gratitude and humility. Finding Joy in God’s People: David continues in verse 3, “The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!” Here, David shifts his focus to the community of believers. He finds joy and inspiration in the company of those who live righteously. The godly people are his...
Welcome to Day 2434 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2429 – An Expose of Counterfeit Communicators – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/28/2024 Denunciation of False Teachers – An Expose of Counterfeit Communicators- 2 Peter 2:1-3 Last week, we learned That prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. God’s Word is the Source of Truth; we should drink from it daily. If you miss any messages, you can watch them online on our FaceBook page or at PutnamChurch.org. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 2:1-3, on page 1894 of your Pew Bibles, and I will read it from the NLT for the clarity of flow. 1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction to themselves. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. Chances are we’ve all been victimized by a con artist at some time in our lives. Perhaps more than once! Maybe it’s been years ... or maybe it was only yesterday. It could be as harmless as losing your spare change playing a rigged game at a carnival. Or it may be as disastrous as losing your retirement in an investment scam. It’s possible that the deception nearly cost you your sanity, as we personally experienced. For us, it was partners in our computer business who were less than ethical, which resulted in forcing us to close our computer business in 2001 after 18 years and having to start over again. Of all the cons to which we might fall prey in this world, the most damaging is the deception of religious phonies. Swindlers of this kind deal in counterfeit truth, an imitation meant to fool the unsuspecting. Every day, peddlers of falsehood receive nodding approval on social media, television, bookstores, on the silver screen—and, unfortunately, behind pulpits. Counterfeit truth is big business. Look at all sorts of media today that keep us riled up and fearful to keep us watching and their advertising revenue flowing. Today, ministries have been formed to counter counterfeits and challenge the charlatans. Books that catalog and refute cults are often massive and can only treat their false teachings in a summary manner. In 2 Peter 2, that rugged apostle candidly describes false teachers who traffic in religious things but lack authentic faith. Appearing to be resourceful and honest, they are empty and deceitful. Claiming to offer answers and hope, they bring lies and despair. Pretending to proclaim reliable information, they use the same words as believers but a different dictionary. And acting like those who have embraced Christian freedom, they are enslaved by corruption and seek to enslave others. They may look like they are succeeding, and the heretics’ score may be much higher than the saints. But in reality, they are merely heaping up judgment for themselves in the coming day of wrath. Peter wrote this letter to remind believers of sound teaching, to encourage diligence in the faith, and to...
Welcome to Day 2433 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 15:1-5 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2433 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2433 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 15 from the New Living Translation. This short but profound Psalm, attributed to David, serves as a guide for righteous living and highlights the qualities that God desires in those who wish to dwell in His presence. As we read through Psalm 15:1-5, we’ll explore the attributes of a person who lives a life pleasing to God and what it means to truly live with integrity. Let’s embark on this journey together. Psalm 15:1-5 (NLT): 1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? 2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. 3 Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. 4 Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. 5 Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever. The Question of Worthiness: David begins this Psalm with a profound question in verse 1: “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” This question sets the stage for the entire Psalm, prompting us to consider what it takes to be in God’s presence. It’s not merely about physical entry into a place of worship but about living in harmony with God’s values. David’s use of “sanctuary” and “holy hill” signifies a place of divine presence and fellowship. It’s an invitation to reflect on our own lives and whether they align with the standards set by God. This question is timeless, urging every generation to ponder what living a life worthy of God’s presence means. Living Blamelessly and Righteously: In verse 2, David provides the first part of the answer: “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.” Here, we see the importance of integrity and righteousness. Leading a blameless life doesn’t mean being perfect but striving to live in a way that reflects God’s character. It involves doing what is right, not just in public but in the innermost parts of our hearts. Speaking the truth from sincere hearts highlights the value of honesty and authenticity. God desires truthfulness in our words and sincerity in our intentions. In a world where deception can often seem advantageous, maintaining integrity and truthfulness is a mark of a life pleasing to God. Rejecting Harmful Behaviors: David continues in verse 3, outlining behaviors that are contrary to a righteous life: “Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.” This verse emphasizes the importance of our speech and actions toward others. Gossip, harm, and slander are destructive behaviors that...
Welcome to Day 2432 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 14:1-7 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2432 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2432 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll delve into the powerful and thought-provoking Psalm 14 from the New Living Translation. This Psalm, attributed to David, provides a vivid portrayal of humanity’s folly and the hope found in God’s salvation. As we read through Psalm 14:1-7, we’ll explore the depths of human nature and the assurance of God’s deliverance. Let’s embark on this journey together. Psalm 14:1-7 (NLT): 1 Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. 3 But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! 4 Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord. 5 Terror will grip them, for God is with those who obey him. 6 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the Lord will protect his people. 7 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When the Lord restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. The Fool’s Denial of God: David begins Psalm 14 with a stark declaration: “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (verse 1). This opening verse sets the tone for the entire Psalm, emphasizing the folly of denying God’s existence. David uses the term “fools” not to describe a lack of intelligence but a moral deficiency. The fool, in this context, is someone who lives as though there is no accountability to a higher power. This denial leads to corruption and evil actions. When one rejects the foundational truth of God’s existence, moral decay follows. This verse challenges us to consider the importance of acknowledging God in our lives and the moral implications of our beliefs. God’s Search for the Righteous: In verses 2 and 3, David paints a picture of God’s perspective: “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” Here, we see God’s active involvement in human affairs. He searches for those who are wise and seek Him. However, the verdict is bleak—everyone has turned away, and no one does good. This universal statement highlights the pervasive nature of sin and the universal need for redemption. It echoes the sentiment found in Romans 3:23, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” These verses...
Welcome to Day 2431 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – When Giants Walked the Earth – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2431 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2431 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the sixteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, When Giants Walked the Earth. If they haven’t read it, most people have at least heard the story of David and Goliath of Gath (“the Gittite”). The names of the hero and villain have iconic status. But how many people know anything about the giant Goliath, other than that he lost his head to a boy named David from Israel? 2 Samuel 21:15-22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 tell us that there were other unusually tall warriors among the Philistines.- The lists are not identical, but putting them together we read that there were four: Saph (also called Sippai), Lahmi, Ishbibenob, and an unnamed warrior. The descriptions are similar to those given by Goliath, noting “great stature” and the dimensions of their weaponry. Unlike Goliath or any other named warriors, the unnamed giant is said to have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. This malformation, known as polydactylism, is only mentioned in the description of this giant. The Bible does not mention it when it discusses other giant clans. Wait a minute—giant clans? There are several people groups described as giants or among whom giants lived in the Old Testament:- 1. There are the Anakim, who are descendants from the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4 (compare Num 13:33), and whom the people of Israel encountered under Moses, and later under Joshua (Num 13:22-33; Tosh 15:13-14). 2. At one time, before the children of Israel traveled through the Transjordan, the land to the east of the Jordan River was heavily populated with tall people known as Emim (Deut 2:10-11) and the Zamzummim, also called the Zuzim (Deut 2:20). 3. The Amorites, another group that stood in the way of Israel claiming the promised land, are described as being exceptionally tall (Amos 2:9- 10). 4. Lastly, there were the Rephaim, which are mentioned nearly 20 times, most often in association with the conquest of the promised land, when Moses encountered King Og of Bashan, whose bed measured to 13 feet in length (Deut 2:11, 20-22: 3:11-13: Tosh 12:4:13:13).
Goliath was Rephaim. He and the four giant warriors listed alongside him are descended from Rapha (non) in Gath (2 Sam 21:22: 1 Chr 20:8). If rapha is interpreted as a proper name, Rapha, then the...
Welcome to Day 2430 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 13:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2430 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2430 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we will delve into the heartfelt and deeply personal Psalm 13 from the New Living Translation. This Psalm, written by David, captures the raw emotions of despair and the profound faith that ultimately triumphs. As we read through Psalm 13:1-6, we’ll explore the journey from sorrow to joy, from doubt to trust. Let’s embark on this path together. Psalm 13:1-6 (NLT): 1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? 2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? 3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. 4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. 6 I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. A Cry of Desperation: David begins Psalm 13 with a cry that many of us can relate to: “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?” (verse 1). This opening verse sets the tone of the psalm as David pours out his heart, feeling abandoned and forgotten by God. The repetition of “How long” emphasizes his deep sense of despair and impatience. In verse 2, David continues, “How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?” Here, David’s anguish is palpable. He is not only dealing with external enemies but also struggling internally with sorrow and anguish. This dual struggle—both external and internal—adds to his sense of desperation. These verses remind us that it’s okay to bring our raw, honest emotions before God. David’s openness with his feelings shows that God is big enough to handle our doubts, fears, and sorrows. It’s a powerful reminder that we don’t need to hide our true feelings from God; instead, we can come to Him with everything in our hearts. A Plea for God’s Intervention: In verses 3 and 4, David transitions from expressing his despair to pleading for God’s intervention: “Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, ‘We have defeated him!’ Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.” David’s plea is urgent and heartfelt. He asks God to turn towards him and answer him, highlighting his desperate need for God’s presence and response. The phrase “restore the sparkle to my eyes” vividly expresses his desire for renewed hope and vitality. Without God’s intervention, David feels that he cannot continue; his very life depends on God’s response. David also appeals to God’s honor by asking Him...
Welcome to Day 2429 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2429 – Be Sure of Your Source – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/21/2024 Exhortation to Spiritual Maturity – Be Sure of Your Source - 2 Peter 1:12-21 Last week, we learned that His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Peter then lists seven qualities we should add to our foundation of faith. If you miss any messages, you can watch them online on our FaceBook page or at PutnamChurch.org. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 1:12-21, on page 1894 of your Pew Bibles. 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Let me ask some questions as we begin today. How do we know the Bible can be trusted? Why is God’s Word set apart from all other claims of divine revelation? Why does it stand above all other standards of divine truth? In 1:12-21, Peter reminds us of the only absolutely reliable source of truth—the Holy Scriptures—and tells us why we can and must trust God’s sacred Word as the sure standard for our beliefs and actions. This is a vital topic in a letter that was written to stir up believers’ memories of sound teaching, to spur them on to diligence in the faith, and to shore up the biblical foundations of their beliefs and practices. In 1:12-18, Peter reminds us what the truth is and isn’t. Then, in 1:19-21, he gives us a rare description of the process by which God communicated his Word through human authors in the Holy Scriptures—and why we can be sure of our source. -1:12-15 —...
Welcome to Day 2428 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 12:1-8 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2428 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2428 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we are going to delve into Psalm 12. This psalm, attributed to David, speaks to the heart of human struggles with deceit, oppression, and the power of God’s words. As we read Psalm 12:1-8 from the New Living Translation, we’ll uncover profound insights about the integrity and trustworthiness of God in contrast to human deceit. Let’s embark on this journey together! Psalm 12:1-8 (NLT): 1 Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! 2 Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. 3 May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. 4 They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?” 5 The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.” 6 The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. 7 Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, 8 even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land. The Cry for Help: David begins Psalm 12 with an urgent plea for help: “Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!” (verse 1). This opening sets a tone of desperation and concern for the state of society. David observes a troubling decline in godliness and faithfulness, which leads him to cry out to God. David’s lament highlights a timeless issue: the erosion of moral integrity in society. He feels the weight of living in a world where the righteous are becoming scarce, and it seems like those who live faithfully are vanishing. This cry resonates with us today, as we often witness similar challenges in our own world. The Prevalence of Deceit: In verses 2-4, David describes the nature of the deceit he sees around him: “Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. They say, ‘We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?’” David points out the widespread dishonesty and flattery among people. Neighbors lie to each other, indicating a breakdown in trust and integrity within the community. The mention of flattering lips and deceitful hearts suggests that the deceit is not only prevalent but also deeply ingrained in the way people interact with one another. David’s prayer for the Lord to cut off flattering lips and silence boastful tongues shows his desire for divine intervention. He is aware that human efforts alone are insufficient to address the pervasive deceit. The bold declaration of the deceitful, “We...
Welcome to Day 2427 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 11:1-7 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2427 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2427 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we will journey through Psalm 11. This psalm, attributed to David, captures a decisive moment of faith and trust in the face of danger and adversity. As we read Psalm 11:1-7 from the New Living Translation, we’ll uncover profound insights about where our true security lies. So, let’s dive in! Psalm 11:1-7 (NLT): 1 I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! 2 The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. 3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” 4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. 5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. 6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. 7 For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face. A Declaration of Trust: Verse 1 begins with a bold declaration: “I trust in the Lord for protection.” David establishes his unwavering trust in God right from the start. This sets the tone for the entire psalm and contrasts the advice he receives from others. The second part of the verse reveals the counsel given to David: “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!” In times of danger, it’s natural for people to seek refuge and advise others to do the same. However, David’s response to this advice is rooted in his deep faith in God’s protection. David’s question, “So why do you say to me,” indicates his resistance to the fear-driven suggestion to flee. He acknowledges the reality of the threat but chooses to place his trust in God rather than succumbing to fear. The Reality of Threats: In verses 2 and 3, David describes the danger he faces: “The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” David paints a vivid picture of the threat posed by the wicked. The imagery of stringing bows and fitting arrows suggests a prepared and imminent attack. The phrase “They shoot from the shadows” implies the cunning and hidden nature of the threat, making it even more dangerous. Furthermore, David laments the collapse of the foundations of law and order. This collapse creates a sense of chaos and helplessness, raising the question, “What can the righteous do?” It’s a question that resonates with anyone who has felt overwhelmed by the...
Welcome to Day 2426 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Righting a Wrong – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2426 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2426 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the fifteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, Righting a Wrong. The story of Jephthah and his tragic vow is paralleled by other stories— including a New Testament story that subverts it. The Story After the brief judgeship of Jair (a man from Gilead), the people of Israel fell into idolatry by worshiping foreign gods (Judg 10:6). God then allowed a foreign enemy to oppress the Israelites as punishment. This time, it was the Ammonites who lived on the other side of the Jordan in a place also known as Gilead. The people immediately called on God for deliverance. Ironically, God responded by calling Jephthah, another judge from Gilead. In Judges 11, Jephthah sends a message to the king of the Ammonites. He wonders why the king is not content with the land his god Chemosh had given the Ammonites. Jephthah’s plea is flawed: Milkom was the chief deity of Ammon—not Chemosh. It won’t be the last time he makes a theological blunder. When Jephthah leads Israel against Ammon, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him for battle. Just before the fight, he utters his horrible vow: 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, 31 I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” (11:30-31). Upon his victorious return, it is his only child, his daughter, who greets him. The Story Behind the Story The ancient Israelites believed that geographical areas and nations were under the dominion of other gods, put there by Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had rejected the nations as His people (Deut 4:19-20: 32:8-9). The Jephthah episode reflects that worldview. Judges 11:10-11 tells us that the Israelites worshiped other gods, including Milkom. Human sacrifices were made to Milkom. Through his own theological ignorance, Jephthah wound up performing a human sacrifice, per Ammonite Milkom worship, to fulfill his foolish vow to Yahweh. He had Yahweh in view, but his perspective on worship was warped. Remember, at this time, there was no king, no spiritual leadership, and no centralized system of worship. The Story Repurposed The tragedy of Jephthah is repurposed in the New Testament story of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:40-56). The
Welcome to Day 2425 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 10:12-18 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2425 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2425 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we will focus on Psalm 10:12-18 from the New Living Translation. These verses shift from lament to a plea for divine intervention and a confident declaration of God’s justice. Let’s dive in and uncover the rich insights these verses offer. Psalm 10:12-18 (NLT): 12 Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless! 13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, “God will never call us to account.” 14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans. 15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed. 16 The Lord is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land. 17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. 18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them. A Plea for Divine Intervention: In verse 12, the psalmist cries out, “Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless!” This urgent plea for God’s intervention marks a shift from the earlier lament. The psalmist appeals to God’s justice, asking Him to take action against the wicked and not overlook those suffering. This cry for justice is rooted in the psalmist’s faith that God is both powerful and compassionate. The plea to “Arise” and “Punish the wicked” reflects a deep trust that God can right wrongs and defend the vulnerable. It’s a call for God to manifest His justice in tangible ways, to show that He is not indifferent to the cries of the oppressed. The Wicked’s Misconception: In verse 13, the psalmist questions, “Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, ‘God will never call us to account.’” This verse highlights the arrogance and misconception of the wicked. They believe that their actions are unseen and unpunished by God. This false sense of security leads them to continue their evil ways without fear of divine retribution. The psalmist’s question underscores the moral confusion and frustration felt when the wicked seem to prosper without consequence. It’s a powerful reminder that while the wicked may think they are beyond God’s reach, their actions do not go unnoticed. God’s Awareness and Justice: Verse 14 brings a reassuring truth: “But you see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans.” Despite the wicked’s delusions, God is fully aware of the suffering they cause. He observes their actions and will hold them accountable. This verse reassures us that God is not blind to the injustices in the world. He...
Welcome to Day 2424 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2424 – A Fruitful Faith – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/14/2024 Exhortation to Spiritual Maturity – A Fruitful Faith 2 Peter 1:1-11 Last week, we learned how to be victorious over our enemy, the devil, which requires that we: Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. Today’s passage is 2 Peter 1:1-11, on page 1893 of your Pew Bibles. 1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Having matured in his faith and reached the end of his life, Peter wanted to leave a written legacy addressing some of the young church's most pressing concerns. In the last days of his life, he wrote this rapid-fire, urgent reminder to warn against false doctrine and moral compromise. And because the Holy Spirit inspired his writing, his final words are as timely today as they were for believers in the first century. Peter’s second letter was written around AD 66, about one year before the aging apostle's execution. Peter knew his time on this earth was nearing its end and that he would die before the Lord returned (2 Pet. 1:14). Brief but powerful, 2 Peter serves as his last written words to the church and a permanent testament of Peter's practical teachings. The first section of Peter's letter provides straightforward counsel on how to keep from...
Welcome to Day 2423 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 10:1-11 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2423 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2423 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we will delve into Psalm 10:1-11 from the New Living Translation. In this powerful passage, the psalmist cries out to God amidst the troubling presence of the wicked, seeking answers and divine justice. Join me as we uncover the depths of these verses and gain insights that are as relevant today as they were when they were first penned. Psalm 10:1-11 (NLT): 1 O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble? 2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others. 3 For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the Lord. 4 The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead. 5 Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They sneer at all their enemies. 6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!” 7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues. 8 They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are always searching for helpless victims. 9 Like lions crouched in hiding, they wait to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters, they capture the helpless and drag them away in nets. 10 Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked. 11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us! He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!” The Cry of the Oppressed: The psalm begins in verse 1 with a heartfelt cry, “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” Here, the psalmist expresses a profound sense of abandonment and desperation. It’s a cry that many of us can relate to when we face overwhelming challenges, and it seems as though God is distant. This honest question sets the stage for the subsequent verses, where the psalmist vividly describes the actions and attitudes of the wicked. The psalmist’s question is not just rhetorical; it reflects a deep yearning for God’s presence and intervention. This opening verse invites us to bring our own feelings of abandonment and frustration to God, trusting that He hears even our most desperate cries. The Arrogance and Actions of the Wicked: In verses 2 to 6, the psalmist paints a stark picture of the wicked: “The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others. For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the Lord. The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.” These verses highlight the arrogance and cruelty of the wicked. They prey on the vulnerable, boast about their malicious intentions, and openly defy God. Their pride blinds them to their need for God, leading them to live as though He does not exist. The psalmist then...
Welcome to Day 2422 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 9:11-20 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2422 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2422 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Psalm 9:11-20 from the New Living Translation. This portion of the psalm continues David’s powerful themes of praise, justice, and God’s protection. Let’s dive into these verses and uncover the timeless truths they hold. Psalm 9:11-20 (NLT): 11 Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. 12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer. 13 Lord, have mercy on me. See how my enemies torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death. 14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me. 15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set. 16 The Lord is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet Interlude 17 The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God. 18 But the needy will not be ignored forever; the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed. 19 Arise, O Lord! Do not let mere mortals defy you! Judge the nations! 20 Make them tremble in fear, O Lord. Let the nations know they are merely human. Praising God and Proclaiming His Deeds: David begins this segment of Psalm 9 with a call to worship: “Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.” Here, David invites us to join him in praising God, not just privately, but publicly. He encourages us to tell the world about God’s marvelous and unforgettable deeds. This is a reminder that our faith and gratitude should not be hidden. Sharing our testimonies of God’s goodness can inspire and uplift others. In verse 12, David provides a compelling reason for this praise: “For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.” This verse underscores God’s deep concern for justice and His compassionate nature. God is not distant or indifferent; He actively cares for the helpless and hears the cries of those who suffer. This assurance of God’s attentiveness and justice is a powerful motivator for our praise and proclamation. A Cry for Mercy and Rescue: In verses 13 and 14, David’s prayer shifts to a personal plea for mercy and rescue: “Lord, have mercy on me. See how my enemies torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death. Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.” David is in a desperate situation, tormented by his enemies and facing the threat of death. Yet, even in this distress, his focus is on God’s mercy and deliverance. David’s request is not just for his own sake, but to continue praising God publicly. He desires to stand at Jerusalem’s gates and...
Welcome to Day 2421 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Most Horrific Bible Story – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2421 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2421 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the fourteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, The Most Horrific Bible Story. “In those days, there was no king in Israel.” This line, repeated throughout Judges, frames the horrific tale of the Levite and his concubine. The grim details of this story showcase the anarchy and spiritual decay of the period, but this story is not just a cheap thriller. When reading this story, our attention fixates on the grim details of murder, rape, war, and abduction. But there are crucial, less repugnant elements —tribal affiliations and the locations of events. The story was designed to prompt readers into favoring kingship—the people needed a Messiah, a savior. The book of Judges does not name its author; it was likely written after the time of David. All of these elements add up to not only a rationale for kingship—but a polemic for the superiority of a king from Judah (David), not Benjamin (Saul) or Ephraim. By the time Judges was being written, Saul had failed God as a spiritual leader. Anyone reading the story would be prompted to follow God’s new choice of kingship, the line of David. Any other ruler would spell chaos, evil, and tragedy. The Events in the Story What Does This Teach Us? In Judges 19-20, a Levite is retrieving his fugitive concubine from her father’s house in Bethlehem, located in the tribal territory of Judah. The Levite is shown warm hospitality in Judah, David’s tribe. The concubine’s father, who is from Judah, treats the Levite with warm hospitality. The Levite and his concubine travel home to Ephraim. On the way, he has the option to stay in the city of Jebus, a Benjamite territory. The Levite could have stopped in Jebus—which is later known as Jerusalem. It is a missed oasis in the hellish sea of Benjamin. He decides not to remain since Jebus is under the rule of Gentiles, non-Hebrews. He journeys on to Gibeah, also a The Benjamite rapists of Gibeah are clearly Benjamite territory. In Gibeah, an old man—also from Ephraim—offers...
Welcome to Day 2420 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 9:1-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2420 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2420 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re exploring Psalm 9:1-10 from the New Living Translation. This psalm, attributed to David, is a powerful song of thanksgiving and praise for God’s justice and protection. Let’s embark on this exploration and uncover the profound truths within these verses. Psalm 9:1-10 (NLT): 1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. 2 I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. 3 My enemies retreated; they staggered and died when you appeared. 4 For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness. 5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have erased their names forever. 6 The enemy is finished, in endless ruins; the cities you uprooted are now forgotten. 7 But the Lord reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. 8 He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. 9 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. A Heart of Praise: David opens this psalm with a declaration of wholehearted praise: “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.” Verse 1 sets the tone for the entire psalm, emphasizing the importance of genuine and complete worship. David is not just offering lip service; he is praising God with his whole being, recognizing God’s countless blessings and acts in his life. In verse 2, he continues, “I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.” Here, David expresses the joy that fills his heart as a result of God’s presence and actions. This joy leads him to sing praises to God, acknowledging Him as the Most High, the supreme ruler overall. These opening verses remind us of the importance of gratitude and joy in our relationship with God. They encourage us to reflect on God’s marvelous deeds and to respond with heartfelt praise. God’s Justice and Victory: Verses 3 and 4 highlight God’s justice and the victory He brings to His people: “My enemies retreated; they staggered and died when you appeared. For you have judged in my favor; from your throne you have judged with fairness.” David recounts how his enemies retreated and were defeated by the mere appearance of God. This victory is attributed not to David’s strength, but to God’s righteous judgment. God’s justice is further emphasized in verse 4, where David acknowledges that God has judged in his favor with fairness. This verse underscores the theme of divine justice, a central aspect of God’s character. It reassures us that God sees our struggles and will act justly on our behalf. The Downfall of
Welcome to Day 2419 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2419 – Standing Nose-to-Nose With the Adversary – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/07/2024 Our Fiery Ordeal – Standing Nose-to-Nose with the Adversary. 1 Peter 5:8-14 Last week, we compared worldly success with Biblical success. We settled on the formula for Biblical Success: submission to others + humility before God - worry of the world = genuine relief. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 5:8-14, on page 1892 of your Pew Bibles. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 12 With the help of Silas,[b] whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. We now arrive at the end of Peter's powerful letter of hope in hurtful times. Peter sounds the battle alarm (5:8-14). He draws the army's attention to their spiritual opponent, who is planning his evil strategy behind their fiery trials (5:8). He tells the soldiers of Christ how the enemy can be defeated (5:9). He reminds us that the fierce conflict will soon be over and that we will one day emerge as victors (5:10). Finally, he points to Christ, who will ultimately triumph and exercise dominion over all (5:11). — 5:8 — Whoever lives under the impression that Satan doesn't exist is living in a dream world. Peter identifies and describes the devil in 5:8 in clear, unmistakable terms. Satan goes by several titles throughout the Bible. In 5:8, Peter uses the terms “enemy" (antidikos) and “devil” (diabolos). Diabolos refers to how he falsely accuses God's people. In Revelation 9:11, he is called Abaddon and Apollyon, meaning “Destroyer,” titles that refer to his destructiveness. It could refer to a single divine being or multiple evil beings. These and other labels for the adversary describe him as a dangerous, destructive deceiver who slanders and accuses us at every opportunity. Revelation 12:9-10 describes Satan’s
Welcome to Day 2418 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 8:1-9 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2418 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2418 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re diving into the awe-inspiring Psalm 8:1-9 from the New Living Translation. This psalm, penned by David, is a beautiful praise hymn reflecting on God’s majesty and the unique place of humanity within His creation. Let’s explore and uncover the profound truths within these verses. Psalm 8:1-9 (NLT): 1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. 2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. 3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! God’s Majestic Name and Glory: David begins and ends this psalm with the same powerful declaration: “O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!” This repetition frames the entire psalm, emphasizing the overarching theme of God’s majesty and glory. David recognizes that God’s name, His very essence, is evident throughout all creation. This opening line calls us to recognize and celebrate God’s presence and authority over the entire world. David continues in verse 1, “Your glory is higher than the heavens.” Here, he acknowledges that God’s glory surpasses even the vast expanse of the heavens. With their breathtaking beauty and grandeur, the heavens often symbolize the greatest and most magnificent things we can imagine. Yet, God’s glory is even greater. This verse invites us to look beyond the physical beauty of the world and see the divine hand behind it all. The Strength of the Innocent: In verse 2, David writes, “You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.” This verse highlights a surprising source of strength: the praise of children and infants. It is a reminder that God often uses the seemingly weak and insignificant to demonstrate His power and silence His enemies. The innocence and purity of a child’s praise have a unique power. It’s a profound truth that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness, as echoed in the New Testament. This verse encourages us to embrace a childlike faith and trust in God’s strength, knowing that even the simplest expressions of praise can have a powerful impact. The Wonder of Creation: Verses 3 and 4 bring us to a moment of awe and wonder:...
Welcome to Day 2417 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 7:12-17 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2417 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2417 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 7:12-17 from the New Living Translation. This passage continues David’s profound reflections on justice, the wicked, and God’s righteous judgment. Let’s explore these verses together and uncover the rich wisdom they offer. Psalm 7:12-17 (NLT): 12 If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. 13 He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows. 14 The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. 15 They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves. 16 The trouble they make for others backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their own heads. 17 I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. God’s Preparedness for Judgment: In verses 12 and 13, we vividly depict God’s readiness to execute judgment: “If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows.” This imagery is stark and powerful, emphasizing the seriousness of unrepentant sin. It paints a picture of a God who is prepared to take decisive action against those who persist in their wickedness. David underscores that God is not passive in the face of evil. He is depicted as a warrior, readying his weapons to enforce justice. This should serve as a sobering reminder of the importance of repentance. The imagery of sharpening a sword and stringing a bow indicates that God’s patience has limits; He is prepared to act decisively when necessary. For us, these verses highlight the urgency of repentance. They remind us that God’s justice is sure and that continuing in sin without seeking forgiveness has serious consequences. It’s a call to turn away from wrongdoing and seek God’s mercy before it’s too late. The Nature of Wickedness: Verse 14 delves into the nature of wickedness: “The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.” David uses the metaphor of conception and birth to describe the process of evil. Just as a child grows in the womb and is eventually born, evil also starts in the heart and eventually manifests in actions. This metaphorical language illustrates how deeply ingrained wickedness can become. It starts as a thought or desire and grows if nurtured, eventually leading to harmful actions and lies. The progression from conception to birth shows that sin is often a deliberate process, not a sudden occurrence. This verse serves as a warning about the seeds of sin. It reminds us to guard our thoughts and desires, to prevent them from growing into actions that cause harm. It calls us to be vigilant against the early stages of sin, addressing it before it takes root and grows. The Consequences of Evil...
Welcome to Day 2416 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Is My Bible Right? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2416 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2416 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, Is My Bible Right? After the great flood, everyone had one language. Humanity congregated in the region of Babylonia (“the land of Shinar”) and started building a tower that would reach into the heavens (Gen 11:1-9). God stopped the project by transforming the single language into many—dispersing humanity over the earth and creating the nations and regions listed in Genesis 10. Most people think it ends there, but there’s more. The story picks up again in Deuteronomy 32:8-9. And the story changes, depending on what Bible version you use. When the Most High apportioned the nations as an inheritance, when he divided up humankind, he established the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.- Some Bibles may read “sons of Israel” instead of “sons of God.” The difference is due to an ancient manuscript disagreement with major theological ramifications. Deuteronomy 32:8 Masoretic Text Dead Sea Scrolls When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance When he divided humanity When he divided humanity He fixed the borders of the peoples He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel according to the number of the sons of God Deuteronomy 32:43 Masoretic Text Dead Sea Scrolls [la] 0 nations, acclaim His people!
Welcome to Day 2415 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 7:6-11 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2415 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2415 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 7:6-11 from the New Living Translation. This passage is a powerful continuation of David’s plea for God’s justice and deliverance. Let’s unpack these verses together and discover the rich wisdom they offer. Psalm 7:6-11 (NLT): 6 Arise, O Lord, in anger! Stand up against the fury of my enemies! Wake up, my God, and bring justice! 7 Gather the nations before you. Rule over them from on high. 8 The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High! 9 End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God. 10 God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. 11 God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day. A Call for Divine Intervention: In verse 6, David urgently calls upon God, “Arise, O Lord, in anger! Stand up against the fury of my enemies! Wake up, my God, and bring justice!” This vivid language underscores David’s desperate need for God to take action. He’s asking God to rise up and confront his enemies with divine fury. David’s plea reflects his confidence in God’s ability to bring justice and his trust that God will not ignore his cries for help. The use of “Arise” and “Wake up” might sound unusual when referring to God, who is always aware and active. However, this language illustrates David’s deep desire for immediate divine intervention. It’s a passionate call for God to manifest His justice and defend the innocent visibly. God’s Sovereignty Over the Nations: Verse 7 expands the scope of David’s plea: “Gather the nations before you. Rule over them from on high.” David recognizes that God’s sovereignty extends beyond his personal plight to encompass all nations. He’s appealing for God’s rule and judgment to be established universally. By calling on God to gather the nations, David acknowledges that God’s justice is not limited to Israel but is meant for the entire world. This verse reminds us of God’s ultimate authority over all creation. No matter the scale of the injustice we face, God’s sovereignty remains supreme. He rules from on high, and His judgment is righteous and all-encompassing. Seeking Personal Vindication: In verse 8, David personalizes his plea: “The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!” Here, David is confident in his innocence and seeks God’s vindication. He knows that God, the righteous judge, can discern the truth and will declare him righteous if he is indeed innocent. David’s request for personal vindication is grounded in his relationship with God. He trusts that God knows his heart and his integrity. This verse challenges us to live lives of integrity, knowing that our ultimate vindication comes from God, who
Welcome to Day 2414 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2414 – A Formula That Brings Relief – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/30/2024 Our Fiery Ordeal – A Formula That Brings Relief. 1 Peter 5:5-7 Last week, we focused on those with leadership positions within a local church, which also applies to all of us as we partner to further God’s Kingdom on earth. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 5:5-7, on page 1892 of your Pew Bibles. If we want to grasp what true success is and how to obtain it, we need to tune out the seductive message from the world and tune in to the instructive message from God’s Word. 5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”[a] 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Our society has gorged itself on the pursuit of success. Upward mobility, getting ahead, snagging that promotion—only one direction will do: up ... up … UP! We've stuffed ourselves with money-making schemes and binged on books and seminars teaching us how to make ourselves great. Not long ago, our gluttony for financial success inflated an economy until it exploded. But not to worry! We'll pick up the pieces and start all over again. Bulletin Insert The world tells us that to be satisfied, we need fortune: Make a lot of money—make a boatload of money! Society persuades us that to be significant, we need fame, which means being well-known and well-connected. The culture tries to convince us that to have true success, we need influence: wield power, be in control, and don't take orders—give them! And if this “big three" of success doesn’t do it, the real secret lies in indulgence: fulfilling your wants, desires, and pleasures. The world's methods of achieving these things aren’t complicated. Work hard, or at least harder than everybody else. Push ahead, even if it means stepping on others. Remove all obstacles, such as friends, family, and faith. And promote yourself even if it means exaggerating a bit or trashing somebody else! The great irony of all this is that the more success we have, the more we want. History, experience, religion, psychology, and sociology have all taught us that such purposeless pursuits can never ultimately quench our thirst for true meaning or relieve our hunger for true happiness. Instead of fulfillment, we experience the bloated nausea of disappointment. Ultimately, the all-you-can-eat lifestyle leaves us weighed down in our spirit, nauseated with worry, and let down by life. In an age like ours, the countercultural message of humility is neither popular nor appreciated. At a time...
Welcome to Day 2413 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 7:1-5 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2413 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2413 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 7:1-5 from the New Living Translation. This Psalm is a passionate prayer of David, expressing his plea for God’s justice and deliverance in the face of false accusations and persecution. Let’s explore these verses together and uncover their profound insights for our spiritual journey. Psalm 7:1-5 (NLT): 1 I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me! 2 If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me. 3 O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice, 4 if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause, 5 then let my enemies capture me. Let them trample me into the ground and drag my honor in the dust. Interlude A Cry for Protection: David begins this Psalm with a desperate plea for protection: “I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!” (verse 1). In this opening verse, David seeks refuge in God, recognizing that only God can provide the protection and deliverance he desperately needs. David’s use of “O Lord my God” signifies a personal relationship with God, highlighting his deep trust and reliance on Him. David’s plea for rescue is urgent because he feels the imminent threat of his enemies. He understands that without God’s intervention, his persecutors will “maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me” (verse 2). The vivid imagery of being mauled by a lion emphasizes the severity of the danger he faces and his utter helplessness without God’s protection. These verses serve as a powerful reminder to seek God’s protection in times of trouble. When we face threats or persecution, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, we can turn to God, our protector, and trust in His ability to rescue us from harm. David’s example encourages us to cultivate a personal relationship with God, one that is rooted in trust and reliance on His strength and deliverance. A Declaration of Innocence: In verses 3-5, David boldly declares his innocence: “O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice, if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause, then let my enemies capture me. Let them trample me into the ground and drag my honor in the dust.” This declaration reflects David’s confidence in his own integrity and his willingness to face the consequences if he is found guilty of wrongdoing. David addresses specific accusations: wrongdoing, injustice, betrayal, and plundering. By listing these potential sins, he is essentially opening himself up to God’s scrutiny and judgment. He is willing to accept whatever consequences come his way if he is guilty. This level of transparency and accountability before God is a testament to David’s character and...
Welcome to Day 2412 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 6:1-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2412 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2412 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 6:1-10 from the New Living Translation. This Psalm is David’s heartfelt prayer, expressing deep sorrow and an emotional plea for God’s mercy and deliverance. Let’s explore these verses together and discover their profound insights for our spiritual journey. Psalm 6:1-10 (NLT): 1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. 2 Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. 3 I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me? 4 Return, O Lord, and rescue me. Save me because of your unfailing love. 5 For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave? 6 I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. 7 My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies. 8 Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. 9 The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer. 10 May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified. May they suddenly turn back in shame. A Cry for Mercy: David begins this Psalm with a heartfelt cry to God: “O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me?” (verses 1-3). Here, David is acutely aware of his own frailty and the weight of God’s discipline. He pleads for mercy, recognizing that he is weak and in desperate need of God’s compassion and healing. This plea is for physical healing and spiritual and emotional restoration. David’s cry, “How long, O Lord, until you restore me?” echoes a deep sense of longing and urgency. It reminds us that in times of distress, it’s natural to feel impatient and to question how long our suffering will last. Yet, this questioning also reveals a trust in God’s ability to restore and heal. These verses serve as a powerful reminder to turn to God in our moments of weakness and seek His mercy and healing. When we feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face, we can come before God with honesty and vulnerability, trusting in His compassion and unfailing love. A Plea for Deliverance: David continues his prayer in verses 4 and 5 with a plea for deliverance: “Return, O Lord, and rescue me. Save me because of your unfailing love. For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave?” In these verses, David appeals to God’s unfailing love as the basis for his plea for rescue. He understands that only through God’s intervention can he be saved from his dire situation. David’s reference to the dead not remembering God or praising Him from the grave highlights his desire to
Welcome to Day 2411 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Love Potion: Number 5 – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2411 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2411 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the twelfth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, Love Potion: Number 5. When was the last time you heard a sermon on Numbers 5:11-31? One of the things I enjoy telling people in conversations about Bible study is that “if it’s weird, it’s important.” This passage certainly qualifies in both respects. The strangeness of the passage is easily detectable, but only careful Bible study makes its importance apparent. Numbers 5:11-31 describes a water ritual to determine the guilt or innocence of a woman suspected of adultery. A husband is to bring the wife under suspicion to the priest, along with a required grain offering that will “bring iniquity to remembrance.” The priest, in turn, prepares a jar of water mixed with dust from the Tabernacle (5:16-17). To this mixture is added the curses against her written “in a book” (5:23). Either the curses were written and erased, so that the erasures are swept into the water mixture, or the ink is washed off into the water mixture. The woman is compelled to drink the concoction after saying “Amen, Amen” in response to the priest’s invocation of blessing or cursing upon her, depending on her innocence or guilt. If she is guilty, the ingested mixture will cause pain and sterility; if there is no such reaction, she is deemed innocent (5:27-31). Since the instructions in Numbers 5 were given by God (5:11), the water ordeal is a means of divination, whereby it is expected that God will use the ritual to answer a question human beings cannot. That the Israelites could use such divination comes as no surprise, as the high priest had the Urim and Thummim at his disposal, and various biblical characters utilize the casting of lots for discerning the mind of God on a matter (Josh 18:6-8: Prov 16:33: Acts 1:26). This passage provides a useful starting point for discussing why biblical characters were permitted to practice divination at all, when elsewhere such methods are condemned (e.g., Deut 18:9-14). But let’s instead focus on one practical implication of this passage. Students of the Bible know that adultery was punishable by death in ancient Israel (Lev...
Welcome to Day 2410 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 5:7-12 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2410 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2410 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 5:7-12 from the New Living Translation. In this part of the Psalm, David continues his prayer, focusing on God’s steadfast love, guidance, protection, and justice. Let’s walk through these verses together and uncover the rich insights they offer. Psalm 5:7-12 (NLT): 7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. 8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow. 9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery. 10 O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. 11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. 12 For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love. Worship and Awe: David begins this segment of the Psalm with a profound acknowledgment of God’s unfailing love: “Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe” (verse 7). This verse highlights David’s awareness that it is only through God’s steadfast love that he can come into His presence and worship. David’s response to God’s love is one of reverence and awe. Worship, for David, is not a casual act but one filled with deep respect and amazement at God’s goodness and grace. This teaches us that our worship should stem from understanding God’s unfailing love for us. Recognizing His grace and mercy should fill us with awe and gratitude, prompting us to approach Him with a heart full of reverence. In our own lives, it’s important to remember that worship is a response to God’s love. When we gather to worship, whether in a church setting or our personal devotions, we should do so with a heart that is deeply aware of His love and grace. This awareness transforms our worship from a routine activity into a profound encounter with the divine. Seeking Guidance: David continues in verse 8 with a plea for guidance: “Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.” This request underscores David’s dependence on God for direction and protection. He acknowledges the presence of his enemies and recognizes that without God’s guidance, he is vulnerable to their attacks. This verse highlights the importance of seeking God’s guidance in our daily lives. Just as David needed God’s direction to navigate the threats he faced, we, too, need God’s wisdom...
Welcome to Day 2409 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2409 – A Job Description for Shepherds – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/23/2024 Our Fiery Ordeal – A Job Description for Shepherds. 1 Peter 5:1-4 Last week, Peter encouraged us to understand that trials and tests in life are God’s classroom for purifying and refining us to be more like Christ. We realize that God is faithful, and we need to rest in Him. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 5:1-6, on page 1892 of your Pew Bibles. We will focus on those with leadership positions within a local church, but it also applies to all of us as we partner to further God’s Kingdom on earth. I will read it from NLT today to give us a better perspective of this passage. 1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. Every worker knows the necessity of keeping their tools in a good state of repair... If the worker loses the edge, he knows there will be a more significant drain on his energies, or his work will be poorly done. It reminds me of Ecclesiastes 10:10: Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. The shepherding of shepherds' hearts goes back to Jesus Himself, who invested three years preparing his disciples to carry on His work after His departure. The tried-and-tested Apostle Paul encouraged the young ministers Timothy and Titus to stay hard at the work of the ministry after he was gone. At this point in his letter, Peter turns from a general readership to those responsible for spiritual leadership in the churches. He now fine-tunes his words to the shepherds, or “elders," of those churches, lest they “neglect their responsibilities” or themselves. In many churches worldwide, the pastor's position is considered the local church's leader. While I understand how and why this has occurred in most local churches, the word pastor only appears once in the Bible. Pastor is one of the church’s speaking gifts from the Holy Spirit as found in Ephesians 4:11. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. All other times church leaders are mentioned, Scripture refers to them as ‘Elders’ and ‘Deacons.’ In nearly every instance, it references a plurality of elders within a local congregation, no matter how small. One of the elders may have the gift of a pastor and/or teacher. Still, each of the elders will have an area of responsibility to assist the function of the local church. We have structured Putnam’s boards or teams to fit this Biblical example. It is not that the pastor’s gift is more...
Welcome to Day 2408 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 5:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2408 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2408 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 5:1-6 from the New Living Translation. This Psalm, written by David, is a poignant prayer for guidance, protection, and justice. So, let’s journey together through these verses and uncover the profound truths they hold for us today. Psalm 5:1-6 (NLT): 1 O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. 3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. 4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. 5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. 6 You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers. A Cry for Attention: David begins this Psalm with a heartfelt plea: “O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you” (verses 1-2). These opening verses are rich with emotion and desperation. David is not just speaking words; he is groaning, crying out from the depths of his soul. His appeal to God as “my King and my God” reflects a deep, personal relationship and acknowledges God’s sovereign authority over his life. In our own lives, there are moments when we feel overwhelmed, and our prayers become more than words—they become cries for help. David’s approach teaches us to bring our deepest emotions and needs before God, recognizing His sovereignty and His readiness to listen. This encourages us to be honest and vulnerable in our prayers, knowing God is attentive to our cries. Consistency in Prayer: Verse 3 reveals David’s commitment to regular prayer: “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” David makes it a habit to seek God every morning, starting his day with prayer and bringing his requests before the Lord. This verse highlights the importance of consistency in our prayer life. Starting our day with prayer sets the tone for the rest of the day. It aligns our hearts and minds with God’s will and reminds us of our dependence on Him. David prays and waits expectantly, demonstrating his faith that God will respond. This serves as a reminder to develop a regular prayer routine. By beginning each day with prayer, we acknowledge God’s presence and invite Him to guide us through the challenges and opportunities ahead. Waiting expectantly shows our trust in God’s timing and His answers to our prayers. God’s Stance on Wickedness: David transitions in verses 4 and 5 to reflect on God’s nature: “O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. Therefore, the proud may not stand...
Welcome to Day 2407 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 4:1-8 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2407 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2407 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 4:1-8 from the New Living Translation. This psalm, attributed to David, is a beautiful reflection on seeking God’s help, finding peace in Him, and trusting His provision. So, let’s embark on this journey together and discover the timeless truths in Psalm 4. Psalm 4:1-8 (NLT): 1 Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 2 How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? Interlude 3 You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him. 4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude 5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord. 6 Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, Lord. 7 You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. 8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. A Cry for Help: Psalm 4 opens with a heartfelt plea: “Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer” (verse 1). David is in distress and urgently seeks God’s intervention. His appeal to God as the one who declares him innocent indicates a deep trust in God’s justice and righteousness. David is confident that God understands his situation and will respond to his cry for help. In our own lives, we often find ourselves in situations where we need to call out to God for help. David’s example teaches us to approach God honestly and urgently, knowing He is a just and merciful God who hears our prayers. It reminds us that we can turn to God in times of trouble, confident in His willingness to listen and act on our behalf. Dealing with Opposition: In verses 2 and 3, David addresses those who are slandering him: “How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?” He then asserts, “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” David faces opposition from those who spread false accusations and lies about him. These verses highlight the pain and frustration of dealing with unjust criticism and slander. Yet, David’s response is one of confidence in God’s protection and favor. He knows God has set apart the godly for Himself and will answer their prayers. This is a powerful...
Welcome to Day 2406 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – There's a Devil in the Details – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2406 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2406 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the eleventh lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, There’s a Devil in the Details. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16, is a central element of the Jewish faith, even though it is not practiced today as it was in ancient times. Although many Christians have heard of the day, most would be startled to learn that a sinister figure lurks in the shadows of Leviticus 16. The Day of Atonement ritual required a ram, a bull, and two goats (Lev 16:3- 5). The ram was for a burnt offering intended to please God (Lev 16:3-4). The bull, taken “from the herd,” served as a sin offering for Aaron, the high priest, and his family. In this case, the sin offering restored the priest to ritual purity, allowing him to occupy sacred space and be near God’s presence. Curiously, two goats taken “from the congregation” were needed for the single sin offering for the people (Lev 16:5). Elsewhere, the sin offering involved only one animal (e.g., Lev 4:1-12). So why two goats? The high priest would cast lots over the two goats, with one chosen as a sacrifice “for the Lord” (Lev 16:8). The blood of that goat would purify the people. The second goat was not sacrificed or designated “for the Lord.” On the contrary, this goat—the one that symbolically carried the sins away from the camp of Israel into the wilderness—was “for Azazel” (Lev 16:8-10). The Hebrew term azazel occurs four times in Leviticus 16 but nowhere else in the Bible. Many translations prefer to translate the term as a phrase, “the goat that goes away/’ which is the same idea conveyed in the King James Version’s “scapegoat.” Other translations treat the word as a name: Azazel. The “scapegoat” option is possible, but since the phrase “for Azazel” parallels the phrase “for Yahweh” (“for the Lord”), the wording suggests that two divine figures are being contrasted by the two goats. A strong case can be made for translating the term as the name Azazel. Ancient Jewish texts show that Azazel was understood as a demonic figure associated with the wilderness.- The Mishnah (ca. ad 200; Yoma 6:6) records that the goat for Azazel was led to a cliff and pushed over, ensuring it would die and not return. This association of the wilderness with evil is also evident in the New Testament, as this was where Jesus met the devil (Matt 4:1). Also, in Leviticus 17:1-7 we learn...
Welcome to Day 2405 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 3:1-8 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2405 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2405 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 3:1-8 from the New Living Translation. This powerful psalm, attributed to David, captures a moment of intense personal crisis and the deep trust he places in God amid his struggles. Join me as we explore the profound lessons of faith, trust, and deliverance found in this passage. Psalm 3:1-8 (NLT): 1 O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. 2 So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!” 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. 4 I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. 5 I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. 6 I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side. 7 Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked! 8 Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people. David’s Plight: We begin with the first two verses, where David pours out his heart to God: “O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, ‘God will never rescue him!’” (verses 1-2). David’s situation is dire. Enemies and voices of doubt surround him. This psalm is traditionally understood to have been written during the time David fled from his son Absalom, who had usurped his throne. Imagine the turmoil, the fear, and the sense of betrayal David must have felt. His son led a rebellion against him, and many others joined in, casting doubts on his relationship with God. David’s words resonate with anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by adversaries or circumstances. The feeling that everyone is against you and that even God might not come to your aid is a heavy burden to bear. The phrase “God will never rescue him” reflects a deep despair, suggesting that others are questioning God’s faithfulness and David’s worthiness. In our lives, we might face similar voices—whether from others or within ourselves—that challenge our faith and try to make us doubt God’s presence and power. A Declaration of Trust: Despite the grim outlook, David’s faith shines through in verse 3: “But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.” Here, David makes a bold declaration of trust. He acknowledges God as his protector, his glory, and the one who lifts his head. This is a significant shift in the tone of the psalm. From a place of despair, David moves to a place of confidence and hope. The imagery of God as a shield is powerful. A shield provides defense against attacks, and David envisions God surrounding him completely, offering protection on all sides. This is not a partial or temporary defense; it is all-encompassing and constant. By referring to God as his...
Welcome to Day 2404 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2404 – A Firm Foundation Through Fiery Trials – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/16/2024 Our Fiery Ordeal – A Firm Foundation through Fiery Trials. 1 Peter 4:12-19 Last week, Peter gave us Marching Orders for Soldiers of the Cross through four commands on how we should live in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 4:12-19, on page 1891 of your Pew Bibles. I will read it from NLT today to give us a better perspective of this passage. 12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God[e] rests upon you.[f] 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? 18 And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”[g] 19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. It is time for us to move on to the third and final movement of the letter 1st Peter. Here, Peter revisits the motifs of hope and struggle—two competing themes working together toward an awe-inspiring climax. In this section, Peter will comfort his readers amid their fiery ordeal (4:12-5:14). He will remind them not to be surprised at their difficult circumstances (4:12). Rather than being surprised, they should keep rejoicing (4:13), entrust their lives to God (4:19), and cast their worries on Him (5:7). Peter will also encourage all of us, his readers, to focus on God’s grace and to rejoice, turning our attention toward a firm hope through faith (4:19). So, in this grand finale of Peter's great symphony of hope, we see Christ Himself as the Composer and Conductor of our lives—our...
Welcome to Day 2403 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 2:7-12 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2403 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2403 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into the second part of Psalm 2, verses 7-12, from the New Living Translation. This passage shifts our focus from the rebellious nations to the declaration of God’s decree and the ultimate victory of His anointed one. It is a powerful and profound conclusion to this royal psalm, and it offers us valuable insights into God’s sovereignty and our response to His authority. So, let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the rich wisdom found in these verses. Psalm 2:7-12 (NLT): 7 The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. 8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. 9 You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’” 10 Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! 11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! The Lord’s Decree: Psalm 2:7-12 begins with a powerful declaration: “The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: ‘The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father’” (verse 7). This is a profound moment where the king, likely a reference to King David initially but ultimately pointing to Jesus Christ, reveals God’s divine proclamation. The language of “sonship” signifies a special relationship and a unique authority bestowed upon the king. This declaration echoes the covenantal promise made to David in 2 Samuel 7:14, where God declares, “I will be his father, and he will be my son.” The next verse, verse 8, continues with God’s promise: “Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.” This is an astounding promise of authority and dominion, extending far beyond the borders of Israel. The king is invited to ask, and God will grant him the nations and the ends of the earth as his inheritance. This promise emphasizes the global reign of the anointed king and foreshadows the universal kingdom of Christ. In verse 9, we read, “You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.” This imagery of an iron rod and shattered clay pots conveys the absolute power and authority of the king to judge and rule over the nations. It is a vivid picture of the ultimate triumph of God’s anointed one over all opposition. The iron rod symbolizes unyielding strength, while the broken clay pots illustrate the fragility of those who oppose God’s rule. A Call to Wisdom and Submission: With the declaration of God’s decree and the promise of the...
Welcome to Day 2402 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 2:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2402 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2402 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Psalm 2:1-6 from the New Living Translation. This psalm is a powerful proclamation of God’s sovereignty and the futility of resisting His anointed one. It opens with a vivid depiction of the rebellious nations and their futile plots against the Lord and His chosen King. So, let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the rich wisdom found in these verses. Psalm 2:1-6 (NLT): 1 Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” 4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. 6 For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” The Rebellion of the Nations: Psalm 2 opens with a probing question: “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?” (verse 1). The psalmist is perplexed by the rebellion and hostility of the nations against God. This anger and plotting are not just against any authority but against the highest authority – the Lord and His anointed one. It’s a reminder of the pervasive human inclination to resist divine authority and pursue autonomy. Verse 2 continues, “The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one.” Here, we see a collective rebellion. The kings and rulers, representing the political and military might of the world, unite in their defiance. They scheme and strategize, convinced that they can overthrow God’s established order. Their rallying cry is found in verse 3: “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” This declaration reveals their desire for independence and self-rule. They view God’s authority as oppressive chains and seek to liberate themselves from what they perceive as divine bondage. This rebellious spirit is not just an ancient phenomenon but continues to manifest in various forms throughout history and even in our present day. The Divine Response: The psalmist then shifts our focus from the earth’s rebellion to the heavenly response in verses 4-6. “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.” (verse 4). This is a striking image. While the nations rage and plot, God responds with laughter and derision. This divine laughter is not born of amusement but of the absurdity and futility...
Welcome to Day 2401 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Is There Really a Sin Offering? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2401 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2401 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the tenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is, Is There Really a Sin Offering? Hebrews 10:4 asserts, For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins, but Leviticus seems to tell a different story. Even casually reading the book, we notice that Israelites who bring proper sacrifices “shall be forgiven” (e.g., Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35: 5:10, 13, 16, 18). Have we reached an impasse? Rather than labeling this a contradiction, we might examine our own perceptions of Old Testament sacrifices—specifically, the sin offering. “Sin-offering” is a translation of the Hebrew term chatta’ t, which has the basic meaning of “to miss the mark” or “to fall short.” In using a traditional, familiar rendering, many English Bible translations cause us to misunderstand this sacrifice. The Goal of the Sin Offering The label “sin offering” assumes that the goal of this sacrifice was forgiveness for moral failures or violations—sins as we think of them. Leviticus reveals this is not the case. The sin offering was used in cases where people suffered from a bodily discharge (Lev 15), at the dedication of a new altar (Lev 8), or when a Nazirite completes a vow of abstinence (Lev 12). The fundamental goal of the sin offering was ritual purification. It was designed to guard sacred space—territory sanctified by God’s presence—from infection by impurity. By definition, every person or object “falls short” of divine perfection and must be ritually marked (set apart) as acceptable for holy ground. The sin offering—better rendered as a “purification offering”—was therefore applied to people and inanimate objects to mark them as acceptable before God. These people (and objects) were not unacceptable because they had done evil, but because they were imperfect—they “fell short” of the holy perfection that God’s presence required. The ritual reinforced the idea of the complete otherness of God. Depending on the individual’s status in the community—whether priest or commoner—the blood of the offering was either used outside or inside the sanctuary. The blood was brought inside the sanctuary when the sin
Welcome to Day 2400 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 1:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2400 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2400 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re delving into the timeless wisdom of Psalm 1 from the New Living Translation. Psalm 1 serves as the gateway to the entire Book of Psalms, setting the stage with a powerful contrast between the righteous and the wicked. It offers profound insights on how to live a blessed life. So, let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the rich wisdom found in this beautiful psalm. Psalm 1 (NLT): 1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. 4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. The Path of the Righteous: Psalm 1 begins with a declaration of the joys and blessings experienced by those who choose the path of righteousness. Verse 1 states, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” This verse highlights the importance of the company we keep and the influence we allow in our lives. The righteous are those who consciously avoid the negative influences of the wicked, sinners, and mockers. Instead of following the world’s ways, the righteous delight in the law of the Lord, as we see in verse 2: “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” This delight and meditation on God’s Word are central to the righteous life. It is not a burdensome obligation but a source of joy and nourishment. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we align our hearts and minds with God’s will, allowing His wisdom to guide our steps. A Tree Planted by the Riverbank: In verse 3, the psalmist uses a vivid metaphor to describe the life of the righteous: “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” This imagery of a tree planted by the riverbank conveys stability, nourishment, and productivity. Just as a tree draws sustenance from the river, so the righteous draw life and strength from their relationship with God. The tree’s ability to bear fruit each season represents the consistent and enduring nature of a life rooted in God’s Word. Regardless of external circumstances, the righteous flourish and prosper...
Welcome to Day 2399 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2399 – Marching Orders for Soldiers of the Cross – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/09/2024 Our Strange Life – Marching Orders for Soldiers of the Cross. 1 Peter 4:7-11 Last week, our focus was on the attitude that we, as Christ's Followers, should have and on the possibility that our lives may shock the unbelieving crowd. Today, Peter gives us Marching Orders for Soldiers of the Cross. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 4:7-11, on page 1891 of your Pew Bibles. I will read it from the NIV and the NLT today to give us a better perspective of this passage. 7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. The name “Peter" and the adjective “practical" go hand in hand. Being married helped. So did his career as a fisherman. Before following Christ, Peter was a man of action, which is evident throughout Christ's ministry. Peter’s life consisted of tangible, practical things: boats, nets, fish, sweat, hard work, family—the nitty-gritty of real life. We shouldn’t be surprised to discover his rugged personality and to-the-point style flow through his writing. Being neither scholarly nor sophisticated, Peter had little interest in theoretical discussions. Truth was meant to be lived, not simply talked about and then ignored. The way he figured, if there is a cause worth fighting for, fight—don't philosophize! The man rolled up his sleeves and dug in if urgency required action. When Peter began to dictate this letter to suffering saints, he didn’t beat around the fig tree; he got down to basics. Urgency led to simplicity. Amid his discussion of facing suffering with hope in Christ, Peter can’t avoid the practical effects of living in light of Christ's return. He doesn't get bogged down speculating about the hows, whens, and wheres of the end times; he focuses instead on the question, “So what?" He answers this bottom-line...
Welcome to Day 2398 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2398 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2398 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re concluding our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. Our focus will be on Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 from the New Living Translation. These verses wrap up Solomon’s profound exploration of life’s meaning, providing us with final reflections and essential truths to live by. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless wisdom that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 (NLT): 8 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.” 9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly. 11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep. 12 But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out. 13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. The Teacher’s Final Verdict: Solomon begins his final reflections with a familiar refrain: “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless” (verse 8). This phrase might initially seem disheartening, but it’s crucial to understand its context. Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon has explored various aspects of life—wealth, pleasure, work, and wisdom—only to find that they are ultimately fleeting and unable to provide lasting fulfillment. By reiterating this statement at the end, Solomon emphasizes the futility of seeking meaning in worldly pursuits alone. This doesn’t mean life is without value; it underscores the importance of looking beyond temporary, earthly things to find true purpose and significance. The Teacher’s Role and Wisdom: In verses 9 and 10, Solomon reflects on his role as a teacher: “Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.” Solomon’s wisdom and dedication to teaching are evident. He listened carefully, studied diligently, and sought to convey truths clearly and effectively. His commitment to understanding and sharing wisdom highlights the importance of thoughtful reflection and communication. As we seek wisdom in our lives, we can learn from Solomon’s...
Welcome to Day 2397 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 12:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2397 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2397 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. Our focus will be on Ecclesiastes 12:1-6 from the New Living Translation. These verses are a poignant reminder about the inevitability of aging and the importance of remembering our Creator throughout our lives. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless wisdom that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 12:1-6 (NLT): 1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. 4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. 5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. 6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. Remembering Our Creator: Solomon begins this passage with a heartfelt exhortation: “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, ‘Life is not pleasant anymore’” (verse 1). This verse underscores the importance of establishing a relationship with God early in life. The vigor and excitement of youth can often lead us to neglect our spiritual lives, but Solomon warns against this. Instead, we should honor God while we are still young and full of energy. Remembering our Creator during our youth sets the foundation for a life that is grounded in faith and purpose. It helps us navigate the challenges and temptations that come with youth and instills values that guide us throughout our lives. By honoring God early, we build a strong spiritual foundation that sustains us as we grow older. The Inevitability of Aging: In verses 2-5, Solomon vividly describes aging: “Remember him before...
Welcome to Day 2396 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Counting the Ten Commandments – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2396 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2396 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the ninth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is Counting the Ten Commandments. One of the most enduring elements of the Bible and the Judaeo-Christian worldview within Western culture is the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. Even if one can’t recite them all, most people have seen the fiery finger of God etch the commandments into two stone tablets as Moses— for many of us, Charlton Heston—watches in awe. It seems to go without saying that the list of the Ten Commandments is something that Judaism and Christianity have always agreed upon. Well, that is not exactly true. Historically speaking, Jews and Christians—and even denominations within Christianity—have disagreed on exactly how the Ten Commandments should be listed and expressed. In fact, how to precisely spell out the commandments was an issue of considerable importance during the Protestant Reformation. The difference concerns how many commands are found in the first six verses and last two verses of Exodus 20:2-17, the initial listing of the commandments received by Moses at Sinai.- One point of context is required before we can understand the thinking behind the differences in the listing and expression of the commandments. Any listing of the commandments must result in a total of ten, because three other passages of Scripture fix the number of commandments at ten. Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13, and Deuteronomy 10:4 each clearly tell us that God gave Moses ‘asereth hadvarim (“ten words”; “ten statements”) at Sinai. Interestingly, the Jewish tradition treats the statement in Exodus 20:2 (compare Deut 5:6) as a command when the wording has no imperative force to it at all. This latitude arises from the fact that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament exclusively uses ‘asereth hadvarim (“ten words”) instead of ‘asereth hamitsvot (“ten commandments”) with respect to the contents of Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. After regarding Exodus 20:2 as the first “word” of the ten, verses 3-6 are thematically understood as speaking to a single prohibition: making idols for worship. There are actually three imperative statements in this group of verses ( You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything. You must not bow down to them or worship...
Welcome to Day 2395 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2395 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2395 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. Our focus will be on Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 from the New Living Translation. These verses offer profound insights into the fleeting nature of life, the importance of enjoying our days, and the sobering reminder of accountability. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless wisdom that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 (NLT): 7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning. 8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless. 9 Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless. The Sweetness of Life: Solomon begins this passage with a beautiful acknowledgment of the sweetness of life: “Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning” (verse 7). This verse captures the joy and gratitude we should feel for each new day. The dawn of a new day symbolizes hope, opportunities, and the simple pleasures of being alive. It’s a call to appreciate the gift of life and the beauty that each day brings. This perspective encourages us to start our days with a sense of wonder and thankfulness. The rising sun reminds us of God’s faithfulness and the continuous renewal cycle. Each new day is an opportunity to experience God’s grace, love, learn, and grow. By acknowledging the sweetness of life, we cultivate a heart of gratitude and joy. Rejoicing in Each Day: In verse 8, Solomon advises, “When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.” Here, Solomon emphasizes the importance of rejoicing in each day, regardless of our age. Every day is a gift and should be celebrated. However, he also reminds us that life is not without its challenges and dark days. This dual perspective is crucial. While we should find joy in each day, we must also recognize the reality of life’s hardships. Solomon’s mention that “everything still to come is meaningless” reminds us of the transient nature of our earthly existence. This doesn’t mean life is without value, but rather that we should not place ultimate significance on the temporal things of this world. Rejoicing each day involves embracing both the good and the bad, finding meaning in our experiences, and cherishing our moments. It’s about living...
Welcome to Day 2394 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2394 – How to Shock an Unbelieving Crowd 4:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/02/2024 Our Strange Life – How to Shock an Unbelieving Crowd. 1 Peter 4:1-6 Last week, we explored the importance of being a faithful Christ Follower and the necessity of public baptism for Focusing Fully on Jesus Christ. Today, we focus on the attitude that we, as Christ's Followers, should have and on the possibility that our lives may shock the unbelieving crowd. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 4:1-6, on page 1890 of your Pew Bibles. 1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. Throughout the New Testament, we read of the changed life that follows genuine conversion. When God freely and fully forgives the sins of our former life|when the righteousness of Christ is credited to our account |and the Spirit of God takes up residence in our hearts|then the old things pass away, and all things become new (2 Cor. 5:17). This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! The lifelong process of transformation begins. This radical series of changes alters our attitudes, inner motives, habits, and pursuits, as well as our choice of close friends. As far back as the first century, Peter wrote of all these things. Though almost two thousand years separate us from Peter’s original audience, there isn’t a Christian today who can't identify with the apostle’s words. Written for a particular time, they are nevertheless timeless. They speak with incredible relevance today, especially his comments regarding the reaction of those who don't know the Lord. In this section, Peter reminds us that because our citizenship is in heaven, the current world isn’t our true home in its current form until Jesus transforms it into a Global Eden upon his return. We're representatives, yes, Ambassadors of a different kingdom. And like foreign tourists visiting another country, we may be the only way people get a picture of what God's kingdom is like. As a result, unbelievers today will either be attracted or repelled by our heavenly home. -4:1-3- With the logical conjunction “therefore," Peter is saying in shorthand, “Now, in light of everything I have just written about Christ, I’m going to present you with some practical conclusions.” In the previous...
Welcome to Day 2393 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2393 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2393 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. Our focus will be on Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, Solomon offers profound insights into the principles of generosity, the unpredictability of life, and the importance of diligent work. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless wisdom that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 (NLT): 1 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you. 2 But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. 3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. 4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. 5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. 6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. The Principle of Generosity and Investment: Solomon begins this passage with a powerful metaphor about generosity and investment: “Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you” (verse 1). This suggests that we should not be afraid to take risks and invest our resources, whether they be financial, time, or talents. By putting our resources out into the world, we open up the possibility of future returns. It’s a call to action, encouraging us to be proactive and forward-thinking. In verse 2, Solomon advises, “But divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.” This introduces the principle of diversification. As wise investors spread their investments to mitigate risk, we should diversify our efforts and resources. This means not putting all our eggs in one basket but spreading out our resources to increase the chances of success and minimize potential losses. These verses teach us about the importance of generosity and strategic investment. By being generous and wise with our resources, we create opportunities for growth and future returns. It’s about taking calculated risks and being open to the possibilities that come from sharing what we have with the world. The Unpredictability of Life: Solomon then addresses the unpredictability of life in verse 3: “When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.” This verse reminds us that certain events in life...
Welcome to Day 2392 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 10:15-20 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2392 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2392 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be examining Ecclesiastes 10:15-20 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, Solomon provides us with deep insights into the consequences of foolishness and the importance of wisdom in leadership, work, and speech. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover Solomon’s timeless truths. Ecclesiastes 10:15-20 (NLT): 15 Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home. 16 What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant, the land whose leaders feast in the morning. 17 Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk. 18 Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house. 19 A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything! 20 Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said. The Futility of Foolishness: Solomon begins this section with a poignant observation about the nature of foolishness: “Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home” (verse 15). This verse paints a vivid picture of the ineffectiveness and incompetence of foolish people. They are overwhelmed by even the smallest tasks, to the point where they become disoriented and incapable of completing simple actions like finding their way home. This highlights the futility and lack of productivity that characterize foolishness. It serves as a reminder that wisdom involves not just knowing what to do, but having the capacity and determination to see tasks through to completion. The wise person approaches work with diligence and perseverance, ensuring that their efforts yield results rather than leaving them lost and exhausted. Wise Leadership vs. Foolish Leadership: In verses 16 and 17, Solomon contrasts the impact of wise and foolish leadership on a nation: “What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant, the land whose leaders feast in the morning. Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.” A nation suffers under leaders who behave foolishly, indulging in feasting and revelry at inappropriate times. Morning feasting, in this context, implies a lack of discipline and a neglect of responsibilities. Such behavior from leaders leads to sorrow and instability for the land they govern. This could be interpreted as leaders prioritizing their own pleasure over their
Welcome to Day 2391 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – A Tale of Courage We Never Teach – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2391 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2391 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the Eighth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is A Tale of Courage We Never Teach. Moses’ encounter with God in Exodus 4:21-26 is arguably one of the strangest, most confusing events recorded in the Bible. In this passage, Moses is en route to Egypt—seemingly following God’s call to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh’s vice-like grip. But then something shocking happens: 21 And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. 22 Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son. 23 I commanded you, “Let my son go, so he can worship me.” But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!’” 24 On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. 25 But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet[a] with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26 (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone. This passage is not only difficult and confusing, but it raises numerous questions. Why would God want to kill Moses right after calling him to deliver Israel? In addition to this theological conundrum, there are other uncertainties. We’re startled and confused when Zipporah, Moses’ wife (Exod 2:21), deals with this threat by immediately circumcising her son Gershom and touching the foreskin to Moses’ “feet.” What does that mean? And why would her action appease God’s wrath? Doing the Wrong Thing: Moses’ Negligence If we look at the original Hebrew text of this passage, we would notice that the name Moses does not actually appear in the phrase translated as “touched Moses’ feet.” The text literally reads, “touched his feet.” Consequently,...
Welcome to Day 2390 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 10:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2390 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2390 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we continue our journey through the profound insights of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be diving into Ecclesiastes 10:8-14 from the New Living Translation. These verses offer practical advice on the consequences of foolish actions, the importance of wisdom in work, and the impact of our words. Let’s set out on this trek together and uncover the wisdom that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 10:8-14 (NLT): 8 When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. 9 When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax. 10 Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. 11 If a snake bites before you charm it, what’s the use of being a snake charmer? 12 Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. 13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness; 14 they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future. The Consequences of Foolish Actions: Solomon begins this passage by highlighting the inherent dangers in everyday activities. In verses 8 and 9, he says, “When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax.” These verses illustrate that many tasks we undertake come with risks. Whether it’s digging, demolishing, quarrying, or chopping wood, each activity carries the potential for harm. This serves as a reminder to approach our work with caution and awareness. While we can’t eliminate all risks, we can mitigate them by being mindful of the dangers and taking appropriate precautions. Wisdom in our work means understanding the risks and preparing adequately to avoid unnecessary harm. The Importance of Wisdom in Work: In verse 10, Solomon shifts to the importance of wisdom in making our efforts more effective: “Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” This analogy of a dull ax emphasizes that working harder isn’t always the solution; working smarter is. A sharp ax makes the task of chopping wood easier and more efficient, just as wisdom makes our efforts more productive and less strenuous. Applying wisdom in our work means seeking the most effective methods and tools, planning carefully, and being prepared. It’s about making decisions that maximize our...
Welcome to Day 2389 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2389 – OUR STRANGE LIFE – FOCUSING FULLY ON JESUS CHRIST 1 PETER 3:8-17 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/26/2024 Our Strange Life – Focusing Fully on Jesus Christ 1 Peter 3:18-22 Last week, we moved forward with our overall submission theme as we learned how to have A Righteous Life and a Ready Defense utilizing the nine maturity checkpoints of our Christian faith. Today, we switch the focus of why we,| as Christ Followers,| may suffer for our faith to the One who suffered all for us in a message titled, Focusing Fully on Jesus Christ. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 3:18-22, on page 1890 of your Pew Bibles. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive,[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.[e] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. This passage of 1 Peter 3:18-22 is one of the most challenging passages to translate and interpret. Let’s look at this passage, focusing on its context to help us better grasp its content. — 3:18 — This section begins in the middle of a paragraph, a larger unit of Peter’s thought and argument. In the previous section, Peter referred to the believer’s appropriate response to unjust suffering (3:14-17). Believers who conduct their lives virtuously (3:8-12) sometimes incur unfair treatment as a result (3:14). Peter makes his point clear in 3:17: Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! At this point in the paragraph, Peter turns our attention to Christ, who exemplified unjust punishment. In 3:18-22, Christ alone is the focus of our attention. Peter outlines in summary fashion the significant movements of Christ from His suffering and death on our behalf (3:18) to His resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God (3:21-22). Sandwiched between the familiar recounting of Christ’s death and resurrection, we find a few brief statements about what Christ did amid His descent (3:19-20) and how we publicly associate ourselves with Christ’s death and resurrection...
Welcome to Day 2388 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 10:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2388 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2388 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we continue our expedition through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 10:1-7 from the New Living Translation. These verses offer valuable insights into the impact of foolishness and the importance of wisdom in various aspects of life. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless truths that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 10:1-7 (NLT): 1 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. 2 A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. 3 You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! Their common sense is lacking. 4 If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. 5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants! The Destructive Power of Foolishness: Guthrie: Solomon begins this passage with a striking metaphor: “As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor” (verse 1). This imagery vividly illustrates how even a small amount of foolishness can ruin the value of wisdom and honor. Just as a single fly can ruin the fragrance of an entire bottle of perfume, a minor act of foolishness can tarnish a person’s reputation and negate their accomplishments. This highlights the importance of guarding against even small foolish actions, as they can have disproportionate negative effects. The Path of Wisdom vs. the Path of Foolishness: In verses 2 and 3, Solomon contrasts the paths chosen by wise and foolish individuals: “A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! Their common sense is lacking.” Here, Solomon underscores that wisdom and foolishness are evident in people’s choices. The wise person deliberately selects the right path, demonstrating discernment and foresight. In contrast, the fool chooses poorly, often driven by impulse or lack of understanding. Solomon further states that foolishness is apparent even in simple actions, like walking down the street. This suggests that foolishness is not merely about major decisions or actions but is evident in everyday behavior. The lack of common sense and poor decision-making is visible to others, clearly marking the fool’s path. Responding to Authority with Wisdom:...
Welcome to Day 2387 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 9:9-18 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2387 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2387 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we continue our expedition through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 9:9-18 from the New Living Translation. These verses provide deep insights into the enjoyment of life, the reality of death, the value of wisdom, and the unpredictable nature of human endeavors. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless truths that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 9:9-18 (NLT): 9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. 10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. 11 I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. 12 People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy. 13 Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. 14 There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. 15 A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. 16 So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. 17 Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king. 18 Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good. The Enjoyment of Life: Solomon starts this passage by emphasizing the importance of enjoying life, particularly in the context of relationships. In verse 9, he says, “Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.” This highlights the significance of finding joy in the companionship of a loved one. Amidst the struggles and uncertainties of life, love and companionship are precious gifts from God. They provide solace and joy, making life’s toil more bearable and meaningful. In verse 10, Solomon advises, “Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or
Welcome to Day 2386 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Abandoned Child and the Basket Case – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2386 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2386 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the fourth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is The Abandoned Child and the Basket Case. In modern stories, people destined for greatness rarely start as privileged. They are dropped off at the doorstep of an orphanage or abandoned in the rain. This literary motif goes back to ancient stories, where writers use the abandoned child theme to identify a character that rises from obscurity to privileged hero status. It’s a motif found in the biblical account of Moses’ birth. But is that really the whole story? Moses’ story begins when Pharaoh feels threatened by the growing Hebrew population in Egypt and commands that all Hebrew male infants be killed (Exod 1:16-22). Moses’ mother hides her newborn son for three months and then devises a risky but calculated plan: She sets him adrift on the Nile in a small basket made of bulrushes, waterproofed with bitumen and pitch (2:1- 3). Moses’ older sister, Miriam, watches as the basket floats to where the daughter of Pharaoh bathes. God uses these circumstances to bring Moses under the protection of Egypt’s ruler (2:4-10). Ancient literature outside the Bible attests to several stories in which a child, perceived as a threat by an enemy, is abandoned and later spared by divine intervention or otherworldly circumstances. Roughly 30 stories like this survive in ancient Mesopotamia, Canaan, Greece, Egypt, Rome, and India literature. The Mesopotamian work known as the Sargon Birth Legend offers the most striking parallels to the biblical story. It relates the birth story of Sargon the Great, an Akkadian emperor who ruled several Sumerian city-states around 2000 BC, centuries before the time of Moses. The infant boy is born into great peril: His mother is a high priestess, and he is illegitimate. Consequently, his mother sets him adrift in a reed basket on a river. The boy is rescued and raised by a gardener named Akki in the town of Kish. He becomes a humble gardener in Akki’s service until the goddess Ishtar takes an interest in him, setting him on the path to kingship. Some assume that the biblical story of Moses’ birth was based on the Sargon Birth Legend, but this is unlikely. Although ancient Sumerian accounts of Sargon the Great date back to his lifetime, the legendary account of his birth is known from only four fragmentary tablets—three from the Neo-Assyrian period (934-605 bc) and one from the Neo-Babylonian
Welcome to Day 2385 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 9:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2385 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2385 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we continue our expedition through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 9:1-8 from the New Living Translation. These verses offer profound reflections on the uncertainties of life, the inevitability of death, and the importance of enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless truths that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 9:1-8 (NLT): 1 This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 2 The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t. 3 It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!” 5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. 7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! The Uncertainty of Life and God’s Sovereignty: Solomon begins this passage with a reflection on the unpredictability of life and God’s overarching sovereignty. In verse 1, he says, “Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor.” This acknowledges a profound truth: our lives are ultimately in God’s hands, and His favor or disfavor isn’t something we can always predict based on our actions. Despite our best efforts to live wisely and righteously, we can’t guarantee specific outcomes. This uncertainty invites us to trust in God’s plan, even when it’s beyond our understanding. The Common Destiny of All: In verses 2 and 3, Solomon observes a stark reality: “The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t. It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by...
Welcome to Day 2384 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2384 – OUR STRANGE LIFE – A RIGHTEOUS LIFE AND A READY DEFENSE1 PETER 3:8-17 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/19/2024 Our Strange Life – A Righteous Life and a Ready Defense 1 Peter 3:8-17 Last week, we shifted from submitting to government authorities and employers to how we should practice mutual submission in our home in a message titled, The Give-and-Take of Domestic Harmony. This week, we move forward with our overall submission theme as we learn how to have A Righteous Life and a Ready Defense. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 3:8-17, on page 1890 of your Pew Bibles. I will read it today from the NLT because the text flow is more personally applicable to our daily lives. 8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters.[a] Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. 11 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. 12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”[b] 13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way.[c] Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! Without a doubt, the process of spiritual growth is long and often painful. In route to maturity, we all spill our milk, say things we shouldn’t, and fail to act our age. Sometimes, we throw temper tantrums like toddlers, pout like preschoolers, or argue and complain like teens. We should conduct ourselves as mature believers and set an example for those younger in the faith. We may know what is right, but we don't have the will to do what's
Welcome to Day 2383 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 8:9-17 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2383 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2383 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we continue our expedition through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 8:9-17 from the New Living Translation. These verses provide deep insights into the perplexities of life, the problem of injustice, and the ultimate pursuit of understanding. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless truths that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 8:9-17 (NLT): 9 I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other. 10 I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless. 11 When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. 12 But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. 13 The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows. 14 And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless! 15 So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. 16 In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. 17 I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. The Perplexity of Injustice: Solomon starts this passage by reflecting on the injustice and the power dynamics that people face “under the sun.” In verse 9, he states, “I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other.” This acknowledges a harsh reality of human existence—the ability and propensity for people to harm one another. It’s a sobering reminder of the fallen nature of humanity and the complexities we navigate in our relationships and society. In verse 10, Solomon observes a troubling phenomenon: “I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless.” Here, he grapples with...
Welcome to Day 2382 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2382 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2382 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we continue our expedition through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 from the New Living Translation. These verses provide profound insights into the nature of wisdom, the complexities of authority, and the inevitability of death. Let’s embark on this trek together and uncover the timeless truths that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 (NLT): 1 How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness. 2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. 3 Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. 4 His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right. 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble. 7 Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen? 8 None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked. The Value of Wisdom: Solomon begins this passage by extolling the value of wisdom. In verse 1, he says, “How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness.” Here, Solomon highlights the transformative power of wisdom. It enables us to understand and interpret the complexities of life, bringing clarity and insight. Moreover, wisdom has a visible effect—it brightens our countenance and softens the harshness that life’s challenges can imprint on us. This is a beautiful reminder of how inner wisdom can radiate outwardly, impacting not only our thoughts but also our demeanor. Navigating Authority: In verses 2 to 4, Solomon addresses our relationship with authority: “Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it.” These verses remind us of the importance of respecting and obeying authority. Solomon acknowledges the power that leaders wield and the potential consequences of defiance. The exhortation to obey the king is rooted in a vow to God, indicating that our respect for authority is ultimately an expression of our reverence for God. Avoiding our responsibilities or aligning with those who oppose...
Welcome to Day 2381 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Why Circumcision? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2381 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2381 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the fourth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is Why Circumcision? Circumcision is mentioned nearly 100 times in the Bible. It is a central focus for Old Testament and New Testament theology (Rom 4:9-12: Gal 2:1-12: 5:1-10). If we’re honest, that just sounds absurd. Circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen 17:9-14), but it was also widely practiced in the ancient Near East (the method, though, wasn’t always the same). Jeremiah 9:25-26 notes that Israel’s neighbors were circumcised. Archaeologists have also found that it was practiced in Syria and Phoenicia. Textual remains indicate that circumcision in Egypt goes back to at least 2200 BC, centuries before the Israelites were enslaved. Israelite men may have even submitted to Egyptian circumcision while in Egypt, since Joshua commanded the men crossing into the promised land to be recircumcised in order to “roll away the reproach of Egypt” (Josh 5:2, 9). The evidence suggests that circumcision did not distinguish Israelite men from their foreign neighbors. When God told Abraham to be circumcised, he was past the age of bearing children, and his wife, Sarah, was incapable of having children (Gen 18:11). Nevertheless, it would be through Sarah’s womb (Gen 17:21: 18:14) that God would fulfill His promise of innumerable offspring to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3). God’s covenant with Abraham could only be realized by miraculous intervention. The miraculous nature of Isaac’s birth is the key to understanding circumcision as the sign of the covenant. After God made His promise to Abraham, every male member of Abraham’s household was required to be circumcised (Gen 17:15-27). Every male—and every woman, since the males were all incapacitated for a time—knew that circumcision was connected to God’s promise. It probably didn’t make any sense, though, until Sarah became pregnant. Everyone in Abraham’s household witnessed the miracle of Isaac’s birth. From that point on, every male understood why they had been circumcised: Their entire race—their very existence—began with a miraculous act of God. Every woman was reminded of this when she had sexual relations with her Israelite husband and when her sons were circumcised. Circumcision was a visible, continuous reminder that Israel owed its...
Welcome to Day 2380 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 7:23-29 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2380 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2380 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we will delve into Ecclesiastes 7:23-29 from the New Living Translation. These verses provide a profound exploration of wisdom, human nature, and the pursuit of understanding. Let’s walk this path together and uncover the timeless truths that Solomon shares with us. Ecclesiastes 7:23-29 (NLT): 23 I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work. 24 Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find. 25 I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness. 26 I discovered that a seductive woman is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare. 27 “This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle. 28 Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman! 29 But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.” The Elusiveness of Wisdom: Solomon begins this passage by sharing his personal pursuit of wisdom. In verse 23, he reflects, “I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, ‘I am determined to be wise.’ But it didn’t work.” Despite his efforts, Solomon finds wisdom elusive. This honest admission underscores a critical truth: the pursuit of wisdom is a lifelong journey, often filled with challenges and setbacks. No matter how determined we are, wisdom is not something we can fully grasp or contain. In verse 24, Solomon emphasizes this further: “Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.” True wisdom often feels just out of reach, perpetually challenging us to keep seeking, learning, and growing. It’s a humbling reminder that wisdom is not a destination but a journey—a path we must continually walk with patience and perseverance. The Search for Understanding: Solomon’s quest for understanding continues in verse 25: “I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.” Here, Solomon describes his relentless pursuit to understand life’s deeper truths and the nature of wickedness and foolishness. His determination to uncover
Welcome to Day 2379 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2379 – OUR STRANGE LIFE – THE GIVE AND TAKE OF DOMESTIC HARMONY 1 PETER 3:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/12/2024 Our Strange Life – The Give and Take of Domestic Harmony 1 Peter 3:1-7 Last week, we realized that as Christ followers, we will not only be the recipients of unjust treatment at times but that there are benefits in bearing the brunt of that treatment in a message titled, Pressing on Even Though Ripped Off. This week, we are shifting from submitting to government authorities and employers to how we should practice mutual submission in our home in a message titled, The Give-and-Take of Domestic Harmony. I know some of you no longer have a spouse, so this message may not be directly applicable, but use Peter's lessons to help friends and family that may need your advice. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 3:1-7, on page 1889 of your Pew Bibles. I will read it today from the NLT because it focuses more clearly on keywords. 1 In the same way, your wives must accept your husbands' authority. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent lives. 3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. 6 For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do. 7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should| so your prayers will not be hindered. Just like it is impossible to drive a car with two steering wheels and each spouse trying to wrestle control from the other, a better analogy for a healthy marriage is that of a row boat, where both must paddle in harmony to make any progress. Having been married to Paula for forty-five years this August, I've become a realist about marriage— not an idealist. While overall, our marriage has been rock-solid and, yes, even pleasant, there have been years of learning and growth, which includes difficulty, delight, discovery, heartaches, disappointments, hurtful times, and ecstatic moments together. These experiences have made our marriage stronger. The apostle Peter, too, spoke about marriage, but not from some remote prophet's cave or in a scholar's ivory tower.| No, Peter was married. His wife accompanied him on many of his travels (1 Cor. 9:5). They were co-workers in the Kingdom of God. Peter knew firsthand the struggles all married couples endure. Like a diamond in a platinum...
Welcome to Day 2378 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2378 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2378 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll continue our journey through the profound and thought-provoking book of Ecclesiastes. We’re diving into Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 from the New Living Translation. These verses provide deep insights into the complexities of life, the importance of balanced living, and the value of humility and wisdom. Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 (NLT): 15 I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. 16 So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? 17 On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time? 18 Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes. 19 One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town! 20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. 21 Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you. The Paradoxes of Life: Solomon begins by reflecting on the paradoxes he has observed in life. He has seen good people die young and wicked people live long lives. This observation highlights the apparent randomness and unpredictability of life. It challenges our assumptions about justice and fairness in this world. Solomon uses these paradoxes to introduce a crucial point: life often defies our expectations, and trying to make sense of it through human wisdom alone can be frustrating. In verses 16 and 17, Solomon advises against extremes. He warns, “Don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?” and conversely, “Don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?” This might sound strange at first. Is Solomon suggesting we shouldn’t strive for goodness or wisdom? Not at all. He’s cautioning against self-righteousness and pretentious wisdom, which can lead to pride and self-destruction. On the flip side, he’s warning against wickedness and foolishness, which can lead to an early demise. The key here is balance. Solomon is advocating for a balanced life where one avoids the extremes of self-righteousness and wickedness. It’s about living wisely within the boundaries set by God, recognizing our human limitations and the complexities of life. In verse 18, Solomon provides the solution: “Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.” The fear of God is the foundation for balanced living. Reverence for God keeps us from veering too far into self-righteousness or wickedness. It grounds us in humility, reminding us of our place before an almighty, sovereign Creator. It’s about recognizing that while we strive to live rightly, we must do so with a humble heart, aware...
Welcome to Day 2377 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2377 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2377 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be exploring Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 (NLT): 1 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. 2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. 4 A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. 5 Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool. 6 A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless. 7 Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart. 8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. 9 Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool. 10 Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. 11 Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life. 12 Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life. 13 Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? 14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. Value of a Good Reputation: Solomon begins by emphasizing the value of a good reputation. He says it’s more valuable than costly perfume and declares that the day you die is better than the day you are born. The Reality of Death: He encourages us to spend our time at funerals rather than at parties, as everyone dies, and the living should take this to heart. The Refining Influence of Sorrow: Solomon reflects on the refining influence of sorrow, noting that it’s better than laughter. The Importance of Thinking About Death: He contrasts the mindset of the wise, who think a lot about death, with that of fools, who think only about having a good time. Value of Constructive Criticism: Solomon advises that it’s better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool. The Fleeting Nature of Foolishness: He compares the fleeting nature of a fool’s laughter to thorns crackling in a fire, declaring it to be meaningless. The Corrupting Influence of Extortion and Bribes: Solomon warns that...
Welcome to Day 2376 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Spellchecking the Bible – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2376 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2376 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the fourth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is Spellchecking the Bible. The words of the original biblical text cannot always be read with certainty. Genesis 49:10 is a famous example. These three translations show the differences. NASB ESV NIV “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” Three translators arrived at different conclusions because the Hebrew text itself is ambiguous. The problem is one word made up of four Hebrew letters translated (shiyloh). The NASB takes these four letters as the spelling “Shiloh,” the place where the ark of the covenant was kept during the days of the Judges, Samuel, and David. As it is written, this is how the word should be pronounced, but “Shiloh" is not spelled this way anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible.- The odd spelling has led many translators to suspect that “Shiloh" is not the correct translation. Another problem with translating this word as “Shiloh" is that the Septuagint —the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible produced a few centuries before Christ, which is often quoted by the New Testament writers—has a different rendering. The Septuagint literally reads: “until that which is stored away for him comes." The Hebrew text used by the Septuagint translator did not read (shiyloh). The Septuagint translator saw one of two things. The four consonants in our problem word could have been divided into two words: (shay loh). That option would result in “until tribute comes—is brought to him."- The ESV reflects this option. Or the...
Welcome to Day 2375 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2375 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2375 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our exploration of the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 (NLT): 10 Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny. 11 The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they? 12 In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone? Acceptance of Destiny: Solomon begins by acknowledging the predetermined nature of human destiny. He says that everything has already been decided, and it was known long ago what each person would be. Therefore, there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny. The Futility of Many Words: Solomon then reflects on the futility of many words. He observes that the more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they? Uncertainty of Life: He contemplates life’s uncertainty, noting our existence’s brevity and meaninglessness. Solomon questions how our days can best be spent in the few days of our meaningless lives. Life’s Transience: He compares our lives to a shadow, fleeting and insubstantial. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone? Key Takeaways: As we reflect on Solomon’s words, there are several key takeaways we can glean: 1. Acceptance of Destiny: Solomon encourages us to accept our predetermined destiny, as it was known long ago by God. 2. The Futility of Many Words: He reflects on the futility of many words, noting that the more we speak, the less our words mean. 3. Uncertainty of Life: Solomon contemplates the brevity and meaninglessness of life, questioning how our days can best be spent. 4. Life’s Transience: He compares our lives to a shadow, acknowledging their fleeting and insubstantial nature.
Conclusion: So, as we continue our journey, let’s remember to accept our destiny and make the most of our time. Let’s be mindful of the words we speak, and let’s not be consumed by the uncertainty of life. Join me next time as we delve further into the book of Ecclesiastes. Until then, keep seeking wisdom, keep making the most of each day, and keep making a positive impact on the world around you. Reflect… If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’. Thank you so...
Welcome to Day 2374 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2374 – OUR LIVING HOPE – PRESSING ON EVEN THOUGH RIPPED OFF 1 PETER 2:13-25 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/05/2024 Our Strange Life – Pressing on Even Though Ripped Off 1 Peter 2:13-25 Last week, we explored how we, as God’s Chosen People, are Becoming Living Stones. This week, we need to understand that we, as Christ followers, will not only be the recipients of unjust treatment at times but that there are benefits in bearing the brunt of that treatment in a message titled, Pressing on Even Though Ripped Off. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 2:13-25, on pages 1888 and 1889 of your Pew Bibles. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e] 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Have you ever bought a used car and realized a few weeks later that you got a lemon? Ever drop $100 on the latest supplement or fade diet>regimen guaranteed to make you healthy, wealthy, and wise? Who hasn't been hoodwinked by a smooth-talking salesman in a striped suit with styled hair and patent leather shoes? And who hasn't been burned by a glitzy political campaign that promised much more than it delivered?
Welcome to Day 2373 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2373 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2373 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be exploring Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 (NLT): 1 There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. 2 God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy. 3 A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead. 4 His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn’t even have had a name, 5 and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man. 6 He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use? 7 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough. 8 So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others? 9 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind. The Tragedy of Unenjoyed Wealth: Solomon begins by describing another serious tragedy he has seen under the sun, one that weighs heavily on humanity. He observes that God gives some people great wealth, honor, and everything they could ever want, only for them to die without having the chance to enjoy these things. Instead, someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth. Solomon finds this meaningless and a sickening tragedy. The Futility of Unfulfilled Life: Solomon continues by reflecting on the futility of an unfulfilled life. He imagines a man who lives to be very old and has a large family, yet finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even receive a decent burial. Solomon concludes that it would have been better for him to be born dead, as his life would have been meaningless, and he would have had more peace. The Search for Contentment: Solomon questions whether wise people are really better off than fools. He wonders if poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others. The Pursuit of Wealth: He observes that everyone spends their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to...
Welcome to Day 2372 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2372 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2372 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our exploration of the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be diving into Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 (NLT): 8 Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. 9 Even the king milks the land for his own profit! 10 Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! 11 The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what is the advantage of wealth—except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers! 12 People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep. 13 There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. 14 Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. 15 We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us. 16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry. 18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. 20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past. Oppression and Injustice: Solomon begins by addressing the reality of oppression and injustice in the world. He warns not to be surprised if we see the poor being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is miscarried throughout the land. Corruption in Authority: He attributes this to the corruption within the system. Solomon observes that every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice often get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. He even points out that the king himself often exploits the land for his own profit. The Illusion of Wealth: Solomon then reflects on...
Welcome to Day 2371 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Even The Bible Needed Upgrading – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2371 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2371 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the third lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is Even The Bible Needed Upgrading. Wait a minute. The Bible needed an upgrade? Those sound like fighting words to anyone with a high view of Scripture. An upgrade implies that something needs updating, but the Bible is timeless! That’s true, but in this case, I would have to excuse myself from the ring. I wouldn’t want to tangle with those responsible for the improvements: the biblical writers and, well, the Spirit of God. Believe it or not, there is evidence that the Bible was updated.- That may sound strange, but if you read closely, it’s undeniable. Take Genesis 14:14 as an illustration: When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. Did you notice the problem? This is the time of Abram, a time before Moses and Joshua—before there was a promised land divided among the tribes of Israel. There wasn’t even an Israel yet. So, what’s up with the reference to the land that belonged to the tribe of Dan? If we plotted out the battle between Abram described in this verse on a map, with place names appropriate for Abram’s day, we’d see that the writer meant that the enemy was pursued all the way to a place called Laish, not Dan. Many Bible critics would call this an error, but it isn’t. Much later, in the days of Israel’s judges, Laish was renamed as Dan: They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel’s son, but it had originally been called Laish. (Judg 18:29). Evidently, an unnamed editor updated the text of Genesis 14:14 after the name change took place. The editor likely did this to make sure readers of his own day would understand the geography. In other instances, an editor repurposed something already written in the Bible to make it preach to their community. Psalm 51 is well known as a record of David’s repentance after his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. The psalm, though, ends by asking God to “Look with favor on Zion” and, with the command, “rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.” (Psa 51:18-19). The walls of Jerusalem were not in need of repair until after God’s people were exiled,...
Welcome to Day 2370 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2370 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2370 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Ecclesiastes. We’ll be exploring Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (NLT): 1 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. 3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. 4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. 6 Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. 7 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead. Respectful Worship: Solomon begins by offering guidance on worship. He advises that as we enter the house of God, we should keep our ears open and our mouths shut. It’s evil to make mindless offerings to God. Caution in Making Promises: Solomon then warns against making rash promises and being hasty in bringing matters before God. He reminds us that God is in heaven, and we are here on earth, so we should let our words be few. Fulfilling Promises: However, Solomon also emphasizes the importance of keeping the promises we make to God. He advises not to delay in following through, as God takes no pleasure in fools. Value of Silence: Solomon then highlights the value of silence. He says it’s better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Too much activity and too many words can lead to restlessness and foolishness. Guarding Your Words: He warns against letting our mouths make us sin and advises against defending ourselves by telling the Temple messenger that a promise was a mistake. Doing so would anger God and could result in losing everything we have achieved. Fear God: Solomon concludes by reminding us that talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Instead, we should fear God. Key Takeaways: As we reflect on Solomon’s words, there are several key takeaways we can glean: 1. Respectful Worship: Solomon emphasizes the importance of respectful worship, advising us to keep our ears open and our mouths shut in the house of God. 2. Caution in Making Promises: He warns against
Welcome to Day 2369 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2369 – OUR LIVING HOPE – BECOMING LIVING STONES 1 PETER 2:4-12 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/28/2024 Our Living Hope – Becoming Living Stones 1 Peter 2:4-12 Last week, we will investigate the Reasons for Pulling Together as Christians within a church setting and throughout our lives. This week, we will explore how we, as God’s Chosen People, are Becoming Living Stones. Today’s passage is 1 Peter 2:4-12, and I will read it from the NLT because it provides a better flow of Peter's message for us in the 21st century. 4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.[a] Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,[b] chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[c] 7 Yes, you who trust him ->recognize the honor God has given him.[d] But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”[e] 8 And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.”[f] They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[
Welcome to Day 2368 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2368 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2368 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re exploring Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 (NLT): 13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. 14 Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. 15 But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. 16 Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Value of Wisdom: Solomon begins by highlighting the value of wisdom. He says it’s better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. Success of a Wise Youth: Solomon illustrates this point by saying that such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, despite having been in prison. Fleeting Nature of Success: However, Solomon notes the fleeting nature of success. He says that everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces the former king. Cycle of Rejection: He observes that endless crowds stand around the new king, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. Solomon concludes that it’s all meaningless—like chasing the wind. Key Takeaways: As we reflect on Solomon’s words, there are a few key takeaways we can glean: 1. Value of Wisdom: Solomon emphasizes the importance of wisdom, stating that it is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king. 2. Potential for Success: He illustrates how a wise youth can rise from poverty and succeed, even becoming king. 3. Fleeting Nature of Success: Solomon highlights the fleeting nature of success, noting how quickly people can be replaced and forgotten. 4. Meaninglessness of Pursuing Power: Finally, he concludes that the pursuit of power and success is ultimately meaningless, like chasing the wind.
Conclusion: So, as we navigate our own journeys, let’s remember the value of wisdom. Let’s seek to be wise, regardless of our station in life. And let’s not be fooled by the fleeting nature of success and power. Join me next time as we continue our trek through the book of Ecclesiastes. Until then, keep seeking wisdom, keep striving for excellence, and keep making a positive impact on the world around you. Reflect… If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’. Thank you so much for
Welcome to Day 2367 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2367 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2367 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re diving into Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 (NLT): 7 I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. 8 This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing. 9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Meaninglessness of Solitude: Solomon begins by observing yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. He describes the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother. Despite working hard to amass wealth, he finds himself asking, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It all seems so meaningless and depressing. Strength in Unity: Solomon then contrasts the solitude of the individual with the strength found in companionship. He declares that two people are better off than one because they can help each other succeed. Support in Times of Trouble: He illustrates this by saying that if one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Warmth in Companionship: Solomon further emphasizes the benefits of companionship by noting that two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? Protection in Numbers: Finally, Solomon highlights the protection found in numbers. He notes that a person standing alone can be easily attacked and defeated. But two can stand back-to-back and conquer. And he goes even further, saying that three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Key Takeaways: As we reflect on Solomon’s words, there are several key takeaways we can glean: 1. Meaninglessness of Solitude: Solomon observes that working alone and amassing wealth without companionship can lead to a sense of meaninglessness and depression. 2. Strength in Unity: He extols the benefits of companionship, noting that two people are better off than one because they can help each other succeed. 3. Support in Times of Trouble:...
Welcome to Day 2366 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Walk Like an Israelite – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2366 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2366 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the second lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Bible scholar and professor Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is Walk Like an Israelite. Dr. Heiser said that cuneiform tablets changed my life. He wasn’t kidding. As he looked back on his 15 years of graduate school in biblical studies, the turning point in how he viewed the Bible was his course in Ugaritic, a cuneiform language very similar to biblical Hebrew. This class compelled him to transform “read the Bible in context” from a naïve platitude to an issue of spiritual integrity. A Bible Study Epiphany Most of us have the impression that interpreting the Bible in context meant learning about a piece of pottery here, an odd custom there, or having a factual acquaintance with who was alive, and what those people were doing at the time of the biblical events. But in his Ugaritic course, he learned that all of that can divorce the Bible from the ancient world in one critical way: It can exclude religious or theological ideas from all the “context talk.” It’s easy to presume that most of the Bible’s theological content was unique to Israel. Most of us learned that Israel shared some cultural customs with pagan Gentiles—like diet, dress, marriage, and family structure. But we thought Israel’s religious worldview was handed down from heaven, having no common links with paganism. That is not true, and the content of the tablets that have been translated since they were discovered in the past centuries changes the previous mindset. For starters, the people of Ugarit, a city-state in ancient Syria, described their gods with words and phrases that are in the Old Testament—in many cases, word for word. Their chief deity shared the same name (El) as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (But the El of Ugarit could hardly be called holy by biblical standards.) The honorary titles and other descriptions of the Ugarit El and his primary assistant, Baal, are applied to the God of Israel in many passages in the Old Testament. There are other examples. The behavior of prophets and the use of divination (casting lots, consulting the ephod) have clear ancient Near Eastern parallels. The design and purpose of the Ark of the Covenant align well with the use of sacred boxes known as palanquins in ancient Egypt. Trial by ordeal—such as that found in Numbers 5, where a woman accused of adultery must drink a potion to test her fidelity—occurred in surrounding cultures. Terms for Israelite sacrifices are found in ancient Gentile...
Welcome to Day 2365 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2365 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2365 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re diving into Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 from the New Living Translation, where Solomon shares some profound insights on the vanity of life under the sun. Let’s jump right in. 1 Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. 2 So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. 3 But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun. Observing Oppression: Solomon begins by painting a vivid picture of the oppression he witnessed under the sun. He saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors held great power, leaving their victims utterly helpless. He describes it as a bleak and stark reality. The Better State of the Dead: Faced with this harsh reality, Solomon comes to a startling conclusion. He believes that the dead are actually better off than the living. In death, they are free from the oppression and suffering that plague the living. Fortune of the Unborn: But Solomon doesn’t stop there. He goes a step further, declaring that the most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. Why? Because they have not yet seen the evil that is done under the sun. They are spared from experiencing the pain and suffering of this world. Continuation of Vanity: 4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. 5 “Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” 6 And yet, “Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.” Motivation by Envy: Solomon’s observations don’t stop with the oppression he sees. He also notices that many people are driven by envy. They’re motivated to succeed because they envy what their neighbors have. But Solomon sees this pursuit as futile, as meaningless as chasing the wind. Folly of Idleness: On the flip side, Solomon also observes the folly of idleness. He says that fools fold their idle hands, which leads them to ruin. There’s a danger in laziness and inactivity. Contentment over Wealth: In contrast, Solomon advocates for contentment. He says it’s better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and the constant pursuit of more. Key Takeaways: As we reflect on Solomon’s words, there are some key takeaways we can glean: 1. Recognition of Oppression: Solomon doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the oppression and...
Welcome to Day 2364 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2364 – OUR LIVING HOPE – STAYING CLEAN IN A CORRUPT SOCIETY 1 PETER 1:22-2:3 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/21/2024 Our Living Hope – Reasons for Pulling Together 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 Last week, we asked, and hopefully answered, “How can I stay clean in a corrupt society?” This is crucial to have a Biblical impact on society as ambassadors for God's Kingdom. This week, we will investigate the Reasons for Pulling Together as Christians within a church setting and throughout our lives. Let me start today with a short story. Before Andrew Jackson became the seventh president of the United States, he served as commander of the Tennessee militia. During the War of 1812, his troops reached an all-time low in their morale. A critical spirit spread among them. They argued, bickered, and fought amongst themselves. Reportedly, Jackson called them all together on one occasion when tensions reached a breaking point and said, “Gentlemen! Let's remember, the enemy is not here; it is over there!" Our politicians today would do well to remember these words. What a sobering reminder for the church today! As we explore the next section in 1 Peter, we will learn “Reasons for Pulling Together.” In John 13:35, Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This verse is the basis for our closing hymn. To our shame, the world sometimes looks on Bible-believing Christians as self-seeking and factious, even unloving and argumentative. We aren't always known for our love and support for one another. Instead of being loyal and fiercely committed to each other, in some churches, they tend to look for ways to pick at each other, to put down rather than build up. How strange! Fortunately, this is not the spirit that we have here at Putnam. The frequent occurrences of brother bashing and sister smashing indicate that we need to remind ourselves of the reasons for pulling together. Let’s begin our study by reading 1 Peter 1:22 – 2:3 on page 1887 in your Pew Bibles. 22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.[b] 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[c] And this is the word that was preached to you. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn...
Welcome to Day 2363 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2363 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2363 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re exploring Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 from the New Living Translation. Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 (NLT): 16 I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! 17 I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.” 18 I also thought about the human condition—how God proves to people that they are like animals. 19 For people and animals share the same fate—both breathe and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! 20 Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust. 21 For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is our lot in life. And no one can bring us back to see what happens after we die. Corruption in the Courtroom: Solomon starts by addressing the corruption he sees even in the courtroom. He observes that, under the sun, there is evil in the justice system. Even the courts of law are not immune to corruption. Divine Judgment: But Solomon doesn’t lose hope. He reminds himself that, in due season, God will judge everyone, both the good and the bad, for all their deeds. Human Condition: Solomon then reflects on the human condition. He ponders how God proves to people that they are no different from animals. Both humans and animals share the same fate—they both breathe, and they both must die. Solomon finds this reality to be meaningless. Equality in Death: In death, Solomon sees equality. Both humans and animals go to the same place—they come from dust, and they return to dust. There’s no real advantage that humans have over animals. Uncertainty of the Afterlife: Solomon wrestles with the question of what happens after death. He asks, who can prove that the human spirit goes up while the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? It’s a question that remains unanswered. Finding Happiness in Work: Despite these existential questions, Solomon finds a glimmer of hope. He sees that there is nothing better for people than to find happiness in their work. That, he concludes, is our lot in life. And no one can bring us back to see what happens after we die. Key Takeaways: As we reflect on Solomon’s words, there are a few key takeaways we can glean: 1. Corruption Exists: Solomon acknowledges the presence of evil and corruption even in places meant for justice. 2. Divine Judgment: He finds hope in the idea that God...
Welcome to Day 2362 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2362 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2362 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, the Teacher continues to reflect on the cyclical nature of life and the appointed times for various activities. He acknowledges the beauty and purpose of God’s timing, emphasizing the importance of embracing each season of life. Let’s uncover the profound insights found in Ecclesiastes 3:9-15. Verses 9-10: “What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.” The Teacher reflects on the futility of human labor and the burden that God has placed on all people. He acknowledges the reality that despite our efforts, we cannot control the outcome of our labor. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the futility of human labor? The Teacher acknowledges the futility of human labor and the burden that God has placed on all people. He recognizes that despite our efforts, we cannot control the outcome of our labor. Now, let’s explore verses 11-13. “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.” The Teacher acknowledges the beauty and purpose of God’s timing, recognizing that God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He acknowledges the eternal nature of human existence, with God planting eternity in the human heart. Despite our inability to see the whole scope of God’s work, the Teacher concludes that there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. He emphasizes the importance of eating, drinking, and enjoying the fruits of our labor, recognizing that these are gifts from God. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the beauty and purpose of God’s timing? The Teacher acknowledges the beauty and purpose of God’s timing, recognizing that God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He emphasizes the eternal nature of human existence, with God planting eternity in the human heart. Despite our inability to see the whole scope of God’s work, the Teacher encourages us to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can, recognizing that these are gifts from God. Now, let’s examine verses 14-15. “And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.” The Teacher...
Welcome to Day 2361 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – The Ancient’s Guide to the Galaxy - I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2361 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2361 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the first lesson in a new segment called Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Bible scholar and professor Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today, our lesson is The Ancient’s Guide to the Galaxy. God chose a specific time, place, and culture to inspire people to produce what we read in the Old Testament: the ancient Mediterranean and the ancient Near East of the second and first millennia BC. Understanding the worldview of this culture can lead to a more faithful understanding of Scripture on our part, especially when it comes to understanding how the Israelites viewed God and the universe. Let’s first examine how they understood Old Testament Cosmology. “Cosmology” refers to how we understand the universe’s structure. The biblical writers’ conception of how God structured the heavens and earth represents a particular cosmology. The Israelites believed in a universe that was common among the ancient civilizations of the biblical world. It encompassed three parts: a heavenly realm, an earthly realm for humans, and an underworld for the dead. These three tiers are reflected in the Ten Commandments: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exod. 20:4). Second, let’s examine how they understood The Heavens We find an Israelite understanding of the heavens in Genesis 1:6-8, which describes it as an expanse, with waters above and below: “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse (raqia) in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’... And it was so. And God called the expanse (raqia) Heaven or sky.” The Heaven or sky thought to be a solid firmament, separated the waters above from the waters below: “When he established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep” (Prov 8:27-28). The firmament dome surrounded the earth, with its edge meeting at the horizon—“the boundary between light and darkness” (Job 26:10). It was supported by “pillars” or “foundations,” thought to be the tops of mountains, whose peaks appeared to touch the sky. The heavens had doors and windows through which rain or the waters
Welcome to Day 2360 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2360 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2360 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be delving into Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, the Teacher reflects on the cyclical nature of life and the appointed times for various activities. He contrasts the times of sorrow and joy, mourning and dancing, to emphasize the balance and rhythm of life. Let’s uncover the profound insights found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Verses 1-2: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.” The Teacher begins by acknowledging the cyclical nature of life and the appointed times for various activities. He recognizes that there is a time for every activity under heaven, including birth and death, planting and harvesting. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the appointed times for different activities? The Teacher emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and the appointed times for various activities. He recognizes that life is characterized by seasons, each with its own purpose and timing. Now, let’s explore verses 3-5. “A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.” The Teacher continues to contrast the times of sorrow and joy, mourning and dancing, to emphasize the balance and rhythm of life. He recognizes that there is a time for both destruction and construction, sadness and joy, mourning and dancing. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the contrasting times of sorrow and joy? The Teacher highlights the balance and rhythm of life, acknowledging that there is a time for both sorrow and joy, mourning and dancing. He recognizes that life is characterized by a series of contrasts, each contributing to the richness of human experience. Now, let’s examine verses 6-8. “A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.” The Teacher continues to contrast various activities and emotions to emphasize the balance and rhythm of life. He acknowledges that there is a time for searching and a time for giving up, a time for keeping and a time for throwing away, a time for tearing and a time for mending. He also recognizes that there is a time for silence and a time for speech, a time for love and a time for hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the contrasting times of searching and quitting, keeping and throwing away, tearing and mending, silence and speech, love and hate, war and peace? The Teacher celebrates the...
Welcome to Day 2359 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2355 – OUR LIVING HOPE – STAYING CLEAN IN A CORRUPT SOCIETY 1 PETER 1:13-21 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/14/2024 Our Living Hope – Staying Clean in a Corrupt Society 1 Peter 1:13-21 Last week, we began an extended, systematic study of the letters of 1st and 2nd Peter. Our message was “Smiling Through Suffering.” We highlighted the grace that strengthens us to go on in spite of our circumstances, and Peter shines the light on the resurrected Christ| not on us or the world| as the one reliable source of living hope in hurtful times. Peter emphasizes hope to go on despite suffering. This hope grows stronger as we focus on the relief we’ll enjoy in our heavenly home.| Still focusing on the believer’s life in this fallen world, Peter now shifts his emphasis from physical trials to spiritual temptations. If the question last week was, “How can I remain joyful while suffering?” the question this week is, “How can I stay clean in a corrupt society?” The Bible does not encourage us to become hermits, monks, or Utopians. Believers have a mission to accomplish in the world; therefore, we can’t afford to lock ourselves outside it. The Christian’s solution to the problem of holy living in an unholy world is not isolation; it’s insulation. This is why 1 Peter 1:13-21 challenges us to be different from our depraved society without fleeing to the caves, cloisters, or communes. Let’s begin our study reading 1 Peter 1:13-21 on page 1887 in your Pew Bibles. 13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a] 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. -1:13-16- I can imagine that Peter dictated the first twelve verses of his letter in a posture of praise as he paced the room in Rome where he was staying. Perhaps he stared out the window, directing his prayerful words partly to his secretary, Silas, and partly to his heavenly Father, as he praised Him for the living hope believers have through Christ.
Welcome to Day 2358 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2358 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2358 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll dive into Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, the Teacher reflects on the futility of amassing wealth and possessions, recognizing the transience of human existence and the importance of finding joy in life’s simple pleasures. Let’s uncover the timeless wisdom found in Ecclesiastes 2:18-26. Verse 18: “I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned.” The Teacher laments the fleeting nature of his labor and the reality that he must eventually leave his wealth and possessions to others. What insights does the Teacher offer regarding the accumulation of wealth? The Teacher recognizes the temporary nature of earthly possessions and the futility of amassing wealth that cannot be taken beyond the grave. He realizes that pursuing material gain is ultimately meaningless in the face of mortality. Now, let’s explore verses 19-21. “And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.” The Teacher reflects on the uncertainty of the future and the possibility that his successors may squander the wealth he has accumulated through his labor. Faced with this reality, he feels a sense of despair and questions the value of his earthly pursuits. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the uncertainty of the future? The Teacher acknowledges the uncertainty of life and the inability to control what happens to one’s possessions after death. This realization leads to a sense of despair and questioning of the value of earthly pursuits. Next, let’s examine verses 22-23. “So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.” The Teacher observes the toil and anxiety that characterize human existence. Despite one’s hard work and efforts to accumulate wealth, life is filled with pain, grief, and restlessness, leading him to conclude that it is all meaningless. What insights can we gain from the Teacher’s observations on the nature of human existence? The Teacher reflects on the pain, grief, and restlessness accompanying human labor and the pursuit of wealth. Despite one’s efforts, life remains filled with meaninglessness and dissatisfaction. Now, let’s explore verses 24-26. “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? God...
Welcome to Day 2357 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2357 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2357 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll explore Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, the Teacher continues his reflections on the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge, grappling with the fleeting nature of human existence. Let’s delve into the timeless wisdom found in Ecclesiastes 2:12-17. Verse 12: “So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?).” In his quest for understanding, the Teacher sets out to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness. As the king, he possesses unparalleled resources and authority to undertake such a task. What insights does the Teacher gain from his comparison of wisdom and folly? The Teacher recognizes his unique position as king to assess the value of wisdom in contrast to foolishness and madness. His examination reflects a deep desire to understand the nature of human existence and the pursuit of knowledge. Now, let’s explore verses 13-16. “But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind. The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. I said to myself, ‘Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the “good things” in life.’ But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, ‘Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?’” The Teacher reflects on his pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and pleasure, recognizing the futility of such endeavors. Despite his intellectual achievements, he experiences profound grief and sorrow, realizing that the pursuit of pleasure ultimately leads to emptiness and meaninglessness. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s reflections on the pursuit of knowledge and pleasure? The Teacher’s experiences lead him to conclude that the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and pleasure is ultimately futile and meaningless. Despite his efforts, he finds no lasting satisfaction or fulfillment in these pursuits, only grief and sorrow. Now, let’s examine verse 17. “So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?). I thought, ‘Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.’” The Teacher reaffirms his assessment of wisdom, concluding that it is superior to foolishness and madness. Like light dispelling darkness, wisdom brings clarity and understanding to the complexities of life. How does the Teacher’s comparison of wisdom and folly contribute to his understanding of life’s meaning? The Teacher affirms the value of wisdom in contrast to foolishness and madness. He recognizes that wisdom brings illumination and clarity to life’s uncertainties, guiding one towards a deeper understanding of existence. And there you have it, my fellow trekkers, insights from...
Welcome to Day 2356 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom - Theology Thursday – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible - Introduction Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2356 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2356 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Starting today, I am beginning a new segment called Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Bible scholar and professor Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. Today, we will introduce why this study is both essential and relevant for us individually and the Church worldwide. So, let’s jump into our introduction. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. It’s been my experience as a father, gramps, entrepreneur, lifelong Bible student, seminarian, youth minister, church elder, and pastor; I have come to realize that most people don’t know what to do with the odd, perplexing, and perhaps frightening passages in Scripture. We tend to simply skip them. Yet by doing so, we abandon our responsibility to grasp and teach the entirety of Scripture—this book we believe to be the inspired Word of God. As a consequence, believers tend to learn only the basic truths taught in the Bible. That is the milk of the Word and not solid food, as is mentioned in Hebrews 5:12: You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. My objective on Theology Thursday will be to help us consume Biblically solid food. Recent studies from the Barna Group demonstrate a growing rate of biblical and theological illiteracy in the Church at all ages, especially for those under 50. Biblical and theological illiteracy contributes to less engagement with the Bible, less appetite for its teachings, and more confusion and skepticism. Many Christians know the indispensable parts of the storyline of the Bible and the gospel message. Yet they are lost when it comes to the remainder of the Bible—especially the Old Testament, which comprises a full three-quarters of the book. Some believers try to mend this knowledge gap. They might read through all the notes in a study Bible or use various tools to study Hebrew and Greek words. Yet those are the exceptions. Many people, after years of inaction, get bored with the Bible. I began my serious study of the Bible nearly 50 years ago as I attended a Christian College and have been a student of the Scriptures every day since. Over the subsequent decades, I have discovered this was not true for most adult Christians. This even holds true for those Christians who had grown up in the Church. They’d heard sermons, attended Sunday school classes, and listened to countless messages at youth groups and camps. In their minds, they’d heard it
Welcome to Day 2355 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2355 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2355 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll dive into Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, the Teacher continues his exploration of life’s meaning and purpose, delving into the pursuit of pleasure and material wealth. Let’s uncover the timeless wisdom found in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. Verse 1: “I said to myself, ‘Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the “good things” in life.’ But I found that this, too, was meaningless.” In his quest for meaning, the Teacher decides to indulge in pleasure and seek out the “good things” that life has to offer. However, he quickly discovers the emptiness and fleeting nature of such pursuits. What insights does the Teacher offer regarding the pursuit of pleasure? The Teacher’s experiment with pleasure reveals its ultimate meaninglessness. Despite its initial allure, pleasure fails to provide lasting satisfaction or purpose. Now, let’s explore verses 2-3. “So I decided to cheer myself up with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.” The Teacher turns to wine in an attempt to lift his spirits and find happiness. However, even as he continues to pursue wisdom, he finds himself grasping at foolishness in search of fleeting joy. What lessons can we learn from the Teacher’s experimentation with wine? The Teacher’s reliance on wine to alleviate his troubles highlights the temptation to seek solace in temporary pleasures. However, he recognizes the folly of such pursuits in the face of life’s brevity. Next, let’s consider verses 4-8. “I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me.” The Teacher embarks on a grandiose building project, constructing elaborate homes, vineyards, gardens, and parks. He amasses wealth and possessions, including slaves, herds, and flocks, surpassing even the wealth of his predecessors in Jerusalem. How does the Teacher’s pursuit of material wealth contribute to his quest for meaning? The Teacher’s accumulation of wealth and possessions reflects society’s common pursuit of material success as a means of finding fulfillment. However, he ultimately discovers the emptiness and transience of such pursuits. Now, let’s explore verses 9-11. “So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted,...
Welcome to Day 2354 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2354 – OUR LIVING HOPE – SMILING THROUGH SUFFERING 1 PETER 1:1-12 – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/07/2024 Our Living Hope – Smiling Through Suffering 1 Peter 1:1-12 Last week was Ressurection Sunday, and we considered the evidence of Thomas the Scientist. After his experiment on Jesus, John 20:28-29 says, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” Today, we begin an extended, systematic study of the letters of 1st and 2nd Peter. Our message today is “Smiling Through Suffering.” But before that, to set the stage for our extended study, I would like to step back to Resurrection Sunday and into the empty tomb with only Peter and John and provide a dramatic reenactment of their time together that faithful morning. Bursting into the darkness ahead of his younger companion, who had reached the tomb a few moments earlier, Peter's eyes needed to adjust to the darkness. It only took a glance for him to confirm Mary's report: Jesus' body was gone. But the situation was not as simple as a missing corpse. Instead of the dead body that had been placed in the tomb, Peter found the stained linen wrappings still lying on the slab and the facecloth rolled neatly and set aside. John's voice suddenly broke the silence, echoing off the stone walls. “He's ... he's risen!” “Shh!” Peter whispered, still thinking things through. He had made enough rash decisions to last a lifetime. He was not about to make another one. Somebody could have stolen the body. But who? None of the disciples; he knew that for sure. They had been hiding in a locked room since the crucifixion, fearing that they, too, would be arrested and executed like their Master. And it could not have been the Jewish authorities or the Romans. Of all people, they needed Jesus dead and buried. But who else would have snatched the body? And where would they have taken it? “He's risen!” John insisted. Peter motioned for him to be silent, then stroked his beard with a trembling hand. Even if somebody had taken the body, they had left the burial clothes! And they had even taken the time to fold the face cloth neatly. How preposterous! You don't just go trudging around Jerusalem with a naked, cold corpse. That wasn't kosher by any standard. Peter closed his eyes as Jesus' words passed through his mind. It was as if the Lord Himself privately whispered them to him again: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32). Tears welled up and overflowed as he opened his eyes and surveyed the empty tomb. John pressed forward, scanning the burial clothes and turning back to Peter with an expression somewhere between delight and terror: “Simon, listen to me ... He—has—risen. He—is—alive!" Nodding his head, Peter leaned against the tomb wall and said, “You're right, John. He has risen indeed!” At that moment, Peter felt as if a massive tombstone had rolled away from his heart and stale burial wrappings had...
Welcome to Day 2353 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2353 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2353 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, the Teacher continues his reflections on the pursuit of wisdom and the human experience. Let’s delve into the timeless wisdom found in Ecclesiastes 1:12-18. Verse 12: “I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem.” The Teacher, believed to be King Solomon, provides context for his reflections by identifying himself as the ruler of Israel and a resident of Jerusalem. What insights does the Teacher offer regarding his pursuit of wisdom? As a king, the Teacher possessed authority and access to resources, allowing him to pursue wisdom and knowledge. His position afforded him unique insights into the human condition and the pursuit of meaning. Now, let’s explore verses 13-14. “I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.” The Teacher recounts his earnest quest for understanding and wisdom in these verses. Despite his diligent efforts, he concludes that humanity’s existence is marked by tragedy and meaninglessness. What lessons can we glean from the Teacher’s pursuit of wisdom? The Teacher’s dedicated pursuit of wisdom leads him to explore the complexities of human existence. However, his observations ultimately lead him to a sobering realization of life’s inherent futility and meaninglessness apart from God. Next, let’s consider verses 15-16. “What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered. I said to myself, ‘Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.’” The Teacher reflects on the irreversibility of human actions and the limitations of wisdom in rectifying past mistakes. Despite his wisdom, he acknowledges his superiority over his predecessors in Jerusalem. How does the Teacher’s assessment of his wisdom inform his perspective on life? The Teacher recognizes the inherent limitations of wisdom in remedying past wrongs or recovering lost opportunities. Despite his superior wisdom, he acknowledges the inability to change what is inherently flawed or irretrievably lost. Now, let’s explore verses 17-18. “So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind. The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.” The Teacher recounts his exhaustive pursuit of knowledge, encompassing wisdom, madness, and folly. However, he...
Welcome to Day 2352 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2352 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2352 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 from the New Living Translation. In these opening verses, we are introduced to the Teacher’s reflections and musings, who contemplates the fleeting nature of life and the pursuit of meaning and purpose. Let’s delve into the timeless wisdom found in Ecclesiastes 1:1-11. Verse 1: “These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.” The book of Ecclesiastes begins with an introduction to the Teacher, identified as King Solomon, the son of King David, who reigned in Jerusalem. Solomon’s wisdom and experience lend weight to his reflections on life’s mysteries. What insights does the Teacher offer in these opening verses? The Teacher’s words carry authority and weight due to his royal lineage and reign in Jerusalem. His wealth of experience and wisdom informs his reflections on life. Now, let’s explore verses 2-3. “‘Everything is meaningless,’ says the Teacher, ‘completely meaningless!’ What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?” In these verses, the Teacher introduces a recurring theme in Ecclesiastes—the notion of life’s meaninglessness or vanity. He questions the value of human endeavor and the ultimate purpose of toil and labor. What insights can we glean from the Teacher’s perspective? The Teacher’s observation of life’s transience and the futility of human efforts leads him to declare everything as meaningless. He prompts us to reflect on the purpose and significance of our endeavors in the grand scheme of things. Next, let’s consider verses 4-7. “Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea.” The Teacher reflects on life’s cyclical nature and the natural world’s perpetual motion in these verses. Despite the passage of generations and the changing seasons, the fundamental patterns of existence remain unchanged. How does the Teacher’s observation of nature inform his reflections on life? The Teacher draws parallels between the cyclical patterns of nature and the repetitive cycles of human existence. He observes the constancy of natural phenomena, highlighting the fleeting nature of human life in comparison. Now, let’s explore verses 8-11. “Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, ‘Here is something new!’...
Welcome to Day 2351 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom He Is Risen - Blessed Are You Who Have Not Seen, and Yet Believe – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/31/2024 He Is Risen – Resurrection Sunday: Blessed Are Those Who Believe Without Seeing Me – John 20:19-31 Today, we finish our five-week Lenten series this Resurrection Sunday. Today, our message is “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” Our Scripture passage for today is John 20:19-31 on pages 1686-1687 of your Pew Bibles. 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. There is no more important question than, “Did Jesus rise from the dead?" Because if Jesus did rise from the dead, then he has conquered sin and death. But if he did not rise from the dead, his claims are entirely false. There's nothing to them and no hope to be found in them. Either Christ is the hope of the world, or he is the great...
Welcome to Day 2350 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 31:10-31 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2350 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2350 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring the final portion of Proverbs, which covers Proverbs 31:10-31 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we encounter the noble virtues of an excellent wife, as King Lemuel’s mother described. Let’s embark on our journey through the beautiful portrayal of an excellent wife in Proverbs 31. Verse 10: “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.” This verse sets the stage for describing a woman of great worth and character. What qualities define this virtuous wife? Priceless Virtue: A virtuous wife possesses immeasurable worth, surpassing the value of precious gems. Her character and integrity are her most valuable assets. Now, let’s explore verses 11-12. “Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” These verses highlight the trustworthiness and positive impact of the virtuous wife on her husband’s life. What role does trust play in the relationship between a husband and wife? Trust and Enrichment: The virtuous wife is a faithful and reliable companion, enriching her husband’s life with her presence and actions. Her commitment to his well-being brings stability and joy to their relationship. Next, let’s consider verses 13-19. “She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings, she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.” These verses portray the industrious and resourceful nature of the virtuous wife, who diligently tends to her household and engages in productive work. What can we learn from the example of the virtuous wife’s industriousness? The virtuous wife is proactive and resourceful, engaging in various tasks to provide for her family’s needs. She demonstrates diligence, foresight, and hard work in managing her household and pursuing profitable ventures. Finally, let’s examine verses 20-31. “She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes. She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns. Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she...
Welcome to Day 2349 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Prepare Your Heart – He Comes, Riding On a Donkey – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/24/2024 Prepare The Way – He Comes, Riding on a Donkey – John 12:12-19 Today, we continue our five-week Lenten series ending on Resurrection Sunday, March 31st. Today, our message is “He Comes, Riding on a Donkey.” Our Scripture passage for today is John 12:12-19 on page 1671 of your Pew Bibles. 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna![a]” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b] “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”[c] 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” Introduction Ticker-tape parades are not as common today as they once were. There was a time when our country honored our heroes and heroines with colossal spectacles. Celebrities would ride in a convertible down massive canyons of steel and glass. Bands played rousing Sousa marches. Young ladies tossed batons and swirled pom-poms. Tons of confetti, streamers, balloons, and ticker tape cascaded upon them. Everybody was there. It was a time of great excitement. Let us climb into the Way Back Machine and travel 2025 years back to the heart of Jerusalem and watch the most significant parade in the history of humankind. 1. Come and Join the Parade, All Are Welcome - (Bulletin Insert)
A mass of humanity was present. Perhaps as many as 2.5 million people crowded the narrow streets converging on the holy city of Jerusalem at Passover. From a distance, there came a noise - a kind of rhythmic, staccato chant that wafted in . . . now
Welcome to Day 2348 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 31:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2348 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2348 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll delve into Proverbs 31:1-9 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we encounter the teachings of King Lemuel’s mother, who imparts wisdom concerning leadership, self-control, and justice. Let’s dive into the rich wisdom found in Proverbs 31. Verses 1-3: “The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message, which his mother taught him: O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.” These verses convey the importance of avoiding distractions and maintaining self-control, especially in matters of relationships and leadership. What can we glean from King Lemuel’s mother’s teachings? Recognize the potential dangers of indulgence and distraction. Preserve your strength and focus for worthy pursuits, avoiding entanglements that may lead to ruin, especially in relationships and leadership roles. Now, let’s explore verses 4-5. “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed.” These verses emphasize the importance of sobriety and sound judgment, particularly for those in positions of authority. Practice moderation and restraint, especially in matters of consumption. Avoid excessive indulgence in alcohol or other substances that impair judgment and hinder the administration of justice. Maintain clarity of mind to fulfill your responsibilities effectively and uphold justice for the oppressed. Lastly, let’s consider verses 6-9. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. My son, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the king?” These verses underscore the importance of advocating for the marginalized and upholding justice, while also admonishing against rebellion and disobedience. How can we apply these teachings to our lives? Stand up for the rights of the oppressed and vulnerable in society, using your voice and influence to ensure fairness and equity. Cultivate a healthy fear of God and respect for authority, avoiding associations with those who promote rebellion and disobedience. Recognize that divine and earthly consequences await those who defy God’s laws and the authority of rulers. And there you have it, my fellow trekkers, insights from Proverbs 31:1-9. These verses provide valuable guidance on leadership, self-control, and justice, as imparted by King Lemuel’s wise mother. As we continue our journey through the pages of the Bible, let’s remember to apply these timeless principles in our daily lives. Until next time, keep...
Welcome to Day 2346 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 30:17-23 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2347 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2347 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 30:17-23 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we encounter vivid imagery and thought-provoking observations on the consequences of disrespect, the mysteries of life, and the instability of certain situations. Let’s delve into the rich tapestry of wisdom found in Proverbs 30. VERSE 17-18: “The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. There are three things that amaze me—no, four things that I don’t understand:” These verses serve as a stern warning against disrespect towards parents and introduce Agur’s reflections on life’s mysteries. What profound insights can we glean from these verses? Recognize the importance of honoring and respecting parental authority. Avoid mocking or despising parental instructions, as it leads to grave consequences. Embrace humility and obedience by valuing parental guidance and instruction. Moving on to verses 19-20. “How an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, and how a man loves a woman.” These verses delve into Agur’s reflections on the mysteries of life, drawing parallels between natural phenomena and human emotions. What profound insights can we derive from Agur’s reflections? Reflect on the marvels of creation and the complexities of human relationships. Consider the grace and power of an eagle in flight, the agility and stealth of a snake on a rock, the resilience and direction of a ship on the sea, and the depth and passion of love between a man and a woman. And now, let’s explore verses 21-23. “Three things that make the earth tremble—no, four it cannot endure: a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.” These verses highlight situations that destabilize and challenge the order of society. What insights can we glean from these observations? Recognize Instability: Acknowledge the disruptive nature of certain scenarios, such as unexpected promotions, the success of the foolish, the resolution of bitterness, and the reversal of roles in hierarchical structures. Remain vigilant and adaptable in the face of changing circumstances. And there you have it, my fellow trekkers, insights from Proverbs 30:17-23. These verses offer us timeless wisdom for honoring parents, contemplating life’s mysteries, and navigating the complexities of human relationships and societal dynamics. As we continue our journey through the pages of the Bible, let’s remember to apply these timeless principles in our daily lives. Until next time, keep seeking wisdom and...
Welcome to Day 2346 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Prepare Your Heart – Take Up Your Cross – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/17/2024 Prepare Your Heart – Take Up Your Cross - Mark 8:34-35 Today, we continue our five-week Lenten series ending on Resurrection Sunday, March 31st. Today, our message is, “Take Up Your Cross.” (Point to Cross) Bishop William Williamson tells the story of a recruiter from Teach America who came to Duke University in Durham, NC. Teach America places talented college graduates to work in some of America's hurting schools. The recruiter began her talk with these words ... “I can tell by looking at you that I have probably come to the wrong place. Someone told me this was a BMW campus, and, looking at you, I can believe it. You all are successful just by getting into Duke, and you will all go on to successful careers. “And yet I am hoping,” she continued, “that I can convince one of you to give your life away in the toughest job you will ever have. I am looking for people to go to places like poverty-stricken West Virginia, the back hills of Kentucky, South Los Angeles, or downtown Chicago and teach in some of the most difficult schools in the world. Last year, two of our teachers were killed while on the job. But I can tell, just by looking at you, that none of you are interested in that. So go on to your law school, or whatever successful thing you are planning on doing. But if, by chance, some of you just happen to be interested, I've got these brochures here for you that tell about Teach America. The meeting is over.” And with that, the students got up all at once, pushed forward, and jostled to get a brochure for themselves. Those students sensed they wanted something more in their lives than money and fame. They wanted to live for a more significant cause. |That's the kind of life Jesus means for us to have as his disciples as well. Today's Scripture passage is Mark 8:34-35, on page 1567 of your Pew Bibles. Jesus gives his recruitment speech, his call to discipleship. It goes: 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. So here’s the straight truth. Jesus never promises us safety or security or perfect health. He does not promise us success by the standards of this world. He does not promise that we will always get what we want. If we choose to follow him, he promises us times of sacrifice and hardship that could even include death in some countries. But he also promises us that, in the end, we will have a life worth living – an abundant life. The problem is — when we present the Gospel to others — that we often fail to mention Jesus' recruitment speech. We tend to make things seem more palatable, by mentioning the promises of the Gospel but neglecting to point out the demands. This makes us sound bland and tasteless, not seasoned with God’s love. ...
Welcome to Day 2345 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 30:10-16 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2345 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2345 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 30:10-16 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the dangers of slander, greed, and arrogance and the importance of humility and contentment. So, let’s embark on this journey through the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 10-11: “Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.” These verses highlight the consequences of slander and disrespect. How can we understand the impact of slander and disrespect in our relationships? Recognize the destructive power of slander and disrespect in relationships, whether it’s in the workplace or within the family. Choose to speak with integrity and refrain from spreading false accusations or gossip about others. Show respect and gratitude to those who have helped and supported you, especially your parents. Avoid dishonoring your parents by failing to acknowledge their sacrifices and contributions to your life. Cultivate a spirit of gratitude and appreciation for the people around you, treating them with kindness and respect. Now, let’s explore verses 12-14. “There are people who think they are pure when they are filthy. There are people who think they are good when they are wicked. Some people take their eyes off their own plate and envy the success of others, but their own mouths are never satisfied. Some people are like swords ready to destroy, and words from their mouths are like knives.” These verses warn against the dangers of arrogance, envy, and destructive speech. How can we understand the pitfalls of arrogance, envy, and destructive speech? Beware of the deceptive nature of arrogance, which blinds individuals to their faults and leads them to believe they are righteous when not. Guard against envy, which causes individuals to focus on what others have instead of being content with their own blessings. Avoid comparing yourself to others and coveting their success, knowing it leads to discontentment and dissatisfaction. Be mindful of your words and actions, ensuring they build others up rather than tear them down. Choose to use your words to bring life and encouragement to those around you, rather than causing harm or destruction. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 15-16. “The leech has two suckers that cry out, ‘More, more!’ There are three things that are never satisfied—no, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.” These verses illustrate the greedy nature of certain desires and appetites. How can we understand the dangers of insatiable desires and the importance of contentment? Recognize the dangers of pursuing insatiable desires, whether it’s for material possessions,...
Welcome to Day 2344 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Prepare Your Heart – Come Follow Me – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/10/2023 Prepare Your Heart – Come, Follow Me - Mark 1:16-20 Today, we continue our five-week Lenten series ending on Resurrection Sunday, March 31st. Today, our message is, “Come, Follow Me!” The Bible tells us that when Jesus began his ministry, he went to live in a village by the Sea of Galilee called Capernaum, right on the shore. It's a beautiful place. Galilee is a freshwater lake 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. The lake makes the air around it humid, and since Galilee is also below sea level, the humidity and the compressed air produces a warm, tropical climate that is good for growing vegetables, dates, and figs. Today, should you ever visit Capernaum, you can see the remains of some of the actual homes from the time of Jesus. Looking at those stones makes it possible to imagine Jesus walking those narrow streets and staying in one of those small, stone homes when he began his ministry by the Sea of Galilee. And there, on Galilee’s shore, Jesus first spoke those words, “Come, follow me.” Listen to today's Scripture on Page 1552 of the Pew Bibles from Mark 1:16-20: 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. "Come, follow me." Such simple words, but what did they actually mean to those who first heard them? Let's consider six of the aspects and ramifications. 1. A Call to be Taught (Bulletin Insert)
Jesus' call, “Come and follow me," was an invitation to learn from him. Jesus was a rabbi, a teacher. So, when Jesus said, “Come, follow me," he was inviting people to be taught by him as their teacher. It's the same as when he said in Matthew 11:28-30: 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” At that time, the Pharisees were also calling people to learn from them. But while the Pharisees taught a faith burdened with mind-numbing rules and regulations, Jesus instilled in his followers the knowledge of God as their Heavenly Father. That's why his yoke was easy and his burden light. As a teacher, Jesus also purposefully developed close relationships with his disciples. He was not like the professor living in a world of lofty thoughts but lacking genuine relationships with students. The evidence suggests that James and...
Welcome to Day 2343 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 30:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2343 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2343 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 30:1-9 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the pursuit of wisdom, the dangers of arrogance, and the importance of relying on God’s Word for guidance. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 1-3: “The sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh, contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.” These verses express Agur’s humility and recognition of his limitations in understanding. How can we understand the importance of humility in seeking wisdom? Like Agur, recognize the importance of humility in the pursuit of wisdom. Humility acknowledges our limitations and dependence on God for understanding. Embrace a posture of humility before God, acknowledging our need for His guidance and wisdom. Seek wisdom not from human sources alone but also from God’s Word, which is the ultimate source of wisdom and understanding. Recognize that true wisdom comes from acknowledging our limitations and seeking God’s guidance in all aspects of life. Now, let’s explore verses 4-5. “Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!” These verses highlight the greatness and sovereignty of God. How can we understand the greatness and sovereignty of God in relation to our pursuit of wisdom? Reflect on the greatness and sovereignty of God, who holds the entire universe in His hands. Recognize that God alone has the power and authority to govern the heavens and the earth. Acknowledge God’s role as the Creator and Sustainer of all things, including the laws that govern the natural world. Trust in God’s wisdom and guidance, knowing that He alone has the answers to life’s most profound questions. Seek to know God more intimately, through His Word and His Son, Jesus Christ, who reveals the fullness of God’s wisdom and love. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 6-9. “Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.” These verses emphasize God’s Word’s trustworthiness and contentment’s importance. How can we understand God’s Word’s trustworthiness and contentment’s significance? Trust in the reliability and truthfulness of God’s Word, which serves as a shield and protection for those who seek refuge...
Welcome to Day 2342 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 29:22-27 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2342 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2342 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 29:22-27 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the consequences of anger, the blessings of humility, and the importance of integrity. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 22-23: “An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin. Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” These verses contrast the outcomes of anger and humility. How can we understand the consequences of anger and the blessings of humility? Recognize the destructive nature of anger, which leads to strife, conflict, and sin. Choose to respond with humility and self-control, knowing that it brings honor and respect. Avoid allowing pride to control your actions and decisions, knowing that it leads to humiliation and shame. Cultivate a spirit of humility, gentleness, and patience in your interactions with others, knowing that it fosters unity, peace, and harmony. Now, let’s explore verses 24-25. “The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify. Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” These verses highlight the consequences of dishonesty and the importance of trusting in the Lord. How can we understand the dangers of dishonesty and the blessings of trusting in the Lord? Recognize the dangers of being associated with dishonesty and deceit, as it ultimately leads to self-destruction and betrayal. Choose to live with integrity and honesty, knowing that it builds trust and credibility with others. Avoid allowing fear of man to dictate your actions and decisions, as it leads to bondage and captivity. Instead, place your trust and confidence in the Lord, knowing that He is faithful to protect and guide you. Live with the assurance that those who trust in the Lord will be kept safe and secure under His care. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 26-27. “Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice comes from the Lord. The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.” These verses emphasize the source of true justice and the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. How can we understand the source of true justice and the distinction between the righteous and the wicked? Recognize that true justice comes from the Lord, not from human rulers or authorities. Choose to seek justice and righteousness in all your dealings, knowing that it reflects the character of God. Stand firm in your convictions and principles, even if it means facing opposition and persecution from the wicked. Avoid compromising your integrity and values for the sake of gaining favor or...
Welcome to Day 2341 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Prepare Your Heart - The Time Has Come – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/03/2023 Prepare Your Heart – The Time Has Come - Mark 1:14-34 Today, we begin a five-week Lenten series ending on Resurrection Sunday, March 31st. Today, our message is, “The Time Has Come!” This is the season many refer to as Lent, when we spiritually prepare ourselves for Resurrection Sunday, more commonly known as Easter. This is a particularly appropriate season for remembering the Gospel stories about Jesus. Although the distance of years and time may seem to separate us from the events back then, let us use our minds' eye to bring it all back to us. We will try to do that during these five Sundays by using five phrases from the ministry of Jesus. First, imagine what it was like to be there as Jesus began his ministry with his resounding words, “The time has come!" (Poster) Let us return again to Galilee and see before us the boat that Peter and Andrew and the sons of Zebedee used, with the gentle waves lapping against its side and Jesus coming up to them and saying, “Come, follow me!” Let us walk along with the crowds as they surround Jesus, and one from that crowd, a desperate person, cries out, “Lord, have mercy!" Let us listen in as our Lord talks privately with his disciples and tells them, “Take up your cross!" Let us see Jesus telling a story about the reward that awaits us in heaven for following him, as he says, “Enter into the joy of your master!" During this Lenten season, let us use these phrases — “The time has come!" “Come, follow me!" “Lord, have mercy!" “Take up your cross!" and “Enter into the joy of your master!" — as we imagine what it must have been like to be a Galilean disciple. Our Scripture reading for today comes from Mark 1:14-34. This is on page 1552 in our pew Bibles. Let us open our hearts to the Word of God: 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. 21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit...
Welcome to Day 2340 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 29:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2340 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2340 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 29:15-21 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the importance of discipline, the consequences of neglecting instruction, and the blessings of righteous leadership. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 15-16: “To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall.” These verses contrast the outcomes of discipline and neglect in parenting and leadership. How can we understand the importance of discipline in parenting and the consequences of wicked leadership? Recognize the importance of discipline in parenting, knowing that it leads to wisdom and maturity in children. Discipline helps children understand boundaries, develop self-control, and make wise choices. Embrace the responsibility of disciplining your children with love and consistency, knowing that it brings honor and respect to the family. Choose leaders who govern with righteousness and integrity, knowing that their leadership promotes justice, fairness, and the well-being of society. Reject leaders who promote wickedness and sin, knowing their rule leads to corruption, oppression, and downfall. Support and pray for righteous leaders, knowing that they uphold God’s standards and promote the flourishing of righteousness in society. Now, let’s explore verses 17-18. “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” These verses emphasize the connection between discipline, obedience, and joy. How can we understand the relationship between discipline, obedience, and joy? Recognize the correlation between discipline, obedience, and joy in life. Discipline helps children understand the importance of obedience and submission to authority, leading to peace of mind and gladness of heart for parents. Choose to accept divine guidance and follow God’s commandments, knowing that it leads to order, fulfillment, and joy in life. Reject a lifestyle of rebellion and disobedience, knowing that it leads to chaos, destruction, and misery. Embrace the joy that comes from living in alignment with God’s Word and His will, knowing that it brings peace, contentment, and purpose to life. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 19-21. “Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond. Do you see a person who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them. A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be...
Welcome to Day 2339 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-11 Living Beyond Our Needs – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/18/2023 Joy in Sharing – Living Beyond Our Needs 4:10-23 Last week, we focused on Standing Firm in the Lord, “The Cure for Anger and Anxiety.” Today, we will explore Looking within, Looking around, Looking up in a message titled: “Living Beyond Our Needs.” Today's scripture passage is Philippians 4:10-23 on page 1830, in your Pew Bibles. 10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Remember the purpose of Philippians? To encourage believers to find Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered joy in living, serving, sharing, and resting. The theme is summed up with a word Paul repeats throughout the letter: “Rejoice!” We can have a contagious, deep-seated joy when we have confidence that Christ is in complete control—not just of the big things, but of the little things as well. As we have discovered in the first part of Philippians 4, such joy can be applied to strained relationships as well as to difficult anxiety circumstances, leaving us worry-free. As we fix our minds on positive, uplifting, virtuous, and excellent things, we become transformed individuals enveloped in God’s incredible peace. This is how we should live! As Paul begins to wrap up this great letter to the...
Welcome to Day 2338 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 29:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2338 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2338 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 29:8-14 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the consequences of wickedness, the blessings of wisdom, and the importance of humility. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 8-9: “Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger. If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.” These verses contrast the behavior of mockers with that of the wise. How can we understand the consequences of mockery and the blessings of wisdom? Recognize the destructive nature of mockery and ridicule, which only serve to agitate and stir up anger. Instead, choose wisdom and discernment, which have the power to calm and diffuse tense situations. Avoid engaging in mockery and ridicule, knowing that it leads to strife and conflict. Seek to be a peacemaker and a source of calm in your interactions with others, knowing that it reflects the wisdom of God. When faced with foolishness and folly, choose to respond with patience and understanding, rather than resorting to anger and retaliation. Now, let’s explore verses 10-11. “The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them. Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.” These verses highlight the contrast between the actions of the bloodthirsty and the upright. How can we understand the importance of seeking to help the blameless and exercising restraint in anger? Support the Blameless and Exercise Restraint: Recognize the importance of standing up for the blameless and seeking to help them, even in the face of opposition and hatred. The bloodthirsty harbor hatred towards the blameless, seeking to harm and destroy them. In contrast, the upright seek to support and assist the blameless, showing compassion and kindness towards them. Choose to exercise restraint in your anger, knowing that it reflects wisdom and maturity. Avoid venting your anger and frustration impulsively, as it only leads to further conflict and harm. Instead, choose to respond with calmness and self-control, knowing it diffuses tension and promotes peace. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 12-14. “If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked. The poor and the oppressor have this in common— the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both. If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever.” These verses emphasize the importance of leadership, integrity, and justice. How can we understand the significance of leadership, integrity, and justice? Seek Wise Counsel, Value Integrity, and Uphold Justice: Recognize the importance of seeking...
Welcome to Day 2337 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 29:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2337 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2337 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 29:1-7 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the consequences of stubbornness, the blessings of wisdom, and the importance of righteousness. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 1-2: “Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” These verses contrast the outcomes of stubbornness and righteousness in leadership. How can we understand the consequences of stubbornness and the blessings of righteousness? Recognize the importance of humility and wisdom in leadership. Stubbornly refusing to accept criticism leads to destruction and ruin beyond recovery. Instead, embrace constructive criticism and feedback, knowing it leads to growth and improvement. Choose leaders who exhibit godly character and righteousness, knowing that their leadership brings joy and rejoicing to the people. Avoid supporting leaders who are wicked and unrighteous, knowing that their rule brings groaning and suffering to the people. Seek after wisdom and righteousness in your own life and in the leaders you follow, knowing that it leads to blessings and prosperity for all. Now, let’s explore verses 3-4. “The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted. A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.” These verses highlight the importance of wisdom, purity, and justice in leadership. How can we understand the importance of wisdom, purity, and justice in leadership? Recognize the importance of pursuing wisdom and justice in all aspects of life, especially in leadership. The one who loves wisdom brings joy and honor to his family, while those who engage in sinful behavior bring shame and ruin. Choose to associate with those who pursue wisdom and righteousness, knowing it leads to blessings and prosperity. Support leaders who govern with justice and integrity, knowing that their leadership brings stability and security to the nation. Reject leaders who demand bribes and engage in corrupt practices, knowing their rule brings destruction and harm. Pursue wisdom and justice in your own life and in the leaders you support, knowing that it leads to blessings and prosperity for all. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 5-7. “To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet. Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy. The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.” These verses emphasize the importance of...
Welcome to Day 2335 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-10 The Cure for Anger and Anxiety – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/11/2023 Joy in Sharing – The Cure for Anger and Anxiety Philippians 4:1-9 Last week, we focused on Standing Firm without Standing Still in a message titled Hanging Tough and Looking Up. Today, we begin the last section of Philippians, Joy in Resting, and specifically focus on how we often fight for peace /when we have already been given The Cure for Anger and Anxiety. Today's scripture passage is Philippians 4:1-9 on page 1829, in your Pew Bibles. 1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Final Exhortations 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. In Philippians 4, Paul puts the finishing touches on his symphonic “Ode to Joy” with a soaring, moving, inspiring conclusion. Some of the most quoted, best-loved passages of Scripture are found in Philippians 4—as are a few obscure lines. We also get a sneak peek into the lives of some Philippian Christians and their real-life conflict. In this final chapter, Paul argues that there is joy in resting. He includes perhaps the finest passage on contentment in all the Scriptures, and this contentment is the essence of joyful living amid a restless world. Whether the cause of our unrest is disunity (4:1–3), anxiety (4:4–7), lack of peace (4:8–9), discontent (4:10–13), or need (4:14–19), Paul encourages believers to find Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered joy in resting in God, and God alone. “Stand firm in the Lord!” (Stay True to the Lord NLT) With this command, Paul begins to wrap up his letter to the Philippians. But what does it look like to “stand firm”? Psalm 1:3 describes this well: They are like...
Welcome to Day 2335 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 28:22-28 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2335 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2335 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 28:22-28 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the consequences of dishonesty, the blessings of integrity, and the importance of diligence. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 22-23: “Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty. In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.” These verses contrast the outcomes of greed and integrity. How can we understand the consequences of greed and the blessings of integrity? Recognize the dangers of pursuing wealth through dishonest and unethical means. Greedy individuals seek to get rich quickly without considering the consequences, only to find themselves heading towards poverty and ruin. In contrast, those who value integrity and honesty understand that true wealth comes from diligent and ethical work. Embrace honest criticism and feedback, knowing it leads to growth and improvement. Reject flattery and deceitful praise, knowing that it is empty and insincere. Choose the path of integrity and honesty, knowing it leads to lasting prosperity and fulfillment. Now, let’s explore verses 24-25. “Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, ‘What’s wrong with that?’ is no better than a murderer. Greed causes fighting; trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.” These verses highlight the consequences of theft and the blessings of trust in the Lord. How can we understand the consequences of theft and the blessings of trusting the Lord? Recognize the importance of honoring your parents and respecting their possessions. Theft from one’s parents is a grave offense, akin to murder in its severity. Greed and selfishness lead to conflict and strife, tearing apart relationships and causing harm. In contrast, trusting in the Lord leads to prosperity and abundance. Choose to honor your parents and respect their property, knowing that it pleases the Lord and brings blessings. Trust in the Lord’s provision and guidance, knowing He is faithful to provide for all your needs. Cultivate a spirit of trust and reliance on the Lord, knowing that it leads to prosperity and peace. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 26-28. “Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding. When the wicked meet disaster, the godly flourish.” These verses emphasize the importance of wisdom, generosity, and the consequences of wickedness. How can we understand the importance of wisdom, generosity, and the...
Welcome to Day 2334 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-9 Hanging Tough and Looking Up – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/04/2023 Joy in Sharing – Hanging Tough and Looking Up – Philippians 3:12-21 Last week, our focus was a comparison message titled Human Rubbish vs. Divine Righteousness. We learned that all human efforts to live a life pleasing to God apart from Christ are pointless and fruitless. Today, we focus on Standing Firm without Standing Still in a message titled Hanging Tough and Looking Up. Today's scripture passage is Philippians 3:12-21 on page 1829, in your Pew Bibles. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. In a predominantly humanistic society like ours, it’s not uncommon to hear the glories of humanity exalted in exaggerated terms. Our “open-minded” media parades before our eyes immoral living as a virtue. They promise social progress through secular and even anti-Christian means. From politics to education, from spirituality to ethics, our sophisticated, twenty-first-century world functions on the presupposition that the only thing standing in the way is backward-thinking Neanderthals who can’t pull their noses out of an ancient, outdated book like the Bible. Yet God has chosen to leave believers on this earth, not to retreat from its pain and suffering, but to engage it—up close and personal. This calling requires us to strap in for a bumpy ride, to hang tough for the long haul. On this rough road between Christ's first and second comings, we must keep our heads up, our eyes forward, and our hearts heavenward. The Christian life is a marathon—not through the level, paved streets of a clean and friendly city, but across rocky, strenuous, dangerous terrain filled with pitfalls and predators. It’s comforting to know that we’re not the first Christians to make this journey through a wicked, hostile world. In many ways, the world is much better...
Welcome to Day 2333 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 28:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2333 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2333 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 28:15-21 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll explore insights into the consequences of injustice, the blessings of righteousness, and the importance of integrity. Let’s not delay any further. Let’s uncover the wisdom within Proverbs. Verses 15-16: “A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor as a roaring lion or an attacking bear. A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life.” These verses contrast the actions of a wicked ruler with those of a righteous one. How can we understand the consequences of injustice and the blessings of righteousness? Recognize the importance of seeking just and compassionate leaders, especially towards the poor and oppressed. A wicked ruler destroys and harms the vulnerable, like a roaring lion or an attacking bear. In contrast, a ruler with understanding and integrity will govern with wisdom and compassion, ensuring justice and protection for all. Choose leaders who hate corruption and strive for righteousness, knowing they bring stability and prosperity to the land. Support leaders who prioritize the well-being of their people and work to eliminate injustice and oppression in all its forms. Now, let’s explore verses 17-18. “A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don’t protect him! The blameless will be rescued from harm, but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed.” These verses highlight the consequences of wickedness and the protection afforded to the blameless. How can we understand the consequences of wickedness and the protection of the blameless? Recognize the importance of living a life of integrity and righteousness, knowing it brings protection and deliverance from harm. The tormented conscience of the wicked leads to destruction and death, while the blameless find refuge and rescue from harm. Avoid protecting or aligning with those who engage in wickedness, knowing they will face sudden destruction. Instead, choose the path of righteousness and integrity, knowing it leads to safety and deliverance from harm. Live a life that honors God and follows His commands, knowing He is faithful to protect and deliver those who walk in integrity. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 19-21. “Hard workers have plenty of food; lazy people will starve. A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty. The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.” These verses emphasize the importance of diligence, honesty, and perseverance. How can we understand the importance of diligence, honesty, and perseverance? Recognize the importance of hard work and honesty in achieving success and prosperity. Hard...
Welcome to Day 2332 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 28:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2332 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2332 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 28:8-14 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the consequences of dishonesty, the blessings of living with integrity, and the importance of seeking wisdom. So, let’s delve into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 8-10: “Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor. God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law. Those who lead good people along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the honest will inherit good things.” These verses contrast the outcomes of dishonesty and integrity, emphasizing the importance of righteousness and obedience to God’s law. How can we understand the consequences of dishonesty and the blessings of living with integrity? Embrace Integrity: Recognize the importance of living with integrity and righteousness in all aspects of life. Avoid dishonest practices, such as charging high interest rates or ignoring the law, knowing that they lead to destruction and harm. Instead, be kind to the poor and obey God’s law, knowing that it leads to blessings and prosperity. Lead others along the path of righteousness, knowing it leads to the inheritance of good things. Embrace integrity in your dealings with others, knowing that it is pleasing to God and brings honor to His name. Now, let’s explore verses 11-12. “The rich think of themselves as wise, but a poor person who has discernment sees through them. When the godly succeed, everyone is glad. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.” These verses highlight the importance of discernment and the consequences of godly leadership. How can we understand the importance of discernment and the consequences of godly leadership? Cultivate Discernment: Recognize the importance of cultivating discernment and wisdom in all areas of life. Be wary of those who boast of their riches and consider themselves wise, knowing that true wisdom comes from God alone. Cultivate a spirit of discernment that allows you to see through the facade of the wicked and recognize their true nature. Celebrate the success of the godly, knowing that it brings joy and blessings to all. Be vigilant in your leadership discernment, knowing that our choices have far-reaching consequences for ourselves and our communities. Seek godly leadership that aligns with the principles of righteousness and justice, knowing that it leads to peace and prosperity for all. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 13-14. “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.” These verses emphasize the importance of humility, repentance, and reverence...
Welcome to Day 2331 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-8 Human Rubbish vs Divine Righteousness – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/28/2023 Joy in Sharing – Human Rubbish vs. Divine Righteousness Philippians 3:1-11 Last week, we discussed Paul being thankful for two close friends, Timothy and Epaphroditus, in a message, “A Son and a Brother.” Today, we begin the 3rd section in the letter to the church in Philippi, Joy in Sharing. True joy is a fruit of the Spirit in the life of believers. It ranks second, after love, in Paul’s list in Galatians 5:22–23: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Like all manifestations of the Spirit’s work in our lives, joy is constantly attacked by the world, the flesh, and the devil. The deeds of the flesh will try to weaken our joy through things like hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, and envy. (Gal. 5:17–21). The world will try to stifle our joy through pain, suffering, tragedies, and stress. The evil one will try to thwart our joy by taking our attention away from Jesus Christ and tempting us to find joy in things that cannot satisfy, as is mentioned in our closing hymn, “Fill my Cup, Lord.” The real threat to the joyful Christian life comes into focus in the third part of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Remember the overarching purpose of Paul’s letter to the Christians at Philippi: to encourage them to find Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered joy in living, serving, sharing, and resting. Paul reinforces this theme in the opening line of chapter 3: “Rejoice in the Lord.” Yet, knowing that there are threats out there, he wants to share with his readers a “safeguard” for their joy (Phil. 3:1). This comes first in the form of a warning about putting confidence in the flesh rather than worshiping God in the Spirit and glorying in Christ in today’s message (3:2–11). Paul also shares the goal of joyful Christian living—the upward call of God in Christ in next week’s message(3:12–16)—and calls his readers to follow the pattern he has shown them, until the glorious day when their mortal bodies will be transformed to be like Christ’s in two weeks (3:17–21). This week's focus is a comparison message titled Human Rubbish vs. Divine Righteousness. Today's scripture passage is Philippians 3:1-11 on page 1828, in your Pew Bibles. 1 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5...
Welcome to Day 2330 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 28:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2330 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2330 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 28:1-7 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the consequences of wickedness, the blessings of living with integrity, and the importance of seeking wisdom. So, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 1-2: “The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.” These verses contrast the behavior and outcomes of the wicked and the godly. How can we understand the consequences of wickedness and the blessings of living with integrity? Recognize the importance of living with integrity and godliness in all aspects of life. Be bold and courageous in standing firm for what is right, even when faced with opposition or adversity. Avoid the pitfalls of wickedness and moral decay, knowing they lead to destruction and instability. Instead, strive to be wise and knowledgeable leaders who bring stability and prosperity to your community and nation. Embrace the principles of honesty, righteousness, and integrity, knowing they are the foundation of a thriving society. Now, let’s explore verses 3-4. “A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops. To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them.” These verses highlight the importance of justice and righteousness in society. How can we understand the importance of justice and righteousness in society? Uphold Justice: Recognize the importance of upholding justice and righteousness in society, especially for the oppressed and marginalized. Avoid oppressing others through exploitation or neglect, knowing that it leads to destruction and harm. Instead, seek to uphold the law and fight against injustice and wickedness in all its forms. Be advocates for the poor and oppressed, standing up for their rights and working to create a more just and equitable society. Uphold the principles of righteousness and obedience to the law, knowing they are essential for combating evil and promoting the common good. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 5-7. “Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely. Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich. Young people who obey the law are wise; those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.” These verses emphasize the importance of wisdom, honesty, and obedience to God’s law. How can we understand the importance of wisdom, honesty, and obedience to God’s law? Pursue Wisdom: Recognize the importance of pursuing wisdom and understanding in all areas of life. Seek to understand justice and righteousness, knowing they are essential for...
Welcome to Day 2329 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-6 A Son and a Brother – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/21/2023 Joy in Serving – A “Son” and a “Brother” – Philippians 2:19-30 Last week, we explored “Working Out God’s Inner Work,” and we concluded that it is only through the inner work of God's Spirit in our lives that we can progressively become more like Christ. This week, we continue our study of the letter to the church at Philippi. Paul is thankful for two close friends, Timothy and Epaphroditus, in a message, “A Son and a Brother.” Today's scripture passage is Philippians 2:19-30 on page 1828, in your Pew Bibles. 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. 25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. It’s impossible to put a price tag on friendship. Our relationships with some people are so significant that we often liken them to family. Close friends not only help us; they transform us. Just as “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor. 15:33), good company promotes good character: courage, leadership, humility, strength, faithfulness, and joyfulness. Proverbs 17:17 says: A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Close friends prop us up when we’re weak, lift our spirits when we’re down, and push us when we wear out. Friends motivate us—sometimes even without words—to be more than we could be without them. As we observe their perseverance, we’re prompted to endure hardship. As we hang around a servant leader, seeds of humility are planted into our lives. As a godly saint stares down adversity with a smile, we learn how to have deep-seated joy amid frustrations and challenges. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that God’s Word is filled with references, accounts, and commendations of men and women who were faithful friends— There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a...
Welcome to Day 2328 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 27:22-27 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2328 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2328 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll delve into Proverbs 27:22-27 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the importance of diligence, neglect’s consequences, and careful stewardship’s benefits. So, let’s not delay any further. Let’s uncover the wisdom within Proverbs. Verse 22-23: “You cannot separate fools from their foolishness, even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle. Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds.” These verses emphasize the importance of diligence and careful stewardship over one’s possessions. How can we understand the importance of diligence and careful stewardship? Recognize the importance of diligence in every aspect of life, whether it be in your work, your relationships, or your stewardship of resources. Be diligent in attending to your responsibilities, knowing that neglect can lead to undesirable outcomes. Cultivate a spirit of excellence in all you do, putting your heart into caring for the things entrusted to your care. Just as a shepherd knows the state of his flock and cares for them diligently, so should you be attentive to the needs of those under your care. Practice diligence in your work and stewardship, knowing it is the key to success and prosperity. Now, let’s explore verses 24-25. “For riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation. When the hay is harvested and the new crop appears and the mountain grasses are gathered in.” These verses caution against relying solely on wealth and emphasize the transient nature of material possessions. How can we understand the transient nature of material possessions and the importance of wise stewardship? Recognize that material possessions are fleeting and that true wealth lies in the wisdom of stewardship. Be mindful of the legacy you are building for future generations, knowing that riches do not last forever and that the crown may not be passed to the next generation. Invest your resources wisely, knowing that they are entrusted to you by God and that you will be held accountable for how you use them. Practice generosity and wise stewardship, knowing that true riches are found in using your resources to bless others and advance God’s kingdom. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 26-27. “You can make clothing from the wool of your sheep and sell it for a profit. You can purchase a field with the earnings from your crops. You might plant the field with rows of olive trees and never stop to gather the fruit from them or even taste the olives, but they will be there for the buyer.” These verses speak to the potential for profit and investment that comes from diligent stewardship. How can we...
Welcome to Day 2327 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 27:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2327 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2327 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 27:15-21 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the importance of diligence, the value of wise stewardship, and the dangers of strife and discord. Reflect… So, without further ado, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 15-16: “A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands.” These verses highlight the destructive nature of strife and discord within relationships. How can we understand the importance of harmony in relationships and the dangers of strife and discord? Recognize the importance of fostering harmony and peace in your relationships, whether it be with a spouse, family member, or friend. Avoid engaging in quarrels or arguments that only serve to create tension and discord. Instead, seek to resolve conflicts peacefully and strive to cultivate a spirit of understanding and empathy in your interactions with others. Be willing to listen with an open heart and communicate with grace and humility, knowing that true harmony is built on a foundation of mutual respect and love. Now, let’s explore verses 17-18. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit, so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.” These verses emphasize the value of wise counsel and the benefits of diligent stewardship. How can we understand the importance of wise counsel and diligent stewardship? Recognize the value of seeking wise counsel from trusted friends and advisors who can offer guidance and support in your journey through life. Surround yourself with people who challenge you to grow and develop, sharpening you like iron sharpens iron. Be open to receiving feedback and constructive criticism, knowing that it can help you become a better version of yourself. Additionally, be diligent in your stewardship of the resources and responsibilities entrusted to you, whether it be in your professional endeavors or personal relationships. Cultivate a spirit of diligence and integrity, knowing that it will be rewarded in due time. And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 19-21. “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.” These verses speak to the nature of the human heart and the insatiable nature of desire. How can we understand the nature of the human heart and the importance of guarding our...
Welcome to Day 2326 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-6 Working Out God's Inner Work – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/14/2023 Joy in Serving – Working Out God’s Inner Work – Philippians 2:12-18 Last week, we explored A Christlike Decent Into Greatness. “What’s the secret to a great life?” The Bible’s answer to that question isn’t long, convoluted, or complex. As indicated last week, we can sum it up in two words: selfless humility. This week, we continue our study of the letter to the church at Philippi. With the question, How can we allow God to work within us to become more like the perfect imager of Jesus Christ with selfless humility? Today's scripture passage is Philippians 2:12-18 on pages 1827 and 1828, in your Pew Bibles. 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice>and service>coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Examples are wonderful things. People who have gone before us and lived admirable and exemplary lives are valuable because they can show us how we ought to live. We can study the lives of great women and men throughout history who have lived inspirational and motivational lives and have set the stage for us to do the same. We have many examples of good and godly people to imitate, but ultimately, we can look to the radical obedience exemplified in Christ’s selfless humility, as described in Philippians 2:6–11. He left the glories of heaven to take on inglorious humanity and live amid suffering, /sin, /and death. He veiled the brilliance of His divine attributes in the flesh and willingly accepted the limitations of human life. He ceded angelic adoration>and praise to become a victim of torture and, ultimately, of an excruciating death on a cross. And He carried out all of this in perfect obedience. Not one flaw. Not one inconsistency. Not one impatient word. Not one misstep or stray thought contrary to the Father’s will. Mark Twain once wrote, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” What about an impossible example? I’m not a God-man. Neither are you. Only Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, could embody this kind of supernatural humility and miraculous obedience! How in the
Welcome to Day 2325 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 27:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2325 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2325 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. Today, we’ll be exploring Proverbs 27:8-14 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the value of friendship, the importance of reliable counsel, and the benefits of diligent stewardship. Reflect… So, without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 8-9: “As a bird that strays from its nest, so is a man who wanders from his home. Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.” These verses highlight the value of friendship and the comfort found in reliable counsel. How can we understand the importance of friendship and the benefits of reliable counsel? Recognize the value of genuine friendship and the comfort it brings, especially in times of need. Cultivate deep, meaningful relationships with those who offer sincere counsel and support, knowing that they can provide invaluable wisdom and encouragement. Be a loyal friend yourself, offering your support and counsel to others in their times of need. Cherish the bonds of friendship, knowing that they are a source of joy and strength in life’s journey. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 10-11. “Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away. Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.” These verses emphasize the importance of loyalty to friends and the value of having reliable neighbors in times of need. How can we understand the importance of loyalty to friends and the value of reliable neighbors? Recognize the importance of loyalty to friends and neighbors, especially in times of adversity. Build strong relationships with those around you, investing time and effort into nurturing these bonds. Be there for your friends and neighbors when they need you, offering your support and assistance without hesitation. Foster a sense of community and belonging, knowing that we are stronger when we stand together. Be wise in your interactions with others, seeking to build bridges rather than walls, and striving to be a source of encouragement and support to those around you. Reflect… And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 12-14. “A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty. Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; and for an adulterous woman hold him in pledge. He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be reckoned a curse to him.” These verses caution against foolishness, advise caution in making financial...
Welcome to Day 2324 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-5 A Christlike Decent Into Greatness – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/07/2023 Joy in Serving – A Christlike Decent Into Greatness – Philippians 2:1-11 Last week, we looked into the lives of two devout persons who have been waiting all their lives for the coming Messiah in a message titled, The Oldest Bucket List: Simeon and Anna. This week, we pick up where we left off before Advent in our study of the letter to the church at Philippi. Today, we explore A Christlike Decent Into Greatness. Today's scripture passage is Philippians 2:1-11 on page 1827, in your Pew Bibles. 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. To move forward from the first chapter to the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we need to take a step backward to Philippians 1:21, a key verse for the epistle: For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. Paul knew that to experience martyrdom and to be ushered into the presence of Christ would be a great gain. But he also knew that God had much more work for him to do in the here and now and that he was called to encourage others to live like Christ. But how do we truly live like Him? How do we possibly begin to take even one small step closer toward the greatness>Christ exhibited as the God-man? How can we become an imager like Christ? Is there a specific series of deeds we need to do? Fruitless! Do we attempt to mimic His miracles?...
Welcome to Day 2323 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 27:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2323 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2323 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 27:1-7 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the importance of humility, the value of honest feedback, and the dangers of envy and deceit. Reflect… So, without further ado, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1-2: “Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring. Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—a stranger, not your own lips.” These verses caution against boasting about future plans and highlight the virtue of humility. How can we understand the importance of humility and the danger of boasting? Recognize the importance of humility and avoid boasting about future plans or accomplishments. Instead, adopt a humble attitude, acknowledging that you cannot predict the future and that any successes you achieve are ultimately gifts from God. Cultivate a spirit of gratitude and humility, seeking to give credit where credit is due and avoiding the temptation to boast or seek recognition for your achievements. Embrace a mindset of humility, recognizing that true greatness is found in serving others and seeking the well-being of those around you. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 3-4. “A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier. Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.” These verses depict the destructive power of resentment, anger, and jealousy. How can we understand the dangers of resentment, anger, and jealousy? Recognize the dangers of harboring resentment and jealousy in your heart and choose to guard against them. Avoid allowing resentment or jealousy to take root in your heart, knowing that they can lead to bitterness and strife. Instead, choose to forgive those who have wronged you and cultivate a spirit of gratitude for the blessings in your life. Be mindful of the destructive power of anger and jealousy, and choose to respond with patience and grace in difficult situations. Cultivate a heart that is characterized by love and compassion, seeking to build others up rather than tear them down. Reflect… And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 5-7. “An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.” These verses emphasize the value of honest feedback and the importance of discerning true friendship. How can we understand the value of honest feedback and the discernment of true friendship? Recognize the value of honest feedback and...
Welcome to Day 2322 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 26:22-28 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2322 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2322 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 26:22-28 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the destructive power of gossip, the importance of guarding our words, and the consequences of deceitful intentions. Reflect… So, without further ado, let’s delve into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 22-23: “Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.” These verses depict the insidious nature of gossip and the deceptive facade of smooth words concealing wicked intentions. How can we understand the destructive power of gossip and the importance of guarding our words? Recognize the power of your words to either build up or tear down others, and choose to use them wisely. Avoid engaging in gossip or spreading rumors, knowing that they have the power to cause harm and destruction. Instead, cultivate a heart that is characterized by honesty and integrity, speaking words of truth and encouragement. Be mindful of the impact your words can have on others, and choose to use them to uplift and edify rather than to tear down. Additionally, be discerning in your interactions with others, avoiding those who engage in gossip or deceitful speech, and instead, seek out those who speak words of truth and kindness. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 24-26. “While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.” These verses warn against the consequences of deceitful intentions and the inevitability of exposure for those who seek to harm others. How can we understand the consequences of deceitful intentions and the importance of acting with integrity? Recognize the consequences of deceitful intentions and choose to act with integrity in all your dealings. Avoid seeking to harm others or deceive them for personal gain, knowing that such actions only lead to destruction. Instead, choose to act with honesty and transparency, knowing that it is the path to true success and fulfillment. Be mindful of the impact your actions can have on others, and choose to treat them with respect and dignity. Additionally, be discerning in your interactions with others, avoiding those who seek to harm or deceive others, and instead, surround yourself with those who value honesty and integrity. Reflect… And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 27-28. “People who set traps for others get caught themselves. People who start trouble in their neighborhoods get it in the...
Welcome to Day 2321 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-4 Between a Rock and a Hard Place – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/26/2023 Joy in Living – Between a Rock and a Hard Place Last week, we continued this month of Joy in Living as we dug into the letter of Philippians in a message titled What a Way to Live. We discovered that the secret to living well is the same as the secret to having joy: the centrality of Jesus Christ. Keeping Him as our top priority in life will give us great joy. Today is our last message in the section of Philippians called Joy in Living, and it will focus on Dealing with Dilemmas as we see how Paul found himself “Between a Rock and a Hard Place.” We are backing up to include one verse from last week to set the tone for today. Let’s read Philippians 1:20-30, on page 1826 in your Pew Bibles. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. Live as Citizens of Heaven 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,[e] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Have you ever waffled between two different—and reasonable—opinions, unable to decide which one to hold? Or have you thrown your hands up in frustration because you couldn’t land on a conclusive decision between two equally favorable options? Or have you driven your friends and family mad, seeking their advice about which course of action to take? Or wrung your hands over a decision, worried that you were about to make the wrong one? (funny story window/isle & regular/decaf). For most of you, welcome to the club of difficulty when facing decisions or dilemmas. To one extent or another, we’ve all been there. And by “all,” I mean...
Welcome to Day 2320 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 26:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2320 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2320 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 26:15-21 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the folly of laziness and deceit, the consequences of spreading slander, and the importance of discernment in our interactions. Reflect… So, let’s embark on our exploration of Proverbs. Verses 15-16: “Laziness lets the roof leak, and soon the rafters begin to rot. Eating too much honey makes you sick, so a person who tries to flatter you to gain your favor will be cut off.” These verses illustrate the consequences of laziness and deceit, likening them to a leaking roof and the consequences of consuming too much honey. How can we understand the folly of laziness and deceit and the importance of discernment in our interactions? Recognize the folly of laziness and deceit and avoid engaging in such behaviors. Choose instead to cultivate a spirit of diligence and honesty, knowing that they lead to success and fulfillment. Avoid making excuses for laziness or resorting to deceitful tactics to achieve your goals, knowing that they only lead to failure and disappointment. Cultivate a heart that is characterized by integrity and hard work, knowing that it is the key to living a life of purpose and significance. Additionally, be discerning in your interactions with others, avoiding those who resort to flattery or deceit to gain favor, and instead, surround yourself with those who are genuine and trustworthy. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 17-18. “Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears. Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, ‘I was only joking.’” These verses caution against meddling in others’ disputes and the harm caused by spreading slander or deceit under the guise of humor. How can we understand the importance of avoiding slander and deceitful humor and the consequences of spreading lies? Recognize the harm caused by spreading slander or deceitful humor and avoid engaging in such behaviors. Choose instead to speak words of truth and encouragement, knowing that they have the power to uplift and edify others. Avoid spreading lies or engaging in deceitful humor under the guise of jest, knowing that it only leads to hurt and broken trust. Cultivate a heart that is characterized by honesty and integrity, choosing to speak words that build others up rather than tear them down. Additionally, be discerning in your interactions with others, avoiding those who engage in slander or deceitful humor, and instead, seek out those who speak words of truth and kindness. Reflect… And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 19-21. VERSE 19-21: Fire goes out without wood,...
Welcome to Day 2319 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-3 What a Way To Live! – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/19/2023 Joy in Living – What A Way To Live! Last week, we began walking through Philippians as we delved into Joy in Living, specifically, how we can be Confident Enough to be joyful for this Thanksgiving season and all year. This week, we will continue this month of Joy in Living as we dig into the letter in a message titled What a Way to Live. Let’s read Philippians 1:12-20, on page 1826 in your Pew Bibles. 12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[d] 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl observed, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” If we pursue happiness instead of choosing joy, we’ll become, as Frankl put it, “plaything[s] of circumstance.” Our inner peace will be tossed back and forth according to the whim of events beyond our control. But if we choose our attitude—the one essential freedom that can’t be taken away from us—we can choose joy even amid the cruelest circumstances. I am convinced that joy does not come from without, but from within. A life of calm, peaceful satisfaction, a positive...
Welcome to Day 2318 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 26:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2318 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2318 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 26:8-14 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the folly of giving honor to fools, the importance of setting boundaries with the lazy, and the consequences of allowing laziness to persist. Reflect… So, without further ado, let’s delve into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 8-9: “Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot. A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.” These verses vividly depict the folly of giving honor or authority to fools and the uselessness of wisdom in the mouth of a fool. How can we understand the danger of giving honor to fools and the importance of discernment in our interactions? Recognize the danger of giving honor or authority to fools and exercise discernment in your interactions. Choose to withhold honor or recognition from those who demonstrate foolishness or lack of wisdom, knowing that doing otherwise can lead to disastrous consequences. Cultivate a spirit of discernment and wisdom in your decision-making, seeking counsel from trusted advisors and weighing the potential risks and benefits before making any decisions. Additionally, be mindful of the words you speak and the messages you convey, ensuring that they are rooted in wisdom and understanding, and avoid allowing foolishness to taint your actions or decisions. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 10-11. “An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random. As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.” These verses illustrate the folly of hiring fools and the tendency of fools to repeat their foolishness. How can we understand the importance of setting boundaries with the lazy and the consequences of allowing laziness to persist? Recognize the importance of setting boundaries with the lazy and avoid enabling their behavior. Choose not to hire or associate with those who demonstrate laziness or lack of diligence, knowing that doing so only leads to further folly and incompetence. Instead, encourage and empower others to take responsibility for their actions and strive for excellence in all they do. Cultivate a spirit of diligence and perseverance in your own life, setting a positive example for others to follow. Additionally, be mindful of the consequences of allowing laziness to persist, knowing that it can lead to stagnation and decline. Cultivate a heart that is characterized by diligence and industriousness, knowing that it is the key to success and fulfillment in life. Reflect… And finally, let’s turn our attention to verses 12-14. “There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise. The lazy person claims, ‘There’s a lion on...
Welcome to Day 2317 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 26:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2317 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2317 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 26:1-7 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the folly of engaging with fools, the danger of returning to past mistakes, and the importance of discernment in our interactions. Reflect… So, let’s embark on our exploration of Proverbs. Verses 1-3: “Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!” These verses paint vivid pictures of the paradox of honor with fools, the futility of undeserved curses, and the necessity of discipline for the foolish. How can we understand the folly of engaging with fools and the importance of discernment in our interactions? Recognize the folly of engaging with fools and avoid entangling yourself in their arguments or disputes. Choose instead to exercise discernment in your interactions, knowing when to walk away and when to engage. Cultivate a spirit of wisdom and discretion, choosing to invest your time and energy in relationships that edify and uplift you. Additionally, be mindful of the words you speak, ensuring that they are seasoned with grace and wisdom, and avoid cursing others unjustly, knowing that such curses will not land on their intended target. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 4-5. “Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.” These verses present a paradoxical admonition regarding responding to the foolish arguments of fools. How can we understand the wisdom behind not engaging with foolish arguments and yet responding when necessary? Recognize the importance of discernment in responding to foolish arguments. Choose not to engage in futile debates or arguments with fools, knowing that it only leads to further folly. Instead, focus your energy on pursuing wisdom and understanding, and avoid being drawn into meaningless disputes. However, there may be times when it is necessary to address foolish arguments, especially when they pose a threat to truth and righteousness. In such cases, respond with grace and wisdom, seeking to bring clarity and understanding rather than engaging in fruitless arguments. Reflect… Now, let’s turn our attention to verses 6-7. “Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison! A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.” These verses vividly depict the folly of entrusting important tasks or messages to fools and
Welcome to Day 2315 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-2 Confident Enough to be Joyful – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/12/2023 Joy in Living – Confident Enough to be Joyful Last week, we began a new series in the letter to the Church in Philippi, where our focus for this month will be Joy in Living for this Thanksgiving season. We explored some insights and background into this letter, This week, we will begin walking through Philippians as we delve into Joy in Living, specifically, how we can be Confident Enough to be Joyful. Let’s read Philippians 1:1-11, on page 1825 in your Pew Bibles. 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons[a]: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving and Prayer 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Ours is a frivolous age with lots of shallow, empty laughter … like the laugh tracks on a sitcom… but very little absolute joy. Most people stumble around in perpetual confusion—darkness, really. As they seek genuine joy, they satisfy themselves with only occasional glimpses of light—artificial light. Occasionally, it’s sad to say, that some of the light they’re attracted to is a consuming fire. It destroys their lives rather than illuminating their minds or warming their hearts. Paul would have understood this plight as he, too, groped around in darkness until that glorious day when the light of the gospel of Christ shone brightly into his life (Acts 9:1–19). Although he often experienced suffering from that day, he rarely let the darkening fog of discouragement cloud his mind or drive out the light of joy. His letter to the Philippians, embossed with unfading joy on every page, proves
Welcome to Day 2315 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 25:22-28 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2315 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2315 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 25:22-28 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the power of kindness in overcoming evil, the importance of self-control and patience, and the value of personal growth and restraint. Reflect… So, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 22: “In the end, the words of a gossip are like the bite of a bite or a wound from a sword.” This verse illustrates the destructive power of gossip and the harm it inflicts on both the gossiper and the one being talked about. How can we understand the significance of refraining from gossip and choosing kindness instead? Recognize the harmful impact of gossip and choose kindness instead. Refrain from engaging in gossip or spreading rumors, knowing that such actions only lead to pain and division. Cultivate a heart that is filled with kindness and compassion, choosing to uplift and encourage others with your words. Practice the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated, knowing that kindness has the power to overcome evil and bring healing to broken relationships. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verse 23. “As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!” This verse uses the imagery of a north wind bringing rain to illustrate how gossip incites anger and discord. How can we understand the correlation between gossip and anger, and the importance of exercising self-control? Exercise Self-Control: Recognize the correlation between gossip and anger, and choose to exercise self-control in your speech. Refrain from gossiping or speaking hastily, knowing that such actions can lead to anger and conflict. Cultivate a spirit of self-discipline and restraint, choosing to think before you speak and only using your words to build others up. Practice the art of listening attentively and speaking thoughtfully, knowing that self-control is a key ingredient in maintaining healthy relationships and fostering peace. Reflect… Now, let’s delve into verses 24-25. “It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty.” These verses highlight the importance of harmony in relationships and the refreshing effect of good news. How can we understand the significance of fostering peace in our relationships and embracing the refreshing effect of good news? Recognize the importance of fostering peace in your relationships, even if it means sacrificing comfort or luxury. Choose to prioritize harmony and unity, knowing that a peaceful home is far more valuable than material...
Welcome to Day 2314 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-1 Insights into Philippians – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/05/2023 - (10/29 was missions Sunday) Joy in Living - Insights into Philippians Last week was our Outreach/Mission focus with Jeff & Candy Waite of the Gospel Mission Food Pantry. Partnering with others worldwide to build God’s kingdom is a blessing. This week, we begin a new series in the letter to the Church in Philippi, where our focus for this month will be Joy in Living for this Thanksgiving season. Today, we will explore some insights into this letter, and next week, we will begin walking through Philippians. As an introduction today, let’s read Philippians 1:1-2, on page 1825 in your Pew Bibles. 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons[a]: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. As we sang the song ‘I’ve Got The Joy’ along with our children’s message today, it makes you wonder why some church gatherings seem to have lost their joy. There certainly are exceptions where there are joyful believers and rejoicing congregations. I’m thankful I’ve have the privilege to serve in such a congregation here at Putnam. But sadly, truly joyful Christians are a rare species in some congregations. To be clear, when I say “joyful Christians,” I’m not talking about silly or foolish Christians. I’m not talking about Christians who think everything’s a joke. And I’m certainly not talking about sarcastic, cynical, or sneering Christians. I’m searching for genuinely joyful Christians—the kind of joy that looks more like contentment and peace than excitement or happiness. This type of joy is what the letter to the Philippians is about. It is the joy mentioned during our children’s video this morning in Psalm 16:11. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Let's ask ourselves a few questions if we think it does not apply to us. Are we together, and each of us individually, part of the joyful remnants? Or have we forgotten how good it is to smile? Have our burdens caused our shoulders to sag and our backs to slouch? When was the last time we really let the joy of the Lord change our countenance? If we’re like most people, we could probably use a healthy dose of real joy. Thankfully, that’s the theme of the book of Philippians. Paul’s letter is saturated with joy from the first word to the last. Talk about a message desperately needed today! In our world of downers and disappointments, setbacks and failures, tragedies and disasters, how easy it is to let despair take over. I can’t think of anything that reveals the person and work of Jesus Christ in the lives of believers more than the manifestation of joy. The Christian’s most obvious advertisement is that they have something that can make a real difference in a world scraping for just an ounce of
Welcome to Day 2313 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 25:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2313 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2313 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me today as we explore Proverbs 25:15-21 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the value of patience and perseverance, the importance of gentle words in difficult situations, and the transformative power of kindness and generosity. Reflect… So, without further ado, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 15-16: “Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones. Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!” These verses highlight the persuasive power of patience and the impact of gentle words, using the analogy of honey to illustrate moderation in speech. How can we apply the principles of patience, moderation, and gentle speech in our interactions with others? Recognize the persuasive power of patience and the impact of gentle words in diffusing conflicts and fostering understanding. Choose to cultivate patience in your interactions, knowing that it has the potential to persuade even the most powerful individuals. Additionally, practice moderation in your speech, using gentle words that have the power to break down barriers and build bridges. Cultivate a heart that is characterized by patience, moderation, and gentle speech, knowing that these qualities have the power to transform relationships and bring about reconciliation. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verse 17. “Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome.” This verse offers practical wisdom on maintaining healthy boundaries in relationships and avoiding overbearing behavior. How can we understand the importance of maintaining balance and respecting boundaries in our relationships? Recognize the importance of respecting boundaries and maintaining balance in your relationships. Choose not to overstep boundaries or impose on others, understanding that doing so can strain relationships and lead to discomfort. Instead, cultivate a mindset of sensitivity and discernment, knowing when to give others space and when to engage in meaningful interaction. Cultivate a heart that values balance and respects the boundaries of others, fostering healthy and harmonious relationships. Reflect… Verses 18-19 continue with reflections on the transformative power of kindness and generosity. “Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow. Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.” These verses emphasize the harm caused by deceitful words and unreliable individuals, using vivid imagery to illustrate their destructive nature. How can we understand the importance of...
Welcome to Day 2310 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 25:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2312 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2312 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. I’m thrilled to have you with me today as we unpack Proverbs 25:8-14 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the importance of exercising discretion in conflict resolution, the value of speaking truth in love, and the refreshing effect of wisdom on those who listen. Reflect… So, without further delay, let’s venture into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 8-10: “Don’t be in a hurry to go to court. Legal battles can cost you dearly, and you may lose your case before the judge. So, settle your differences quickly while you are still together in front of the judge. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison.” These verses advise against rushing into legal disputes and emphasize the importance of resolving conflicts amicably before they escalate. How can we apply the principle of settling differences quickly and avoiding unnecessary legal battles? Recognize the wisdom in avoiding hasty legal disputes and prioritize resolving conflicts amicably. Choose to seek reconciliation and mediation, rather than allowing disputes to escalate into costly legal battles. Cultivate a mindset of patience and humility in resolving conflicts, understanding that peace and harmony are worth pursuing at all costs. Reflect… Now, let’s delve into verse 11. “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” This verse praises the beauty and value of timely advice, likening it to golden apples displayed in a silver basket. How can we appreciate the beauty and value of timely advice in our lives? Recognize the beauty and value of timely advice in guiding and shaping our lives. Choose to appreciate and seek out wise counsel from trusted sources, knowing that timely advice can offer clarity and direction in times of uncertainty. Cultivate a heart that is receptive to wisdom and open to learning from others, understanding that timely advice can be a precious gift that enriches our journey. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verse 12. “To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.” This verse emphasizes the value of receiving constructive criticism with a receptive heart, likening it to precious gold jewelry. How can we embrace the refreshing effect of wisdom found in constructive criticism? Recognize the refreshing effect of wisdom found in constructive criticism. Choose to receive valid criticism with humility and gratitude, understanding that it has the potential to refine and enrich our character. Cultivate a heart that is open to feedback and committed to growth, knowing that embracing constructive criticism is a pathway to greater wisdom and maturity....
Welcome to Day 2311 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-10 The Oldest Bucket List: Simeon and Anna – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/31/2023 The Characters of Christmas – The Oldest Bucket List: Simeon and Anna Last week, during our blessed Christmas Eve service, we looked at The Misfits of Christmas with Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, and Ruth and came to the understanding that in Christ, we are all designed to bring others into the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ our Savior. This week, as we reflect back on 2023 and look forward with hope and anticipation to 2024, we will look into the lives of two devout persons who have been waiting all of their lives for the coming Messiah in a message titled, The Oldest Bucket List: Simeon and Anna. Today's scripture passage is Luke 2:21-38 on pages 1591-1592, in your Pew Bibles. 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. Jesus Presented in the Temple 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of> Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[a]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[b] 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined
Welcome to Day 2310 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 25:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2310 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2310 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you join me on this adventure today as we explore Proverbs 25:1-7 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll uncover insights into the value of hidden wisdom, the honor of kings in searching out truth, and the removal of impurities to reveal the pure gold within. Reflect… Let’s head out and embark on our journey through the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1: “These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah.” This verse sets the stage for a collection of additional proverbs attributed to Solomon, gathered during the reign of King Hezekiah. How can we understand the value of hidden wisdom contained within these proverbs? Recognize the significance of the wisdom contained within these proverbs, handed down through generations. Choose to delve into their depths, understanding that hidden wisdom holds great treasure for those who seek it. Cultivate a thirst for knowledge and insight, knowing that wisdom is a precious gem waiting to be discovered. Reflect… Now, let’s turn our attention to verses 2-3. “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them. No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, or all that goes on in the king’s mind!” These verses highlight the privilege of kings to search out truth and the unfathomable mysteries of creation. How can we appreciate the honor bestowed upon kings to seek out truth and understanding? Recognize the honor bestowed upon kings to search out truth and understanding. Choose to emulate their pursuit of wisdom, actively seeking knowledge and insight in all areas of life. Cultivate a mindset of curiosity and exploration, understanding that the pursuit of truth leads to enlightenment and growth. Reflect… Verse 4-5 continues with reflections on removing impurities to reveal the pure gold within. “Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith. Remove the wicked from the king’s court, and his reign will be made secure by justice.” These verses draw a parallel between refining silver and removing wickedness from the king’s court. How can we understand the importance of removing impurities to ensure justice and security? Ensure Justice and Security: Recognize the importance of removing impurities to ensure justice and security. Choose to uphold righteousness and integrity in all areas of life, knowing that removing wickedness strengthens the foundation of society. Cultivate a commitment to justice, actively working to remove corruption and injustice from your sphere of influence. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 6-7. “Don’t demand an audience with the king or...
Welcome to Day 2309 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom - The Characters of Christmas-9 The Misfits of Christmas – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/24/2023 The Characters of Christmas – The Misfits of Christmas Last week, we looked at the dark side of Christmas Characters as we analyzed Herod, the Monster of Christmas. This week will be a short message as we look at The Misfits of Christmas. I will read part of three verses from the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew Matthew 1, on page 1496, in your Pew Bibles. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). 6 David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). I want to highlight four characters from Jesus' family tree that illustrate the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God. All of them are women, which is remarkable in and of itself. Jesus’s life and ministry were focused on lifting the oppressed. All are equal before God. As Galatians 3:28 tells us: There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Typically, Jewish genealogies didn't mention women. They only ever listed men as the heads of their households. Women in the ancient world had little agency and virtually no voice. So, in telling the Christmas story through women like Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna (which we will study next week), Jesus tells us that His kingdom is different. And even in this small and seemingly insignificant detail of listing four women in Jesus' family tree, Matthew is communicating something powerful. It reminds me of the Christmas cartoon Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, where they come across the Island of Misfit Toys. You remember Charlie in the Box. What is the meaning of the Island of Misfit Toys? It is not unlike the story of Christmas. As the story goes on, this menagerie of misfit toys bands together and saves Christmas for the children of the world. The Biblical principle of the story is that no matter how atypical you are, you are valuable in God’s eyes and within the church. Together, we can accomplish what seems impossible. To fully grasp these misfits in our passage today, we must understand how poorly women were regarded in the first century. A woman had no legal rights and was utterly subject to her husband's power. According to New Testament scholar Michael Green, a Jewish man “thanked God each day that he had not been created a slave, a Gentile, or a woman.” To put it bluntly, Matthew would be scandalous to put these women's names here. And these weren't just any women. Each one of them carried with them a stigma, an asterisk next to their name every time a faithful Jewish person heard their name read out loud in the temple or the synagogue. The Forgotten Tamar is a name most Jewish people likely wanted to forget. It is an interesting story, but we will leave out most details for tonight's message. And yet here she is,/ in Genesis 38, /first as the wife of a man named...
Welcome to Day 2308 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 24:23-34 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2308 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2308 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you with me today as we explore Proverbs 24:23-34 from the New Living Translation. In these verses, we’ll discover insights into the importance of impartiality in judgment, the dangers of laziness, and the value of diligent work. Reflect… So strap on your hiking boots and delve into Proverbs’s wisdom. Verses 23-25: “These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judging is not good: Whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent,’ will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.” These verses emphasize the importance of impartiality in judgment, warning against showing favoritism to the guilty. How can we apply the principle of impartiality in our interactions and judgments? Recognize the wisdom in avoiding partiality when judging others. Choose to uphold justice and fairness in all your interactions, refusing to show favoritism to the guilty. Cultivate a mindset that values honesty and integrity, knowing that impartiality leads to rich blessings. Reflect… Now, let’s explore verses 26-27. “An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship. Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.” These verses highlight the importance of honesty and diligence in planning and preparation. How can we understand the value of honesty and diligence in our relationships and endeavors? Recognize the value of honesty in fostering genuine friendships. Choose to provide honest answers in your interactions, knowing that they strengthen relationships. Additionally, prioritize diligence in planning and preparation, understanding that thorough groundwork leads to successful endeavors. Cultivate a mindset that values honesty and diligence, ensuring meaningful connections and fruitful outcomes. Reflect… Verse 28 continues with reflections on the consequences of bearing false witness. “Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them.” This verse cautions against bearing false witness or spreading lies about others without valid cause. How can we avoid the temptation to bear false witness against others? Recognize the harm caused by spreading lies about others without valid cause. Choose not to participate in bearing false witness against your neighbors, upholding the importance of truth and integrity in your speech. Cultivate a habit of speaking truthfully and refrain from spreading rumors or falsehoods that could harm others. Pause… Verses 29-30 introduce reflections on the consequences of laziness. “Don’t say, ‘I will do to them...
Welcome to Day 2307 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 24:15-22 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2307 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2307 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a delight to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound verses of Proverbs 24:15-22 from the New Living Translation. As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the adversity faced by the righteous, recognizing the consequences of wickedness, and discovering the value of justice. Reflect… Without further delay, strap on your boots, and let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verses 15-16: “Don’t lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man’s house, and don’t raid his dwelling place. Though a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will stumble into ruin.” These verses portray the challenges the righteous face, urging them not to lie in wait against the homes of the just. The righteous rise again despite their falls, while the wicked face inevitable ruin. How can we understand the adversity faced by the righteous and the consequences that await the wicked? Face Adversity with Resilience: Recognize the challenges faced by the righteous and the importance of not plotting against them. Choose to embody the resilience of the righteous, understanding that, despite falls, they rise again. Cultivate a mindset that refuses to be defeated by adversity, trusting in the strength that comes from a righteous life. Reflect… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 17. “Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.” This verse offers a cautionary message against finding joy in the misfortune of others, even if they are considered enemies. How can we avoid the trap of rejoicing in the misfortune of our enemies? Avoid Rejoicing in the Misfortune of Others: Recognize the caution against finding joy in the stumbling of enemies. Choose not to derive happiness from the misfortune of others, even those considered adversaries. Cultivate a heart that embodies empathy and compassion, understanding that true wisdom transcends personal conflicts and seeks the well-being of all. Reflect… Verse 18 introduces reflections on the consequences awaiting the wicked. “For the Lord sees clearly what a person does, examining every path he takes.” This verse emphasizes the divine scrutiny over the actions and paths of individuals, underlining the accountability before the Lord. How can we recognize the consequences of wickedness and the accountability for our actions before the Lord? Acknowledge Divine Scrutiny and Accountability: Recognize the divine scrutiny over your actions, understanding that the Lord sees clearly every path you take. Choose to acknowledge the accountability before the Lord for your choices and behaviors. Cultivate a lifestyle that aligns with righteousness,...
Welcome to Day 2306 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-8 Herod, The Monster of Christmas – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/17/2023 The Characters of Christmas – Herod, the Monster of Christmas Last week, we went on a two-year expedition as we traveled with a caravan of visitors from the east in a message titled, Seeking and Finding: The Wise Men This week, we will look at the dark side of Christmas Characters as we analyze, Herod, the Monster of Christmas. Let’s read Matthew 2:13-23, starting on page 1498, in your Pew Bibles. The Escape to Egypt 13 When the wise men had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[c] 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”[d] The Return to Nazareth 19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. Every year at this time, our family, as many do, likes to gather around the TV and watch our favorite Christmas movies. Perhaps our favorite is It’s a Wonderful Life, followed closely by A Muppets Christmas Carol, but I also enjoy several other versions of it. A Christmas Carol is like several Christmas stories...
Welcome to Day 2305 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 24:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2305 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2305 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the insightful verses of Proverbs 24:8-14 from the New Living Translation. As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in discerning the consequences of wicked schemes, valuing wisdom’s benefits, and understanding the impact of our actions on the future. Reflect… Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 8: “A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.” This verse warns against the consequences of devising wicked schemes and highlights their impact on one’s reputation. How can we discern the consequences of wicked schemes and avoid gaining a reputation as a troublemaker? Discern the Consequences of Wicked Schemes: Recognize the warning about the reputation that follows those who plan evil. Choose not to engage in wicked schemes that lead to trouble. Cultivate a discerning mindset that considers the consequences of actions and avoids activities that tarnish your reputation. Reflect… Now, let’s turn our attention to verses 9-10. “The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker. If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.” These verses highlight the folly of sinful schemes, the detestable nature of mocking, and the importance of maintaining strength under pressure. How can we avoid the folly of sinful schemes, steer clear of mocking, and build strength to withstand pressure? We must Avoid the Folly of Sinful Schemes and Mocking by Recognizing the folly of engaging in sinful schemes and the detestable nature of mocking. Choose to avoid such behaviors, understanding their negative impact. Cultivate strength under pressure, acknowledging that endurance and resilience are crucial in navigating life’s challenges. Reflect… Verse 11-12 continues with reflections on the importance of delivering those who are unjustly sentenced. “Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, ‘Look, we didn’t know.’ For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.” These verses emphasize the moral responsibility to intervene and save those facing unjust sentences, highlighting the accountability for knowing and not taking action. How can we fulfill the moral responsibility to rescue those facing unjust sentences and avoid excusing ourselves by claiming ignorance? We must understand and Fulfill our Moral Responsibility to Rescue the Unjustly Sentenced by Recognizing the moral responsibility to intervene and save those facing unjust sentences. Choose not to excuse yourself...
Welcome to Day 2304 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-7 Seeking and Finding - The Wise Men – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/10/2023 The Characters of Christmas – Seeking and Finding: The Wise Men Last week, in our first message of Advent, we continued from last year and investigated some of the Characters of Christmas. The First to Know: Shepherds. This week, we are going on a two-year expedition as we travel with a caravan of visitors from the east in a message titled, Seeking and Finding: The Wise Men Let’s read Matthew 2:1-12, starting on page 1497, in your Pew Bibles. The Magi(Wise Men) Visit the Messiah 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. When you grow up in the church like I did, one of the enduring symbols of Christmas is the wise men and their camels. Every year, some larger churches put on multi-day Christmas pageants. These are elaborate affairs, complete with live animals, original music scores, and, yes, church members dressed up in satin gowns as wise men. (Hold up Blue Robe) Picture in your mind a stately-looking man singing...
Welcome to Day 2303 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 24:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2303 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2303 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the insightful verses of Proverbs 24:1-7 from the New Living Translation. As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in building a strong and secure life, avoiding destructive behaviors, and establishing a foundation of wisdom. Reflect… Without further delay, let’s head out to the wisdom trail and dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1-2: “Don’t envy evil people or desire their company. For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble.” These verses offer a clear warning against envying the ways of the wicked and cautioning us about the destructive nature of their actions. How can we build a strong and secure life by avoiding the influence of those who plot violence and stir up trouble? We must Build a Strong and Secure Life by Recognizing the danger of envying the ways of the wicked. Choose to distance yourself from those whose hearts plot violence and words stir up trouble. Cultivate a life anchored in righteousness, avoiding destructive influences, and establishing a foundation of wisdom that promotes strength and security. Reflect… Now, let’s turn our attention to verses 3-4. “A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge, its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.” These verses draw a parallel between building a physical house and constructing a life fortified by wisdom, good sense, and knowledge. How can we apply the principles of wisdom, good sense, and knowledge to build a life filled with precious riches and valuables? By Building a Life Filled with true Precious Riches and Recognizing the parallels between building a physical house and constructing a life. Choose to build your life with wisdom, good sense, and knowledge. Cultivate a mindset that values these principles, allowing your life to become strong and filled with precious riches and valuables that extend beyond material wealth. Reflect… Verse 5-6 continues with reflections on the importance of wisdom in strategic planning. “The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.” These verses emphasize the might of wisdom and the strength that comes from knowledge, highlighting the importance of strategic planning. How can we apply the wisdom of seeking guidance and having many advisers to ensure success in our endeavors? We need to Seek Wise Guidance for Strategic Planning and Recognize the might of wisdom and the strength derived from knowledge. Choose not to venture into endeavors without wise guidance....
Welcome to Day 2302 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 23:26-35 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2302 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2302 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 23:26-35 from the New Living Translation. As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in guarding our hearts, avoiding the snares of excessive indulgence, and recognizing the importance of self-control. Pause… Without further delay, it is time to head out and dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 26: “My son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.” This verse expresses the desire for a deep and committed connection, urging us to align our hearts and desires with the ways of wisdom. How can we give our hearts fully to the ways of wisdom and find delight in following God’s path? We need to Give our Hearts to the Ways of Wisdom and Recognize the invitation to give our hearts fully to the ways of wisdom. Choose to align your desires with God’s principles, finding delight in following His path. Cultivate a heart that is surrendered to the guidance of God, understanding that true fulfillment comes from a life lived in harmony with His ways. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verses 27-28. “A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well. She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.” These verses caution against the dangers of immoral relationships and the destructive consequences they can bring. How can we guard our hearts against the snares of immoral relationships and maintain faithfulness? Guard Your Heart Against Immoral Relationships by Recognizing the dangers of immoral relationships and the potential consequences they bring. Choose to guard your heart against the snares of such relationships, understanding the importance of faithfulness and integrity. Cultivate a commitment to moral purity, avoiding situations that could lead to compromise and staying true to the values of fidelity and honor. Pause… Verse 29-30 continues with reflections on the perils of excessive indulgence. “Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?” These verses paint a vivid picture of the consequences of excessive indulgence and the toll it takes on a person’s well-being. How can we avoid the perils of excessive indulgence and the accompanying anguish and sorrow? Avoid the Perils of Excessive Indulgence by Recognizing the toll that excessive indulgence takes on your well-being. Choose to avoid habits and behaviors that lead to anguish, sorrow, and physical harm. Cultivate a lifestyle of...
Welcome to Day 2301 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-6 The First to Know - Shepherds – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/03/2023 The Characters of Christmas – The First to Know: Shepherds Last week, we focused on dealing with dilemmas as we saw how Paul found himself “Between a rock and a hard place.” Today is the first message of Advent as we continue from last year and investigate some of the Characters of Christmas. The First to Know: Shepherds. Let’s read Luke 2:1-21, on page 1590, in your Pew Bibles. The Birth of Jesus 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had...
Welcome to Day 2300 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 23:17-25 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2300 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2300 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s wonderful to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 23:17-25 from the New Living Translation. As we venture into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in cultivating a heart of reverence, avoiding envy, and recognizing the value of parental guidance in shaping our character. Without further delay, come along with me, and let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Pause… Verse 17: “Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord.” This verse provides a clear directive to avoid envy and instead maintain a heart of reverence for the Lord. How can we cultivate a heart of reverence and guard against the destructive emotion of envy? We must cultivate a heart of reverence by recognizing the importance of cultivating a heart of reverence for the Lord. Choose to focus on the fear of the Lord rather than envying the ways of sinners. Cultivate a mindset that values God’s guidance and seeks to align with His principles, fostering a heart that is grounded in respect and awe. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 18. “Surely you have a future ahead of you; your hope will not be disappointed.” This verse offers a message of hope and assurance for those who fear the Lord. How can we anchor our hope in the fear of the Lord and trust in His promising future for us? Anchor Hope in the Fear of the Lord and Recognize that your hope is anchored in the fear of the Lord. Choose to trust in God’s promises and align your aspirations with His principles. Cultivate a hopeful mindset that is grounded in the assurance of a promising future under God’s guidance. Pause… Verse 19 continues with reflections on the importance of listening to wise counsel. “Hear my son, and be wise; and guide your heart in the way.” This verse emphasizes the role of wise guidance in shaping our hearts and choices. How can we actively listen to wise counsel and guide our hearts in the right direction? Actively Listen to Wise Counsel by Recognizing the importance of actively listening to wise counsel. Choose to be attentive to the guidance of mentors, parents, and those with wisdom. Cultivate a heart that is open to instruction, understanding that wise counsel plays a crucial role in guiding your choices and shaping your character. Pause… Now, let’s explore verses 20-21. “Don’t carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.” These verses caution against the company of those given to excess and the consequences it brings. How can we make wise choices in our associations to avoid the pitfalls...
Welcome to Day 2299 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-5 Room for Jesus - the Innkeeper – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/24/2022 The Characters of Christmas: Room For Jesus: The Innkeeper On this blessed Christmas Eve, we have one more character for this Advent series. We will call this person “The Innkeeper.” Our scripture for tonight is Luke 2:1-7, on page 1591 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read. The Birth of Jesus 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. You’ve probably heard the story before. Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem because of a Roman census. Joseph and Mary’s ancestral home was Bethlehem because they were both descendants of King David from the tribe of Judah. Unfortunately, when they arrived in Bethlehem, the town was packed, and they couldn’t find anywhere to stay. Over the centuries, an entire narrative was built around verses 6 & 7. So let me read those once again. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. “No guest room available.” Those shameful words describe more than the guest room in Bethlehem. They apply just as aptly to today’s world. Sadly, in our Christmas celebrations' busyness, people still make no room for Jesus. Without even realizing it, they miss Christmas, just like most people in and around Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. Although that’s the typical way the story is told, that’s not necessarily what happened. The word translated “inn” in some translations, or “guest room” as we see in the NIV” can also refer to the upper, finished room of a house. If this is what Luke means, then the innkeeper has received a bad rap over the years. Let me dramatize the story a little differently tonight with the help of others. Joseph: Mary, we are finally approaching Bethlehem. I am thankful to God. I am certainly getting tired from this long journey. Mary: I am sorry that you have had to walk the entire time. Thank you for allowing me to ride on the...
Welcome to Day 2298 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 23:9-16 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2298 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2298 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 23:9-16 from the New Living Translation. As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the importance of discernment in our interactions, valuing correction for personal growth, and appreciating the richness of wisdom over material wealth. Pause… Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 9: “Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.” This verse underscores the futility of offering wisdom to those who are unwilling to receive it. How can we exercise discernment in our interactions and wisely invest our time and energy? We need to exercise discernment in Interactions by recognizing the importance of discernment in choosing where to invest our time and energy. Avoid wasting valuable advice on those who are unwilling to receive it. Choose to share wisdom with those who have open hearts and minds, fostering relationships that contribute positively to personal and collective growth. Pause… Verse 10: “Don’t cheat your neighbor or rob them. Don’t withhold wages from an employee.” This verse emphasizes the principles of honesty and fairness in our dealings with others. How can we cultivate a mindset of honesty and fairness in our interactions? We can cultivate honesty and fairness by recognizing the importance of honesty and fairness in our dealings with others. Choose to treat your neighbors and employees with integrity, avoiding dishonest practices such as cheating or withholding wages. Cultivate a mindset that values honesty and fairness, contributing to a community built on trust and mutual respect. Pause… Verse 11 continues with a reflection on valuing correction for personal growth. “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!” This verse highlights the connection between seeking goodness and finding favor, contrasting it with the consequences of pursuing evil. How can we prioritize the search for goodness and embrace correction for personal growth? Prioritize the search for goodness and embrace correction by recognizing the correlation between seeking goodness and finding favor. Prioritize the search for goodness in your thoughts, actions, and relationships. Choose to embrace correction as a valuable tool for personal growth, understanding that it leads to favor and positive outcomes. Cultivate a mindset that actively seeks and promotes goodness in all aspects of life. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 12. “Be wise enough to know the difference.” This concise...
Welcome to Day 2296 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 23:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2297 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2297 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 23:1-8 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the importance of attentiveness in various settings, exercising self-control, discerning motives, and cultivating a healthy perspective on wealth. Without further delay, let’s strap on our hiking boots and dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. VERSE 1-3: “While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat. Don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.” In these verses, we are advised to be attentive and exercise self-control, especially when dining with a ruler. The caution is against excessive desires, recognizing that the ruler’s intentions might not align with our well-being. How can we apply the principle of attentiveness and self-control in our interactions and relationships? Cultivate Attentiveness and Self-Control: Recognize the importance of paying attention and exercising self-control in various settings. Cultivate attentiveness in your interactions, demonstrating respect for others. Choose to be mindful of your impulses and desires, practicing moderation and discipline. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 4. “Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.” This verse offers practical advice about the pursuit of wealth, emphasizing the importance of balance and wisdom. How can we maintain a healthy perspective on wealth and success in our endeavors? Pursue Wealth with Balance and Wisdom: Recognize the importance of balance and wisdom in the pursuit of wealth. Avoid wearing yourself out by being overly consumed with the quest for riches. Choose to pursue wealth with a balanced perspective, understanding the value of wisdom in knowing when to pause and prioritize other aspects of life. Pause… Verse 5 speaks to the transient nature of wealth. “In the blink of an eye, wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.” This vivid illustration emphasizes the fleeting nature of wealth, highlighting its impermanence. How can we develop a healthy relationship with material possessions and the transient nature of wealth? Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Wealth: Recognize the transient nature of wealth and material possessions. Cultivate a healthy perspective by understanding that these things can disappear suddenly. Choose to prioritize values and relationships that endure beyond material wealth, recognizing that true fulfillment comes from a well-rounded and balanced life....
Welcome to Day 2296 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-4 The Song of the Angel – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/18/2022 The Characters of Christmas: The Song of the Angels Last week we continued with our third Advent series character as we explored Mary, the Simple Girl at the Center of Everything Today, we continue with our fourth Advent series character as we listen to The Song of the Angels Our initial scripture for today is Luke 2:8-15, on page 1591 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” There is one character—or rather, a series of characters—hovering over the Christmas story. They are not quite human, but not quite divine, and sometimes they seem to float in the background, and at other times, they come to the foreground, announcing the good news of the birth of Jesus. We cannot step into any of the incarnation narratives in Scripture without running into them: the angels. (messengers) Heavenly beings of the unseen realm, a variety of beauty. An angel named Gabriel first shows up in the temple while a stunned priest named Zechariah is minding his business lighting the incense on the altar (Luke 1:11-19). As Zechariah trembles, dumbfounded, the angel announces that Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, will soon conceive a special, Elijah-like son, John the Baptizer. Six months later, Gabriel shows up in the home of a poor teenager named Mary. Here the angel announces an even more impossible conception: a child by this young virgin, the Son of God. And not once, but twice, an angel was sent to reassure Mary's not-so-sure husband that this conception was indeed of God and not the result of her infidelity (proving that sometimes thick-headed husbands require angels to work overtime.) Angels were the ones who filled a normally quiet Bethlehem sky and hillside one night, hovering and standing among a shepherd's field, announcing to these lowly men that something big and extraordinary was happening in their sleepy town. The first Christmas pageant was not written by songwriters in Nashville, but by messengers from heaven. Angels didn't just announce the good news. God also sent...
Welcome to Day 2295 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 22:22-29 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2295 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2295 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 22:22-29 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the importance of justice, the impact of generosity, the value of diligence, and the consequences of dishonesty. Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 22: “Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court.” This verse emphasizes the importance of justice and cautions against exploiting the poor and needy. How can we cultivate a sense of justice and avoid exploiting those who are vulnerable? Cultivate Justice and Compassion: Recognize the importance of justice and compassion. Avoid robbing the poor or exploiting the needy in court. Cultivate a sense of justice in your actions, advocating for fairness and righteousness. Choose to be a voice for those who may not have the means to defend themselves. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 23. “For the Lord is their defender. He will injure anyone who injures them.” This verse reassures that the Lord is the defender of the poor and will intervene against those who harm them. How can we trust in the Lord as the ultimate defender and protector of the vulnerable? Trust in the Lord as Defender: Recognize the Lord as the ultimate defender of the poor and needy. Trust in His justice and intervention against those who harm the vulnerable. Choose to place your trust in the Lord, understanding that He is the defender of the defenseless and the protector of those in need. Pause… Verse 24 continues with reflecting on the consequences of forming alliances with angry people. “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people.” This verse warns against forming alliances with those who are prone to anger. How can we navigate relationships wisely and avoid the pitfalls of associating with hot-tempered individuals? Choose Relationships Wisely: Recognize the warning against befriending angry people or associating with hot-tempered individuals. Choose relationships wisely, surrounding yourself with those who contribute positively to your life. Cultivate friendships that are based on understanding, patience, and mutual respect, avoiding alliances that may lead to conflict and trouble. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 25. “Or you will learn their ways and get yourself trapped.” This verse underscores the potential danger of adopting the ways of those with anger issues. How can we guard ourselves...
Welcome to Day 2294 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-3 Mary, The Simple Girl at the Center of Everything – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/11/2022 The Characters of Christmas: Mary, The Simple Girl at the Center of Everything Last week we continued our Advent series as we explored A Christmas Miracle: The Story of Zachariah and Elizabeth. Today, we continue our third Advent series character as we explore Mary, the Simple Girl at the Center of Everything. Our initial scripture for today is Luke 1:26-45, on pages 1588-89 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read. The Birth of Jesus Foretold 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Mary Visits Elizabeth 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” The city of...
Welcome to Day 2293 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 22:15-21 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2293 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2293 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 22:15-21 from the New Living Translation. Pause... As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the impact of foolishness in a child’s heart, the importance of cultivating a teachable spirit, and the significance of anchoring our trust in the Lord. Without further delay, let’s trek the trails as we dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 15: “A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.” This verse highlights the presence of foolishness in a youngster’s heart and the role of physical discipline in redirecting it. How can we navigate the delicate balance between discipline and love in guiding the hearts of the young? We need to Navigate Discipline with Love as we Recognize the presence of foolishness in a youngster’s heart and the role of physical discipline in redirecting it. However, navigate discipline with love, ensuring your guidance is rooted in a desire for the child’s well-being. Choose to discipline to steer the child away from foolishness, always maintaining a foundation of love. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 16. “A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.” This verse underscores the consequences of advancing through the oppression of the poor or excessive favoritism toward the rich. How can we cultivate fairness and equity in our interactions with others? Cultivating fairness and equity requires us to recognize the consequences of advancing through the oppression of the poor or excessive favoritism toward the rich. Cultivate a commitment to fairness and equity in your interactions, treating all individuals with dignity and respect. Choose to align your actions with principles that uplift and honor the inherent worth of every person. Pause… Verse 17 continues with reflecting on the importance of listening and applying wisdom. “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.” This verse emphasizes the value of listening to the words of the wise and applying one’s heart to instruction. How can we foster a teachable spirit and be intentional about learning from the wisdom of others? Fostering a Teachable Spirit is learned by recognizing the value of listening to the words of the wise and applying your heart to instruction. Foster a teachable spirit by actively seeking wisdom from those with experience and insight. Choose to approach life with a humble openness to learning, understanding that applying instruction...
Welcome to Day 2292 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 22:8-14 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2292 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2292 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 22:8-14 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we dive into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the consequences of sowing iniquity, the value of a discerning heart, and the importance of humility and the fear of the Lord. Without further delay, it’s time to head out on the trail and into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 8: “Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end.” This verse vividly depicts the consequences awaiting those who sow injustice. How can we understand the principle of reaping what we sow, especially regarding injustice? Choose Righteousness over Injustice: Recognize the principle that those who plant injustice will harvest disaster. Choose to sow seeds of righteousness in your actions, understanding that injustice leads to a harvest of disaster. Cultivate a commitment to justice and fairness, knowing your choices have consequences. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 9. “Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.” This verse highlights the blessings bestowed upon those who are generous, especially towards the poor. How can we cultivate a heart of generosity, especially towards those in need? Cultivate a Heart of Generosity: Recognize the blessings associated with generosity, especially towards the poor. Cultivate a heart of generosity in your attitudes and actions, actively seeking opportunities to bless others. Choose to be a source of provision for those in need, understanding that generosity brings blessings not only to others but also to your own life. Pause… Verse 10 speaks to the consequences of sowing discord. “Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.” This verse illustrates the impact of removing a mocker on the cessation of quarrels and insults. How can we navigate relationships wisely and address the presence of a mocker? Address the Presence of a Mocker: Recognize the impact of a mocker on relationships and the potential for quarrels and insults. Choose to address the presence of a mocker wisely, understanding that removing them can bring peace and harmony. Cultivate an atmosphere of respect and understanding, fostering healthy relationships free from strife. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 11. “The Lord loves to see people converted; it is dear to him that they turn from their sins.” This verse emphasizes the joy and delight that God...
Welcome to Day 2291 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-2 A Christmas Miracle-Zachariah and Elizabeth – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/04/2022 The Characters of Christmas: A Christmas Miracle: Zachariah and Elizabeth Last week, we began our Advent series exploring five characters of Christmas, starting with Joseph, The Unsung Hero of Christmas. Today, we continue our Advent series as we explore A Christmas Miracle: The Story of Zachariah and Elizabeth. Our initial scripture for today is Luke 1:5-25, on page 1587 in the Pew Bible. Follow along as I read. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold 5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; /his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he
Welcome to Day 2290 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 22:1-7 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2290 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2290 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 22:1-7 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we dive into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the value of a good reputation, the impact of humility and the fear of the Lord, and the consequences of financial irresponsibility. Without further delay, strap on your hiking boots and delve into Proverbs’s wisdom. Verse 1: “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.” This verse emphasizes the surpassing value of a good reputation over material wealth. How can we prioritize building and maintaining a good reputation in our lives? Prioritize a Good Reputation: Recognize the surpassing value of a good reputation over material wealth. Prioritize building and maintaining a good reputation through your actions, choices, and interactions. Choose to be a person of integrity and character, understanding that being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 2. “The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.” This verse underscores the shared identity of both the rich and the poor as creations of the Lord. How can we cultivate a perspective of equality and shared humanity, recognizing that we are all creations of the Lord? Cultivate Equality and Shared Humanity: Recognize the shared identity of both the rich and the poor as creations of the Lord. Cultivate a perspective of equality and shared humanity in your interactions with others, regardless of their financial status. Choose to treat everyone with dignity and respect, acknowledging the commonality we share as creations of God. Pause… Verse 3 speaks to the consequences of wisdom and understanding. “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” This verse highlights the contrasting outcomes for the prudent person who takes precautions and the simpleton who goes blindly on. How can we cultivate wisdom and foresight to avoid unnecessary consequences? Cultivate Wisdom and Foresight: Recognize the consequences of wisdom and understanding in foreseeing danger and taking precautions. Cultivate wisdom and foresight in your decision-making, actively seeking to understand potential dangers and taking appropriate precautions. Choose to be prudent in your actions, avoiding unnecessary consequences that may result from going blindly forward. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 4....
Welcome to Day 2289 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-1 Joseph, The Unsung Hero of Christmas – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/27/2022 The Characters of Christmas: Joseph, the Unsung Hero of Christmas Last week, we studied one of the most miraculous historical events in a message titled A Miraculous Resurrection. The focus was on the three essential principles of the resurrection: 1. The resurrection of Jesus assures us of God’s forgiveness. 2. The resurrection of Jesus assures us of God’s power. 3. The resurrection assures us of God’s ultimate triumph at the end of history.
We will break from our series of the Good News according to John the Apostle, where we have three more messages to finish up the entire book of John. Starting today, we begin an Advent series exploring five characters of Christmas, beginning with Joseph, The Unsung Hero. Our scripture for today is Matthew 1:18-25, on page 1497 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read. Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son 18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” [d] (which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage...
Welcome to Day 2288 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 21:25-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2288 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2288 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you with me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 21:25-31 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we dive into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the consequences of unchecked desire, the impact of God’s sovereignty on human plans, and the importance of preparation and reliance on God in our pursuits. Without further delay, it’s time to head out and delve into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 25: “Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.” This verse paints a vivid picture of the consequences of unchecked desire coupled with laziness. How can we understand the dangers of desire when paired with a lack of diligence? Pair Desire with Diligence: Recognize the dangers of unchecked desire when combined with laziness. Pair your desires with diligence and hard work, understanding that the lazy will come to ruin. Cultivate a work ethic that aligns with your aspirations, knowing that sustained effort leads to success. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 26. “Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!” This verse contrasts the constant pursuit of more with the godly virtue of generosity. How can we cultivate a heart of generosity amid a world that often clamors for more? Cultivate a Heart of Generosity: Recognize the contrast between those who are always greedy for more and the godly, who love to give. Cultivate a heart of generosity, understanding that true fulfillment comes from giving rather than constantly seeking more. Choose to be a source of blessing to others, aligning your heart with the godly virtue of generosity. Pause… Verse 27 continues with a reflection on the consequences of neglecting the cries of the poor. “The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives.” This verse underscores the detestable nature of the sacrifices offered by those with evil motives. How can we ensure that our acts of worship and service are offered with pure motives? Offer Worship with Pure Motives: Recognize the importance of pure motives in your acts of worship and service. Understand that the sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when offered with wrong motives. Examine your heart and intentions, seeking to offer worship and service with sincerity and a genuine desire to please God. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 28. “A false witness will be cut off, but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.” This verse contrasts the
Welcome to Day 2287 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 21:17-24 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2287 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2287 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a delight to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 21:17-24 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the consequences of indulgence and laziness, the value of seeking God’s guidance in our plans, and the importance of diligence and wisdom in our daily pursuits. Without further delay, let’s explore the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 17: “Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.” This verse highlights the consequences of indulgence and the pursuit of pleasure without restraint. How can we strike a balance between enjoying life and avoiding the pitfalls of excessive pleasure-seeking? Practice Moderation and recognize the consequences of excessive pleasure-seeking and indulgence. Practice moderation in your pursuits, understanding that unrestrained love for pleasure can lead to poverty. Cultivate a balanced and disciplined approach to enjoyment, ensuring it aligns with God’s principles. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 18. “The wicked are punished in place of the godly, and traitors in place of the honest.” This verse speaks to the principle of divine justice, where the wicked may face consequences instead of the godly. How can we trust in God’s justice, especially when it seems that the wicked may go unpunished? Trust in God’s Justice by recognizing the principle of divine justice and understanding that the wicked may face punishment instead of the godly. Trust that God, in His perfect timing, will bring justice to every situation. Choose to live with integrity and honesty, knowing God’s justice prevails. Pause… Verse 19 continues with a reflection on the value of seeking God’s guidance. “It’s better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.” This verse emphasizes the challenges of living with a contentious spouse and the potential peace of solitude. How can we seek God’s guidance in our relationships and decisions? Seek God’s Guidance and recognize the importance of seeking God’s guidance in your relationships and decisions. Understand that living in peace, even in solitude, is preferable to constant strife. Seek God’s wisdom in your interactions and choices; trusting His guidance leads to a life of fulfillment and tranquility. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 20. “Precious treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool devours it.” This verse contrasts the wise, who accumulate precious treasure, with the fool, who squanders it. How can we cultivate wisdom in...
Welcome to Day 2286 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-25 Equipped To Do His Will – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/22/2023 Equipped to do His Will - Hebrews 13:18-25 Today, we conclude our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Last week, we compared the shifting world/ to a collection of changeless truths concerning Jesus Christ and the plan_and_purpose of God. This week is our final message in the study of Hebrews. What we have learned through this 25-week study allows us to be Equipped to do His Will. Let’s read Hebrews 13:18-25. On page 1879 in your Pew Bibles. Benediction and Final Greetings 18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. 20 Now may the God of peace,/ who through the blood of the eternal covenant/ brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,/ that great Shepherd of the sheep,/ 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all. Throughout the book of Hebrews, the author’s tone has been relatively formal, even detached. At times, the book reads like a theological treatise, other times like a sermon that could be preached to any group of believers in Christ. But in the concluding verses of the book, we catch a glimpse of the author’s personal relationship with his audience. He was no mere thirdhand acquaintance who happened to hear of those struggling Hebrew saints and decided to toss in his two cents’ worth. Though we in the twenty-first century don’t know the identity of the author of Hebrews, the original recipients knew him well. In 13:18–25, the writer shares personal prayer requests, even asking that he would see his beloved addressees again (13:18–19). Then he prays for them that they would be equipped to do Christ’s will (13:20–21). Finally, he encourages them once more to heed the words he has written to them (13:22), before extending a few final comments and greetings (13:23–25). These words show our anonymous author's heartbeat and great love for his audience. 13:18–19 In our often overly individualistic approach to the Christian life, when people ask us for prayer, we might assume something must be wrong with them. In the back of our minds,
Welcome to Day 2285 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 21:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2285 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2285 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It's a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 21:9-16 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let's seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the consequences of living with a contentious spouse, the significance of generosity and justice, and the impact of wisdom on our daily choices. Without further delay, it’s time to head out and dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 9: "It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home." This verse presents a vivid picture of the challenges of living with a contentious spouse. How can we navigate the complexities of relationships, especially when faced with contention? Choose Peaceful Relationships by recognizing the impact of contentious relationships on one's well-being. Choose peace and harmony in your relationships, understanding that living in simplicity and tranquility is better than in a lovely home marred by constant quarreling. Embrace the importance of fostering an atmosphere of peace in your home. Pause… Now, let's explore verse 10. "Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them." This verse underscores the self-serving nature of evil individuals and the lack of mercy they extend to their neighbors. How can we cultivate a spirit of generosity and mercy toward our neighbors? Cultivate Generosity and Mercy and recognize the destructive nature of evil desires that withhold mercy. Cultivate a spirit of generosity and mercy toward your neighbors, understanding that such virtues reflect the character of God. Choose to be a source of kindness and compassion, fostering a community where mercy is freely given. Pause… Verse 11 continues with a reflection on discipline and wisdom. "If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise; if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser." This verse emphasizes the transformative power of discipline and instruction on both the mocker and the wise. How can we appreciate the value of discipline and instruction in our personal growth? Value Discipline and Instruction while recognizing the transformative power of discipline and instruction in personal growth. Embrace correction with humility, understanding that it leads to wisdom. Choose to learn from instruction, knowing that the wise become wiser through continuous learning and a willingness to receive guidance. Pause… Now, let's turn our attention to verse 12. "The Righteous One knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked; he will bring disaster on them." This verse highlights the divine...
Welcome to Day 2284 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-24 Changless Truths in a Shifting World – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/15/2023 Changeless Truths In A Shifting World - Hebrews 13:8-17 We continue our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Last week, we examined Standing at the Crossroads of Commitment and Contentment and discovered that applying the six practical principles we discussed will take our Christian life of faith, hope, and love to the next level. This week, we turn our attention to comparing the shifting world/ to a collection of changeless truths concerning Jesus Christ and the plan_and_purpose of God. Let’s read Hebrews 13:8-17. On page 1879 in your Pew Bibles. Concluding Exhortations 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the Tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus (540–480 BC) observed, “There is nothing permanent except change.” Contrary to other philosophers of the time who believed that reality was that which never changes, Heraclitus contended that everything was in constant flux. From a purely human perspective, Heraclitus seems to be correct. Everything's changing from the subtle currents of a meandering Muskingum River to the roaring waves of the oceans, from the constant motion of subatomic particles to the expansion of the universe. Adding to the constant flux of the physical universe /are the endless fads and fashions of society and culture, politics and morality, philosophy, and religion. Sometimes, change moves slowly, almost imperceptibly—like the gradual transition from summer to fall or the growth of a sapling into a fruit-bearing tree. Other times, changes happen abruptly, even unexpectedly—I think of suddenly losing a job or getting a job, losing a loved one, or meeting a new friend. This constant flowing of the river of reality reminds us that we’re...
Welcome to Day 2283 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 21:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2283 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2283 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 21:1-8 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the sovereignty of God in human affairs, the impact of our actions and motives, and the importance of seeking justice and righteousness. Without further delay, pull on your hiking boots, and let’s head out into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1 “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.” This verse portrays God’s sovereignty in directing the king’s heart according to His will. How can we understand and apply the concept of God’s sovereignty in our lives? Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty by recognizing God’s sovereignty in directing the course of human affairs. Understand that, like a stream of water; He guides hearts and circumstances according to His divine plan. Cultivate a posture of surrender, acknowledging God’s authority over your life and trusting in His guiding hand. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 2. “People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.” This verse highlights the contrast between human perspectives and God’s examination of the heart. How can we align our actions and motives with God’s standards? Align Actions and Motives with God’s Standards and recognize that human perspectives may differ, but God examines the heart. Align your actions and motives with His standards, seeking integrity and righteousness. Understand that true wisdom involves living in a way that pleases the Lord, even when it may differ from popular opinions. Pause… Verse 3 speaks to the impact of our actions. “The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.” This verse emphasizes the importance of righteous actions over external religious rituals. How can we prioritize doing what is right and just in our daily lives? Prioritize Righteous Actions by recognizing the Lord’s pleasure in righteous actions and justice. Prioritize doing what is right and just in your daily life, understanding that genuine obedience is more pleasing to God than external religious rituals. Embrace a lifestyle of righteousness that reflects God’s heart. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 4. “Haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin.” This verse identifies the sinful nature of pride and evil actions. How can we guard against the pitfalls of pride and sinful actions? Guard Against Pride and Sinful Actions by recognizing the sinful nature of haughty...
Welcome to Day 2282 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 20:23-30 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2282 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2282 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a delight to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 20:23-30 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the significance of integrity in business dealings, the importance of God-given discernment, and the blessings that come from honoring and fearing the Lord. Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 23: “The Lord detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.” This verse highlights God’s hatred of double standards and dishonesty in business transactions. How can we apply the principles of integrity and honesty in our business dealings? Uphold Integrity in Business by recognizing the detestable nature of double standards and dishonesty. Uphold integrity in business dealings by using honest scales and maintaining fairness in all transactions. Understand that God values honesty and integrity in every aspect of life, including our business practices. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 24. “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” This verse emphasizes the sovereignty of God in guiding our steps and encourages trust in His providence. How can we cultivate trust in God’s guidance and relinquish the need to understand everything? Trust in God’s Guidance: Recognize the Lord’s sovereignty in directing our steps. Cultivate trust in His guidance, understanding that we may not comprehend everything along the way. Embrace a posture of surrender, acknowledging that God’s plans surpass our understanding, and His guidance is trustworthy. Pause… Verse 25 continues with a reflection on making hasty promises. “Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.” This verse warns against impulsively making promises to God without considering the commitment involved. How can we approach our commitments with thoughtfulness and avoid making hasty promises? Approach Commitments Thoughtfully by recognizing the importance of thoughtfulness in making commitments, especially promises to God. Avoid trapping yourself by considering the cost and implications of your commitments. Cultivate a mindset of careful consideration, ensuring that your promises are sincere and aligned with your ability to fulfill them. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 26. “A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.” This verse portrays the actions of a wise king in dealing...
Welcome to Day 2281 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-23 Commitment and Contentment – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/08/2023 Commitment and Contentment Hebrews 13:1-7 We continue our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Last week, our focus was “Watch Out For Worldliness,” which can cause us to get distracted on the marathon of faith. We concluded last week’s passage with the thought of not being like Esau. Don’t settle for a bowl of stew when we have inherited the birthright as God’s child. Today, we begin the last chapter of Hebrews by exploring Standing at the Crossroads of Commitment and Contentment. Let’s read Hebrews 13:1-7. On page 1878 in your Pew Bibles. Concluding Exhortations 13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”[a] 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”[b] 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Bulletin Insert The third part of Hebrews is neatly outlined with what has been historically called “the three theological virtues” of faith, hope, and love. Chapter 11 presents a procession of men and women of faith worthy of emulation. Chapter 12 sets forth warnings and essential advice to help believers stand firm in the hope of enduring the marathon of the Christian life. In chapter 13, the author examines the Christian’s life of love for God and others. A CONCISE OVERVIEW OF HEBREWS 13 Our relationship with … • Other believers (13:1) • Strangers (13:2) • Prisoners (13:3) • Our spouse (13:4) • Money (13:5–6) • Leaders (13:7) • Christ (13:8–14) • God (13:15–17) • Prayer (13:18–21) • All the saints (13:22–25) As this grand letter comes to its conclusion, the writer becomes increasingly more personal, encouraging, and practical. He has communicated the central thrust of his...
Welcome to Day 2280 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 20:15-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2280 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2280 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 20:15-22 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the impact of laziness on our financial well-being, the importance of honest business practices, and the blessings that come from trusting in the Lord. Without further delay, let’s strap on our hiking boots as we explore the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 15 “Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.” This verse emphasizes the priceless nature of wise words, valuing them above material wealth. How can we appreciate the value of wise words and seek them in our daily lives? Let us Value Wise Words and Recognize the priceless nature of wise words. Place a high value on seeking and imparting wisdom in your interactions. Understand that wisdom, more than material wealth, is a treasure that enriches your life and the lives of those around you. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 16. “Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.” This verse speaks to the wisdom of caution when guaranteeing debts for others. How can we understand the importance of financial caution and responsibility? We must Exercise Financial Caution and recognize the wisdom in exercising caution when guaranteeing debts for others. Understand the importance of financial responsibility and the potential risks involved in vouching for strangers’ debts. Embrace a prudent approach to financial dealings, ensuring security and deposits in such transactions. Pause… Verse 17 continues with a reflection on honesty. “Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.” This verse vividly depicts the fleeting pleasure of ill-gotten gains, ultimately leading to bitterness. How can we understand the consequences of dishonesty and value the integrity of honest labor? Value the Integrity of Honest Labor: Recognize the consequences of dishonesty, where ill-gotten gains turn to bitterness. Value the integrity of honest labor and the satisfaction that comes from earning through righteous means. Understand that the temporary sweetness of stolen bread is far outweighed by the lasting bitterness it brings. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 18. “Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.” This verse underscores the importance of seeking wise counsel in making plans and decisions. How can we integrate the wisdom of seeking good counsel into our decision-making processes? To Seek Wise Counsel, we...
Welcome to Day 2279 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-22 Watch Out for Worldliness – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/01/2023 Watch Out For Worldliness! Hebrews 12:14-29 We continue our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Last week, we focused on the long-term life of faith, which will require Endurance and Discipline. This week, we will explore a Call to Listen to God in a message titled, Watch Out For Worldliness,” I will read today’s scripture from the NLT, so I have included it in the bulletin insert. Let’s read Hebrews 12:14-29. (Compare versions) A Call to Listen to God 14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. 18 You have not come to a physical mountain,[h] to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[i] 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”[j] 22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. 25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will...
Welcome to Day 2267 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 18:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2267 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2267 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 18:9-16 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in our speech, our attitude toward learning, and our reliance on the Lord for strength. Pause… Without further delay, let’s strap on our hiking boots and dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 9: “A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.” This verse draws a stark comparison between laziness and destructive behavior. How can we overcome laziness and cultivate a diligent spirit? Cultivate Diligence: Recognize the destructive nature of laziness. Cultivate diligence by setting goals, managing time effectively, and approaching tasks with a proactive mindset. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 10. “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.” This verse emphasizes the strength and safety found in the name of the Lord. How can we rely on the Lord as our strong fortress in times of trouble? Rely on the Lord’s Strength: Recognize the strength and safety found in the name of the Lord. Rely on the Lord as your strong fortress by turning to Him in prayer, seeking His guidance, and finding refuge in His promises. Pause… Verse 11 speaks to the power of wealth and its limitations. “The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.” This verse highlights the misconception of relying on wealth as the ultimate defense. How can we maintain a balanced perspective on wealth and security? Seek True Security in the Lord: Recognize the limitations of wealth as a defense. Seek true security in the Lord by acknowledging His sovereignty, trusting in His provision, and understanding that ultimate security comes from a relationship with Him. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 12. “Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.” This verse draws a clear contrast between haughtiness and humility, highlighting their respective outcomes. How can we cultivate humility and avoid the destructive path of haughtiness? Cultivate Humility: Recognize the destructive nature of haughtiness. Cultivate humility by acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses, valuing others, and embracing a teachable spirit. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 13. “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.” This verse highlights the folly of speaking without first understanding the facts. How can we...
Welcome to Day 2266 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-17 Enter...But Come Clean – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/27/2023 Enter…But Come Clean - Hebrews 10:19-39 As we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament two weeks ago, we explored the Great Benefits for Believers because of Christ’s One-for-All, Once-for-All, Free-for-All sacrifice. This week, we see the right response: we should not neglect this opportunity to draw near to God … and come clean. Let’s read Hebrews 10:19-39 on page 1873 of your Pew Bible. A Call to Persevere in Faith 19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e] 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36...
Welcome to Day 2265 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 18:1-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2265 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2265 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 18:1-8 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in our relationships, using our words, and pursuing proper understanding. Without further delay, let’s head to the trails as we dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1: “Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense.” This verse paints a vivid picture of the unfriendly, those who care only about themselves, and their resistance to common sense. How can we navigate relationships with unfriendly individuals and foster a spirit of understanding? Foster Understanding in Relationships: Recognize the challenges posed by unfriendly individuals. Foster a spirit of understanding by approaching interactions with patience, empathy, and a commitment to finding common ground. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 2. “Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” This verse highlights the folly of those lacking interest in understanding and prioritizing their opinions. How can we avoid the pitfalls of foolishness and cultivate a heart that values understanding? Cultivate a Heart for Understanding: Recognize the folly of disregarding understanding. Cultivate a heart that values understanding by actively listening, seeking different perspectives, and being open to new insights. Pause… Verse 3 speaks to the impact of words on our lives. “Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt.” This verse underscores the consequences of wrongdoing and scandalous behavior. How can we guard our words and actions to avoid disgrace and contempt? Guard Your Words and Actions: Recognize the consequences of wrongdoing and scandalous behavior. Guard your words and actions, ensuring they align with principles of righteousness and avoiding behavior that leads to disgrace and contempt. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 4. “Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.” This verse draws a beautiful analogy between wise words and deep waters, highlighting the flowing wisdom from the wise. How can we cultivate and share wisdom through our words? Cultivate and Share Wisdom: Recognize the depth and impact of wise words. Cultivate wisdom in your life and share it through your words, becoming a source of insight and inspiration, much like a bubbling brook that nourishes those around it. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 5. “It is not
Welcome to Day 2264 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-16 One for All, Once for All, Free for All – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/13/2023 One for All, Once for All, Free for All Hebrews 10:1-18 As we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament last week, we learned that to have hope of a future reward /and peace and joy in the present world, /we must embrace and embody the truth that we can escape tomorrow's judgment because today’s sin is forgivable. This week, we will explore the Great Benefits for Believers because of Christ’s One-for-All, Once-for-All, and Free-for-All sacrifice. Let’s read Hebrews 10:1-18 on page 1872 of your Pew Bible. 1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;/ 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a] 8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 /and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their...
Welcome to Day 2263 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 17:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2263 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2263 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 17:22-28 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in maintaining a joyful heart, using our words wisely, and understanding the impact of a discerning spirit. Without further delay, grab your hiking staff as we delve into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” This verse highlights the rejuvenating power of a cheerful heart and the debilitating impact of a broken spirit. How can we cultivate and maintain a joyful heart in the midst of life’s challenges? Cultivate a Joyful Heart: Recognize the healing power of a cheerful heart. Cultivate joy by focusing on gratitude, finding humor in life’s moments, and maintaining a positive perspective, even in the face of challenges. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 23. “The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice.” This verse exposes the corrupt practice of taking secret bribes to pervert the course of justice. How can we guard against the influence of corruption and uphold justice? Uphold Justice and Integrity: Recognize the destructive nature of secret bribes in perverting justice. Uphold justice and integrity by refusing to participate in or support corrupt practices, ensuring that righteousness prevails. Pause… Verse 24 speaks to the discerning nature of the wise. “Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.” This verse contrasts sensible people’s focused attention on wisdom with a fool’s wandering gaze. How can we develop a discerning spirit and stay focused on wisdom? Cultivate a Discerning Spirit: Recognize the importance of keeping your eyes glued on wisdom. Cultivate a discerning spirit by staying focused on the principles of wisdom, and avoiding distractions that lead to foolishness. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 25. “Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.” This verse emphasizes the impact of foolishness in children on their parents. How can we navigate the challenges of parenting and guide our children toward wisdom? Guide Children Toward Wisdom: Recognize the potential impact of foolishness in children on their parents. Guide and teach your children toward wisdom, instilling in them the values and principles that lead to a fulfilling and purposeful life. Pause… Now, let’s turn...
Welcome to Day 2261 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 17:15-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2262 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2262 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 17:15-21 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in discerning justice, managing our emotions, and choosing our words wisely. Without further delay, it’s time to lace up those hiking boots, and let’s explore the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 15: “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—both are detestable to the Lord.” This verse highlights the moral detestation of acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent. How can we ensure justice and righteousness in our actions and decisions? Uphold Justice and Righteousness: Recognize the moral detestation of acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent. Uphold justice and righteousness in your actions and decisions, seeking to align with the principles of the Lord. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 16. “It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.” This verse highlights the futility of investing in the education of a fool who lacks a heart for learning. How can we discern where to invest our time and resources? Discern Where to Invest: Recognize the futility of investing in those who lack a heart for learning. Discern where to invest your time and resources, focusing on individuals who value wisdom and understanding. Pause… Verse 17 speaks to the value of wisdom and understanding. “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” This verse celebrates the qualities of loyalty in friendship and the support of a brother in times of need. How can we cultivate loyalty in our friendships and provide support to those in need? Cultivate Loyalty and Support: Recognize the importance of loyalty in friendships and the support that brothers provide in times of need. Cultivate loyalty in your relationships and be a source of support to those around you. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 18. “It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.” This verse advises against guaranteeing another person’s debt or putting up security for a friend due to the potential consequences of poor judgment. How can we exercise wisdom in financial matters and avoid the pitfalls of poor judgment? Exercise Wisdom in Financial Matters: Recognize the potential consequences of poor judgment in guaranteeing debts or providing security for others. Exercise wisdom in financial matters, ensuring that your decisions align with sound principles. Pause… Now, let’s explore...
Welcome to Day 2261 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-15 Signed, Sealed, Delivered...In Blood – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/06/2023 Signed, Sealed, Delivered…In Blood! Hebrews 9:15-28 As we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament last week, we explored the Reformation of Conscience. Only through the New Covenant and the heavenly Tabernacle can our body and soul be allowed access to God through our perfect High Priest, Jesus Christ. This week, we will learn that to have hope of a future reward /and peace and joy in the present world, /we must embrace and embody the truth that we can escape tomorrow's judgment because today’s sin is forgivable. Let’s read Hebrews 9:15-28 on page 1872 of your Pew Bible. 1 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices,/ but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, /now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed...
Welcome to Day 2260 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 17:8-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2260 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2260 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 17:8-14 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in handling disputes, cultivating discernment, and maintaining peace in our relationships. Without further delay, strap on your hiking boots, and let’s explore the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 8: “A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!” This verse draws attention to the deceptive nature of bribes, likening them to lucky charms that may bring temporary prosperity. So, what’s the solution to navigating the ethical challenges posed by bribery? Reject the Deception of Bribes: Recognize the deceptive nature of bribes and their potential to compromise integrity. Choose to reject bribery, relying instead on honest and ethical means for prosperity. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 9. “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” This verse highlights the power of forgiveness in nurturing love and warns against dwelling on faults, which can lead to separation. How can we cultivate a forgiving spirit and maintain strong relationships? Cultivate Forgiveness in Relationships: Recognize the transformative power of forgiveness in nurturing love and maintaining strong relationships. Choose to forgive faults, avoiding the pitfalls of dwelling on them and fostering separation. Pause… Verse 10 speaks to the profound impact of reproof on a wise individual. “Discretion is the better part of valor; only fools charge blindly ahead.” This verse emphasizes the value of discretion over impulsivity, cautioning against foolishly charging ahead without thoughtful consideration. How can we develop the wisdom of discretion and avoid impulsive decisions? Embrace the Wisdom of Discretion: Recognize the value of discretion in decision-making. Avoid charging blindly ahead and instead embrace the wisdom of careful consideration before taking action. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 11. “Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished.” This verse highlights the destructive nature of rebellion and the severe consequences it brings. How can we avoid the pitfalls of rebellion and its associated consequences? Reject the Path of Rebellion: Recognize the destructive nature of rebellion and its severe consequences. Choose to reject the path of rebellion, seeking instead to align your actions with wisdom and righteousness. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 12. “It is...
Welcome to Day 2259 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-14 May I Speak to Your Conscience, Please – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/30/2023 “May I Speak To Your Conscience, Please?” Hebrews 9:1-14 As we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament last week, we discussed the New Covenant that Christ brings to us. The New Testament, or New Covenant, is the Good News, commonly called the Gospel. This week, we will explore the Reformation of Conscience. Let’s read Hebrews 9:1-14 on page 1871 of your Pew Bible. 1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first Tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order. The Blood of Christ 11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to...
Welcome to Day 2258 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 17:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2258 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2258 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the insightful verses of Proverbs 17:1-7 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in building strong relationships, managing conflicts, and cultivating a wise and discerning heart. Without further delay, it’s time to strap up your hiking boots and head into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1: “Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.” This verse sets the tone for our exploration, emphasizing the value of peace over abundance, especially when it comes with conflict. So, what’s the solution to fostering peace in our relationships, even when resources are limited? Prioritize Peace in Relationships: Recognize the greater value of peace over abundance. Prioritize cultivating peace in your relationships, even if it means simplicity in material possessions. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 2. “A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.” This verse presents a scenario where a wise servant is elevated to a position of authority over the master’s disgraceful son. How can we apply this wisdom in our lives? Value Wisdom Over Status: Recognize the superiority of wisdom over status. Cultivate a heart of wisdom and seek to make decisions based on discernment rather than societal expectations. Pause… Verse 3 speaks to the refining nature of fire and its application to our lives. “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” This verse draws a parallel between the refining process of fire on precious metals and the Lord’s testing of the human heart. How can we navigate the testing and refining of our hearts? Embrace Heart Refinement: Recognize that just as fire tests the purity of silver and gold, the Lord tests the heart. Embrace the refinement process, allowing challenges and testing to shape and purify your heart. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 4. “Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.” This verse highlights the association between wrongdoers and their inclination to listen to gossip, as well as the attentiveness of liars to slander. How can we guard ourselves against the destructive nature of gossip and slander? Guard Against Destructive Words: Recognize the association between wrongdoers and destructive words. Guard yourself against the allure of gossip and slander, choosing to focus on uplifting and truthful communication....
Welcome to Day 2257 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 16:28-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2257 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2257 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s always a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 16:28-33 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in cultivating trustworthy relationships, managing our reactions, and recognizing the divine sovereignty in our plans. Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 28: “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.” This verse vividly depicts gossip’s destructive nature and the strife a troublemaker sown. So, what’s the solution to navigating the challenges of gossip and maintaining solid friendships? Cultivate Trustworthy Relationships: Recognize the destructive impact of gossip and strife. Cultivate trustworthy relationships by avoiding gossip and fostering an environment of trust and openness. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 29. “A violent person entices their neighbor and leads them down a destructive path.” This verse warns about the influence of violent individuals who can entice their neighbors down a destructive path. How can we guard ourselves against the destructive influence of violence? Guard Against Destructive Influence: Recognize the danger of violent individuals who lead others down destructive paths. Guard yourself against such influence and choose a path of peace and righteousness. Pause… Verse 30 speaks to the impact of envy and the destructive nature of coveting. “Violent people deceive their companions, leading them down a harmful path.” This verse underscores the deceptive nature of violent individuals who lead their companions down harmful paths, often driven by envy. How can we overcome the trap of envy and destructive paths? Overcome Envy and Destructive Paths: Recognize the deceptive nature of envy and the harm it can cause. Overcome the envy trap by choosing a path of contentment, gratitude, and righteousness. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 31. “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.” This verse celebrates the beauty and honor of gray hair, viewing it as a crown of glory earned through a godly life. How can we appreciate and honor the wisdom that comes with age? Honor the Wisdom of Age: Recognize the value of gray hair as a crown of glory, earned through a godly life. Honor and appreciate the wisdom that comes with age, seeking to learn from the experiences of those who have walked the path before you. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse...
Welcome to Day 2256 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-13 Christ's Covenant...New-Never Obsolete – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/23/2023 “Christ’s Covenant…New, Never Obsolete” Hebrews 8:1-13 As we continue our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, we compared the Levitical and Melchizedekian priesthood last week. We saw that Jesus Christ established a perfect and permanent priesthood as our Great High Priest. This week we move beyond to the New Covenant that Christ brings to us. The New Testament, or New Covenant, is the Good News, commonly called the Gospel. Let’s read Hebrews 8:1-13 on page 1870 of your Pew Bible. 1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true Tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. 3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the Tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a] 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”[
Welcome to Day 2255 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 16:22-27 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2255 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2255 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 16:22-27 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in cultivating wisdom, managing our words, and navigating the complexities of life with integrity. Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Pause… Verse 22: “Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools.” This verse places a high value on discretion, likening it to a life-giving fountain. However, it also cautions that discipline is wasted on those who are foolish. So, what’s the solution to cultivating discretion and avoiding the pitfalls of foolishness? Cultivate Discretion: Recognize the life-giving nature of discretion. Seek to cultivate discretion in your decision-making and actions. Additionally, discern when discipline is necessary and effective, avoiding wasted efforts on those who are unresponsive. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 23. “The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction.” This verse draws a connection between the wisdom of the heart and the prudence of one’s speech, emphasizing the promotion of instruction through wise communication. How can we align our hearts with wisdom to promote instruction through our words? Cultivate Wise Hearts and Words: Recognize the correlation between a wise heart and prudent speech. Cultivate wisdom within your heart, and let your words become a vehicle for promoting instruction and understanding. Pause… Verse 24 speaks to the positive impact of gracious words. “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” This verse beautifully describes gracious words’ sweetness and healing nature, likening them to a honeycomb. How can we make gracious words a consistent part of our communication? Embrace Gracious Communication: Recognize the sweetness and healing power of gracious words. Make a conscious effort to embrace gracious communication, allowing your words to bring sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 25. “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” This verse cautions about the deceptive nature of paths that may seem right but ultimately lead to destruction. How can we discern the right path amidst the deceptive choices? Seek God’s Guidance: Recognize the potential deception of paths that seem right. Seek God’s guidance and...
Welcome to Day 2254 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-12 A Perfect and Permanent Priesthood – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/17/2023 “A Perfect and Permanent PriestHood” Hebrews 7:18-28 We continued our extended series three weeks ago through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Our focus compared Melchizedek and Messiah. We saw that the Messiah was a priest and king in the order of Melchizedek. In doing so, we noticed that the Levitical priesthood was replaced by our great High Priest Jesus Christ. This week, the comparison between the Levitical and Melchizedekian priesthood will continue. Jesus Christ established a perfect and permanent priesthood as our Great High Priest. Let’s read Hebrews 7:18-28 on page 1869 of your Pew Bible. 18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”[b] 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. Sometimes, you can’t tell the actual quality of something without comparing it with something else. A cotton bed sheet with a thread count of 200 may feel like silk to the touch … until you hold a sheet with a thread count of 800 in your other hand. (hold up two pillowcases) A television screen with a medium resolution might seem crisp … until you place it beside a state-of-the-art high-definition screen. And one pair of corrective lenses might make the letters in front of you appear crystal clear … until the optometrist contrasts it with an even better match for your nearsightedness. In all these cases, only by comparing two...
Welcome to Day 2253 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 16:15-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2253 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2253 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 16:15 - 21 from the New Living Translation. As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in understanding the importance of a king’s favor, the value of wisdom, and the impact of a gentle spirit. Pause… So strap on those hiking boots, and let’s explore the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 15 “When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain.” This verse paints a vivid picture of the life-giving impact of a king’s favor. It’s compared to the refreshing nature of spring rain. So, what’s the solution to gaining favor, not just with kings, but in our daily interactions? Cultivate Favorable Relationships: Recognize the value of favor in relationships. Whether with kings or everyday encounters, cultivate a spirit that brings refreshment and life to those around you. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 16. “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” This verse places a premium on the value of wisdom and insight, emphasizing their worth above material riches. How can we prioritize wisdom in our lives? Prioritize Wisdom over Wealth: Recognize the surpassing value of wisdom over material riches. Prioritize the pursuit of wisdom and insight, understanding that their worth exceeds that of gold and silver. Pause… Verse 17 speaks to the importance of humility. “The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.” This verse highlights the correlation between upright living, avoiding evil, and preserving life. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Embrace Upright Living and Humility: Recognize the importance of upright living and humility in avoiding evil and preserving life. Guard your ways with a humble heart, steering clear of the destructive paths of wrongdoing. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 18. “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” This verse delivers a profound truth about the dangers of pride and haughtiness, warning of the destructive consequences that follow. How can we safeguard ourselves from the pitfalls of pride? Guard Against Pride: Recognize the destructive nature of pride and arrogance. Guard against these pitfalls, understanding that they precede destruction and a fall. Cultivate humility as a shield against these dangers. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 19. “It’s better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.” This verse contrasts the
Welcome to Day 2252 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 16:8-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2252 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2252 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a joy to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the heart of Proverbs 16:8-14 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in managing our finances, cultivating a humble spirit, and navigating the complexities of leadership. Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 8: “Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.” This verse sets the stage for our exploration, highlighting the value of godliness over dishonest wealth. So, what’s the solution to aligning our priorities with godliness? Prioritize Godliness over Wealth: Recognize the greater value of godliness over dishonest wealth. Choose a life marked by integrity and godly principles, even if it means having less material wealth. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 9. “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” This verse echoes a familiar theme—the acknowledgment of our ability to make plans, yet the ultimate determination of our steps by the Lord. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Surrender Plans to the Lord: Recognize the sovereignty of the Lord in determining your steps. While you can make plans, surrender them to the Lord, trusting His guidance for your journey. Pause… Verse 10 speaks to the importance of godly leadership. “The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly.” This verse highlights the responsibility of leaders, emphasizing the need for divine wisdom and fair judgment. How can we foster godly leadership in our lives? Embrace Divine Wisdom and Fair Judgment: Whether in positions of leadership or influence, seek divine wisdom and commit to fair judgment. Leaders who prioritize these qualities contribute to a more just and equitable society. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 11. “The Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.” This verse underscores the importance of honesty and fairness in financial dealings, as the Lord demands accurate scales and balances. How can we uphold honesty in our financial transactions? Uphold Honesty in Finances: Recognize the Lord’s standards for fairness in financial dealings. Commit to using accurate scales and balances, upholding honesty and integrity in all financial transactions. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 12. “It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked deeds, for a throne is established on righteousness.” This verse emphasizes the foundational role of righteousness in establishing a throne and
Welcome to Day 2251 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-11 Once More...Melchizedek – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/25/2023 “Once More…Melchizedek” Hebrews 7:1-17 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Our focus switched from the strong warnings from the previous week, and we looked at “The Brighter Side” of our journey that we, as believers, need to mature spiritually. This week, we will drill down on that elusive and mysterious figure in the Old Testament, also a contemporary of Abraham. Long before God established the priesthood of His chosen people, we see a King and High Priest named Melchizedek. Today’s message will be more academic due to the content as we probe the similarities and differences between Melchizedek and Jesus Christ. We will see that the author uses a series of building blocks to build and support his arguments. (Legos) Let’s take a little road trip first. We, as a family, have taken several road trips throughout our life. There may have been a time or two when they were just “joy rides” to explore unfamiliar scenery, but most of the time, we had a specific destination on the itinerary along with a basic ETA. Our trips were almost always business-related, but we added side trips to places of interest. Depending on where we were going and the trip's purpose, we would most often take the fastest, most direct route—usually an interstate with a high speed limit. Occasionally, we would take “the scenic route”—winding back roads, frequent slow zones through sleepy towns, and occasional stops at historical markers or scenic overlooks. Scenic routes are never the fastest, most efficient roads to the destination but are almost always the most interesting. Like most of our travels, the author's goal of Hebrews is clear and straightforward, with a fixed destination in mind: to demonstrate that Christ is superior in His person and work. Sometimes, in his treatment of this central theme, the writer takes a straight, direct route to his destination, as he did with the explicit, straightforward language of Christ’s power and deity in Chapter 1. However, at other times, the writer takes the scenic route, meandering through a variety of sometimes-obscure Old Testament passages, slowing down to employ methods of explanation very familiar to his first-century Jewish audience, but unfamiliar to most of us in the twenty-first century. In doing so, he stops to explore intricate parallels,/ comparisons,/ and contrasts. Hebrews 7:1–17 is one such scenic route, often challenging for us to follow because of significant differences between the original audience and our 21st-century mindset. The original audience consisted of men and women of Jewish heritage who had come to embrace Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. Most of us are Gentiles who accepted Jesus as the world's Savior but weren’t raised in Jewish culture and tradition. The original audience was intimately familiar with Old Testament imagery of the Law, /the priesthood, /sacrifices, /and temple worship. Many had been personally involved in these Jewish practices most of their lives. We, however—whether Jews or Gentiles—have never been involved in sacrifices or temple worship. We know about these things only from the pages of Scripture and historical sources. Finally, first-century Jews would
Welcome to Day 2250 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 16:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2250 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2250 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s always a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the profound insights of Proverbs 16:1-7 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can guide us in making wise decisions, and understanding the balance between human plans and divine direction. Pause… Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 1: “We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.” This verse sets the tone for our exploration, acknowledging our ability to make plans while recognizing the ultimate guidance and direction that comes from the Lord. So, what’s the solution to harmonizing our plans with God’s guidance? Align Plans with God’s Guidance: Acknowledge your ability to make plans, but seek the Lord’s guidance for the right answers. Let His divine direction shape your plans. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 2. “People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.” This verse reminds us that while we may perceive ourselves as pure, the Lord examines the motives of our hearts. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Examine Your Motives: Recognize the importance of examining your motives before the Lord. Seek purity not only in actions but also in the intentions of your heart. Pause… Verse 3 speaks to the importance of committing our plans to the Lord. “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” This verse provides a clear principle—success in our plans comes from committing our actions to the Lord. What’s the key takeaway here? Commit to the Lord: Recognize that true success comes from committing your actions to the Lord. Trust Him with your plans, and you’ll find the path to success. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 4. “The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.” This verse underscores the sovereignty of God over all things, including the purposes even behind the actions of the wicked. How can we understand this concept in our daily lives? Trust in God’s Sovereignty: Acknowledge the sovereignty of God over all things, even in the purposes behind the actions of the wicked. Trust that God’s overarching plan will ultimately prevail. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 5. “The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.” This verse highlights God’s disdain for pride and the inevitable consequences for the proud. How can we cultivate humility in our lives? Cultivate Humility: Recognize the dangers of pride...
Welcome to Day 2249 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-10 The Brighter Side – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/18/2023 “The Brighter Side” Hebrews 6:9-20 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Our focus was on The Peril Of Failing to Thrive. We learned the three Practical Principles for Spiritual Progress, which are: 1. We need to partake in solid spiritual food. 2. We need to maintain the practice of righteous living. 3. We need to exhibit a trained sense of discernment.
This week, we will take the strong warnings from last week and look at “The Brighter Side” of our journey that we, as believers, need to mature spiritually. The great German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “Correction does much, but encouragement does more. Encouragement after censure is as the sun after a shower.” The strong warning we studied last week in Hebrews 6:1–8 is among the most sobering in all Scripture. (Drama) I can imagine those words hung over the original audience like thick, black storm clouds rumbling and flashing, threatening to pour out their floodwaters and hurl their barbs of lightning at any moment. But then/ the thunder stops. The lightning gives way to a speck of light peeking through the clouds. Then another … and another. Suddenly, a brilliant sunbeam pierces the darkness, brightening the day and bringing warmth, joy, and encouragement. That’s the feeling those Jewish Christians had when they got to 6:9. Surely they wouldn’t forget the stern warning of the previous verses: “Don’t stray from the path of spiritual growth!” However, the Lord led the author of Hebrews to transition into a section of affirmation, encouragement, and hope (6:9–12), leading the audience out from under the shadows of the threatening storm clouds and back to his original theme: Jesus Christ is our High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek (6:13–20). Let's start with reading Hebrews 6:9–12 on page 1868 of the Pew Bibles. 9 Even though we speak like this (harsh warnings), dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy,/ but to imitate those who through faith and patience/ inherit what has been promised. As in construction or road work, blasting is sometimes needed before building begins. The author of Hebrews issued a strong command in 5:11–6:3—“Grow up!” He followed that with the reverberating blast of grim consequences for those who fail to thrive and instead fall away (6:4–8). Now, just...
Welcome to Day 2248 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 15:29-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2248 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2248 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the vast landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the heart of Proverbs 15:29-33 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can bring clarity to our minds, peace to our hearts, and direction to our lives. Without further delay, let’s dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. Verse 29: “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.” This verse draws a clear distinction between the relationship of the Lord with the wicked and the righteous. The Lord is distant from the wicked, but He hears the prayers of the righteous. So, what’s the solution to fostering a close relationship with the Lord? Walk in Righteousness: Strive to live a righteous life. The Lord is attentive to the prayers of the righteous, so align your actions and heart with His principles. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 30. “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” This verse highlights the positive impact of a cheerful disposition and good news on both emotional well-being and physical health. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Cultivate a Cheerful Disposition: Recognize the power of a cheerful look and positive attitude. Embrace joy in your heart, and share it with others. Good news not only uplifts the spirit but contributes to good health. Pause… Verse 31 speaks to the importance of heeding correction. “If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.” This verse underscores the value of receiving and heeding constructive criticism, positioning one in the company of the wise. What’s the key takeaway here? Embrace Constructive Criticism: Recognize the wisdom in listening to constructive criticism. Through this openness to correction, you position yourself among the wise. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 32. “If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.” This verse highlights the consequences of rejecting discipline and the benefits of listening to correction—growth in understanding. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Embrace Correction for Growth: Understand that rejecting discipline harms only yourself. Instead, welcome correction as an opportunity for growth and increased understanding. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 33. “Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.” This verse emphasizes the relationship between the fear of the...
Welcome to Day 2247 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 15:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2247 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2247 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I will guide you through the expansive landscapes of biblical wisdom. It’s always a joy to have you join me on this journey. Today, our exploration takes us into the heart of Proverbs 15:22-28 from the New Living Translation. Pause… As we unpack these verses, let’s seek the timeless wisdom that can illuminate our path, guide our decisions, and enrich our relationships. So, lace up your hiking boots as we explore today’s wisdom. Verse 22: “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.” This verse emphasizes the critical role of seeking counsel in making plans. Lack of advice can lead to plans going awry, while seeking the wisdom of many advisers brings success. So, what’s the solution to the challenge of making wise plans? Seek Wise Counsel: Recognize the value of seeking advice from others. Many advisers bring diverse perspectives that can lead to well-informed and successful plans. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 23. “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” This verse underscores the importance of our communication with others. It is appreciated when you not only say the right thing but also say it at the appropriate time. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Embrace Good Communication Skills: Recognize that it is not only how you reply to someone, but what you communicate. It requires honing your communication skills to reply at the right time. Timing in communication is as important as what is communicated. Pause… Verse 24 speaks to the significance of wisdom. “The path of life leads upward for the wise; they leave the grave behind.” This verse paints a picture of the upward trajectory of life for the wise. Their path leads to higher realms, and they transcend the limitations of the grave. What’s the key takeaway here? Pursue Wisdom: Recognize the transformative power of wisdom. The path of life for the wise is one that transcends the constraints of the mundane and leads to a higher plane. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 25. “The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows.” This verse speaks to God’s justice, which opposes the pride of the wicked and protects the vulnerable, such as widows. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Embrace Humility and Advocate for the Vulnerable: Cultivate humility and avoid pride, recognizing that God opposes the proud. Advocate for and protect the vulnerable in society, following God’s example. Pause… Now, let’s turn our attention to verse 26. “The Lord detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words.” This...
Welcome to Day 2246 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-9 God’s Son – The Peril of Failing to Thrive – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/11/2023 “The Peril of Failing to Thrive” Hebrews 5:11-6:8 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We learned how God’s Son is also our Great High Priest, and cross-referenced verse 5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus, I Timothy 2:5. In our message today, we will see that God encourages us, no expects us, to thrive as believers, not just barely getting by. Instead, he warns us of The Peril Of Failing to Thrive. Parents and doctors begin monitoring our physical, mental, and emotional growth from birth. Our advancement is measured and compared to others, and people get worried if we lag in any area. But how do we measure our spiritual growth? And what happens when we lag in spiritual progress? Who’s there to size us up spiritually and tell us to grow up when we need to hear it? The Bible says much about spiritual growth (1 Cor. 14:20; Eph. 4:14–15; 1 Pet. 2:2). We come into God’s spiritual family through spiritual birth (John 3:1–8). From there, we grow spiritually through being nourished by God’s Word—from simple doctrines and practices of the faith to more advanced knowledge and skill in spiritual things (see 1 Cor. 9:24–27). As we continue to grow, exercising our spiritual gifts and being strengthened by the community of the Spirit, we advance toward spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:11–16). But just like natural growth, spiritual growth can be stunted. We may partake of the wrong spiritual food or neglect our spiritual sustenance altogether. We may stumble backward into childish attitudes and actions, undoing the maturity we once achieved. Or we may wallow in spiritual infancy because we have nobody around us to set examples of spiritual maturity. All these things result in our failure to thrive, and it’s this problem that the author of Hebrews addresses in 5:11–6:8. 5:11–14 The tone of Hebrews 5:11–14 is one of disappointment. Let me first read this passage on page 1867 of your Pew Bible. 11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. The author says he has much to explain concerning Jesus, who was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (5:10) Still, his readers “No longer try to understand,” or the NLT says, “you are spiritually dull” (5:11). Think of a bored, unambitious adolescent who has to be told several times to get off the couch and do their chores. It’s a trait of immaturity and...
Welcome to Day 2245 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 15:15-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2245 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2245 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I am excited to have you join me as we explore Proverbs 15:15- 21 from the New Living Translation. These verses are a treasure trove of insights that can illuminate our path and enrich our daily lives. Pause… As we delve into these verses, let’s seek the wisdom that can guide us in navigating the complexities of life and help us grow in understanding. So please put on your hiking boots as we explore more of the wisdom of Proverbs. Pause… VERSE 15: “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” This verse draws a stark contrast between the outlook of the despondent and the one with a happy heart. The despondent sees trouble in every day, while the one with a joyful heart experiences life as a continual feast. So, what’s the solution to this challenge of despondency? Cultivate a Joyful Heart: Strive to find joy in everyday moments. A joyful heart transforms the way you perceive life, turning it into a continual feast. Practice gratitude and embrace a positive outlook. Pause… Verse 16 speaks to the significance of contentment. “Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.” This verse underscores the value of contentment over material wealth. Having little but fearing the Lord is preferable to great treasure accompanied by inner turmoil. How can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Prioritize Contentment and the Fear of the Lord: Cultivate contentment in whatever circumstances you find yourself. A life rooted in the fear of the Lord is richer than one amassed with great material wealth but marred by inner turmoil. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 17. “Better a bowl of vegetables with someone you love than steak with someone you hate.” This verse highlights the importance of relationships over material abundance. Sharing a simple meal with someone you love is better than indulging in a feast with someone you despise. What’s the key takeaway here? Prioritize Loving Relationships: Cherish and invest in meaningful relationships. The joy found in sharing a simple meal with someone you love far surpasses the emptiness of extravagant feasts with those you despise. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 18. “A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.” This verse contrasts a hot-tempered individual’s impact with someone with a calm temperament. The hot-tempered person instigates conflicts, while the cool-tempered individual has the ability to quiet them. So, what’s the solution to managing our temper? Cultivate a Cool Temperament: Practice patience and self-control in the face of provocation. A calm temperament has the power to de-escalate conflicts and promote...
Welcome to Day 2244 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-8 God's Son - Our High Priest – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/04/2023 “God’s Son – Our High Priest” Hebrews 5:1-10 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We learned how the Great Physician will perform Spiritual Surgery in Hebrews 4:12-16. Today, we will learn how God’s Son is also our High Priest. In the first section of Hebrews (1-4), we saw clear and compelling proof that Christ is superior in His person. We saw Him standing in a place of preeminence over the prophets (1:1–3) and shining brighter than the angels (chapters 1–2). He stands out over Moses and Joshua (chapters 3–4). And His ministry provides a more significant spiritual rest than the Law, while His word reaches deep into our hearts to heal us (chapter 4). In the second part of Hebrews (5–10), the author delves deeper into another side of the book's central theme. He expands on the concept of the Messiah’s preeminence over the old covenant Law and priesthood already touched on in chapter 4. Now he presents specific examples of how Jesus’ heavenly priesthood is superior to the earthly priesthood (chapter 5), just as much as the new covenant promises are greater than those of the old covenant (chapters 6–7), and His once-for-all sacrifice for sin is greater than the whole Mosaic sacrificial system (chapters 8–10). The Jewish believers in Jesus, who were the original recipients of the book of Hebrews, needed to firm their understanding of the Messiah’s superior priesthood. At the time, the Jews usually thought of the Messiah as a future, earthly king who would sit in Jerusalem as a powerful monarch. The idea of the Messiah performing a heavenly ministry as their High Priest—at the Father's right hand—wasn’t something they would have pondered. By showing that the Messiah was not only meant to be King but also a Priest, the author of Hebrews further strengthens his theme: Christ is superior in His person and work. Let’s begin by reading today’s passage in the Pew Bibles on pages 1866-1867. 5 Every high Priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”[a] 6 And he says in another place,...
Welcome to Day 2243 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 15:8-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2243 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2243 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, it’s a pleasure to have you join me once again on this journey through the profound teachings of the Bible. Today, our trek takes us into the rich wisdom of Proverbs, specifically Proverbs 15:8-14 from the New Living Translation. In this exploration, we’ll uncover timeless principles that can shape our daily lives and guide us on our journey. So, please put on your hiking boots, and let’s head out into the wisdom of Proverbs 15. Pause… Beginning with verse 8: “A sacrifice made by the wicked is detestable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” This verse draws a stark contrast between mere outward rituals and the sincere prayers of the upright. It tells us that God values the condition of the heart more than religious acts performed without genuine intent. So, what’s the solution here? Cultivate a Heart of Prayer: God desires our sincerity and authenticity. Make prayer a heartfelt conversation with Him, expressing your thoughts, feelings, and seeking His guidance. Pause… Verse 9 continues this theme: “The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.” This verse reinforces the idea that God is concerned not only with our actions but also with the path we choose to walk. It highlights His love for those who actively pursue righteousness. What’s the key takeaway here? Walk in Righteousness: Strive to align your life with God’s principles. The pursuit of righteousness is not only pleasing to God but also positions us to experience His love and favor. Pause… Verse 10 provides a lesson in discipline: “Correction is grievous for those who forsake the path; those who hate reproof will die.” This verse emphasizes the difficulty of correction for those who veer off the right path. It warns that rejecting correction can lead to spiritual death. How can we apply this wisdom? Embrace Correction: Welcome correction and discipline as tools for growth. They are essential for staying on the right path and avoiding the pitfalls that can lead to spiritual decline. Pause… Verse 11 speaks of a profound truth: “Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?” This verse acknowledges God’s awareness of all things, even the depths of human hearts. It encourages us to recognize the omniscience of God. What’s the solution here? Live with Reverence: Understand that God sees and knows everything. Live with a sense of reverence, knowing that your heart is laid bare before Him. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 12: “A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.” This verse highlights the resistance of a mocker to...
Welcome to Day 2242 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 15:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2242 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2242 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, it’s a pleasure to have you join me on this journey through the timeless wisdom of the Bible. As we navigate life’s twists and turns, we find the guidance we need in the eternal pages of the Scripture. Pause… Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 15:1-7 from the New Living Translation, which offers profound insights to enrich our daily lives. So, lace up your hiking boots, and let’s trek the trails of the wisdom of Proverbs. Pause… Verse 1: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” This verse reminds us of the power of our words in diffusing or escalating conflicts. A gentle response can calm anger, while harsh words fan the flames of rage. Pause… So, what’s the solution to this problem of escalating anger? Practice Gentle Responses: Choose to respond with gentleness and humility, even in the face of anger. By doing so, you can prevent a situation from spiraling out of control and foster understanding. Pause… Verse 2 offers an intriguing perspective on knowledge. “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.” This verse highlights the role of wisdom in making knowledge attractive and the contrast of foolishness spewing out nonsensical words. Pause… What can we learn from this verse? Communicate with Wisdom: Let your words be a conduit for wisdom and understanding. Present knowledge in an appealing way, and avoid spouting senseless words. Pause… Verse 3 emphasizes God’s omnipresence. “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.” This verse serves as a reminder of God’s constant vigilance, as He watches over both the wicked and the righteous. Pause… How can we apply this truth to our lives? Live in Awareness of God’s Presence: Recognize that God is ever-watchful, and let this awareness guide your choices and actions. Live a life that acknowledges His presence in all circumstances. Pause… Now, let’s explore verse 4. “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” This verse underscores the life-giving quality of gentle words, which provide nourishment to the soul. In contrast, deceitful words crush the spirit, leading to a sense of desolation. Pause… What’s the solution here? Nurture with Gentle Words: Speak words that uplift and nourish the spirit. Avoid deceit and falsehood, as they can have a detrimental impact on the emotional and spiritual well-being of others. Pause… Now, verse 5 emphasizes the importance of truth. “Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is
Welcome to Day 2241 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-7 Piritual Surgery by a Sympathetic Surgeon – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/28/2023 “Spiritual Surgery By A Sympathetic Surgeon” Hebrews 4:12-16 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We learned that we need to Stop Churning and Start Resting. Today in Hebrews 4:12-16 We will learn how the Great Physician will perform Spiritual Surgery. Let’s begin by reading today’s passage on page 1866 in the Pew Bibles. 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Jesus the Great High Priest 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Two weeks ago, we learned the author warned the Jewish Christians who were tempted to drift from their devotion to the Messiah, about the dangers of a hard heart (Heb. 3:7–19). Last week, we learned the common symptoms of a calloused heart include the pride and panic that prevent believers from experiencing the healing rest God offers to His children (4:1–11). Therefore, the hardness of the heart continues to be an acute condition that robs believers of faith, love, and hope—the essentials of a healthy Christian life. Unfortunately, no medication can soften a spiritually hard heart. No physical therapy can reverse a person’s pride. No high-priced physician can perform a spiritual procedure to remove the heart-stopping panic threatening true joy in the Christian life. From a strictly human perspective, there is no treatment for the tendency toward hard-heartedness inherited from our fallen, depraved ancestors. But don’t despair! Our sympathetic, divine Surgeon, the Word of God incarnate, wields a spiritual precision scalpel—which is the written Word of God. Christ alone is able—and willing—to perform a heart transplant, to remove the “heart of stone” that has become insensitive to spiritual things and replace it with a “heart of flesh” that beats in rhythm with His (Ezek. 11:19). And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive...
Welcome to Day 2240 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 14:29-35 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2240 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2240 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, It’s a pleasure to have you join me on this adventure of the mind and soul. Today, we’re diving deep into the wisdom found in Proverbs 14:29-35 from the New Living Translation. These verses offer profound insights that can transform the way we live our lives. Let’s not waste any time, so put on your hiking boots and explore the wisdom of Proverbs. Pause… Let’s start with Verse 29: “Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.” This verse emphasizes the importance of controlling our emotions, particularly anger. It suggests that those who manage their anger demonstrate great understanding, while those who react impulsively are more prone to making mistakes. Pause… So, what’s the solution to this? Let’s explore it. Practice Self-Control: To gain understanding and avoid making costly mistakes, we must learn to control our emotions, especially anger. Cultivate patience and self-discipline in your life. Pause… Verse 30 holds a valuable lesson. “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” This verse speaks to the profound connection between our emotional well-being and physical health. It warns against the destructive nature of jealousy, which can eat away at us like a cancer. Pause… What’s the key takeaway here? Cultivate Inner Peace: Strive for inner peace, as it is intricately connected to your physical well-being. Avoid jealousy and negative emotions, which can have detrimental effects on your health. Pause… Verse 31 has a message of compassion and justice. “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him.” This verse reminds us of our responsibility to the poor and marginalized in society. It underscores that oppressing the poor is an insult to our Creator, while helping the less fortunate is an act of honor. Pause… So, how can we apply this wisdom? Practice Compassion and Justice: Extend a helping hand to the poor and the marginalized. In doing so, you honor God and fulfill your responsibility as a steward of His creation. Pause… Verse 32 offers a beautiful perspective on the righteous. “The wicked are crushed by disaster, but the godly have a refuge when they die.” This verse speaks to the contrasting outcomes of the wicked and the godly. While the wicked are crushed by disaster, the godly find refuge even in death. Pause… What’s the solution here? Walk in Righteousness: Live a godly life filled with integrity and righteousness. In doing so, you find refuge and peace even in the face of life’s adversities.
Welcome to Day 2239 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-6 Stop Churning and Start Resting – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/21/2023 “Stop Churning and Start Resting” Hebrews 4:1-11 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We learned that we should Beware of a Hard Heart caused by neglecting to follow God, which will prevent us from entering into His rest. Today in Hebrews 4:1-11 we will extend that thought as we learn how to Stop Churning and Start Resting. Let’s begin by reading today’s passage on pages 1865-1866 in the Pew Bibles. 1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[a] 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”[b] And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[c] 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”[d] 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one...
Welcome to Day 2238 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 14:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2238 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2238 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to have you join me again as we embark on a journey through the eternal wisdom of the Bible. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 14:22-28 from the New Living Translation. These verses provide profound insights for living a life that aligns with the principles of the Bible. So, lace up your hiking boots as we delve into the wisdom of Proverbs. VERSE 22: “If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.” This verse underscores the power of our intentions. It teaches us that evil intentions lead to destruction, while good intentions are rewarded with love and faithfulness. So, what’s the solution to this? Choose Good Intentions: Make a conscious decision to plan and act with good intentions. Your heart’s posture matters, and it has a profound impact on your life’s outcomes. Verse 23 is a gem, let’s explore it. VERSE 23: “Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty.” This verse is a timeless reminder of the value of hard work. It tells us that actions, not just words, lead to prosperity, while empty talk results in poverty. What’s the key takeaway here? Embrace Diligence: Put your words into action. Hard work and determination are the stepping stones to success. Talking about your goals is not enough; you must actively pursue them. Verse 24 has a significant message, too. VERSE 24: “The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the foolishness of fools yields folly.” This verse underscores the value of wisdom. The wise accumulate wealth, not just in monetary terms but also in the form of a well-adorned life. Fools, on the other hand, only yield more foolishness. So, how can we apply this wisdom? Pursue Wisdom: Seek wisdom diligently. It is a priceless treasure that enriches every aspect of your life. The pursuit of wisdom leads to a life well-lived. Now, verse 25 has an important message. VERSE 25: “A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is a traitor.” This verse highlights the significance of truthful testimony. Speaking the truth can save lives, while false witnessing is an act of betrayal. So, what’s the solution here? Speak the Truth: Commit yourself to being a truthful witness. Your words have the power to make a positive impact and save lives. Be a beacon of honesty and integrity. Now, verse 26 offers a thought-provoking perspective. VERSE 26: “Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children.” This verse speaks to the security found in a deep reverence for God. Those who fear the Lord can find refuge not only for themselves but also for their children. So, how can we apply this wisdom to our lives? Fear the Lord: Cultivate a deep and abiding...
Welcome to Day 2237 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 14:15-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2237 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2237 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs as we seek to discover the timeless wisdom it offers us. We’ll be delving into Proverbs 14:15-21 from the New Living Translation. So, please sit back, relax, and let’s embark on this wisdom-filled journey. Pause… In Proverbs 14:15, we find these words: “The simple believe everything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” This verse paints a clear picture of a common problem we face in life. Many of us, at times, are prone to gullibility and accepting information without questioning its validity. We’re all bombarded with an endless stream of information in today’s world. News, social media, and various sources constantly vie for our attention, making it crucial to discern truth from falsehood. Pause… Now, what’s the solution to this dilemma? How can we avoid the pitfall of believing everything that comes our way? The answer lies in becoming prudent. Prudent people don’t accept information at face value. They take time to investigate, think critically, and carefully consider their actions. Being prudent means pausing before making a decision and considering the steps you are about to take. Pause… Moving on to Proverbs 14:16, we read: “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.” The problem highlighted here is the danger of arrogance and carelessness. The fool mentioned in this verse is someone who is overconfident and doesn’t consider the consequences of their actions. They often fail to recognize the evil in their path. Pause… So, how can we become wiser and avoid the pitfalls of arrogance and carelessness? The solution is to be cautious and turn away from evil. Wise individuals recognize that they don’t have all the answers, and they understand their limitations. They avoid overconfidence and take time to evaluate their choices, ensuring they are in alignment with their values and principles. Pause… Now, let’s explore Proverbs 14:17: “A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.” This verse highlights a problem that many of us face - the consequences of a quick temper and crafty behavior. When we allow our anger to control us, we often make foolish decisions that we later regret. On the other hand, crafty behavior, which usually involves deceit and manipulation, leads to hatred and broken relationships. Pause… What’s the solution to these issues of anger and craftiness? The answer is to develop patience and honesty. Instead of giving in to a quick temper, we should pause and consider the consequences of our actions. Practicing patience allows us to make more rational choices. Additionally, cultivating honesty in our interactions with others fosters trust and strong...
Welcome to Day 2236 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-5 Beware of a Hard Heart – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/14/2023 “Beware of a Hard HEART” HEBREWS 3:7-19 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We explored how the Messiah (Jesus) is greater than Moses. Today, in Hebrews 3:7-19 we are warned of having a hard heart. As we read this passage, look for references to unbelief and remember the concept of believing loyalty. Let’s begin by reading today’s passage on page 1865 in the Pew Bibles. 7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”[b] 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”[c] 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Warning signs and signals bombard us every day. From a simple “notification” that your smartphone battery is getting low (Pull out board) to a flashing yellow light telling you to slow down, to countless similar alerts: “Watch Out for Falling Rocks,” … “Road Ends,” … “Slow! Children at Play” … “Speed Zone” … “Slippery When Wet.” Add to these the constant beeps, buzzes, bells, and blaring horns that keep us up-to-date on impending doom, and it’s easy to miss the alarms in life placed there to protect us from harm. As most of you can probably attest, one of the most annoying alarms (Alarm on Phone) is to wake you in the morning - it is so easy to press that snooze button in the morning, to silence the alarm. Firmly planted along the winding path of the letter to the Hebrews are several passages delivering stern...
Welcome to Day 2235 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 14:8-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2235 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2235 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we uncover its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 14:8-14, from the New Living Translation. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots as we explore the paths of the wise and the foolish in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 14:8-14, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the significance of our choices and attitudes. Verse 8: “The wise understand the road ahead and take it; the fool wanders aimlessly.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the contrast between those who plan and those who wander aimlessly. The wise understand and take the road ahead, while the fool meanders without direction. It highlights the enduring value of wisdom in decision-making. Pause… Verse 9: “Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.” These verses focus on the attitudes toward guilt. Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. It underscores the importance of humility and seeking forgiveness. Pause… Verse 10: “Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.” Here, we see the uniqueness of each person’s emotions and experiences. Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. It reminds us of the depth and complexity of our individual journeys. Pause… Verse 11: “The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the godly will flourish.” These verses contrast the outcomes for the wicked and the godly. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, while the tent of the godly will flourish. It underscores the enduring value of living a righteous life. Pause… Verse 12: “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” This verse highlights the potential deception of our own judgment. There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. It emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom and guidance. Pause… Verse 13: “Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.” These verses focus on the contrast between laughter and grief. Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains. It reminds us of the depth of our emotions and the need for authenticity. Pause… Verse 14: “Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward.” This verse emphasizes the contrasting outcomes for backsliders and good
Welcome to Day 2234 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-4 Moses, Messiah, and Me – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/07/2023 “Messiah, Moses, and Me” Hebrews 3:1-6 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We focused on Jesus: the “Pioneer of our Perfection,” and learned three essential principles to have hope in suffering. Today in Hebrews 3:1-6 we will explore how the Messiah (Jesus) is greater than Moses. To fully understand the importance of this passage, we must take on the mindset of a first-century Christian Jew facing hardship and persecution. Let’s begin by reading today’s passage on pages 1864-1865 in the Pew Bibles. Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,”[a] bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. Though the very words of the book of Hebrews are “God-breathed”/—the inspired and inerrant Word of God—/the chapter and verse numbers are not. They are artificial insertions to make citations and cross-referencing easier. Nevertheless, I’m not sure what we’d do without them. The chapter and verse additions are certainly helpful, but sometimes, they give the impression that the inspired author intended a hard break from one chapter to the next. When we step across the threshold into Hebrews 3, we shouldn’t imagine a door separating this passage from what precedes. Instead, the author ties together Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 with an essential logical connector—“therefore”—which indicates continuity. (Clip lanyards together) We may be stepping from one thought to another, but we’re stepping through an open doorway. The author expects us to take along everything he has been discussing up to this point. In the previous chapters, the author continued to develop the theme that Christ is superior in His person and work. Not only is He superior to the prophets and angels /(chapters 1–2), but having persevered through temptation, pain, and death, /He is also superior to temptation, sin, and suffering. As such, His help is available to us right now,/ whenever we find ourselves threatened by rising floods or raging storms. /In addition, Jesus is always there to help us in trials or temptations—faithful to come to our aid (2:16–18). With this basic understanding of Christ as our superior prophet, priest, and king, the author of Hebrews is ready to hit his Jewish Christian readers where this truth would likely hurt the most: the ministry of Moses. (mindset) 3:1 Hebrews 3...
Welcome to Day 2233 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 14:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2233 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2233 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 14:1-7, from the New Living Translation. So, lace up your hiking boots as we explore our choices between building wisdom and embracing folly. Pause… In Proverbs 14:1-7, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the significance of our actions and attitudes. Verse 1: “A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the importance of wisdom in building a home. A wise woman builds her home, while a foolish woman tears it down with her hands. It underscores the enduring value of wisdom in family life. Pause… Verse 2: “Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him.” These verses highlight the contrast between those who follow the right path and those who take the wrong path. Those on the right path fear the Lord, while those on the wrong path despise Him. It emphasizes the importance of our attitudes and choices. Pause… Verse 3: “A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, but the words of the wise keep them safe.” Here, we see the consequences of prideful and wise speech. A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, while the words of the wise keep them safe. It reminds us of the power of our words and attitudes. Pause… Verse 4: “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.” These verses focus on the value of productivity and the role of effort. A stable stays clean without oxen, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. It emphasizes the importance of hard work and the potential messiness of progress. Pause… Verse 5: “An honest witness does not lie; a false witness breathes lies.” This verse contrasts honesty and deception. An honest witness does not lie, while a false witness breathes lies. It underlines the enduring value of honesty and integrity. Pause… Verse 6: “A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.” These verses emphasize the contrasting attitudes toward wisdom. A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding. It highlights the importance of humility in seeking wisdom. Pause… Verse 7: “Stay away from fools, for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.” This verse advises us to be discerning in our associations. Stay away
Welcome to Day 2232 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 13:17-25 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2232 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2232 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 13:17-25 from the New Living Translation. So, fasten your hiking boots as we navigate the righteous and wicked paths in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 13:17-25, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the significance of our actions and attitudes. Verse 17: “An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the contrasting outcomes of reliability and unreliability. An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. It highlights the enduring value of dependability. Pause… Verse 18: “If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.” These verses focus on the response to criticism and correction. Ignoring criticism leads to poverty and disgrace, while accepting correction leads to honor. It underscores the value of humility and a willingness to learn and grow. Pause… Verse 19: “It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.” Here, we encounter the contrast between realizing dreams and refusing to turn from evil. It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to change their ways to attain them. It reminds us of the importance of moral character and self-improvement. Pause… Verse 20: “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” These verses emphasize the impact of our associations. Walking with the wise leads to wisdom, while associating with fools leads to trouble. It highlights the importance of choosing our companions wisely. Pause… Verse 21: “Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.” This verse contrasts the experiences of sinners and the righteous. Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous. It underscores the enduring value of righteous living. Pause… Verse 22: “Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.” These verses highlight the contrast in outcomes for good people and sinners. Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, while the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly. It reminds us of the legacy we leave behind. Pause… Verse 23: “The poor can farm little land, but diligent farmers can have more food
Welcome to Day 2231 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-3 Subjection...Suffering...and Sanctification – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/30/2023 “Subjection…Suffering…and Sanctification” Hebrews 2:5-18 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. Our focus was not to drift away from our spiritual foundation. Today, I will read Hebrews 2:5-18 as we go through the message on page 1864 of your Pew Bibles. Perspective (Point of View)—that’s what the first-century readers of Hebrews needed and what we all need as we face the tsunamis of suffering in this life. We need to recognize where we are in God’s story and trust that the pioneer and perfecter of our faith will bring this world (and all His faithful followers) to a good and glorious end. /The remainder of Hebrews 2 provides this perspective. (Point of view) Following his comments regarding angels in chapter 1 (and a strong warning that Christians must guard against neglecting their salvation in 2:1-4,) the writer of Hebrews returns to his discussion of angels,/ this time in their relationship to humanity. At the beginning of God’s story, humans were originally designed to exercise dominion over the created world. But on this side of Genesis 3, after the fall of humanity, that original intention for men and women was suspended, and we are subject to suffering and the effects of a cursed world. However, the writer of Hebrews pulls back the curtain ever so briefly and gives us a teaser trailer of a future in which the ultimate Son of Man, Jesus Christ, will lead the redeemed to realize their full potential in God’s plan. Coming to their rescue, Jesus Christ will restore to humanity what they lost in Adam. Until then, we’re all stuck in an often bleak series of scenes characterized by suffering. But even amid this suffering, God is working things together for our good and His glory (Rom. 8:28). Until Christ comes and establishes the new global Eden, that is, the finalization of God’s kingdom, we can expect to suffer through the long, arduous, and often painful process of sanctification. 2:5–8 5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: (PS 8:4-6) “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7 You made them a little[a] lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet.”[b][c] In putting everything under them,[
Welcome to Day 2230 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 13:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2230 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2230 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 13:9-16, from the New Living Translation. So, lace up your hiking boots as we uncover the treasure of wisdom and understanding in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 13:9-16, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the significance of wisdom and understanding. Verse 9: “The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the contrasting destinies of the godly and the wicked. The life of the godly is full of light and joy, while the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. It underlines the enduring value of living a righteous life. Pause… Verse 10: “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” These verses highlight the impact of pride and the value of seeking advice. Pride leads to conflict, while those who take advice are considered wise. It emphasizes the importance of humility and open-mindedness. Pause… Verse 11: “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” Here, we encounter the contrast between quick wealth and earned wealth. Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears, while wealth from hard work grows over time. It underscores the value of diligence and perseverance. Pause… Verse 12: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” These verses focus on the power of hope and fulfilled dreams. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. It highlights the importance of holding onto our dreams and seeing them through. Pause… Verse 13: “People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed.” This verse contrasts the attitudes toward advice and commands. People who despise advice are asking for trouble, while those who respect a command will succeed. It reminds us of the value of seeking and heeding wise counsel. Pause… Verse 14: “The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.” These verses emphasize the life-giving nature of wise instruction. The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain, and those who accept it avoid the snares of death. It underscores the importance of learning from the wisdom of others. Pause… Verse 15: “Good judgment wins...
Welcome to Day 2229 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-2 Don't Neglect So Great Salvation - Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/23/2023 “Don’t Neglect So Great A Salvation” Hebrews 2:1-4 Last week, we began an extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. The theme of the superiority of Christ in His person and work resounds from every chapter of the book of Hebrews. Today, our focus is a warning about drifting from our spiritual foundation. Let’s read Hebrews 2:1-4 on page 1863 of the Pew Bible to begin the message: We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. It’s hard to imagine many contexts in which drifting is a good thing. Possibly, a lazy floating river ride in a kayak or canoe may be enjoyable until you have to disembark. On the other hand, if a car begins to drift from its lane, it’s only a matter of time before an accident. When a boat drifts off course, at best, it will miss its destination; at worst, it could crash and sink! If an airplane drifts from its flight path, disastrous consequences could occur. Of course, a little drifting, caught early, can be corrected with little more than inconvenient consequences. But if a driver, sailor, or pilot doesn’t pay attention and neglects their responsibilities, the drift could result in injury or death. Similarly, neglect in spiritual matters can result in spiritual drifting. When we begin to ignore the guardrails of God’s Word, we can swerve from the truth and become trapped in a spiritual or moral ditch. Suppose we fail to navigate our vessel according to the safe principles of God’s revealed truth. In that case, the currents of cultural conformity will inevitably drive us into the jagged rocks of doubt, ultimately shipwrecking our faith. If we turn our focus away from our heavenly destination, the winds of false doctrine and worldly conviction can blow us into enemy airspace, leaving us open to spiritual attack. You know I am certainly not a doom and gloom type of person, and there are many great awakenings within the worldwide church today, but the state of some churches and Christians appears to be drifting. Spiritual laziness has set in by neglecting the great salvation given to us as a gift through Jesus Christ. Just think about the downward trends in our churches: * Doctrinal deviation * Moral compromise * Leadership failures * Cultural conformity * Political expediency * Worldly priorities * Evangelistic complacency
Sadly, the list could go on. These are the dangers of spiritual drifting. That’s why it’s so vital for believers to pay heed to the crucial tenets of the Christian life. There’s just too much at stake! Drifting from the message and morality of the gospel was as much a problem in the first century as it is in the twenty-first century. The challenges may have been
Welcome to Day 2228 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 13:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2228 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2228 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we uncover its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re exploring Proverbs 13:1-8 from the New Living Translation. So, please put on your hiking boots as we delve into the profound impact of words and actions. Pause… In Proverbs 13:1-8, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the power of our words and actions. Verse 1: “A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the contrasting responses to discipline and correction. A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline, while a mocker refuses to listen. It highlights the importance of humility in receiving guidance. Pause… Verse 2: “Wise words will win you a good meal, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.” These verses highlight the contrast between wise words and treacherous actions. Wise words lead to provision, while treacherous people are inclined toward violence. It underscores the value of speaking with wisdom and integrity. Pause… Verse 3: “Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” Here, we see the power of our words to influence the course of our lives. Controlling one’s tongue leads to a long life, while speaking recklessly can lead to ruin. It reminds us of the importance of thoughtful communication. Pause… Verse 4: “Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.” These verses focus on the consequences of laziness and idleness. Laziness leads to a neglected roof, while idleness results in a leaky house. It emphasizes the value of diligence and hard work. Pause… Verse 5: “A good person hates falsehood, but a wicked person is loathsome and remains in disgrace.” This verse contrasts the attitudes toward falsehood. A good person hates falsehood, while a wicked person is loathsome and remains in disgrace. It underlines the enduring value of honesty and integrity. Pause… Verse 6: “Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.” These verses underscore the protection provided by righteousness. Righteousness guards the person of integrity, while wickedness overthrows the sinner. It emphasizes the importance of living a life of moral character. Pause… Verse 7: “Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.” Here, we see the contrast in appearances. Some who
Welcome to Day 2227 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 12:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2227 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2227 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we delve into its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re exploring Proverbs 12:22-28 from the New Living Translation. So, fasten your hiking boots as we uncover the value of honesty, diligence, and the path they lead us on. Pause… In Proverbs 12:22-28, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the significance of honesty and diligence in our lives. Verse 22: “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the importance of honesty and truthfulness. The Lord detests lying lips but delights in those who tell the truth. It underlines the enduring value of integrity. Pause… Verse 23: “The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.” These verses highlight the contrast between the wise and the foolish in their behavior. The wise do not boast of their knowledge, while fools openly display their foolishness. It reminds us of the value of humility and discretion. Pause… Verse 24: “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” Here, we encounter the contrast between diligence and laziness. Hard work leads to leadership, while laziness results in servitude. It underscores the importance of diligence and perseverance. Pause… Verse 25: “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” These verses emphasize our words’ impact on others’ emotional well-being. Worry is burdensome, while encouraging words bring cheer. It reminds us of the power of our words to uplift and support. Pause… Verse 26: “The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.” This verse contrasts the counsel of the godly with that of the wicked. The godly offer good advice to their friends, while the wicked lead them astray. It underscores the value of seeking and providing wise counsel. Pause… Verse 27: “Laziness leads to poverty; hard work makes you rich.” These verses reiterate the consequences of diligence and laziness. Laziness leads to poverty, while hard work results in wealth. It emphasizes the importance of a strong work ethic. Pause… Verse 28: “The way of the godly leads to life; their path does not lead to death.” These verses underline the contrasting destinies of the godly and the wicked. The way of the godly leads to life, and their path does not lead to death. It...
Welcome to Day 2226 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/16/2023 “The Last Word…Worthy of Worship” Last week, on Resurrection Sunday, we focused on The Death of Death because the Resurrection is real and changes everything. Today, we are beginning an extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. The theme of the superiority of Christ in His person and work resounds from every chapter of the book of Hebrews. It is the repeated melody with which every subject of the letter resonates in perfect harmony. To develop his anthem of Christ’s superiority, the author conducts his readers through three major movements: 1. Christ is superior in His person. (1:1–4:16) 2. Christ is superior as our high priest. (5:1–10:39) 3. Christ is superior for pressing on. (11:1–13:25)
The first question that may come to your mind is, what is the relevance of Hebrews for us? Most people reading the book of Hebrews today are not Jewish believers. And even if they are of Hebrew ancestry, none are living in the terrors of first-century Rome under the madness of Nero. However, we all—Jew or Gentile—can sense the heat rising in our increasingly anti-Christian culture and feel pressured to conform to this darkening world's values and priorities. Like the first-century Jewish followers of the Messiah who were tempted to abandon /His way,/ truth, /and life /for a more comfortable path, we need to come to grips with Christ's sufficiency and absolute superiority over all things. We must pledge our allegiance to the Lord, who bought us with His blood. The central theme of the book of Hebrews is simple but powerful: Christ is superior in His person and work. Throughout the book, the author develops this theme in vivid detail. Throughout today’s message, I will read the verses of Hebrews 1 on pages 1862-1863 in the Pew Bibles as we come to each section. Drawing on the Hebrew people's great regard for the primary means of revelation in the Old Testament,/ the prophets and angels,/ the author of Hebrews compares these celebrated earthly and heavenly beings/ with God’s Final Word and Messenger, Jesus Christ. As powerful and significant as those holy people and holy angels were, they were inferior to the Son of God. He alone is God’s Final Word, superior in His person to God’s previous messengers and ministers—/whether human or angelic. Why? Because Jesus is the Word incarnate (in the flesh)—fully human and fully divine—who occupies a superior place over all things. 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, In the first century, the apostle Peter described the ministry of the Old Testament prophets, noting that in 2 Pet. 1:21: For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. For centuries leading up to Peter’s simple summary of the process of divine inspiration, a long line of prophets spoke and wrote God’s words under the supernatural guidance of the Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. These prophets issued warnings and rebukes, which flew off their lips like arrows from a bow to strike at the hearts of...
Welcome to Day 2225 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 12:15-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2225 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2225 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we uncover its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 12:15-21 from the New Living Translation. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots as we explore the power of words and the contrast between wisdom and folly in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 12:15-21, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the significance of our words and the stark contrast between wisdom and folly. Verse 15: “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” This verse lays the foundation for the passage, highlighting the stark contrast between the attitude of fools and the wisdom of the wise. Fools insist their way is right, while the wise have the humility to listen to others. It’s a powerful reminder of the value of open-mindedness. Pause… Verse 16: “A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.” These verses focus on emotional control and resilience. A fool easily loses their temper, but a wise person remains calm when insulted. It underlines the importance of emotional intelligence and self-control. Pause… Verse 17: “An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.” Here, we encounter the contrast between honesty and deception. An honest witness speaks the truth, while a false witness spreads lies. It emphasizes the value of integrity and truthfulness. Pause… Verse 18: “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.” These verses highlight the impact of words on others. Some people make hurtful remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. It reminds us of the power our words have to build up or tear down. Pause… Verse 19: “Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.” These verses underscore the enduring value of truthful words. They stand the test of time, while lies are inevitably exposed. It reinforces the importance of honesty and transparency. Pause… Verse 20: “Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!” This verse focuses on the intentions of the heart. Hearts filled with deceit plot evil, while those planning peace are filled with joy. It emphasizes the importance of our intentions and their impact on our lives and relationships. Pause… Verse 21: “No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.” These verses contrast the destinies of the godly and the wicked. The godly...
Welcome to Day 2224 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Death of Death - Ressurection Day! – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/09/2023 The Death of Death – Resurrection Day! Last week, we continued our Ressurection messages with “When The Stones Burst Into Cheers” from Luke 19:35-42. We learned three essential points last week: 1. God is worthy of loud and joyful praise. 2. Our praise should focus on the person and work of Jesus. 3. God must and will be praised through Jesus Christ.
On this Easter morning, this resurrection day, our focus is on The Death of Death because the Resurrection is real and changes everything. Throughout the message, we will look at the last few verses in Matthew 27 and most of Matthew 28, found on pages 1549-1550 of your pew Bibles. There are moments when, all of a sudden, something happens, and everything changes. There are so many examples of this that it’s almost hard to pick. So, I chose a personal story that impacted our lives. On Easter weekend of 2017, we received the news that Hazel had leukemia. When Elizabeth called me, I was planting seedling trees in the yard, and our son Barney was helping me. Paula was on her way to visit some friends in North Carolina and had just crossed the North Carolina border when I called her. She drove off the first exit, turned around, and headed home. All of our lives were turned upside down. For the next 2.5 years, it was recurring treatments, hospital stays, and continual tears and prayers. By God’s grace, Hazel came through all, and today is a healthy, feisty, nearly eight-year-old flaming redhead. While her semi-annual checkups have been very positive for the past three years, our heart skips a beat or two whenever she gets a fever or a cough. I suspect it will be that way for years, because everything changed on that day six years ago. When all of a sudden, in a moment, everything changes, that’s a powerful reality. It was the same over 2,000 years ago, but with an impact that changed our lives and the world. The empty tomb of Jesus changes everything. The fact that that tomb is empty changes everything. Not only for us as individuals /but for who we are, /how we live,/ and why we live the way we live. God’s work can’t be stopped. Jesus, the Pharisees, and the chief priests had issues. They’re like the Democrats and the Republicans today. They don’t get along. Jesus offended the chief priests and Pharisees because he undermined their authority. He was subversive to their power. To use a modern phrase, they thought Jesus was a royal pain. Everything about his ministry bothered them. The fact that Jesus associated with tax collectors, the immoral harlots, and the uneducated, ordinary people who all flocked to Jesus bothered the religious people. Those people were blemishes to them. So they were tired of Jesus. They wanted this whole Jesus thing to be over. They remember when he was still alive; he said he would be resurrected from the grave. So they go to Pilate. Interestingly, the Jewish priests were not allowed to use their palace guards. They had been under Roman rule for many decades at this point. Listen to Matthew 27:62-66 to understand their thinking: 62 The next day, on the Sabbath,[
Welcome to Day 2223 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 12:8-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2223 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2223 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 12:8-14, from the New Living Translation. So, lace up your hiking boots as we uncover these verses’ contrasting paths of wisdom and foolishness. Pause… In Proverbs 12:8-14, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the distinctions between the wise and the foolish. Verse 8: “A person is praised according to their prudence, and one with a warped mind is despised.” This verse introduces us to the idea that prudence leads to praise, while a warped mind leads to disdain. It underscores the importance of sound judgment and wise decision-making. Pause… Verse 9: “Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.” Here, we encounter the contrast between humility and pretension. It’s better to be humble and have support than to pretend to be important but lack basic needs. It emphasizes the value of humility and authenticity. Pause… Verse 10: “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” These verses highlight the contrast in how the righteous and the wicked treat animals. The righteous care for their needs, while even the kindest acts of the wicked are ultimately cruel. It underscores the importance of compassion and empathy. Pause… Verse 11: “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” Here, we see the contrast between hard work and chasing after fantasies. Working the land leads to abundant food, while pursuing empty dreams shows a lack of sense. It reminds us of the value of diligence and practicality. Pause… Verse 12: “The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures.” These verses emphasize the contrasting destinies of the wicked and the righteous. The wicked desire the power of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures. It highlights the enduring impact of a righteous life. Pause… Verse 13: “The wicked are trapped by their sinful talk, but the virtuous escape so quickly.” This verse underscores the power of words and their consequences. Their sinful talk ensnares the wicked, while the virtuous quickly escape such traps. It reminds us of the importance of speaking with wisdom and integrity. Pause… Verse 14: “People can get their reward through the words of their mouths; they get what they...
Welcome to Day 2222 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 12:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2222 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2222 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we uncover its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 12:1-7, from the New Living Translation. So, please put on your hiking boots as we explore the contrasting paths of wisdom and foolishness in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 12:1-7, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the distinctions between the wise and the foolish. Verse 1: “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.” This verse sets the tone for the passage, emphasizing the importance of discipline and correction. To acquire wisdom, we must embrace discipline and be open to correction. Rejecting these essential components of growth is unwise. Pause… Verse 2: “The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.” Here, we see the divine perspective on goodness and wickedness. The Lord approves of those who do good, while those who plan wickedness face His condemnation. It highlights the importance of aligning our intentions with goodness. Pause… Verse 3: “Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.” This verse contrasts the outcomes of wickedness and godliness. Wickedness never leads to stability; it’s like shifting sands. In contrast, the godly have deep roots, symbolizing their enduring strength and stability. Pause… Verse 4: “A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.” These verses underscore the impact of a spouse on a marriage. A worthy wife is a source of honor and blessing to her husband, while a disgraceful woman is like a destructive force. It emphasizes the importance of choosing a life partner wisely. Pause… Verse 5: “The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous.” Here, we see the contrast between the godly’s plans and the wicked’s advice. The plans of the godly are characterized by justice, while the advice of the wicked is treacherous. It reminds us to seek and follow godly counsel. Pause… Verse 6: “The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives.” These verses highlight the power of words. The words of the wicked are likened to a murderous ambush, bringing harm. In contrast, the words of the godly save lives, emphasizing the importance of our speech in influencing others positively. Pause… Verse 7: “The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands...
Welcome to Day 2221 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Making It All Better – When Stones Cry Out – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/02/2023 When Stones Cry Out – Palm Sunday Last week, we began our Ressurection messages with “Making It All Better – The Story of Lazarus” from John 11. This story set the final stage for Christ to enter Jerusalem to fulfill His purpose as: The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 As we approach the Easter season, we are reminded of the miraculous events that occurred in the life of Jesus leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection. One of the most remarkable events is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19:35-42, tells the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event is commonly known as Palm Sunday and marks the beginning of Holy Week, leading to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. In this passage, we see Jesus riding on a colt while the people of Jerusalem greet him with shouts of “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” They spread their cloaks on the road, and wave palm branches as a sign of victory and honor for the coming king, much like we would wave the American flag during an Independence Day parade. However, as Jesus approaches the city, we see a weeping king, a weeping savior once again. He recognizes the tragedy and destruction that will come upon Jerusalem because of their unbelief and refusal to accept Him as the Messiah. (Bulletin Insert bottom graphic) This passage reminds us of the joy and celebration of Palm Sunday and the seriousness and sacrifice of the Holy Week. It also challenges us to reflect on our response to Jesus, as we welcome him into our lives and communities. Do we honor him as king or reject him and turn away? Today, we could talk about the Mount of Olives or the significance of Jesus entering Jerusalem from the east. We could talk about Jesus driving out the money changers and cleansing the temple the next day. But today, I want to focus on something we don’t often consider on Palm Sunday. I want us to focus on the rocks or stones that lined the road going into Jerusalem. That’s right, the stones. Now, you might wonder, what in the world do a bunch of stones have to do with Palm Sunday? Let’s read Luke 19:35-42 on page 1632 of the Pew Bible to find out. 35 They brought it (the colt) to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[a] “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of...
Welcome to Day 2220 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 11:24-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2220 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2220 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 11:24-31 from the New Living Translation. So, tighten your hiking boots as we explore the path of generosity in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 11:24-31, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the rewards of generosity and its impact on our lives and communities. Verse 24: “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.” This verse presents a straightforward principle: generosity leads to increased wealth, while stinginess results in loss. It underscores the value of a giving heart and the blessings that flow from it. Pause… Verse 25: “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” These verses further emphasize the benefits of generosity. The generous not only prosper but also find refreshment for their own souls. It highlights the reciprocal nature of giving and the joy it brings. Pause… Verse 26: “People curse those who withhold grain, but they bless the one who sells it.” Here, we see the contrast between those who withhold and those who provide. Those who withhold grain invite curses, while those who sell it are blessed. It underscores the value of meeting the needs of others. Pause… Verse 27: “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!” These verses emphasize the importance of our intentions and desires. Those who seek good find favor, while those who seek evil will encounter it. It reminds us to set our hearts on goodness and positive pursuits. Pause… Verse 28: “Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.” This verse contrasts trust in wealth with trust in godliness. Trusting in money leads to downfall, while the godly flourish like leaves in spring. It underscores the importance of placing our trust in godly principles. Pause… Verse 29: “The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing worthwhile left.” These verses highlight the consequences of foolish actions within a family. Provoking anger and resentment ultimately leads to loss. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining healthy relationships within our families. Pause… Verse 30: “The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.”...
Welcome to Day 2219 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Making It All Better - The Story of Lazarus – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/26/2023 Making It All Better – The Story of Lazarus Over the past nine weeks, our story narrative overview of the Bible has been to answer the question: What does God want? Today, we begin three weeks of Eater-related messages. Today will be “Making It All Better – The Story of Lazarus” from John 11. As we approach the Easter season, we are reminded of the miraculous events that occurred in the life of Jesus leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection. One of the most remarkable events is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The story of Lazarus is found in the Good News, according to the Apostle John, chapter 11, and it is a powerful reminder of the power of Christ over death and the hope we have in Him. It is a story that teaches us about the deep love and compassion that Jesus had for His friends, and the incredible power He had to perform miracles. Today, as we reflect on the raising of Lazarus, let us be reminded of the hope we have in Christ, and the promise of eternal life that He offers to all who have believing loyalty to Him. I pray this story will inspire us to deepen our faith in Jesus and trust in Him more fully as we journey toward celebrating His resurrection. Let us now turn to the Word of God and explore this incredible story together John 11 (Page of your pew Bibles) The Death of Lazarus 1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that...
Welcome to Day 2218 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 11:16-23 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2218 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2218 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we unearth its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 11:16-23 from the New Living Translation. So, fasten your hiking boots as we uncover the blessings of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 11:16-23, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the rewards of wisdom and the benefits it brings to our lives. Verse 16: “A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.” This verse highlights the contrast between graciousness and ruthlessness. A gracious woman gains respect, which is a lasting and valuable treasure. In contrast, ruthless men may accumulate wealth, but it often comes at the expense of respect and integrity. Pause… Verse 17: “Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.” Here, we see the consequences of kindness and cruelty. Kindness brings its own reward, enriching our lives and the lives of others. Conversely, cruelty ultimately leads to self-destruction. It underscores the enduring value of acts of kindness. Pause… Verse 18: “Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.” This verse contrasts evil people’s fleeting wealth with the godly’s lasting reward. While evil may lead to temporary riches, the wealth of the godly endures. It emphasizes the importance of seeking godliness and righteousness. Pause… Verse 19: “Godly people find life; evil people find death.” These verses encapsulate the fundamental difference between godly and evil individuals. The godly find life—abundant and fulfilling—while the evil finds death—spiritual and moral decay. It highlights the profound impact of our choices on our lives. Pause… Verse 20: “The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.” This verse focuses on the condition of the heart. The Lord detests those with crooked hearts, who engage in deceit and dishonesty. In contrast, He delights in those with integrity, emphasizing the importance of honesty and moral uprightness. Pause… Verse 21: “Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.” These verses highlight the consequences of evil deeds. Evil people will face punishment, while the children of the godly will be set free from the destructive cycle of sin. It reinforces the principle that righteousness leads to freedom. Pause… Verse 22: “A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s...
Welcome to Day 2217 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 11:9-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2217 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2217 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 11:9-15, from the New Living Translation. So, get ready to lace up your hiking boots as we uncover the guidance of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 11:9-15, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into how wisdom influences our interactions and relationships. Verse 9: “With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.” This verse opens with a powerful contrast. The godless use destructive words that harm their friendships, while knowledge, which is often a result of wisdom, rescues the righteous. It underscores the importance of our words and the value of knowledge in building and preserving relationships. Background Music Transition Verse 10: “The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.” Here, we see the impact of righteousness on a community. The success of the godly brings joy to the whole city, whereas the demise of the wicked is a cause for celebration. It highlights the positive influence of living a life of righteousness on our surroundings. Pause… Verse 11: “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.” This verse further emphasizes the positive influence of upright citizens in a city. They contribute to its prosperity. In contrast, the wicked’s words and actions have a destructive effect, tearing the city apart. It underscores the importance of our actions in shaping our communities. Pause… Verse 12: “It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.” We encounter a familiar theme here—the folly of belittling one’s neighbor. Sensibility involves keeping quiet rather than demeaning others. It reinforces the value of respect and kindness in our interactions with those around us. Pause… Verse 13: “A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.” This verse addresses the issue of gossip and trustworthiness. Gossips spreads secrets, often causing harm, while trustworthy individuals can be relied upon to keep confidence. It reminds us of the importance of discretion and trust in our relationships. Pause… Verse 14: “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” These verses highlight the significance of leadership and counsel in the context of a nation. Wise leadership is essential for a...
Welcome to Day 2216 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want? – What Do Disciples Do? – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/19/2023 What Does God Want? - What Do Disciples Do? Over the past eight weeks, our story narrative overview of the Bible has been to answer the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered over the past eight weeks was that God wants you and everyone who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. Two weeks ago, we viewed an overall snapshot of the Good News. It is simple and yet very profound. What is the Gospel, the Good News? Last week, we switched from the believing aspect of God’s story to the loyalty aspect as we looked at ‘What is Discipleship?’ and then reviewed the first two of ten attributes that answer the question, “What Does a Disciple Do?” The first two attributes from last week were: 1. Disciples Love God, Their Neighbor, and Each Other 2. Disciples Take Care of Each Other
3.) Disciples Fellowship “Fellowship” is a New Testament word that describes the activity of the believing community. Caring for each other is part of biblical fellowship, because when believers meet, needs can be discerned and met. That said, we need a short discussion of fellowship to talk about other things disciples do. Many Christians today equate “fellowship” with having fun together. For sure, doing fun things together strengthens relationships. Enjoying the company of people builds bonds. But that isn’t biblical fellowship in the sense of becoming disciples. The primary difference between doing fun things together and biblical fellowship is that fellowship isn’t just about spending time together. It’s much more intentional. The goal of fellowship is ultimately “becoming one mind” around Jesus so that we can “have his mind in us.” In other words, the purpose of fellowship is discipleship. A couple of verses from Philippians capture the idea: Philippians 1:27, Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. (From last week) Philippians 2:1-5 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests,...
Welcome to Day 2215 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 11:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2215 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2215 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, it’s a pleasure to have you join us on this journey through the book of Proverbs, where we unearth its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re venturing into Proverbs 11:1-8, from the New Living Translation. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots as we explore the path of righteousness in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 11:1-8, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the way of the righteous. Verse 1: “The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.” This verse sets the tone for the entire passage. The Lord detests dishonesty, especially when it comes to financial dealings. He values honesty and accuracy, which are represented by accurate weights. This verse emphasizes the importance of integrity in our dealings with others. Pause… Verse 2: “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Pride is a recurring theme in Proverbs, often portrayed as detrimental. It leads to disgrace and poor choices. In contrast, humility is linked to wisdom. This verse reminds us that a humble heart is open to learning and growing in wisdom. Pause… Verse 3: “Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.” Honesty serves as a guiding principle for good people. It leads them on the path of righteousness and integrity. On the other hand, dishonesty destroys treacherous individuals. This verse underscores the fundamental role of honesty in shaping our character and destiny. Pause… Verse 4: “Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.” This verse provides a sobering perspective on wealth. It suggests that riches cannot save us on the day of judgment, but right living can. It underscores the eternal value of living a life of righteousness and moral integrity. Pause… Verse 5: “The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.” Here, we see the contrast between the godly and the wicked. The godly are guided by honesty, which serves as a moral compass. In contrast, the wicked are burdened by the weight of their sins, leading to their downfall. This verse emphasizes the significance of integrity in our journey. Pause… Verse 6: “The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.” Good people, characterized by godliness and righteousness, find rescue in their virtue. However, the ambition of treacherous individuals becomes a snare that entraps them. It highlights the difference between the pursuit of righteousness and self-serving ambitions. Pause…
Welcome to Day 2214 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want – What is Discipleship – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/12/2023 What Does God Want? - What is Discipleship? Last week, we moved beyond our story narrative overview of the Bible, answering the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered over the past seven weeks was that God wants you and everyone who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. So, we viewed an overall snapshot of the Good News last week. It is simple and yet very profound. What is the Gospel, the Good News? Now that we know what the Good News is, we move from the believing aspect, where we become members of God’s human family, to the loyalty aspect, where we will focus the next two weeks on discipleship. First, we will look at ‘What is Discipleship?’ and then move on to “What Does a Disciple Do?” Last week, we learned that nothing we can do permits us to become part of God’s human family except belief by faith in that Good News, which is: * God sent his Son... * Who was born in the line of David... * As the man Jesus Christ... * Who died for our sins... * Who was buried... * Who rose from the dead...
That being acknowledged, believing the Gospel (Good News) is intended to be transformative. As we are told in 2 Corinthians 5:17. 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! You may recall the answer to this question. Earlier, I said that a disciple was a follower—specifically, a follower of Jesus. I defined “following” as imitating or imaging Jesus. Being “conformed to the image of Jesus” is our ultimate destiny (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18; Col 3:10). Our motive for imitating Jesus is not to make God love us, so he’ll let us into His family. God already loved each of us “while we were still sinners” (Rom 5:8) and were God’s “enemies” (Rom 5:10). We get to heaven—we become part of God’s family—when we believe the gospel. Before that, we were lost, in need of a Savior (Luke 19:10), and alienated from God (Eph 4:18). When that was our situation, God loved us. He didn’t wait until we cleaned up our act to love us. Our motive for imitating Jesus is not to keep God loving us, so we’ll continue to be saved. (Key) That which cannot be achieved by performance cannot be lost by performance. Salvation has nothing to do with our worth or merit. It has everything to do with what someone—Jesus—did for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 21 For
Welcome to Day 2213 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 10:25 - 32 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2213 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2213 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we mine its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re venturing into Proverbs 10:25-32 from the New Living Translation. So, tighten your hiking boots, and let’s uncover the path of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 10:25-32, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the way of the wise. Verse 25: “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.” This verse presents a powerful image of life’s storms. The wicked are depicted as being whirled away, lacking a lasting foundation to withstand the trials of life. In contrast, the godly possess a firm and lasting foundation, which serves as their anchor during life’s storms. Pause… Verse 26: “It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.” These verses highlight the importance of our interactions with others. Belittling or demeaning our neighbors is considered foolish, while sensibility involves keeping quiet. This verse underscores the value of respect and kindness in our relationships. Pause… Verse 27: “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.” Here, we see the impact of our words. The words of the godly are compared to a life-giving fountain, while the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. It emphasizes the profound influence our speech can have on those around us. Pause… Verse 28: “The godly look forward to a reward, but the wicked can expect only judgment.” This verse draws a sharp contrast between the outlook of the godly and the wicked. The godly anticipate a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. It underscores the importance of living in alignment with godly principles. Pause… Verse 29: “The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.” These verses highlight the contrasting outcomes for those with integrity and the wicked. The way of the Lord serves as a stronghold to those with integrity, providing protection and security. However, it leads to the destruction of the wicked. This verse emphasizes the importance of living a life marked by integrity and righteousness. Pause… Verse 30-32: “The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land. The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The godly speak helpful words, but the...
Welcome to Day 2212 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 10:17-24 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2212 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2212 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we unearth its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 10:17-24 from the New Living Translation. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots as we explore the path of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 10:17-24, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide us with valuable insights into the way of the wise. Verse 17: “People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.” This verse is a powerful reminder of the importance of accepting discipline and correction in our lives. Those who do so are on the pathway to life, while those who ignore such guidance will inevitably go astray. It emphasizes the role of humility and teachability in the pursuit of wisdom. Pause… Verse 18: “Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.” This verse highlights the destructive nature of harboring hatred and slandering others. It equates hiding hatred with deceit and slander with foolishness. It’s a stark reminder of the need for love, honesty, and integrity in our interactions with others. Pause… Verse 19: “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” These verses caution against excessive talk, which can often lead to sin. It advises sensibility and the wisdom of keeping one’s mouth shut when necessary. It’s a reminder that speaking less and listening more can prevent many conflicts and misunderstandings. Pause… Verse 20: “The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.” This verse draws a sharp contrast between the words of the godly, which are likened to sterling silver—precious and valuable—and the heart of a fool, which is described as worthless. It underscores the significance of speaking with wisdom and integrity. Pause… Verse 21: “The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.” Here, we see the impact of our words. The words of the godly encourage and uplift many, while fools, due to their lack of common sense, often bring destruction upon themselves. It emphasizes the profound influence our speech can have on those around us. Pause… Verse 22: “The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” This verse underscores the nature of the blessings that come from the Lord. They make a person rich, not just materially, but also in terms of spiritual and emotional wealth. Importantly, these blessings do not bring sorrow or regret with...
Welcome to Day 2211 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – What Does God Want? – What is the Gospel? – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/05/2023 What Does God Want? - What is the Gospel? Last week, we finished our story narrative overview of the Bible, answering the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered over the past six weeks was that God wants you and everyone who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. So now we switch our focus on what is required to be part of God’s forever family /and how we show this transformation in our lives./ The answer to these two questions is through believing loyalty. This week, we will explore the believing aspect; in the next two weeks, we will focus on loyalty. We invested a year in a detailed study of the Good News, according to John, but today, we will view an overall snapshot of the Good News. It is simple and yet very profound. What is the Gospel, the Good News? It may sound odd to ask that question at this juncture. We’ve just invested six weeks walking through the story of the Bible, the story of how God wants us in his family. We join that family by believing the gospel. I’ve discovered that many people who attend church don’t fully understand the gospel. Some can’t articulate it. Others who can express it coherently often struggle with truly surrendering to its simplicity. They suffer inside over genuinely believing /that the gospel is all that is necessary for everlasting life. Some of you may wonder what I’m talking about. There is a good chance that as I explain what I mean, you’ll either see yourself or someone you know in what follows. We’ll start by defining the gospel. Then, I’ll ask some questions along the way that are important to consider for clarity. We also need to talk about what the gospel isn’t. When we get to that part of the conversation, you’ll see what I mean by the struggle I mentioned. What is The Gospel? It’s relatively easy to define what the term “gospel” means. The biblical word “gospel” refers to the message of salvation. The English word “gospel” is a translation of a Greek word (the original language of the New Testament) that referred to a reward given to someone who brought good news. Hence, you’ll often hear the term “gospel” equated with “good news”—the good news about the message of salvation. Let’s think about that. It might feel like we learned something. I suppose we did, but we didn’t understand what we needed to know. It’s nice that we can now define a term. But we haven’t said anything about the content of the message of salvation. We’ve explained what the word “gospel” means, but not what the gospel is. So, let’s talk about what the gospel means. What is the content of God’s offer of
Welcome to Day 2210 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 10:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2210 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2210 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 10:9-16 from the New Living Translation. So, get ready to lace up your hiking boots as we uncover the path of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 10:9-16, we continue our exploration of the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. These verses provide valuable insights into the way of the wise. Verse 9: “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.” These verses open with a powerful truth about integrity. People who walk in integrity find safety and security in their path, but those who follow deceitful and crooked paths will eventually be exposed. This verse emphasizes the importance of living a life marked by honesty and authenticity. Pause… Verse 10: “People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.” Here, we see the consequences of ignoring wrongdoing. Those who wink at or overlook transgression inadvertently cause trouble, but those who boldly and lovingly correct promote peace. This verse underscores the value of addressing issues with courage and grace. Pause… Verse 11: “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.” This verse highlights the power of words. The words of the godly are described as a life-giving fountain, nourishing and refreshing those who hear them. In contrast, the words of the wicked hide violent intentions, emphasizing the importance of our speech in either building up or tearing down. Pause… Verse 12: “Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.” Hatred and animosity lead to conflicts and quarrels, while love can cover and make up for offenses. This verse reminds us of love’s healing and reconciling power in our relationships. Pause… Verse 13: “Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.” These verses contrast the wisdom of understanding with the consequences of foolishness. Wise words flow from those with understanding, while those lacking sense face discipline, symbolized by being beaten with a rod. It underscores the value of wisdom and discernment in our speech. Pause… Verse 14-16: “Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster. The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction. The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.” These verses offer a series of...
Welcome to Day 2209 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want – God Pursues His Human Family – Daily Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – What Does God Want? – God is With His Family Forever – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/26/2023 What Does God Want? - God is With His Family Forever Last week, we continued our series with the overall theme, which is to answer the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered over the past five weeks was that God wants you and everyone who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. So, in last week’s message, we explored how “God Pursues His Family through the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This week, we will extend that thought and see that “God is With His Family Forever” throughout all eternity. I ended last week’s message with a firm grasp of some apparent points. Christ is risen. All those who have put their trust in what he did on the cross and his resurrection as the only means of salvation will have everlasting life. But while we are already members of Christ’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13), that kingdom has not yet come to its fullness and finality. The same is true of the defeat and destruction of The Satan (devil) and various fallen sons of God. It is already in...
Welcome to Day 2208 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 10:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2208 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2208 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our exploration of the profound wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 10:1-8, from the New Living Translation. So, fasten your hiking boots, and together, we’ll uncover the path of the wise in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 10:1-8, we begin a new section of Proverbs that contrasts the wise with the foolish. These verses provide valuable insights into the characteristics and outcomes of living a life of wisdom. Verse 1: “The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.” These verses open with a clear distinction between the wise and the foolish. A wise child brings joy to a father, while a foolish child brings grief to a mother. This serves as a universal truth that underscores the profound impact our choices have on our loved ones. Pause… Verse 2: “Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life.” This verse reminds us of the fleeting nature of ill-gotten gains. Tainted or dishonest wealth may bring temporary prosperity but lacks lasting value. In contrast, right living, characterized by moral integrity and wise choices, has the power to save and enrich our lives. Pause… Verse 3: “The Lord will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.” Here, we see the divine principle of provision. The Lord ensures that the godly do not go hungry. However, He withholds His blessings from the wicked, refusing to satisfy their insatiable cravings. This verse highlights the importance of living in alignment with godly principles. Pause… Verse 4: “Laziness leads to poverty; hard work makes you rich.” This verse underscores the relationship between diligence and prosperity. Laziness and a lack of effort lead to poverty, while hard work and diligence result in wealth. It’s a reminder that success often follows sustained effort and dedication. Pause… Verse 5: “God blesses the godly with a secure heritage, but he curses the wicked with destruction.” Here, we observe the contrasting destinies of the godly and the wicked. The godly are blessed with a secure heritage, while the wicked face the consequences of destruction. This verse emphasizes the importance of living a life characterized by righteousness. Pause… Verse 6-8: “The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land. The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.” These verses continue to emphasize the contrast
Welcome to Day 2207 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 9:13-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2207 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2207 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m genuinely excited to continue our exploration of the profound wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 9:13-18 from the New Living Translation. So, put on your hiking boots, and together, we’ll explore the captivating call of folly in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 9:13-18, we encounter a stark contrast between the call of wisdom and the seductive call of folly. These verses provide valuable insights into the consequences of our choices and the importance of discernment. Verse 13: “The woman named Folly is brash. She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.” These verses introduce us to the character of Folly. She is described as brash, displaying a reckless and arrogant demeanor. What makes her particularly dangerous is that she is ignorant of her own folly. This ignorance can lead those who heed her call into treacherous territory. Pause… Verse 14-15: “She sits in her doorway on the heights overlooking the city. She calls out to men going by who are minding their own business. ‘Come in with me,’ she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says...” Folly’s call is not subtle; she positions herself prominently, overlooking the city. She targets unsuspecting passersby who are simply minding their own business. Folly’s invitation is directed toward the simple and those who lack good judgment, exploiting their vulnerability. Pause… Verse 16-17:” ‘Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!’ But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave.” Folly’s call is laced with deceit. She entices with promises of stolen pleasures, suggesting that secret indulgence is the most satisfying. However, the consequences are dire. Those who heed her call unknowingly tread into the depths of the grave. This imagery serves as a stark warning against the allure of folly. Pause… Verse 18: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but the path to wisdom is a well-marked highway.” This verse underscores the peril of following the seductive call of folly. It likens it to a well-paved road that leads to destruction. In contrast, the path to wisdom is described as a well-marked highway, suggesting that wisdom is readily accessible to those who seek it with discernment. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 9:13-18, we are reminded of the importance of discernment in our choices and the grave consequences of heeding the call of folly. Pause… Take a moment to consider these questions: How can you cultivate discernment in your life to avoid the seductive call of folly? Have there been moments when you’ve been enticed by promises that turned out to be empty? Remember, wisdom equips us to
Welcome to Day 2206 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want – God Pursues His Human Family – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/19/2023 What Does God Want? - God Pursues His Human Family Last week, we continued our series with the overall theme, which is to answer the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered over this past month was that God wants you and everyone who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. Last week’s message showed that God Joined His Human Family. When God Joined His Human Family, All Covenants Were Fulfilled, All Rebellions Were Overcome, and All Death Was Extinguished. Because of the Resurrection, our distance from God was bridged. Today, we will explore how “God Pursues His Family.” There is a lot of scripture in today’s message, making me think of this beautiful basket. OT & NT weaved together to see how the kingdom of God is being weaved together. As I noted in the last message, the coming of the Holy Spirit fulfilled the new covenant described by Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:22-28). Let me read the verses of Ezekiel 36:25-27. “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.[a] 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. The Spirit’s ministry in each believer makes victory over depravity possible. Think of it as a slap in the face to the fallen sons of God. But it’s an even more direct assault on another set of supernatural villains. The Spirit’s arrival launched an infiltration campaign against the sons of God to whom God assigned the nations he divorced at Babel (Deut 32:8). When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.[sons of God] the supernatural beings who defected from serving God and became corrupt, abusing the people under their dominion (Psalm 82). Jesus knew all that. We habitually miss this point in reading the New Testament books that come after the resurrection (i.e., Acts through Revelation). The Beginning of the End Jesus’s departure put the coming of the Spirit into motion (John 14:26; 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you...
Welcome to Day 2205 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 9:7-12 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2205 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2205 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we explore its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 9:7-12, from the New Living Translation. So, fasten your hiking boots, and together, we’ll uncover the path of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 9:7-12, we encounter a powerful contrast between the way of wisdom and the way of folly. These verses provide valuable insights into the consequences of our choices and the importance of embracing wisdom. Verse 7-8: “Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return. Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt. So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.” These verses highlight the challenging nature of correcting those who mock or act wickedly. It often results in insults and harm. However, the wise are receptive to correction and appreciate those who offer guidance. It’s a reminder that wisdom is not just about imparting knowledge but discerning when and how to share it. Pause… Verse 9: “Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more.” This verse emphasizes the receptivity of the wise and the righteous to further learning. They understand that wisdom is an ongoing journey and eagerly embrace growth opportunities. Teaching them is an investment in their continual development. Pause… Verse 10-11: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life.” These verses underline the foundation of wisdom: a deep reverence for the Lord. Knowledge of the Holy One leads to good judgment, and wisdom is a source of life extension. It’s a powerful reminder that wisdom isn’t just about worldly knowledge but aligning our lives with divine principles. Pause… Verse 12: “If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.” This final verse encapsulates the core message of these verses. It emphasizes personal responsibility for the consequences of our choices. Becoming wise benefits us, while scorning wisdom leads to suffering. The path we choose ultimately determines our outcome. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 9:7-12, we are reminded that wisdom is not just about knowledge; it’s about our choices and how they shape our lives. Pause… Take a moment to consider these questions: How receptive are you to correction and guidance in your life? How can you further cultivate a heart of wisdom and reverence for the Lord? Remember, wisdom is not just about what we know but how we live. Pause… Let’s...
Welcome to Day 2204 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want – God Joined His Human Family – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/12/2023 What Does God Want? - God Joined His Human Family Last week, we continued our series with the overall theme, which is to answer the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered over this past month was that God wants you and everyone who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. Last week’s message was a high-level overview of the history of Israel,/ God’s chosen people from the Exodus out of Egypt/ through the return from exile in Babylon. We learned that even though God was betrayed by His family, he still loved them and pursued them. There was only one solution left. God would have to become one of us to have the human family he desired and loved. That is precisely what happened. Today, we will see that God Joined His Human Family. Christians know all about the coming of Jesus. They know he was miraculously birthed by Mary, a young girl who was a virgin (Matt 1:18-25). The broader culture is even familiar with the image of this baby. Jesus in the manger, especially in Christmas decorations and nativity sets. Several old but popular Christmas songs celebrate how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about a messiah. There’s More To Jesus Than The Nativity or the Cross The entire focus is typically on Jesus being born into the world to eventually die on the cross. He would be the means of forgiveness for our sins and, thus, our passage back into God’s family in John 3:16-17 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. In other words, when most Christians think about Jesus, they have the cross in mind. That misses something. The fact that God became a man in Jesus gets a little lost in focusing on the cross. Most Christians don’t realize that it was necessary for God to become a human for many reasons: to fulfill all the Old Testament covenants and overturn the results of the supernatural rebellions we discussed two weeks ago. The hope that human beings could still one day be with God forever was kept alive by God’s refusal to eliminate humanity or scrap His plan. He kept returning to humanity, offering them forgiveness and a relationship with him. God wanted them to believe/ and show they believed by living in harmony with him and each other. But God’s children rejected him at nearly every turn. It’s as though every time God said, “You can still be with me—believe that...
Welcome to Day 2203 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 9:1-6 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2203 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2203 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we uncover its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 9:1-6, from the New Living Translation. So, put on your hiking boots, and together, we’ll explore the beautiful imagery of the Feast of Wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 9:1-6, we are presented with a vivid contrast between God’s wisdom and the world’s folly. These verses invite us to partake in the life-giving feast of wisdom. Verse 1-2: “Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table.” These opening verses paint a picture of wisdom as a skilled architect and hostess. She has built her house with precision and beauty, symbolized by seven sturdy columns. Wisdom has prepared an abundant banquet, mixed fine wines, and carefully set the table. The imagery here is rich, highlighting the grandeur of wisdom’s invitation. Pause… Verse 3-4: “She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. ‘Come in with me,’ she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says...” Wisdom is not exclusive; she sends her servants to invite everyone. Her call is loud and clear, echoing from the heights overlooking the city. She specifically urges the simple and those who lack good judgment to come in. This inclusivity is a testament to the universal appeal of wisdom. Pause… Verse 5: “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed.” In this verse, wisdom extends a direct invitation to partake in her feast. She invites us to eat her food and drink the wine she has mixed. This invitation symbolizes the nourishment and refreshment wisdom offers those who accept it. Pause… Verse 6: “Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.” Wisdom’s invitation comes with a transformational call. We are urged to leave behind our simple ways and embrace a new life, marked by sound judgment. Wisdom is not just about knowledge; it’s about applying that knowledge to live a life of purpose and fulfillment. Pause… Reflecting on Proverbs 9:1-6, we must recognize that wisdom is not a distant concept; it’s a feast of life-giving principles waiting to nourish our souls. Pause… Take a moment to consider these questions: How can you actively accept wisdom’s invitation in your life? What simple ways can you leave behind to embrace a life marked by sound judgment and purpose? Wisdom’s feast is within your reach, waiting to enrich your journey. Pause… Guthrie: Let’s summarize the key takeaways from Proverbs 9:1-6: 1. ...
Welcome to Day 2202 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 8:32-36 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2202 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2202 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, where we uncover its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 8:32-36, as translated in the New Living Translation. So, lace up your hiking boots, and together, we’ll explore the profound message of embracing wisdom’s call in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 8:32- 36, we discover the importance of heeding wisdom’s call and its profound benefits to our lives. These verses offer a clear path to a life of purpose and fulfillment. Verse 32: “And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.” This verse begins with a loving and inviting call from Wisdom. She addresses us as her children, emphasizing the familial and intimate relationship we can have with wisdom. She promises that all who follow her ways will find joy. Pause… Verse 33: “Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.” Wisdom urges us to listen to her instruction and become wise. The key here is active listening and a commitment to applying wisdom’s guidance in our lives. Ignoring wisdom’s counsel would be to our detriment. Pause… Verse 34: “Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!” Here, Wisdom paints a picture of those who eagerly seek her. They find joy in listening to her, watching for her daily, and waiting outside her home. This imagery illustrates the dedication and anticipation with which we should approach wisdom. Pause… Verse 35-36: “For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But those who miss me injure themselves. All who hate me love death.” These final verses contain a stark contrast. Finding wisdom leads to life and favor from the Lord, while missing wisdom results in self-inflicted harm. The strong statement that “all who hate me love death” emphasizes the gravity of neglecting wisdom’s call. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 8:32-36, we must recognize that wisdom is not a passive concept; it’s an active pursuit that requires our attention and dedication. Pause… Take a moment to consider these questions: How can you actively listen to and follow the ways of wisdom in your life? What steps can you take to make wisdom a daily presence in your journey? Remember, wisdom is not just a concept to be understood; it’s a path to be walked. Pause… Let’s summarize the key takeaways from Proverbs 8:32-36: 1. Embrace Wisdom’s Call: Wisdom invites us to listen to her and become wise, promising joy to those who follow her ways. 2. Active Pursuit: Seeking wisdom requires...
Welcome to Day 2201 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want – God Was Betrayed By His Family – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/05/2023 What Does God Want? - God Was Betrayed By His Family Last week, we continued our series with the overall theme, which is to answer the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered was that God wants you along with every person who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a human family. God wants co-workers to take care of His creation. God wants you to know/ who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you /and desires that you also love Him. Last week’s message explored the three rebellions in Genesis 3-11. After those rebellions, God chose to restart his human family with Abraham and Sarah, which resulted in the nation of Israel, God’s portion or, as we refer to Israel, as chosen God’s people. Deut 32:9: “For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession. The history of biblical Israel was a long, meandering affair filled with triumph and tragedy. God wasn’t surprised. He knew what to expect from people. God had always known what he was dealing with. Wearing Out Your Welcome God let Abraham know that the future of his descendants would be challenging. He was honest. Genesis 15:13, Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. That was the bad news. God provided some hope in Genesis 15:14: But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. Sure enough, the descendants of Abraham, now led by his grandson, Jacob, whose name God changed to “Israel,” eventually wound up in Egypt under the thumb of Pharaoh (Exodus 1). They’d gone there with God’s approval to avoid a famine (Genesis 45:5-11). Where they went wrong was that they didn’t return to the land God had given to them after the famine was over. Instead, they stuck around in Egypt way too long. While in Egypt, the Israelite nation grew numerically, so much so that Pharaoh got paranoid about being able to stay in charge of the country (Exodus 1:8-10). He put them into forced labor and exterminated new babies if they were boys (Exodus 1:14-16). But God intervened and made them grow even stronger (Exodus 1:8-21). All told, Israel spent four centuries in Egypt under harsh conditions. Eventually, God intervened and preserved the life of a baby boy named Moses. God engineered circumstances, so the baby was raised in Pharaoh’s house, right under his nose (Exodus 2:1-10). Moses led a life of privilege but one day committed a capital offense, murdering a man in a fight that began as a defense of a helpless Israelite. He fled Egypt to escape justice. Moses found a new life in a desert place called Midian. God met him at Mount Sinai in a burning bush (pre-incarnate Christ), an encounter that would change the history of his people and the world (Exodus 3:1-15). God sent Moses back to Egypt to confront Pharaoh.
Welcome to Day 2200 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 8:22-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2200 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2200 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the profound wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 8:22-31 from the New Living Translation. So, fasten your hiking boots, and together, we’ll explore the wisdom of creation in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 8:22-31, we encounter a majestic portrayal of wisdom as being present at the very inception of creation. These verses invite us to contemplate the divine wisdom that underlies the universe. Verse 22-24: “The Lord formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began. I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters.” These verses open with a profound statement that the Lord formed wisdom from the very beginning, even before the creation of the universe. Wisdom was appointed in ages past, before the earth and oceans came into existence. This paints a picture of wisdom as an eternal and foundational principle of the cosmos. Pause… Verse 25-26: “Before the mountains were piled up and before the hills, I was born—before he made the world and its fields or even the first dust of the earth.” The narrative continues, describing wisdom’s existence before the formation of the mountains, hills, and the very earth itself. Wisdom predates the physical world, highlighting its timeless and preeminent nature. Pause… Verse 27-28: “I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.” Here, we witness wisdom’s involvement in the creation of the heavens, the setting of horizons on the oceans, and the establishment of the intricate systems of the natural world, such as clouds and springs. This portrayal underscores wisdom’s integral role in the orchestration of the cosmos. Pause… Verse 29-31: “I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations, I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.” These verses culminate in the image of wisdom as the architect by the Creator’s side during the establishment of the earth’s foundations and the setting of the seas’ boundaries. Wisdom is described as the constant delight of the Creator, rejoicing always in His presence. This vividly portrays wisdom’s intimate connection with the divine and its pivotal role in the grand tapestry of creation. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 8:22-31, we are reminded that wisdom is not merely a human concept but a divine principle intricately woven into the...
Welcome to Day 2199 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want – God Still Wanted A Family – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/29/2023 What Does God Want? - God Still Wanted A Family Last week, we began a new series, which should take us close to Easter in our messages. The overall theme of this series is to answer the question: What does God want? The answer we discovered was that God wants you along with every person who will ever live. In other words, God wanted a family. God wants co-workers. God wants you to know who you are/ and why your life has value to him. /He loves you and desires that you also love Him. In last week’s message, I made the point that God equipped people to image Him on earth. He did that by sharing his attributes (his qualities and abilities) with all humans. Now, both the supernatural beings in the unseen realm (angels) and humans are to be an imager of God. As wonderful as that was (and is), it’s where things get interesting—and scary. One of God’s qualities is freedom—what we often call free will. Because humans have free choice,/ it resulted in three major rebellions in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. So, if you’ve ever wondered why there’s evil in the world, here’s the Bible’s answer. We have much to cover today, so hold on to your hats. (Grab Hat) Rebellion #1 – Stand Up #1 God knew what it meant when he decided to share his attributes with his children. God knows everything, so he understood clearly what would happen. God had made the same decision earlier with the heavenly family he had created. They have abilities like intelligence and freedom. They got those gifts from their Creator. Sooner or later, God knew that his gifts would be misused or abused. /He knew full well that, /though his children (in the spiritual world and on earth) were like him,/ they were not him. They were less than him. They were imperfect, whereas He is perfect. So, at some point, one (or more) of his children would either make a horrible mistake or act in thoughtless self-interest, rebelling against something God wanted to be done (or not done). That’s precisely what happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve rebelled. They violated God’s command not to eat from one of the trees in the garden. As a result, they sinned and lost eternal life in God’s presence. Every human born after that was born outside Eden, estranged from God. The apostle Paul summed it up well: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). An even earlier rebellion brought on the Eden tragedy. One of God’s supernatural children chose to dishonor God’s decision to have a human family by tempting Eve, hoping God would destroy her and Adam. (Bulletin) Listen as I read Genesis 3:1-7. The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,”...
Welcome to Day 2198 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 8:12-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2198 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2198 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our exploration of the profound wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re delving into Proverbs 8:12-21, as translated in the New Living Translation. So, put on your hiking boots, and together, we’ll uncover the riches of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 8:12-21, we delve deeper into the attributes and benefits of wisdom. These verses offer us a glimpse into the unparalleled richness that wisdom brings to our lives. Verse 12-13: “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.” These verses introduce wisdom as a companion of sound judgment. Wisdom has a deep understanding of where knowledge and discernment can be found. Her alignment with those who fear the Lord underscores her commitment to righteousness. She detests pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverse speech, highlighting her opposition to all forms of evil. Pause… Verse 14-16: “Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.” These verses illustrate the practical benefits of wisdom. Wisdom brings common sense, success, insight, and strength. Kings and rulers are guided by wisdom to make just decrees and righteous judgments. Here, we see how wisdom not only benefits individuals but also has a positive impact on society’s leadership. Pause… Verse 17-18: “I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me. I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice.” Wisdom’s love is extended to all who seek her. She is not elusive but can be found by those who earnestly search for her. The rewards of wisdom are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and justice. These are the treasures she bestows upon those who embrace her. Pause… Verse 19-21: “My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.” Wisdom’s gifts are described as surpassing the value of gold and sterling silver. She walks in righteousness and leads us on paths of justice. Those who love her inherit wealth, and their treasuries are filled. These verses emphasize the incomparable value and abundant rewards of embracing wisdom. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 8:12-21, we are reminded that wisdom is not just theoretical knowledge; it’s a source of practical benefits and guidance for righteous living. Pause… Take a moment to consider...
Welcome to Day 2197 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 8:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2197 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2197 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m genuinely delighted to continue our journey through the book of Proverbs, uncovering its timeless wisdom. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 8:1-11 from the New Living Translation. So, lace up your hiking boots, and together, we’ll explore the melodious voice of wisdom in these verses. Pause… In Proverbs 8:1-11, we encounter a beautiful depiction of wisdom as a wise and inviting presence, calling out to humanity. These verses vividly depict the importance of listening to the voice of wisdom. Verse 1-3: “Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads. By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud.” These verses personify wisdom, portraying her as a lady standing prominently at the crossroads and gates, crying out for attention. It’s as if wisdom is eager to share her insights and guide those willing to listen. Her location at the crossroads and town entrance underscores the relevance of her counsel in our daily lives. Pause… Verse 4-5: “I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people. You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.” Wisdom’s call is universal; she beckons to all, regardless of their background or station in life. Her message is clear: use good judgment and seek understanding. Whether we consider ourselves wise or foolish, wisdom always has room for growth. Pause… Verse 6-7: “Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.” Wisdom’s words are not empty; they are filled with valuable insights. She is a source of truth and righteousness and abhors deceit in all its forms. Her counsel is trustworthy, making her a reliable guide on our journey through life. Pause… Verse 8-11: “My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.” Here, the writer emphasizes the purity and value of wisdom’s advice. It is wholesome, clear, and straightforward. Wisdom’s worth is greater than precious metals like silver and gold, and even more valuable than the rarest of gemstones. The message is clear: prioritize wisdom above all else, for nothing is more desirable. Pause… Reflecting on Proverbs 8:1-11, we must recognize that wisdom is not passive; she actively calls out to us, offering guidance and understanding....
Welcome to Day 2196 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Does God Want - God Wanted A Family - Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/22/2023 What Does God Want? - God Wanted A Family Today, we will begin a new, much shorter series that, over the next 8-9 weeks, will answer the question, What does God want? Throughout this series, I will cover the entire Bible in a story overview so we can understand more clearly what God’s story is about. The last couple of messages in this series will be about the Gospel and Discipleship. Much of the information will be familiar, but from a slightly different perspective from your concept of an overview of God’s Word. As such, we will look at various Scriptures as crucial touchpoints throughout the story. What does God want? It sounds like a simple question, but it’s really not if you give it some thought. Why? Well, for starters, you must know who’s asking the question. (different action poses) People will ask this question for a lot of various reasons. Is it a cry of anger from someone in pain? Perhaps it’s a barely audible whisper that surfaces from deep sadness. Is the motivation curiosity? Or is it just prompted by the desire to reflect and think deep thoughts? It’s not difficult to see that giving the correct answer depends on why the question is being asked. Since, at this moment, I’m the one asking the question; it’s easy to clear that up, at least from my perspective. But first, let me tell you what isn’t motivating me. I’m not asking the question because I don’t know the answer./ I do./ From the overarching aspect of this series,/ I know the answer for everyone,/ at least in God’s response concerning us. And that’s precisely how I’m asking it. I’m asking it to help you think about some essential things. When I ask, “What does God want?” I’m asking: What does God want when it comes to every person in the human race? What does he want regarding me, my life, and your life? Before I get to the answer, it’s pretty evident that the question is from a religious perspective. Questions about God naturally get filed in that folder. I’ve raised the question and will answer it because I’m interested in God. Many people still are,/ though they may not be interested in church. That’s fine, since you don’t need the latter to be interested in this question. I am speaking not necessarily from a pastor’s perspective but from a lifetime of Bible studies. So, since I’m the one asking, my answer, as close as possible, should be Biblical. That narrows the focus a bit more. My goal will be to explain how the Bible would answer the question, “What does God want?” Now for the answer. It’s simple. God wants you. That might surprise you. You may doubt it. That’s okay. But it’s the correct answer for this series. Unfortunately, though, it isn’t enough of an answer. You can’t get a sense of how amazing and profound the answer is by just that one sentence. You need some context to appreciate how much love is behind it. There’s actually a long, remarkable story behind the answer. Since that’s the case, this series is about what God wants and what God wants you to know. Yes, he wants you, but for you to appreciate that and (hopefully) feel...
Welcome to Day 2195 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 7:6-27 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2195 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2195 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m delighted to continue our journey through the timeless wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 7:6-27 from the New Living Translation. So, as always, let’s put on our hiking boots and embark on this enlightening journey together. Pause… In Proverbs 7:6-27, we encounter a vivid and cautionary tale about the seduction of folly and the devastating consequences of yielding to temptation. These verses serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of wisdom in guarding our hearts and minds. Verse 6-7: “While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain, I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense.” The passage begins with the writer recounting a personal observation. He describes looking out his window and noticing a group of young men, one of whom stands out for his lack of wisdom. This sets the stage for a cautionary tale about the consequences of foolishness. Pause… Verse 8-9: “He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house. It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell.” The narrative continues as the young man in question is seen near the house of an immoral woman. The setting is significant, occurring in the twilight hours when darkness begins to envelop the world. This time of day symbolizes moral ambiguity and the potential for making unwise choices. Pause… Verse 10-12: “The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart. She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay home. She is often in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner.” The seductive nature of folly is revealed as the immoral woman approaches the young man. She is described as seductively dressed, sly of heart, and rebellious. Her presence in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner, symbolizes the relentless allure of temptation and the ever-present opportunities to make unwise choices. Pause… Verse 13-20: “She threw her arms around him and kissed him, and with a brazen look she said, ‘I’ve just made my peace offerings and fulfilled my vows. You’re the one I was looking for! I came out to find you, and here you are! My bed is spread with beautiful blankets, with colored sheets of Egyptian linen. I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. These verses vividly portray the seductive tactics used by folly. The woman throws her arms around the young man, kisses him, and entices him with promises of pleasure and intimacy. She claims to have fulfilled her vows and prepared her bed with luxurious linens and perfumes. Her persuasive words and gestures are meant to lure the young man into a web of temptation and compromise. Verse...
Welcome to Day 2194 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 43 – Our Weakness…His Strength – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/15/2023 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Many Other Signs…Many Other Things Last week, in our series of messages of the Good News according to John the Apostle, we looked at “Our Weakness…His Strength.” We ended with a focus on “Coming to Terms with Your Calling,” and concluded that We must fully understand that all work is kingdom work. There is no difference between secular and sacred work. All work is holy when we are Christ’s followers. After a year of studying the book of John, we have arrived at our last message. It will be a relatively short message, but the final two verses stand independently. Our scripture for today is John 21:24-25, on page 1688 in the Pew Bible. 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. Therefore, we know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. Before our daughter Janet and her husband Rowan were married, they requested that the two fathers perform the marriage ceremony. I went through the process of certification to perform marriages in all states. I share this privilege with ship captains, judges, and justices of the peace. I am authorized to join two people in a state of marriage—a holy union and a legal partnership. Before the big day, the couple must go to the courthouse and obtain a marriage license. Then, after the ceremony, I place my signature at the bottom of the license as a testimony to the court—and, therefore, all who are concerned—that two individuals have been united. Furthermore, two additional witnesses signed the document, testifying that I conducted the service and affirming that the officiator’s signature was mine. It was also customary in Rome, and throughout the empire, to have all legal documents signed and sworn, testifying to their authenticity. So, as John blotted the ink on his original scroll and prepared to roll it up for distribution to the churches, he added his sworn statement, testifying to the truth of all he had written under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And he was joined by others, who witnessed his signature. —21:24— John’s seal of authenticity affirmed three essential facts: First, every record in this scroll is an eyewitness account; not only as one of the Twelve/ but also as one of Jesus’ closest friends. (Five times in his narrative, John refers to himself as ‘the disciple Jesus loved) “This is the disciple” refers to the individual present with Peter and Jesus on the shore (21:20–23), the same disciple rumored to be alive at the Lord’s return. Second, every word contained in this scroll was written by this same eyewitness. John likely prepared this statement in the first person plural, “We know that his testimony is...
Welcome to Day 2193 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 7:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2193 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2193 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to continue our exploration of the timeless wisdom found in the book of Proverbs 7:1-5 from the New Living Translation. So, let’s put on our hiking boots and embark on this enlightening journey together. Pause… Proverbs 7:1-5 contains a powerful message about the treasure of wisdom and its role in safeguarding our lives. These verses remind us of the immense value of acquiring and applying wisdom to our daily walk. Verse 1-2: “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye.” These opening verses are an earnest plea from a wise father to his son. The writer emphasizes the importance of cherishing and internalizing wisdom. To “treasure up my commandments” is like storing away precious gems. It’s a call to make wisdom a part of who we are, to guard it as closely as we protect the apple of our eye. Pause… Verse 3-4: “Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister,’ and call insight your intimate friend.” Guthrie: These verses encourage us to take wisdom beyond mere knowledge. Binding wisdom on our fingers and writing it on the tablet of our hearts signifies a constant, conscious connection with wisdom. The comparison of wisdom to a sister and insight to an intimate friend highlights the importance of nurturing a deep and personal relationship with wisdom. Pause… Verse 5: “To keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.” The practical application of this wisdom is straightforward – it serves to protect us from temptation and destructive paths. By treasuring and internalizing wisdom, we guard ourselves against the seductive words and enticements of the world. Wisdom is our shield and guide, helping us make choices that lead to life and fulfillment. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 7:1-5, we must recognize that wisdom is not just theoretical knowledge; it’s a living presence that shapes our actions and decisions. Pause… Take a moment to consider these questions: How can you actively treasure and internalize wisdom in your life? In what ways can you nurture a deeper relationship with wisdom? Remember, wisdom is not a distant concept; it’s a treasure within your reach, waiting to guide you toward a life of purpose and fulfillment. Pause… Guthrie: Let’s summarize the key takeaways from Proverbs 7:1-5: 1. Treasure Wisdom: Wisdom is a treasure that should be cherished and internalized, guiding us in our daily walk. 2. Guard It Closely: Just as we protect the apple of our eye, we must guard
Welcome to Day 2192 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 6:30-35 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2192 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2192 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m honored to continue our journey through the timeless wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 6:30-35, as translated in the New Living Translation. So, let’s put on our hiking boots, and together, we’ll navigate the profound insights of these verses. Pause… In this passage, we’ll uncover the consequences of theft and adultery, and how they impact our lives and relationships. Proverbs 6:30-35 serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of integrity and the far-reaching effects of our actions. Verse 30-31: “Excuses might be found for a thief who steals because he is starving. But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole, even if he has to sell everything in his house.” These verses touch upon a nuanced aspect of theft. While the writer acknowledges that desperation might lead some to steal out of necessity, such actions still have consequences. The punishment for theft is significant – paying back seven times the stolen amount. This underscores the importance of respecting the property and rights of others, even in times of need. Pause… Verse 32-35: “But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself. He will be wounded and disgraced. His shame will never be erased. For the woman’s jealous husband will be furious, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation, nor be satisfied with a payoff of any size.” These verses offer a stark contrast by highlighting the grave consequences of adultery. The writer doesn’t mince words, describing the adulterer as an “utter fool” who brings destruction upon himself. The intensity of the repercussions, from physical harm to enduring disgrace, serves as a cautionary tale about the catastrophic impact of infidelity. It also underscores the importance of honoring commitments and respecting the boundaries of others. Pause… As we reflect on Proverbs 6:30-35, we must recognize that our actions have far-reaching consequences for us and those around us. Pause… Take a moment to consider these questions: How do these verses resonate with your own experiences or observations? How can you apply this wisdom to your own life and relationships? Remember, wisdom isn’t just about knowledge; it’s about applying that knowledge to live a life of integrity and purpose. Pause… Let’s summarize the key takeaways from Proverbs 6:30-35: 1. Respect Boundaries: Whether in times of need or desire, respect the boundaries and property of others. Theft, even in desperation, carries consequences. 2. Avoid Adultery: Understand the gravity of adultery and the destruction it can bring, not only to yourself but to others involved. Honor commitments and maintain integrity
Welcome to Day 2191 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 42 – Our Weakness...His Strength – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/08/2023 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Our Weakness…His Strength Last week, we continued in our series of messages of the Good News according to John the Apostle, and we looked at the “Reactions to the Resurrected Lord.” The question we finished with is, what is my reaction to the resurrected Lord? Now that the disciples are convinced that Jesus rose from the dead, today we see the struggle they faced with this new reality, which is quite different from their Messiah establishing His kingdom immediately on earth. Our scripture for today is John 21:1-23, starting on page 1687 in the Pew Bible. Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish 21 Afterward, Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask...
Welcome to Day 2190 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 6:20-29 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2190 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2190 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m honored to be your guide as we journey through the wisdom-filled landscapes of the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re embarking on a contemplative exploration of Proverbs 6:20-29, as beautifully rendered in the New Living Translation. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots and embark on this insightful journey together. Proverbs 6:20-29 offers us a profound lesson about the importance of guarding our hearts, making wise choices, and preserving the sanctity of relationships. Let’s delve into the verses and uncover the gems of wisdom they hold. Verse 20-23: “My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.” These verses highlight the importance of heeding parental guidance and internalizing their wisdom. The imagery of tying their words around your neck symbolizes carrying their teachings close to your heart. This counsel becomes a guiding light in your life, leading you in your daily choices and decisions. It’s a reminder that honoring and learning from our parents is a foundation for wise living. Pause… Verse 24-25: “It will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman. Don’t lust for her beauty. Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.” Here, the writer addresses the potential pitfalls of succumbing to temptation, particularly in the realm of inappropriate relationships. The wisdom instilled by parents acts as a protective shield, guarding you against the allure of immorality. The emphasis is on cultivating self-control and discernment, rather than being swayed by superficial attractions. Pause… Verse 26-29: “For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, but sleeping with another man’s wife will cost you your life. Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished.” These verses provide a vivid analogy to convey the grave consequences of engaging in adultery and immorality. The imagery of fire and coals illustrates the danger of these actions. The writer underscores that such choices lead to ruin and devastation. The overarching message is clear: guarding our hearts and upholding fidelity in relationships is essential for a life of integrity and well-being. Pause… Remember that wisdom guides us in our choices and how we navigate our relationships and uphold the values that matter most. Let’s take a moment to reflect on these verses and consider...
Welcome to Day 2189 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 41 – Reactions to the Resurrection – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/01/2023 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Reactions to the Resurrected Lord Today is a new year, a new beginning as we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Before we started our Advent series, we celebrated resurrection day when the disciples found the tomb of Jesus empty. January 1st is a perfect day to begin the final three messages from John. It was a new beginning for all the followers of Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Today, we will examine the “Reactions to the Resurrected Lord.” Our scripture for today is John 20:11-31, starting on page 1685 in the Pew Bible. I will back up and include verse 10 in our last message. Follow along as I read, starting with verse 10. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. Jesus Appears to His Disciples 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive...
Welcome to Day 2188 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 6:12-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2188 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2188 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to guide you on this journey through the remarkable wisdom of the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re venturing into Proverbs 6:12-19, as translated in the New Living Translation. So lace up your hiking boots, and let’s navigate the treacherous terrain of these insightful verses together. Background Music Transition Proverbs 6:12-19 provides us with a clear roadmap to avoid destructive paths and recognize the qualities that can lead us astray. It’s like having a compass that helps us navigate the complexities of life. Verse 12-15: “What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars, signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers. Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble. But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.” These verses reveal the characteristics of those who engage in dishonest and harmful behavior. The imagery used here, like winking, nudging, and wiggling fingers, portrays their cunning ways of manipulation. The writer warns of their intentions to cause chaos and disturbance. The swift and irreparable consequences of their actions emphasize the urgency of cultivating honesty and integrity. Background Music Transition Verse 16-19: “There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.” These verses present a comprehensive list of qualities that the Lord finds detestable. This list encompasses a range of behaviors, from pride and falsehood to violence and division. It serves as a moral compass, guiding us away from paths that lead to destruction and harm. The writer’s intent is to equip us with the wisdom to avoid these destructive qualities and instead embrace virtues that build up and promote harmony. Background Music Transition In a world full of distractions and conflicting messages, the wisdom found in Proverbs 6:12-19 acts as a steadfast guide, helping us make choices that align with our values and principles. Interlude Music As we pause to reflect on these verses, I encourage you to consider how they apply to your life. Are there areas where you’ve been tempted to engage in deceit or sow discord? How can you actively cultivate honesty and unity instead? Remember, wisdom is not just theoretical knowledge but a compass for practical, righteous living. Background Music Transition Guthrie: Let’s summarize the key takeaways from Proverbs 6:12-19: 1. Avoid Deceit: Beware of those who manipulate and deceive through gestures and words. Cultivate honesty...
Welcome to Day 2187 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 6:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2187 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2187 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m thrilled to guide you through the profound landscapes of wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’re setting our compass toward Proverbs chapter 6:1-11 from the New Living Translation. So, lace up your boots and embark on this insightful journey together. Pause… As we venture into Proverbs 6:1-11, we encounter a powerful message about the importance of diligence, responsibility, and the consequences of laziness. Verse 1-3: “My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger— if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said— follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased.” These verses offer a cautionary tale about the dangers of financial entanglements and the importance of considering the consequences of our commitments. The imagery of being trapped by our own words reminds us to exercise prudence and responsibility regarding financial decisions. Pause… Verse 4-5: “Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.” These verses emphasize the urgency of taking action. Just as a gazelle or a bird swiftly escapes from danger, we are called to address our responsibilities promptly. Delaying or procrastinating can lead to being trapped in unfavorable circumstances. Pause… Verse 6-11: “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.” These verses use the example of ants to illustrate the value of diligence and hard work. Despite their lack of oversight, ants are industrious and forward-thinking, preparing for the future. The writer contrasts this with the danger of laziness, which leads to poverty and scarcity. It’s a reminder that diligence and responsible effort lead to abundance, while neglect leads to deprivation. Pause… As we conclude our exploration of Proverbs 6:1-11, let’s reflect on the wisdom of being diligent and responsible in our actions. Just as ants diligently prepare for the future, we are called to approach our responsibilities with the same level of commitment. Pause… I hope these verses have shed light on the importance of diligence and responsibility in our trek of life. As we continue our journey through the vast landscapes of
Welcome to Day 2186 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 40 – A Miraculous Resurrection – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/20/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – A Miraculous Resurrection Today, we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we explored in detail the use of crucifixion as a means of capital punishment and John’s use of rich imagery, prophecies, and facts surrounding the crucifixion of the Messiah in a message titled ‘Death on a Cross.’ Our scripture for today is John 19:38-20:10, starting on page 1685 in the pew Bible. As we begin this Thanksgiving week, I can’t think of anything more important to be thankful for than the resurrection. We will study one of the most miraculous events in all of history in a message titled A Miraculous Resurrection The Burial of Jesus 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[e] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. The Empty Tomb 20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. We have so much to be thankful for today. Even for every breath that we take. Did you...
Welcome to Day 2185 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 5:15-23 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2185 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2185 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we will continue exploring the rich tapestry of wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Today, we’ll be delving into Proverbs chapter 5: 15-23, as translated in the New Living Translation. So, let’s lace up our hiking boots and embark on this trek together. Pause… Proverbs 5 is a roadmap to making wise choices, especially regarding relationships and fidelity. In these verses, we discover the beauty of monogamy and the importance of finding fulfillment within a committed partnership. Let’s explore the verses: Verse 15-17: “Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Never share it with strangers.” These verses use the metaphor of water from a well to illustrate the exclusivity and intimacy of a marital relationship. The wisdom here encourages us to value and protect our sacred bond with our spouse. Just as water from a well is meant for the household, a marriage’s deep love and intimacy are meant to be cherished within the confines of that sacred union. Pause… Verse 18-19: “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.” These verses beautifully describe the delight and satisfaction found in a devoted marriage. The imagery of a loving deer and a graceful doe evokes the sense of wonder and admiration a husband should have for his wife. The message here is to cultivate a heart that remains captivated by the love and companionship of one’s spouse throughout life’s journey. Pause… Verse 20-23: “Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman, or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman? For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes. An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.” These verses pivot to a cautionary tone, highlighting the dangers of succumbing to the allure of immorality. The writer emphasizes the importance of self-control and the consequences of indulging in destructive desires. The imagery of being held captive by one’s own sins reminds us of our choices’ profound impact on our lives. Pause… As we wrap up our exploration of Proverbs 5:15-23, we’re reminded that wisdom encompasses what we do and avoid doing. These verses offer a roadmap to cultivating a thriving and faithful marriage and a stern warning against the perils of straying from the path of righteousness. Pause… I hope you’ve gleaned valuable insights from these verses and are inspired to nurture strong, committed relationships that bring joy and fulfillment to your life’s journey. Thank you for joining me on...
Welcome to Day 2184 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 39 – Death On A Cross – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/13/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Death on a Cross Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we focused on the three trials before the Roman officials, as Jesus was turned over for crucifixion by the High Priest and Sanhedrin. The Roman officials know that Jesus is not guilty of any crimes, and certainly of the death penalty, but they cave to the political pressures in a “Rush To Judgment.” Our scripture for today is John 19:17-37, starting on page 1684 in the Pew Bible. After a mockery of the six illegal trials, Jesus was turned over for crucifixion. Today’s message will focus on what crucifixion entails. Follow along as I read beginning in 19-17 The Crucifixion of Jesus So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”[a] PS 22:18 So this is what the soldiers did. 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home....
Welcome to Day 2183 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 5:1-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2183 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2183 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, I’m excited to embark on another journey through the rich tapestry of wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. We will delve into Proverbs 5:1-14 from the New Living Translation. So, grab your walking shoes, and let’s hit the trail together as we explore this passage’s lessons. Let’s dive right in. Proverbs 5:1-14, says: “My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned. For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end, she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it. So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say: Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house! If you do, you will lose your honor and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved. Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor. In the end, you will groan in anguish when disease consumes your body. You will say, ‘How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings! Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers? Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors? I have come to the brink of utter ruin, and now I must face public disgrace.’” Whew, there’s a lot to unpack here! This passage offers a powerful warning about the dangers of falling into the trap of temptation, particularly in the realm of immorality. Solomon, the author of Proverbs, is cautioning his listeners, especially the young men, to heed his advice and avoid the enticing but perilous path of unfaithfulness. The imagery here is vivid – comparing the alluring words of an immoral woman to sweet honey and smooth oil. But as appealing as they may seem, Solomon warns that indulging in these temptations can ultimately lead to bitterness, poison, and even death. It’s a stark reminder that the fleeting pleasures of momentary satisfaction can have severe and lasting consequences. Now, the lesson doesn’t end there. Solomon isn’t just about instilling fear. He’s also emphasizing the importance of discipline and self-control. He urges his listeners to steer clear of situations that might lead them down the wrong path. Solomon’s advice to “stay away from her” is a call to exercise wisdom in avoiding places, circumstances, and relationships that could compromise one’s integrity. We can draw a parallel to our modern lives. Temptations are all around us, whether in our relationships, choices, or daily decisions. And just as Solomon advises, we, too, need to have the discernment to recognize the paths that lead to destruction and steer clear of them. It’s about safeguarding our honor, our achievements, and our well-being.
Welcome to Day 2182 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 4:20-27 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2182 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2182 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we are diving into a passage that holds invaluable wisdom for the trek of life. We’ll be exploring Proverbs 4:20-27 from the New Living Translation, a passage that provides us with guidance on guarding our hearts and minds. So, grab a comfortable seat and a warm beverage as we embark on this 5-minute journey together. As we begin, let’s read the passage from Proverbs 4:20-27: “My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” Wow, what a treasure trove of wisdom packed into just a few verses! Let’s break it down and extract the valuable insights that can transform our lives. Verse 20-21 starts with a call to attention, reminding us to listen carefully to the words of wisdom. The words we take in shape our thoughts and actions, so it’s essential to be selective about what we allow into our minds. Just as we are careful about the quality of food we consume, we should also be mindful of the content we consume mentally. In verse 22, we see a beautiful promise that wisdom brings life and healing. When we internalize and live out wise principles, they guide us on the right path and positively impact our well-being, both physically and emotionally. Now, verse 23 emphasizes the importance of guarding our hearts. Our hearts are the core of who we are, and our heart’s condition dramatically influences our lives’ trajectory. We should be cautious about what we allow to take root in our hearts – negativity, bitterness, and harmful influences can derail us from the path of wisdom. Verse 24 reminds us to steer clear of perverse talk and corrupt speech. Our words have power; they can either build up or tear down. Choosing our words carefully reflects the condition of our hearts and shapes our interactions with others. In verse 25, the instruction is to keep our focus straight ahead. This encourages us to remain focused on our goals, aspirations, and the path of wisdom. It’s easy to get distracted by the noise and chaos around us, but fixing our gaze on what lies before us helps us stay on course. Verse 26 advises us to mark out a straight path for our feet and stay on the safe path. Imagine carving out a clear trail through a dense forest – this is a metaphor for intentionally charting a course for our lives that aligns with wisdom and righteousness. Finally, verse 27 warns us against getting sidetracked and following evil. Temptations and...
Welcome to Day 2181 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 38 – Rush to Judgment – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 11/06/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Rush To Judgment Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus, the truth made flesh, Enduring Injustice With Grace in a message titled ‘Truth on Trial.’, 8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Our scripture for today is John 18:28-19:16, starting on page 1682 in the Pew Bible. John does not include many details about the six trials which Christ faced. We know there were three before the Jewish officials and three before the Roman officials. (Bulletin) We covered the first three last week, and this week will focus on the trials before the Roman officials, as Jesus is turned over for crucifixion by the High Priest and Sanhedrin. The Roman officials know that Jesus is not guilty of any crimes, and certainly of the death penalty, but they cave to the political pressures in a “Rush To Judgment.” Jesus Before Pilate 28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again...
Welcome to Day 2180 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 4:10-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2180 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2180 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re diving into the Book of Proverbs once again, exploring its timeless wisdom and insights that can guide us on our trek through life. Our focus today is on Proverbs 4:10-19 from the New Living Translation. So, grab your walking shoes, and let’s embark on this wisdom-packed journey together. Proverbs 4:10-19 says, “My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.” Wow, there is so much to unpack in these verses! Let’s break it down step by step. The passage begins with a parental-like tone, where the speaker is addressing their child, advising them to listen and follow the teachings. It’s a reminder that wisdom is like a guiding light leading us along life’s paths, ensuring we don’t stumble or get held back. The key message here is to hold on tightly to these instructions. Think of them as a treasure, something precious. It’s like a map that shows us the right way to go, helping us navigate the challenges and opportunities that come our way. This wisdom is our secret weapon, empowering us to make wise choices that lead to a fulfilling life. The next part of the passage takes a cautionary turn. We’re advised to steer clear of the ways of the wicked and the evildoers. It’s a potent reminder that the paths they tread are filled with darkness, danger, and unrest. Their actions stem from a place of wickedness and violence, consuming them like an insatiable hunger. In contrast, the righteous path is like the dawn’s first light, gradually growing brighter and clearer. It’s a beautiful metaphor for a life increasingly illuminated with wisdom and virtue. What can we learn from this passage in our modern lives? Let’s draw a parallel between the wicked ways mentioned and some of the negative influences we encounter today. We’re surrounded by distractions, temptations, and negativity that can lead us astray. The constant barrage of information, social pressures, and instant gratification can cloud our judgment and lead us down a path of darkness. So, how do we stay on the path of righteousness? It starts with mindfulness and intentionality. We must actively choose to listen to the wisdom available to us, whether through sacred texts, the counsel of mentors,...
Welcome to Day 2179 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 37 – Truth on Trial – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/30/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Truth On Trial Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus continued His prayer for all believers from that day forward until Christ returns to earth to restore God’s kingdom, the Global Eden. In John 17:24, Jesus said, 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Our scripture for today is John 18:1-27, starting on page 1681 in the Pew Bible. According to John the Apostle, we begin the Good News's final significant segment, ‘Vindication of the Word.’ We see Jesus, the truth made flesh, Enduring Injustice With Grace in a message titled ‘Truth on Trial.’ Jesus Arrested 18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”[a] 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14...
Welcome to Day 2178 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 4:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2178 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2178 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. If you’re new to the podcast, remember to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Let’s open our hearts and minds as we explore Proverbs 4:1-9 from the New Living Translation. So grab your walking shoes as we embark on this Wisdom-Trek together. Proverbs is a book filled with practical wisdom, guiding us in the ways of living a life of purpose and meaning. So, let’s jump right in with verse 1: “My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment.” This verse shows the importance of listening and learning from those who have gone before us. It’s a reminder that wisdom often comes from correction and guidance. Our fathers, or those who’ve mentored us, offer valuable insights that help us make better decisions. Verse 2 continues: “For I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions.” Here, we’re encouraged not to ignore the guidance and instruction we receive. Our culture often pushes us to chase the latest trends and ideas, but it’s crucial to hold onto the timeless principles of wisdom. Now, verse 3: “For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.” This verse reminds us that everyone starts somewhere. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences, but we share a common journey of growth and learning. It’s a call to humility and empathy, recognizing that we all have unique paths that shape who we become. Moving on to verse 4: “My father taught me, ‘Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.’” This verse underscores the connection between obedience to wisdom and a fulfilling life. When we internalize and apply the teachings of those who have walked the path before us, we set ourselves up for a life of purpose and prosperity. Verse 5 speaks volumes: “Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.” The pursuit of wisdom is a lifelong journey. It’s not a one-time event but an ongoing process of growth and development. We’re encouraged to seek wisdom and cultivate good judgment actively, ensuring that we don’t lose sight of the lessons we’ve learned. Verse 6: “Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.” Wisdom is depicted as a guardian, a protector of our well-being. When we embrace wisdom, it shields us from life’s pitfalls and challenges. It’s a beautiful reminder of wisdom’s invaluable role in our lives. Verse 7: “Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.” This verse emphasizes the priority of wisdom-seeking....
Welcome to Day 2177 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 3:27-35 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2177 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2177 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 3:27-35 from the New Living Translation. So grab your walking shoes, open your hearts, and embark on this Wisdom-Trek together. Proverbs 3:27-30 says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, ‘Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.’ Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you. Don’t pick a fight without reason, when no one has done you harm.” Ah, what a powerful reminder to extend a helping hand to those in need, right when we can. You know, life’s journey often brings us opportunities to serve others. It could be something as simple as offering a kind word, lending a hand, or even sharing our resources. We’re called to be a source of good in the lives of those around us. But notice, it’s not just about doing good; it’s about doing it at the right time - not procrastinating, not delaying, but seizing the moment to make a positive impact. Now, let’s unpack the next verse, Proverbs 3:29, “Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you.” You see, in any community or relationship, trust is the foundation. It’s what holds everything together. We erode that foundation of trust when we harbor ill intentions or seek to harm others. And let’s remember, trust takes time to build, but it can be shattered instantly. So, as we journey through life, let’s commit ourselves to building, rather than breaking, the trust that binds us to one another. And speaking of relationships, the next verse, Proverbs 3:30, advises, “Don’t pick a fight without reason, when no one has done you harm.” How often do we find ourselves engaging in unnecessary conflicts, fueled by pride or misunderstanding? It’s a common pitfall in our journey, isn’t it? Instead, let’s focus on fostering understanding, empathy, and compassion in our interactions. Let’s choose to be peacemakers and strive for unity, especially when no harm has been done. It’s a beautiful way to contribute positively to the world around us. Now, let’s dive into the final part of our passage, Proverbs 3:31-35, “Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!” These verses emphasize the importance of living a life that aligns with godly principles. Envy and emulation of the ways of wicked people lead us down a destructive path. On the contrary, when we embrace humility, righteousness, and wisdom, we find favor in the eyes of the Lord. And, dear listeners, let’s not miss the profound truth that wisdom...
Welcome to Day 2176 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 36 – Jesus Prayed for You – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/23/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Jesus Prayed For You Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus prayed that His final act as the Word made Human would bring glory to God as He completed His mission. He then prayed for His disciples that they would be set apart, or sanctified as they continued the mission that He began, which was to build God’s kingdom until He returned to restore the Global Eden. In John 17:17-19, Jesus said, 17 Sanctify them by the truth;/ your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (set apart) Our scripture for today is John 17:20-26, starting on page 1680 in the Pew Bible. Today we continue the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus prays for all believers in a message titled Jesus Prayed For You. Follow along as I read. Jesus Prays for All Believers 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father,/ just as you are in me/ and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” Let me start today with a story. Josephus, the 1st and 2nd-century Jewish historian, records a marvelous story that may or may not be accurate. In his great campaign for world domination in the 330s BC, Alexander the Great moved from the Hellespont to Egypt, laying siege to walled cities and conquering land in between. His path to Egypt took him down the narrow land bridge between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Desert, a land ruled by Jerusalem. Israel was a choice piece of land for anyone wanting to control trade with Egypt. No one knew that better than the citizens of Jerusalem, who...
Welcome to Day 2174 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 3:21-26 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2175 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2175 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. We are diving into Proverbs 3:21-26 from the New Living Translation. This passage offers valuable insights into the rewards of embracing wisdom and trusting in the Lord. So, let’s embark on this quest for wisdom together! Proverbs 3-21-26 “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.” As we delve into these verses, a clear message resonates with us: the value of wisdom, discernment, and trust in the Lord. The imagery of “jewels on a necklace” brings to mind the idea that wisdom is not just practical knowledge, but a beautiful adornment that enriches our lives and safeguards our path. Verse 23 reassures us that with wisdom, we can lay our heads down at night without fear. It’s a soothing promise of a peaceful rest that comes from a mind at ease. This is a potent reminder that when we live wisely and make sound decisions, we’re less likely to encounter turmoil that disrupts our sleep. Friends, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the uncertainties of life? The next verse, 24, is like a comforting hug from above. It tells us that we need not fear sudden disasters or the troubles that befall the wicked. When we trust the Lord and walk in His wisdom, we’re under His protection and care. Now, verse 25 underscores that sense of security. Picture this: a life where we’re free from the paralyzing grip of fear. It’s like a shield that guards us against anxiety. As we seek wisdom, it’s as though we’re wrapping ourselves in a cocoon of God’s loving assurance. Finally, verse 26 is a beautiful note to end on. “For the Lord is your security.” These words are a rock-solid foundation on which we can build our lives. When we entrust our paths to the Lord, we can confidently navigate through life without being ensnared by the traps that might lie ahead. So, how do we apply these timeless truths to our modern lives? Let’s break it down: First, let’s make it a priority to cultivate common sense and discernment. These qualities are more than just practical knowledge; they’re like treasures that guide us through life’s twists and turns. Second, embrace the promise of peaceful sleep. As we make wise choices and trust in God’s guidance, we can rest assured that He watches over us, even as we sleep. Third, banish fear from your heart. Trust in the Lord’s protection and know that His wisdom equips us to handle whatever challenges come our way. And finally, build your life on the unshakable foundation of God’s security. When we rely on Him, we can...
Welcome to Day 2174 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 35 – Divine Intercession – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/16/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Divine Intercession Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus gave us three words that keep us going: Joy, Love, and Peace. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Our scripture for today is John 17:1-19, starting on page 1679 in the Pew Bible. Today we will study the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus prays for His glorification and Disciples in a message titled Divine Intercession. Follow along as I read. Jesus Prays to Be Glorified 17 1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. Jesus Prays for His Disciples 6 “I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13...
Welcome to Day 2173 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 3:11-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2173 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2173 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. We are diving into Proverbs 3:11-20 from the New Living Translation. This passage offers valuable insights into the rewards of embracing wisdom and trusting in the Lord. So, let’s embark on this quest for wisdom together! Our trek begins with verses 11 and 12, reminding us that the Lord’s discipline is essential to our growth. Let’s read the verses together: Proverbs 3:11-12 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. 12 For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. It might not always be pleasant, but just as a loving parent disciplines their child for their benefit, our Heavenly Father disciplines us out of love. These verses encourage us to embrace this discipline, knowing it’s for our good. Moving forward, we encounter a beautiful passage that extols the value of wisdom. Verses 13 to 18 capture the incomparable worth of wisdom: Proverbs 3:13-18 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. 14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. 17 She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. 18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly. Did you catch that? Wisdom is more precious than silver, gold, or even rubies! It brings us understanding, happiness, and a fulfilled life. As we seek wisdom, we draw closer to God’s heart and align ourselves with His divine plan. Our journey through these verses brings us to a captivating image – the Tree of Life. Let’s read verses 19 and 20: Proverbs 3:19-20 9 By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky. The Tree of Life, a symbol of God’s provision and sustenance, takes us back to the Garden of Eden. Through wisdom, God laid the earth’s foundations and established the heavens. It’s a reminder of His creative power and ongoing involvement in the world around us. As we conclude our trek through Proverbs 3:11-20, let’s reflect on how these verses apply to our daily lives. First, we should embrace the Lord’s discipline with humility, recognizing that it molds us into better versions of ourselves. Let’s view it as a pathway to growth and transformation. Second, let’s seek wisdom above all else. Let’s commit to continually learning and growing in
Welcome to Day 2172 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 3:1-10 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2172 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2172 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 3:1-10 from the New Living Translation. This passage offers valuable insights into the rewards of embracing wisdom and trusting in the Lord. So, let’s embark on this quest for wisdom together! Proverbs 3:1-4 reads: “My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.” In these verses, we encounter the precious counsel of a parent to their child, emphasizing the importance of treasuring God’s commands and living a life of loyalty and kindness. The passage begins with an earnest plea not to forget the teachings of wisdom. It’s a call to store these wise instructions in our hearts, making them an integral part of our lives. The passage assures us that we will experience a long and satisfying life by heeding this counsel. Embracing wisdom leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. Furthermore, the passage encourages us never to let go of loyalty and kindness. These virtues are to be treasured and remembered, woven into the fabric of our being. Loyalty and kindness are not merely superficial traits. They are virtues that guide our interactions with God and people alike. When we embody these qualities, we find favor with God and those around us, earning a good reputation in the process. As we move further into the passage, verses 5-6, we encounter a pivotal piece of wisdom that guides our trust in the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Here, we find a foundational principle that anchors the pursuit of wisdom - trusting in the Lord completely. The passage advises us not to rely solely on our human understanding, which can be limited and flawed. Instead, we are to trust in the infinite wisdom and guidance of the Lord. By seeking God’s will in all aspects of our lives, we open ourselves up to divine direction. God promises to show us the path we should take, providing clarity and guidance along the way. As we come to the final verses of the passage, 7-10, we find wisdom’s counsel on humility and trust in the Lord’s provision. Proverbs 3:7-10 proclaims: “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good...
Welcome to Day 2171 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 34 – Three Key Words That Keep Us Going – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/09/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Three Key Words That Keep Us Going Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus taught us the functions of the Holy Spirit, both within believers and in the World. In John 16:15, Jesus said, All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Our scripture for today is John 16:16-33, starting on page 1679 in the Pew Bible. Jesus shows us the Three Key Words That Keep Us Going. Follow along as I read. 16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” 19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” 29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” 31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own
Welcome to Day 2170 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 2:12-22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2169 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2169 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 2:12-22 from the New Living Translation. This passage sheds light on the importance of wisdom in guarding us against evil influences and guiding us toward a life of righteousness. So, let’s embark on this quest for wisdom together! Proverbs 2:12-15 reads: “Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted. These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths. They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.” In these verses, we gain insight into how wisdom acts as a shield against the deceitful and wicked ways of the world. The passage begins by acknowledging that wisdom is not just a theoretical concept but a practical and powerful tool that can save us from falling into the traps of evil people. With their twisted words and dark paths, these individuals seek to lead others astray from the right way. They take pleasure in wrongdoing and embrace the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their methods are wrong. As we move further into the passage, verses 16-19, we see the consequences of succumbing to the allure of wickedness. Proverbs 2:16-19 says: “Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman. She has abandoned her husband and ignores the covenant she made before God. Entering her house leads to death; it is the road to the grave. The man who visits her is doomed. He will never reach the paths of life.” Here, the focus shifts to the dangers of immorality and the seductive lure of forbidden relationships. The passage uses the imagery of a seductive woman who has abandoned her commitments and disregarded her covenant with God. Entering into such immoral relationships leads to spiritual death and destruction. This is a powerful warning against the temptation to indulge in sinful desires that may offer fleeting pleasure but ultimately lead to a path of ruin and despair. As we come to the final verses of the passage, 20-22, we find assurance for those who choose to walk in the way of wisdom. Proverbs 2:20-22 proclaims: “So you will follow the ways of good people and keep to the paths of the righteous. For only the godly will live in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it. But the wicked will be removed from the land, and the treacherous will be uprooted.” Here, the passage highlights the beautiful outcome of embracing wisdom and living a life of righteousness. Choosing to walk in the ways of wisdom means aligning ourselves with good people and following the paths of the righteous. It’s a life of integrity that brings stability and peace. On the other hand, those who persist in wickedness and deceit will...
Welcome to Day 2169 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 33 – Function of the Holy Spirit – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/02/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Function of the Holy Spirit Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus warned the disciples of the coming persecution, and based on our study, we understand that we should live displaying ‘The Fruit of the Spirit’ in both times of peace and freedom, and in times of persecution. In verse 16:1, Jesus said, “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. Our scripture for today is John 16:5-15, starting on page 1678 in the Pew Bible. Jesus encourages the disciples and us that although he would not be physically present, we would have the Holy dwelling in us. The messages provides us with the “Functions of the Holy Spirit” Follow along as I read. 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Jesus’ words must have sounded like a jumble of puzzle pieces to the bewildered disciples. (Jigsaw puzzle) After announcing His imminent departure from the earth (John 13:33; 14:1–6), He urged His followers to/ obey His commandments/ (14:12–15; 15:1–11), to love one another /(15:12–17), and to beware of the hostility of the world/ (15:18–27). While offering these predictions, promises, and commands, Jesus alluded to the coming of the Holy Spirit to teach believers all they would need to know (14:16–17, 26; 15:26). But these passing references could only have been perplexing. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was reserved for kings and prophets, and occasionally for regular people when the Lord wanted to accomplish something extraordinary. The idea that the Spirit of God would indwell each believer was unthinkable—an unbelievable extravagance of which no one was worthy. The disciples’ heads must have been spinning. Although the disciples didn’t ask about the Holy Spirit—/they were too preoccupied with the thought of Jesus going away,—/the Lord returned to this particular promise to clarify...
Welcome to Day 2168 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 2:1-11 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2168 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2168 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we explore the wisdom of the ages in the Book of Proverbs. Today, we’re diving into Proverbs 2:1-11 from the New Living Translation. This passage delves into the pursuit of wisdom and its immense value in our lives. So, let’s embark on this journey of discovery together! First, let’s read Proverbs 2:1-5 reads: “My child, listen to what I say and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.” In these verses, we find the key to unlocking the treasure trove of wisdom - a process that requires intention, diligence, and a heart eager to learn. The passage begins with a loving call from a parent to their child. It’s an invitation to listen, not just with our ears but our hearts. By treasuring and obeying wisdom’s commands, we open ourselves to a deeper understanding of life and its mysteries. Tune your ears to wisdom, the passage advises. This means we must be attentive and receptive to the teachings of wisdom, both from God’s Word and from the experiences and insights of those who have walked before us. But it doesn’t stop there. The pursuit of wisdom requires action on our part. We’re encouraged to actively seek understanding, cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Imagine searching for valuable treasures like silver or precious gems. It requires effort, determination, and a clear focus. In the same way, seeking wisdom should be a relentless pursuit, one that we value above all else. As we move further into the passage, verses 6-8 reveal the rewards of diligently seeking wisdom. Proverbs 2:6-8 says: “For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.” Here, we see that wisdom is a gift from God Himself. It is not something we can obtain solely through human effort; rather, it is granted by the Lord. When we diligently seek wisdom, we tap into the divine source of knowledge and understanding. Moreover, wisdom comes with practical benefits. It provides us with common sense and discernment, enabling us to navigate life’s complexities with integrity and honesty. It’s important to note that wisdom is not just theoretical knowledge. It’s a guide that leads us on the paths of righteousness and protects us as we walk in faithfulness to God. As we come to the final verses of the passage, 9-11, we gain further insights into the profound impact of wisdom on our lives. Proverbs 2:9-11 proclaims: Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will...
Welcome to Day 2167 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 1:20-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2167 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2167 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today we continue with a new wisdom segment called Wisdom Nuggets which will be published on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We will continue to publish our extended series of messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years on Tuesday and Thursday. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is taken from the Book of Proverbs 1:20-33. I will read the passage as segments and then dive in on the content. Let’s begin. Let’s start with verses 20-23 “Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: ‘How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.’” In these verses, we encounter a vivid personification of wisdom as a wise and caring woman, calling out to all who would listen. The first thing we notice is the setting in which wisdom is calling out. Not in some hidden or hard-to-reach place but right in the midst of the city, where people gather and interact. Wisdom is not reserved for a select few; it’s available to everyone, regardless of background or status. The call of wisdom is not just a one-time message. She persistently cries out, longing for people to embrace knowledge and understanding. It’s as if wisdom pleads with us, “How long will you remain stuck in ignorance and mock the truth? Come, learn from me, and I will make you wise.” Moving on to verses 24-27, we witness the consequences of ignoring wisdom’s call. “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a storm when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you.” These verses paint a poignant picture of the unfortunate outcome of rejecting wisdom. The consequences of our choices, shaped by our refusal to heed wisdom’s counsel, can lead us into distress and calamity. It’s essential to remember that wisdom doesn’t impose herself on us. She stands at the ready, offering guidance, but we must embrace her and incorporate her teachings into our lives. The passage doesn’t end on a note of despair, though. Verses 28-33 present a glimmer of hope for those who turn and listen to wisdom’s voice. “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will search for me, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord, they rejected my advice and paid no attention when I...
Welcome to Day 2166 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 32 – The Promise of Persecution – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message - 09/25/2022 THE GOSPEL OF JOHN - PART 4 CONFIRMATION OF THE WORD - THE PROMISE OF PERSECUTION Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus taught us to keep his command to love one another, and in doing so, we would be elevated to the status of being His friend. 15=12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. As Jesus's friend, and with the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, taking up residence in us, we will have the strength to endure, even when the world hates us, and we may suffer persecution for our faith. Our scripture for today is John 15:18 -16:4, starting on page 1677 in the Pew Bible. 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.'1121If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 221/ I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuseJor their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.,ffJ The Work of the Holy Spirit 26 "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father-the Spirit of truth
Welcome to Day 2165 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets – Proverbs 1:8-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2165 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2165 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today we continue with a new wisdom segment called Wisdom Nuggets which will be published on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We will continue to post our extended series of messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years on Tuesday and Thursday. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is taken from the Book of Proverbs 1:8-19. I will read the passage first, and then we will dive in on the content. Let’s begin. * A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
8 My child,[a] listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. 9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. 10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave[b]; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. 13 Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take. 14 Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.” 15 My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths. 16 They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder. 17 If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away. 18 But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. 19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. In these verses, we witness a powerful contrast between the trek of wisdom, represented by the guidance of parents, and the trek of wickedness, portrayed by the enticement of sinners. The passage begins with a tender plea from a parent to their child, emphasizing the value of listening and learning from their parents’ correction and instruction. This parental advice is not meant to stifle or control but to instill wisdom and honor in the child. In ancient times, the parents’ teachings were highly esteemed. They were considered the custodians of practical knowledge, morals, and values. The...
Welcome to Day 2164 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 31 – Qualities of a Friend – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/18/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Qualities Of A Friend Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus taught us through the allegory of the vine and branches. The emphasis was on bearing fruit by staying attached to the main vine so that we could receive the nourishment of the Holy Spirit. To do this, we must remain in Christ as we read in John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Our scripture for today is John 15:12-17, starting on page 1677 in the Pew Bible. Jesus gives us the command to “Love each other. Follow along as I read. “12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. Let me start with a story today. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a lonely genius. Born to aging parents in Devonshire, England, the youngest of ten children, he did not receive the love most children are given and, therefore, never had the opportunity to cultivate close relationships. His father died before his tenth birthday, after which he was sent to a boarding school notorious for its harsh treatment, and then to live with various family members. Nevertheless, his caretakers did recognize his exceptional intellect and enrolled him at Cambridge, where he quickly distinguished himself as a scholar. Coleridge became known for three notable habits in school: voracious reading, prolific writing, and radical thinking. Eventually, his philosophical pursuits led him away from his father’s faith and away from Cambridge before graduating. He accumulated a large debt, pursued French philosophy, attempted to found a utopian society in Pennsylvania, married, divorced, became hopelessly addicted to opium, and eventually managed to estrange himself from family and friends. Then, he met William Wordsworth, who befriended the rootless genius. This led to his most productive period of writing and publishing, during which he wrote the poems “Remorse,” “Love,” “Kubla Khan,” and his most famous work, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” The main character in this emotional autobiography laments, Alone, alone, all, all alone; Alone on a wide, wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony. Eventually, Wordsworth discontinued his relationship with Coleridge, who became excessively dependent upon opium, separated from his second wife, abandoned his children, and could no longer sustain any meaningful workload. He moved into the home...
Welcome to Day 2163 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Nuggets - Proverbs 1:1-7 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2163 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2163 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of Wisdom, to seek out discerment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today we begin with a new wisdom segment called Wisdom Nuggets which will be published on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We will continue to post our extended series of messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years on Tuesday and Thursday. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is taken from the Book of Proverbs 1:1-7. I will read the passage first, and then we will dive in on the content. Let’s begin. * The Purpose of Proverbs
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. 2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. 3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. 4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. 5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance 6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. These verses set the stage for the entire book of Proverbs, revealing its purpose and significance in guiding our lives. Let’s break it down step by step. Firstly, we learn that these proverbs were written by King Solomon, son of David, who was renowned for his divine wisdom. The purpose of these proverbs is twofold: to teach people wisdom and discipline and to help them understand the insights of the wise. The wisdom found in Proverbs is not just theoretical knowledge but practical guidance for everyday living. It teaches us how to live disciplined and successful lives, to do what is right, just, and fair. Proverbs provides a moral compass that points us in the right direction in a world filled with moral ambiguity. Moreover, these wise sayings cater to all, from the simple to the young, from the experienced to the discerning. It doesn’t matter where you are on your terk of life; Proverbs has something to offer you. The beauty of these proverbs lies in their profound simplicity. They have the power to transform the simple into the wise and the wise into the wiser. But to gain this wisdom, one must be willing to listen and receive guidance. The crux of these verses lies in verse 7, which is a cornerstone of the entire book: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” In other words,
Welcome to Day 2162 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 30 – Abiding – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/11/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Abiding Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus teaching the disciples that the way to overcome fear is to allow the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to fill us and bring peace to our hearts as we read in John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Our scripture for today is John 15:1-11, starting on page 1676 in the pew Bible. Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson about Abiding in Him. Follow along as I read. 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. After hearing of Jesus’ imminent departure from the world on the eve of His crucifixion, fear gripped the disciples like a steel vice. How could they possibly go on without Jesus? What would come of His kingdom? Was the Lord challenging them to build a kingdom without a king? Not exactly. First, He promised that His going away played a crucial role in the plan of God to redeem the world and that He would return (John 14:1–15). Second, He promised He would not leave them to fend for themselves; He would be present within them in the person of the Holy Spirit, whose role is to teach and provide courage (14:16–24). Third, He promised confidence in the truth of His words and comfort in His continual presence would grow as they...
Welcome to Day 2161 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 29 – Overcoming Fear – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/04/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Overcoming Fear Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last time we saw how Jesus gently consoled and encouraged the remaining eleven disciples “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. Today we continue the lesson as Jesus teaches the disciples and us, that the way to overcome fear is to allow the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to fill us and bring peace to our hearts. Our scripture for today is John 14:25-31, starting on page 1676 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave. While fear is a primal response, it is entirely unnatural to humanity as God first created us. The first emotion recorded in the Bible is Genesis 2:25. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect intimacy with God and one another, uninhibited by sin or the shame it brings. The second emotion named explicitly in Scripture is fear. After trying to conceal his shame, Adam confessed that fear drove him into hiding when his Creator came to confront him in Genesis. 3:10. He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” Fear is a product of the Fall, and we have been trying to cope with it ever since. Fear of heights. Fear of crowds. Fear of being alone. Fear of open spaces. Fear of closed spaces. Fear of germs. Fear of death. I have even read about people having a fear of fear! Fear can be debilitating. Fear strips the athlete of his prowess, drains creativity from the artist, muddies the leader’s clarity, and drives the soldier deeper into his foxhole. I have seen people literally paralyzed with fear, unable to move a muscle in their grip. More commonly, fear keeps people from becoming everything God created them to be and prevents them from loving one another fully. Jesus’ announcement of His departure sent the disciples into an emotional tailspin. They couldn’t imagine their future without Jesus, and the prospect of going on alone terrified them … and rightfully so! Likewise, I cannot imagine having to
Welcome to Day 2160 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 28 – Tranquil Words for Troubled Hearts – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/14/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Tranquil Words For Troubled Hearts Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week as the Passover meal concluded, Christ reminded the remaining 11 disciples that he would soon be leaving them. With this in mind, He issued them a new command. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The truth was finally setting in with the disciples, who were anxious about their futures. After all, they invested the past three and a half years with Jesus, and now he tells them he is leaving, and they can’t come with him. Their minds with blown, and their hearts were crushed. Our scripture for today is John 14:1-24, starting on page 1675 in the pew Bible. Jesus provides Tranquil Words for Troubled Hearts. Follow along as I read. 1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Welcome to Day 2159 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 27 – What is Your A.Q. – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/07/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Agape: Authentic Love Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus behind closed doors with His disciples as they proceeded with the Passover meal. Jesus abruptly announced that one of them would betray him. He was teaching us lessons of acceptance. How do we accept those who have hurt or betrayed us? While we may not condone another person’s lifestyle because they are not living according to Biblical precepts, we are to show love and acceptance to them, regardless. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, it bears repeating. If you claim you love Jesus, then you must also love Judas. After washing Judas’s feet, placing him at the privileged position to His left at the meal, and offering fellowship to Judas by handing him food, we see that Judas’s heart is unchanged. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him, 30he went out, and it was night. Our scripture for today is John 13:18-30, starting on page 1674 in the pew Bible. Behind those closed doors at the Passover meal, Jesus turns to the remaining 11 disciples and teaches them of: Agape: Authentic Love. Follow along as I read. 31 When he (Judas) was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” 37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! In 1970, Francis Schaeffer wrote The Mark of the Christian, a tiny volume with a weighty message. You will not find anything about bumper stickers, fish emblems, lapel crosses, or cleverly marketed bracelets. For that matter, you won’t read a word about biblical doctrine or church membership. Instead, the book is about the one true mark of a Christian: love. ...
Welcome to Day 2158 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 26 – What is Your A.Q. – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/31/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – What Is Your A.Q. (Acceptance Quotient) Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we joined Jesus behind closed doors with His disciples and saw him take on the role of the lowest servant as He washed His disciple’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Today, we continue with Jesus behind closed doors with His disciples as they proceed with the Passover meal. Our scripture for today is John 13:18-30, starting on page 1674 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read today’s passage. 18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned[a] against me.’[b] 19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” 22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. For years, educational systems worldwide subjected students to tests to determine each individual’s I.Q., “Intelligence Quotient.” This quantified each person’s ability to remember facts, think imaginatively, logically organize information, and solve problems. The I.Q....
Welcome to Day 2157 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 25 – Humility Personified – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/24/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation Of The Word – Humility Personified Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus end his public ministry to focus his final three days before the crucifixion with his disciples to prepare them for the pivotal event. Jesus’s hour, His purpose for coming to earth, was nearly here. In 12:24, he declared: I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. We begin the 4th segment of John’s narrative today. That is Confirmation of the Word, which covers John 13:1 – 17:26. Today, we join Jesus behind closed doors with His disciples and see him take on the role of the lowest servants as He washes His disciple’s feet. Our scripture for today is John 13:1-17, starting on page 1673 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read today’s passage. 1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you....
Welcome to Day 2156 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 24 – Seeking Before Hiding – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/17/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Seeking Before Hiding Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw the religious leaders in Jerusalem come to a breaking point. They were losing control over the Jews, and their important positions with Rome. In Chapter 11:47-48 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” We also saw that one of Jesus’s 12 disciples broke down with his greed. After seeing Mary anoint Jesus with $50k of perfume, he was ready to betray his Rabbi, who he had followed for at least three years. Today the tide is turning as we see Jesus entering Jerusalem as King. Our scripture for today is John 12:12-50, starting on page 1671 in the pew Bible. I will read it in sections throughout the message as we have done in other lengthy passages. —12:12–19— 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna![d]” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e] “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”[f] 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd, that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John’s narrative suddenly shifts from the fragrant banquet room in Bethany to a bustling street leading into Jerusalem, where thronging worshipers had come in anticipation of the Passover feast. As with other feasts, worshipers wondered if Jesus...
Welcome to Day 2155 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 22 – The Breaking Point – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/10/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – The Breaking Point Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the grave after he had been dead for four days. Jesus proclaimed in verses 25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Today our message will be in two related parts. First, we will read John 11:45-57, starting on page 1670 in the pew Bible. I am overlapping the last two verses from last week to tie in the context, then later in the message, we will cover John 12:1-11, so keep your Bibles open and follow along as I read. 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. 55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. Have you experienced or been confronted with a “moment of truth”—that sweet and terrible instant when the truth about some particular unsavory or unethical matter in your life can no longer be denied, minimized, rationalized, or disguised? There it is, in all its stark, unforgiving glory, demanding a choice. You can continue to bury the truth and then live in manic, strained denial for the rest of your days, or you can submit to that truth and then
Welcome to Day 2154 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 22 – Back From Beyond – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/03/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Back From Beyond Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus as the good shepherd and the living door. Today, our scripture is John 11:1-46, starting on page 1668 in the pew Bible. As with last week, since it is a more extended passage, I will read it as we go through the message, so follow along. We will see in today’s passage that Jesus performs the greatest and most spectacular miracle of his ministry. He raised his friend Lazarus from the dead after he had been dead for four days. This miracle is undoubtedly the final catalyst that leads to His crucifixion. Death is an inescapable fact of life. Death is ruthless;/ it frequently comes without warning and strikes without mercy./ Death is unrelenting; it cannot be cheated, bribed, outwitted, overcome, or eluded. /Death is indiscriminate; it takes young and old, poor and rich, sick and healthy, wicked and benevolent./Death is universal; all must ultimately succumb to its darkness. Death is a harsh reality of life … but it was not always so, and it need not be the end. —11:1–2— Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) After His last encounter with the religious elite in Jerusalem, Jesus took refuge in the same wilderness that had protected John the Baptizer<-> from their murderous intent. The Lord ministered to John’s disciples there for an unknown length of time (though not more than three months) before traveling to Perea or perhaps Galilee (11:7). We know that Jesus was more than a day’s walk from Bethany, the home of His friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, which as just two miles east of Jerusalem. John’s editorial note about Mary’s anointing of Jesus demonstrates that he assumed his audience was familiar with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). John doesn’t tell this story until 12:1–8. (message in two weeks) —11:3–6— 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, Lazarus was not among the twelve disciples, but the Lord loved him. The man’s sisters sent a messenger to inform Jesus that His friend was near death with a serious illness. However, Jesus purposely delayed His departure, confidently declaring, “This sickness will not end in death.” Depending on how far away Jesus was from Bethany, it is very likely He knew what the disciples did not realize at the time: Lazarus was already dead when he received word. (Bulletin insert of map) Consider a possible order of events: The...
Welcome to Day 2153 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 21 – The Living Door – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/26/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – The Living Door Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus heal a man who was blind from birth. This man not only received physical sight, but more importantly, he received spiritual sight that granted him eternal life, as he proclaimed in verse 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Today, our scripture is John 10:1-42, starting on page 1666 in the pew Bible. As with last week, since it is a more extended passage, I will read it as we go through the message, so follow along. We will see in today’s passage that Jesus is not only the great shepherd, but also The Living Door, which all who receives salvation must pass through. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a symbol is worth a thousand messages. Jesus understood the power of a familiar image to unlock the mysteries of heaven. And no sight was more common in first-century Judea than that of a shepherd leading his sheep. With some historical and cultural background, we can learn a great deal from the symbols Jesus used to describe Himself. To the lost sheep of Israel, He was the living door and the good shepherd. It was common for a shepherd to know his animals individually and call each one by name. A good shepherd never allowed his flock to remain in the field as night fell; thieves and wild animals took advantage of the darkness to steal and kill. If the pasture was close enough to the village, the sheep would be driven from the field to a communal pen, which a designated keeper guarded./ In the morning, shepherds led their sheep out to pasture again. Shepherds frequently drove their flocks into the wilderness during temperate months to find adequate grazing. They always remained with them, camping out under the stars for weeks. Then, as darkness fell each evening, they corralled the flock into a cave or some other natural enclosure and slept at the entrance. (Bulletin Insert-Read->) To protect their livestock from predators and thieves, shepherds herded their animals into a natural enclosure, such as this cave, and then stretched their bodies across the entrance for a good night’s sleep. Jesus drew on this familiar imagery when He said, “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7–9). Shepherds frequently worked together and even shared the same enclosure during the night. The following morning the flocks could be easily separated simply by calling them in opposite directions. Author H. V. Morton watched this firsthand during his travels in Israel. Early one morning, I saw an extraordinary sight not far from Bethlehem. Two shepherds had spent the night with their flocks in a cave. The sheep were all mixed, and the time had come for the shepherds to go in different directions. One of the shepherds stood far from the sheep and began to call. First one, then another, then four or five animals ran towards him, and so on until he had counted his whole flock. John’s account is unique among the Gospels in that he doesn’t recount any of the Lord’s parables but recalls Jesus’s use of figurative language and extended...
Welcome to Day 2152 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 20 – Blind Men's Bluff – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/19/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Blind Men’s Bluff Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus declaring, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In addition, we learned when we follow that light, we can live in spiritual freedom 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Today, our scripture is John 9:1-41, starting on page 1664 in the pew Bible. As with last week, since it is a more extended passage, I will read it as we go through the message. The setting for today’s teaching is sometime after the Feast of Tabernacles, but before the Feast of the Dedication (Hanukkah; see John 10:22). Somewhere in the old city of Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples happened upon a man who was born without sight. As the story unfolds, we learn that their “chance” meeting had been scheduled since the beginning of time, and the man’s “meaningless” affliction had been given divine purpose from the foundation of creation. —9:1— As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. John provides very little detail about the time and place of this encounter because it is a logical continuation of Jesus’ escalating clash with the religious elite in Jerusalem. However, we know it occurred after the Feast of Tabernacles (September/October) and before Hanukkah (November/December), somewhere near Jerusalem, outside the temple complex. John presents the episode as spontaneous because Jesus did not have a meeting in His appointment calendar. The apostle gives the impression that the encounter was a mere coincidence, but make no mistake, the air of randomness is intentional. John allows us to accept the incident as haphazard, only to reveal the truth. Whereas sin has stirred the world into a chaotic mess,/ the Creator interjects order. Where the sinful world system randomly and capriciously causes affliction,/ the Lord gives purpose to misfortune—for His glory and the good of those who believe. Some things never change. —9:2–4— 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (Theme song Work for the Night is Coming) In those days, it was a custom for people with disabilities to claim spots along a well-traveled street leading to the temple—and this is still a common sight near religious sites...
Welcome to Day 2151 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 19 – Reason for Rejection – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/12/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Reasons for Rejection Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw the religious leaders again trying to trap Jesus to make a case against him to kill him as they brought a woman before him to judge. Yet Jesus was victorious. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Today, our scripture is John 8:12-59, starting on page 1662 in the Pew Bible. Since it is a more extended passage, I will read it as we go through the message. In many ways, especially with the hypocritical religious leaders, Jesus was a radical individual, a most imposing personality. Not intimidating, not frightening. Imposing. Formidable. Unafraid. He entered the temple to find people groping about in spiritual darkness and thirsting for divine truth. He boldly stated in our lesson two weeks ago in John 7:37-38, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”. The first verse in today’s passage is (12); he picks up where he left off before the incident with the woman. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He fearlessly spoke the truth without apology. He joyously walked in the truth with His Father; therefore, He was constantly in trouble for His uninhibited love of truth. Jesus understood better than any the price to be paid for speaking and living the truth because He is divine truth incarnate, the Light made flesh. John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Matthew 10:34 recalled a particularly shocking statement by Jesus: “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. (Hold Sword) The purpose of a sword is to divide. Physically, it separates one part of a body /from the rest. Figuratively, Hebrews 4:12 describes it best, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. And socially, the sword separates groups into two categories; it attracts those who will surrender and incites violence against those who will not. There is no room for compromise before the gleaming sword of truth. Surrender or fight. Jesus figuratively brought a sword into the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. Some surrendered. /Others began a futile, exhausting, self-destructive fight. Their response is a study in the stages of rejection which we cover in our message today, and you can follow along with in your Bulletin insert (review the steps): —8:12–18— 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never
Welcome to Day 2150 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 18 – Letters in the Sand – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/05/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Letters In The Sand Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week we saw that the religious leaders in Jerusalem had enough of Jesus, and as He is teaching in the temple, we see Jesus in the Lion’s Den. Today, our scripture is John 8:1-11, starting on page 1660 in the Pew Bible. John 8 contains one of the most recognizable stories in the Bible: the woman who was caught in adultery and brought before Jesus. It is a powerful story. You will resonate with this story if you have ever felt condemned, ashamed, or exposed as a failure. However, we must address several other things before looking at the account./ First, most newer Bibles have a note before the text: The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11. This troubles many people. Some feel these versions are trying to edit the Bible or engage in what we call today “revisionist history.” However, that is not what is happening at all. These scholars are not guilty of not respecting the Word of God - this note is there because they absolutely respect the Bible as the Word of God! As archaeology continues to unearth more and more copies of the Bible, some of those copies are earlier manuscripts (or copies) than previously existed. Generally speaking, the older the manuscript, the closer it is to the original that God Himself inspired. In this case, the oldest manuscripts are missing this account, indicating the story was added later. However, other early manuscripts do have the story in John. Therefore, the note on the text warns us: Be careful about holding this text above other texts because it may be a later addition. These verses are equal to the rest of the gospel account. We know it was an early account, which seems consistent with the character we see of Jesus throughout the rest of the Bible (and John’s gospel). So it is consistent with the rest of the scripture. And we do not have any reason to discount the story other than that it is not in the earliest manuscripts. So, though it is important to be cautious, we can approach this story as genuine history, not a later fabrication. Then they all went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn, he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law,/ Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now, what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this,/ those who heard began to go...
Welcome to Day 2149 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 17 – Jesus in the Lion's Den – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/29/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Jesus in the Lion’s Den Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week we learned that many in the multitude fed bread and fish, turned away from Jesus and His teaching because it was too hard for them. The multitude were more interested in physical food than spiritual food. Today, our scripture is John 7:1-52, starting on page 1658 in the Pew Bible. We see that the religious leaders in Jerusalem have had enough of Jesus, and as He is teaching in the temple, we see Jesus in the Lion’s Den. I will read the scripture throughout the message, so keep your Bibles open to follow along. One of my favorite Bible stories as a child was “Daniel in the Lions’ Den.” You may have heard this familiar story. An eighty-some-year-old prophet, a faithful man of integrity, had won the friendship of King Darius. But some other men grew jealous of the old man’s trusted status and schemed to kill him. A better title would be “The Lions in Daniel’s Den.” Life is the Lord’s to give or take, and there is no lion in all creation that He cannot tame. Daniel’s enemies may have thought they were in charge, but they were gravely mistaken and were a meal for the lions the next day. The lions of Jesus’ day did not prowl about on four feet. They stood tall and proud, dressed in the stunning robes of man-made righteousness, empowered by a hypocritical religion. The temple authorities in Jerusalem desired the assassination of Jesus because He continually exposed their jealousy and greed. He healed, fulfilled prophecy, forgave sins, and gave glory to the Father while keeping none for Himself. He was unlike any rabbi or any political leader anyone had ever seen. He threatened their power, and they wanted Him dead. Jesus was about to enter the lions’ den. —7:1–2—(feeding the multitude) After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, The events in Capernaum, such as the feeding of the multitude, took place shortly before Passover (John 6:4) in March or April, and the Feast of Tabernacles (September/October) was approaching. Jesus had been ministering in Galilee for six months or more, where His “hard” teaching in the synagogue had squelched any talk of making Him king. Even after that winnowing, though,/ multitudes continued to follow in Galilee. Meanwhile, word of Jesus’s miracles and healings kept Jerusalem on edge. In fulfillment of God’s commandment found in Leviticus 23:34–44, Jewish families continued to celebrate a weeklong autumn harvest festival in temporary houses constructed for the occasion. These “tabernacles” or “tents” reminded God’s covenant people of His protection in the wilderness as they celebrated His continued provision through the harvest of produce from the Promised Land. Today Jews continue observing this festival in celebration of Sukkot. (Bulletin...
Welcome to Day 2148 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 16 – The Great Desertion – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/22/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – The Great Desertion Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week Jesus explained how he was The Bread Delivered from Heaven as He was the spiritual food that provided eternal life. Today, our scripture is John 6:58-71, on page 1656 in the Pew Bible. Follow along with me as I read. I include two verses from last week to put this message into context. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. * Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life;/ the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[a] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 From this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) —6:59–65— By this time in His ministry, Jesus’ disciples numbered in the tens of thousands with varying degrees of devotion. At least hundreds were serious enough to consider Him their rabbi and would have actively supported a movement to make Him king. But Jesus knew theirs was the kind of fickle devotion that sprouts quickly and withers suddenly in the heat. This situation reminds me of the passage in Jonah 4:6-8, where a plant grew rapidly and shaded Jonah from the hot sun, but then he...
Welcome to Day 2147 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 15 – Bread Delivered From Heaven – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/15/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Bread Delivered From Heaven This Sunday marks one year since I began teaching full-time. I count it a privilege and honor to do so. Thank you. Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week Jesus fed over 10,000 people with five small barley loaves and two small fishes. He then miraculously walked on water and transported his disciples to Capernaum. In today’s message, the people chase them across the sea and have their hands out again for more food. Our scripture is John 6:22-59, on page 1656 in the Pew Bibles. I am reading from the NLT because it flows so well, and I will read it in segments of the passage throughout the message today, as we did last week, so keep your Bibles open to follow along. Roughly twenty to twenty-five times each week, people are compelled to engage in a particular activity and sacrifice almost anything for the opportunity. For most, it is a top priority. Chances are, you have already done it once today, and you will likely do it again right after church and before the end of the day. We do this activity alone, but prefer to share it with company. We include this activity in almost every festive occasion we plan; sometimes, it is the festive occasion! By now, you’ve probably guessed that I’m referring to eating. Not only do we depend on food for survival; we celebrate it as art, savor it as a luxury, share it as communion, and even abuse it as therapy. I have never seen a travel brochure or cruise advertisement that didn’t highlight the importance of what you would be eating and how often. In addition, food is the primary subject of countless magazines, books, websites, and television shows. We even have entire channels—more than one!—dedicated to preparing and consuming nourishment, twenty-four hours each day, seven days each week, all year round. Those who benefit from twenty-first-century abundance cannot fully appreciate the perspective of people struggling to survive in first-century Galilee,> Samaria, and Judea. Spending time in developing countries, where one’s next meal is never guaranteed, would help us appreciate the significance of Jesus’ miraculous provision of food in the wilderness. John emphasizes that each person received as much as they desired and that food exceeded their eating capacity. This was the first time they had gone to bed on a full stomach in a long time for many of them. Finally, God sent a Savior after so much suffering under the iron rule of Rome, so much deprivation at the hands of unjust aristocrats, and so much corruption in the temple. Jesus, the healer, the provider, the reformer, the King! Indeed, His arrival signaled the beginning of a revolution that would end poverty, restore justice, and usher the kingdom of God into another golden era. This was, after all, the promise of God (Deut. 30:9–10; Isa. 9:7; Jer. 29:14; 30:3, 18; 32:44; Ezek. 37:24–26). Finally! The Messiah had come, and He brought with Him abundance! Perhaps as many as ten thousand men, women, and children wondered where Christ would lead them next and how He would go about claiming His throne....
Welcome to Day 2146 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 14 – God's Specialities_Impossibilities – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/08/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – God’s Specialty: Impossibilities Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week we completed the mock trial of Jesus where He, as a defense attorney, left us with only one logical choice, to accept Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath, and also equal with God. Today we are transported to another time and place in John’s narrative. Today’s passage is John 6:1-21, on pages 1655-1656 in the Pew Bible. I am reading from the NLT because it flows so well. I will read it in segments of the passage throughout the message today, so keep your Bibles open to follow along. Sometime after His clash and mock trial with the religious elite in Jerusalem, Jesus returned to Galilee, where events gave Him an opportunity to offer His disciples a divine perspective on earthly challenges. This was a crucial lesson for the men He would later commission with the words, Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” (John 20:21). Sometimes, life on planet Earth can be a demoralizing struggle. Some challenges loom more significant than our meager resources. Some demands far outweigh our ability to meet them. Some answers float high above our intellectual reach, and some problems are too complex to solve. Let’s face it; the world is huge, and we are small. And to make matters worse, we are naturally predisposed to think only on the horizontal plane. Nothing is impossible for God, yet we habitually think in terms of what we have to offer and what can be accomplished through natural means. Some might call this a lack of faith or a failure to believe, but not John, the apostle. He remembered a time when a small band of men had chosen to believe in the Son of God and had left everything behind to follow Him, yet frequently, they struggled to understand Jesus’ words and repeatedly failed to comprehend what they saw Him do. Theirs was a completely different problem from the lack of belief Jesus encountered among the religious leaders in Jerusalem. The disciples failed to understand what they saw and heard, yet chose to believe in the Son of God; the temple officials understood better than anyone who Jesus claimed to be, yet chose to reject Him. Disbelief and ignorance are distinct problems, and Jesus handled them accordingly. He condemned disbelief while He patiently transformed the minds of struggling believers. —6:1–3— 1 “After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. Likely six months passed after the events of 5:1–47. Again, John provides snapshots, not a chronological timeline. During this time, the Lord continued to minister in Judea and Galilee. As He healed the sick and proclaimed the good news, multitudes began to follow. In fact, they didn’t merely follow; they relentlessly dogged His every movement. The other Gospels tell us that the disciples had...
Welcome to Day 2145 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 12 – Witnesses for the Defense – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/01/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Witnesses for the Defense Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Last week we had part one of yet another mock trial. Jesus represented himself as the defense attorney, arguing against the prosecutors with six claims of why He is not only The Lord of the Sabbath, but also equal with God. Today, Jesus calls five character witnesses to take the stand to validate His six claims. Today’s passage is John 5:31-47, on page 1657 in the Pew Bible. I am reading from the NLT because it flows so well. Follow along as I read it. 31 “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. 32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true. 33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. 34 Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. 35 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. 36 But I have a greater witness than John/—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—/the one he sent to you. 39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. 41 “Your approval means nothing to me, 42 because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. 43 For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. 44 No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.[a] 45 “Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes. 46 If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47 But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?” First, let’s back up just a bit to add some context for today. Civilized cultures have maintained order throughout human history by creating laws and then enforcing those laws through a court system. While these justice systems have varied widely, and some have undoubtedly been more effective than others, their purpose has basically been to discover the truth in any given matter. At least, that is their stated purpose. But, as we have all seen at one time or...
Welcome to Day 2144 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 12 – The Claims of Christ – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/24/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – The Claims of the Christ Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Three weeks ago, we looked at a Picture Of Legalism and how the Pharisees and religious leaders started to look for a way to kill Jesus. Their reasons were that he healed on the Sabbath, performed many miracles, claimed to be equal with God, and people were beginning to follow him instead of them. Since they brought up the subject, Jesus was compelled to support his claims of being equal to God. Today’s passage is John 5:19-30, on pages 1655-1656 in the Pew Bible. I am starting with verse 16 to give the passage context. Follow along as I read it. So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense, Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason, they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so, the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. By myself, I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. Let me start with a story today. As a distinguished-looking gentleman stood behind a microphone to rally his people in the name of Allah, he praised Jesus as a genuine prophet, a wise teacher, and a worthy example of human goodness. However, he then declared with remarkable confidence that this same Jesus never claimed to be anything more than a man—that He never claimed to be God. While it is true that no one ever recorded the exact phrase “I am God,” Jesus boldly asserted His deity in such precise, unambiguous terms that His enemies were outraged. They called Him a blasphemer for “making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18). The...
Welcome to Day 2143 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 11 – A Picture Of Legalism – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/03/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – A Picture Of Legalism Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. In addition, we are beginning the third significant section of John’s Gospel, which is the Authentication of the Word. We now shift scenes to different snapshots and stories in today’s passage, John 5:1-18, located on pages 1654-1655 in the Pew Bible. I will read the passage as we go through the message, so keep your Bibles open to follow along. To review John’s Good News up to this point, the Lord’s ministry began well. A bold announcement by John the Baptizer immediately yielded five disciples with an unreserved commitment to following the Son of God. His turning water into wine strengthened His disciples’ faith. Flash forward three years to cleansing the temple. He taught Nicodemus, performed signs in Jerusalem, redeemed a Samaritan town, and healed the royal official’s son, resulting in multitudes from every quarter of Israel trusting Jesus as Savior. While the Lord’s ministry had not been without conflict, the general response to the Word had been belief. Then, something changed, like the first winter chill on an autumn breeze. Not everyone believed right away. A few began to oppose Him openly … followed by more. The Son of God came to shine the light of truth, yet some minds remained darkened. Instead of uniting Israel, the Word began to create sharp divisions. With Jesus being the very embodiment of the Word, we should not be surprised as we read in Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. This passage explores how subtle and insidious legalism is, even in our age. The classic legalists of Jesus’ day were the Pharisees, a brotherhood of experts in religion, considered ‘the separated ones.’ Paula and I grew up in churches that tended to be somewhat legalistic, where a list of do’s and don’ts reflected how spiritual you were. While these churches provided a reasonably solid teaching environment, we could not continue to raise our children in that environment. Because legalism is a subtle, silent killer, it gradually robs you of being immersed in God’s grace. We need to understand this enemy before confronting it. We need to know what it is, how it appears, and why it is wrong. What is legalism? Legalism is based on lists (legalists love their lists!). If you keep every item on the list of dos and don’ts, you’re deemed spiritually acceptable. In some ways, following a list of rules is more straightforward than allowing the Spirit to lead you through God’s Word. But if you don’t follow the prescribed standard, you are judged unworthy of God’s favor and others’ approval. So naturally, legalists always think they know how God judges, and they are more than willing to act on His behalf. How does legalism appear? Legalism that we personally were most familiar with was a list including being at the church every time the doors were...
Welcome to Day 2142 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 10 – Jesus Heals At A Distance – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/27/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – Jesus Heals At A Distance Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Jesus shows us evidence that his healing is not based on physical contact, but the faith of the person asking must be in accordance with God’s will. Today’s passage continues last week’s message, John 4:43-54, on Page 1653 in the Pew Bible. Follow along as I read. After the two days, he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. Once more, he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed. This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee. Jesus was a “faith healer,” but not what we think of today when you hear about faith healers on TV or ones that make a public spectacle of their healing. Many of today’s “faith healers” also have a money-making component. In today’s message, we will see that Jesus did not need to be physically present for healing. I can’t heal anyone, nor am I a “conduit” of God’s healing power. Frankly, the supposed healings performed today by certain notable figures bear little resemblance to the “signs” offered by Jesus and His apostles. However, this is not to say I don’t believe in supernatural healing. I do. While I don’t have a personal story of instantaneous miraculous healing, let me share a recently-read story. Pastor and former president of Dallas Theological Seminary, Charles Swindoll, who I respect as a solid Bible teacher, shared this story in one of his books. “I am aware of and read about examples in which the healing power of God left doctors speechless. On one occasion, a close friend developed a malignancy on the side of his tongue. By its diagnosis, it had spread to the lymph nodes and through a part of his upper torso. As a father of four with a full life and a promising career ahead, he needed to prepare a will, get his house in order, and begin turning his business over to associates. Several of his friends, including me, were not able to be with him right away, so we agreed to pray
Welcome to Day 2141 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 9 – The Woman Shares The Living Water – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/20/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – The Woman Shares The Living Water Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Jesus presents us with a lesson and an example of building God’s kingdom. Today’s passage continues last week’s message, John 4:27-42, in the Pew Bible on Pages 1652-1653. Follow along as I read. Just then, his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” Let me back up a few verses from last week to set the stage. If you were here or watched online, remember that Jesus appealed to the woman from Samaria six times, and each time she came back with an excuse. Jesus could squelch each reason until he got to the core of why he was there. It was not a coincidence. In verses 25-26 in the NLT, The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!” Jesus knew he had her now. So he basically said: “Good! You don’t have to wait any longer. I am the Messiah, and I am here just as promised.” So the woman was now without any excuses. In verse 26, the phrase “I AM” is particularly emphatic in Greek: egō eimi. This is because it refers to God’s self-identification to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM” (Burning bush-Exodus 3:14). The proof that this woman of questionable moral character life was miraculously changed as indicated by her subsequent actions. As the old saying...
Welcome to Day 2140 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 8 – Water for a Thirsty Woman – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/13/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – Water for a Thirsty Woman Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Today we will learn that Jesus is concerned for and loves those rejected by others. The passage for today is a rather long one, John 4:1-26, which is located on Pages 1651-1652 in the Pew Bible. Instead of reading it all upfront, I have embedded the scripture in today’s message. Once John the Baptizer announced Jesus as the Messiah, the Lord wasted no time calling disciples. Within forty-eight hours, five hand-selected students had begun training for the transformation of the world. They had seen Jesus perform miracles (2:1–12), they had experienced His passionate desire for revival (2:13–25), and they had heard Him preach and teach (3:1–36). The time had come for them to glimpse their future as evangelists. Jesus, the Jewish reformer, would become Jesus the missionary and show His students how to reach the world outside of Judaism. Between Galilee to the north and Judea to the south, a lost and forsaken people lived in a spiritual no-man’s-land called Samaria, and they needed to hear the good news. (Bulletin Insert) Jews traveling between Judea and Galilee usually avoided Samaria, a land they considered defiled by Gentile intermarriage and religious syncretism. Rather than walk on impure soil, they descended the mountains surrounding Jerusalem to the Jordan Plain, journeyed along the eastern shore of the Jordan River, and then turned west into Galilee. Jesus, however, chose a direct route from Jerusalem to Cana, which took Him through the Samaritan town of Sychar. (Bulletin Insert) —4:1–3— Tracing Jesus’ movements in the Gospel of John is not as helpful as in Luke, which provides more geographical information. However, the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) don’t tell us nearly as much about the Lord’s ministry in Judea. We learn from John that Jesus frequently traveled between Galilee and Judea, and His reasons for moving from one region to the other varied significantly. Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although, in fact, it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. In this case, He sensed that His ministry in Judea was attracting attention for the wrong reasons. While truth will always stir controversy, Jesus was not interested in squaring off with the Pharisees—at least not yet, not until it served His ultimate purpose (15:22–25). —4:4— Now he had to go through Samaria. The phrase “had to” is translated from a Greek verb meaning “to be necessary.” Anyone unfamiliar with Samaria’s history who might be looking at a map would not see anything peculiar about John’s word choice. Draw a straight line from Jerusalem to Cana (4:46), account for the hilly terrain, and a stopover in Sychar appears perfectly reasonable. However, John’s choice of words would have been provocative to any Jewish reader. Jews despised Samaritans. To the Jews, Samaritans were idolatrous half-breeds—ethnically polluted, religiously...
Welcome to Day 2139 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 7 – The Preacher Who Lost His Congregation – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 03/06/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – The Preacher Who Lost His Congregation Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. Today we see that John the Baptizer fully understood his occupation and mission as a citizen of God’s Kingdom. Let’s read John 3:22-36. Please follow along on Pages 1650-1651 in the Pew Bible. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 3:22-36 Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. At this time, John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. (This was before John was thrown into prison.) A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” If you want a lively discussion at your next dinner gathering, ask the following questions: “Except for Jesus Christ, who is the greatest person who ever lived? What made them great?” I guarantee the second question will quickly dominate the conversation, because we all have our own way of measuring greatness, and we rarely agree with the standards of others. Jesus answered both of these questions for us. As He reviewed history from the dawn of time, He bypassed Abraham, the father of faith, and Moses, the instrument of God, to deliver His covenant people out of bondage. He omitted David, the rugged and humble shepherd, the champion warrior, and the greatest of Israel’s kings. He ignored Daniel, perhaps the world's most powerful and influential man, a leading figure in two of the world’s greatest empires, and a faithful prophet of God. He skipped over Noah, Samuel, Solomon, Isaiah, and every notable figure in secular history. Instead, Jesus boldly named a contemporary: “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever
Welcome to Day 2138 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 5 – Brainstorming the New Birth – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/27/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – Brainstorming The New Birth Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message is the dialog between Nicodemus and Jesus Christ. Like last week’s cleansing of the temple, we should note that this episode occurred later in Jesus’s public ministry. However, because it is crucial to John’s overall dialog, he placed it early in his version of the Good News. Let’s read John 3:1-21. Please follow along on Pages 1649-1650 in the Pew Bible. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 3:1-21 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. —3:1–2— Here we meet a man confused in his religion. If Judaism had an office like the pope, Nicodemus (Greek for “conqueror of the people”) would have been the ideal candidate. As we observe his encounter with Jesus, we discover that he...
Welcome to Day 2137 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 5 – Wine...Coins...and Signs – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/20/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – Wine…Coins…and Signs Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message begins with the miracles of Christ. Let’s read John 2:1-25. Please follow along on Pages 1648-1649 in the Pew Bible. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 2:1-25 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples. (Major Break in Dialog) It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle,/ scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor,/ and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.” But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days? But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had...
Welcome to Day 2136 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 4 – Five Guys Who Followed In Faith – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/13/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – Five Guys Who Followed In Faith Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message focuses on the first five of Jesus’s twelve disciples. Before we examine these five guys, let’s read John 1:35-51. Please follow along on Pages 1647-1648 in the Pew Bible. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 1:35-51 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. (author John was the other one) Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. As they approached,/ Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.” Most of us can remember what was referred to as the Cold War, which was never more frigid than during the 1970s. It seemed that nothing would stop the creeping spread of communism. One by one, capitalist nations in Europe, Asia, and Africa either crumbled before the Soviet military or fell under the spell of socialism. Few in the United States feared a military assault...
Welcome to Day 2135 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 3 – A Man Sent From God – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/06/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – A Man Sent From God Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message focuses on the forerunner of Jesus Christ, John the Baptizer. Before we examine the one who announced the light of the world, I will read John 1:19-34. Please follow along on Pages 1646-1647 in the Pew Bible. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 1:19-34 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” John the Baptizer is a shadowy figure in the minds of many Christians. Most could fit all they know about him on one side of a 3 × 5 card with plenty of room to spare. (Hold up card) Clearly, he baptized people. Some know he lived in the desert and subsisted on a diet of locusts and honey. Those interested in theology realize he was the forerunner of the Messiah. But, unfortunately, that is about all most people know. Yet Jesus said of him in Matthew 11:11, “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! The Gospel of John gives us very little information about the man, where he came from, and what he was like. This is, of course, intentional. Nevertheless, the lack of information...
Welcome to Day 2134 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 2 – Christ is the Eternal Word – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/30/2022 The Gospel of John – Christ the Eternal Word Today we continue our new Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message will present Jesus Christ as the author of all creation. John’s prologue offers four reasons to believe that Jesus Christ, the Word, is God: * The Word is eternal; He had no beginning, and He will have no end (1:1–2). * The Word is the Creator; all things were made through Him (1:3). * The Word is the Source of life; nothing remains alive apart from Him (1:4–13). * The Word, though completely human, fully reveals the Father (1:14–18).
Before we examine these reasons in detail, I will read John 1:1–18 in the NLT; if you wish to follow along, it is on Pages 1645-1646 in the Pew Bible. Take note of John’s deliberate progression from infinity and eternity down to the single individual, Christ, in whom all that is infinite and eternal resides. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 1:1-18 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. The Word is eternal; He had no beginning, and He will have no end. In eternity past, before the beginning of anything—space, time, matter—in the indefinite expanse of timeless existence, in the beginning, He that had no beginning, “the Word” was existing in an eternal, infinite “present.” The NLT is a literal rendering of John’s first...
Welcome to Day 2133 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John - 1 – Who is the Apostle John? – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 01/23/2022 The Gospel of John – Who is the Apostle John? Today we begin a new Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message will examine John's identity and why he was unique among all Apostles. Have you ever started reading a novel, and you go to the last page of it to see how it ends before reading it? That is what we will do today, so turn with me in your Bibles to John 21:24-25, or join me on page 1689 in the pew Bibles as I read the Scripture for today. Just two powerful verses as we begin this influential extended series of messages. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 21:24-25 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John had lived long enough to see it all, from the beginning to the end. As a bold, blustering young man, the idea of tramping around the wilderness of Judea after John the Baptizer appealed to him a great deal—so much so, that the young fisherman left a thriving fishing enterprise in the hands of his brother, James, and abandoned his privileged status for the Baptizer’s diet of locusts and wild honey … and for the chance to help prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah. He helped the forerunner of the Messiah baptize thousands of repentant Jews. He supported the strange, Elijah-like figure as he called down judgment upon the corrupt leaders of the Jewish people. Then, finally, the day came when John saw the long-awaited Anointed One. He looked nothing like what John had imagined, but the declaration of his wilderness mentor, John the Baptizer, was unequivocal: This was the One. He and another of the Baptizer’s disciples decided to get a closer look, to follow Jesus home, to hear what He had to say about Himself and Israel. Before the next day's dawn, he knew: They had found the Messiah. John's few years with Jesus flew by like a flash of lightning, yet remained vividly clear in his mind for more than seventy years. During that short time with Jesus, he saw the man he thought would be a conquering super-David, the Savior of Israel, stripped, beaten mercilessly, and hung on a cross like a petty thug. He saw the sky darken as the world's Light faded into death. Then he saw his hope resurrected to assume a more glorious form than he ever could have imagined, and he stood in awe as the presence of God filled the group of squabbling, self-promoting disciples and transformed them into the body of Christ—the bones and muscle, hands and feet of Christ. Then, as the blood of his martyred brothers and sisters yielded new believers, John nurtured them. As Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, Luke, Timothy, Titus, and other missionaries zealously expanded the church westward, John anchored its foundation. As critics bashed, John defended. As imposters subverted, John exposed them. As false prophets misled, John refuted their heretical message. He condensed his teaching into three letters (1–3 John), originally circulated within Asia Minor churches around AD 65. Having outlived all his martyred peers, John was exiled by Emperor Domitian to...
Welcome to Day 2132 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 14– Patience In Correction – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church message – 01/16/2022 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Patience In Correction Today is the fourteenth and final message in our series on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last week we continued in James 5:13-18, focusing on Patience Through Payer. As we conclude this section on patience, we want to learn how to have Patience in Correction. So please turn with me in your Bibles to James 5:19-20, or join me on page 1885 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. Just two powerful verses as we conclude this letter from James. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 5:19-20 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. Lifeguards who have rescued swimmers from drowning, know better than most, that victims tend to fight their rescuers in the hysteria of that terrifying moment. They will even pull their rescuers under the water in an uncontrollable panic. Logical reasoning should tell them that if the lifeguard goes under, so does their only hope of surviving. But a drowning person isn’t thinking reasonably. Unfortunately, the same is often true when a believer attempts to rescue those floundering spiritually because their faith has suffered a shipwreck, and they have gone overboard. The late well-known Professor Howard Hendricks of Dallas Theological Seminary, tells the story of a young man who, after straying far from the Lord, was finally brought back by the help of a friend who loved him unconditionally. When he was fully restored, Dr. Hendricks asked him what it felt like when he was straying from God. The man answered, “It seemed like I was being pulled farther and farther out to sea, into deep water. And all my friends were standing on the shoreline hurling accusations at me about justice, condemnation, and sin.” Then he added, “But one Christian brother swam out to get me, and he wouldn’t let me go. I fought him, but he withstood my fighting. Finally, he grasped me, put a life jacket around me, and pulled me to shore. By the grace of God, he was the single reason I was restored—the man refused to let me go.” James doesn’t want us to let anybody go, either. Throughout his letter, he stresses the need for the faith that works. For example, he asks, “If you say you believe as you should, why do you behave like you shouldn’t?” Now, at the climactic conclusion of the book, James instructs us on how to deal with those who believe like they should, but behave like they shouldn’t. James has developed the theme that real faith produces genuine patience for the last several verses. But genuine patience is different from passive permissiveness. Under the excuse of “patiently waiting on the Lord,” Christians frequently stand back and “patiently” watch a fellow Christian sink deeper into sin. But, don’t forget that genuine patience is...
Welcome to Day 2131 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 13– Patience Through Prayer – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church message – 01/09/2022 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Patience Through Prayer We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last week we continued in James 5 and focused on verses 7-12. This message is titled, Patience in Suffering. This week we will study James 5:13-18, so join me on page 1885 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 5:13-18 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. Like a car without fuel, life without prayer grinds to a halt. The prayer-starved Christian fails to shine like a lamp without electricity in a dark, desperate world. (Unplug Lamp) But show me a man or woman of prevailing prayer, and I’ll show you a man or woman whose faith is deep. Ernest, fervent prayer moves the heart of the omnipotent God of the universe. Yet far too many Christians fill their lives with dizzying activities, leaving no time for this crucial ingredient that can transform mere human actions into divine acts of power. From the introduction to James’s letter, you may recall that James was well-known for his prayer life. He had the nickname “Camel Knees” because he spent so much time on his knees in prayer that they resembled the calloused knees of a camel. As one would expect from a book written by a man famed for prayer, the theme comes up repeatedly in the letter. In 1:5, James wrote, If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. And in 4:2, he said, Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. Now, at the climax of his letter, James develops the theme of prayer more fully. Here in 5:13-18, James continues to develop the idea of how we are to conduct ourselves with patience as we await the Lord’s return: true faith exhibited through patience, manifests itself in prayer. In the face of every obstacle, whether sickness or sin, the correct response is prayer. Prayer reflects an attitude of genuine faith and reveals patient endurance as we rely on God to handle life’s struggles in His timing and according to His promises. As such, prayer becomes an essential mark of authentic faith. James refers to two ends on the spectrum of...
Welcome to Day 2130 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 12 – Patience In Suffering – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church message – 01/02/2022 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Patience in Suffering We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Before our Advent series and last week’s Christmas message, our previous message covered James 5:1-6 which dealt with Warnings to the Wealthy, and we learned why wealth should not be our primary source of Thankfulness. Today we pick up where we left off as we continue in James 5 and focus on verses 7-12. This message is titled, Patience in Suffering. So join me on page 1885 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 5:7-12 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. Suppressing the Revenge Reflex We’ve all experienced the hurt of mistreatment and misunderstanding. Such hurts come in various forms— an intolerable working situation, domestic conflicts, overbearing parents, rebellious children, a treacherous friend, a petty parishioner, and a gossipy neighbor. Our natural tendency is to retaliate—to return evil for evil, an eye for an eye. Or we bottle it up and allow a slow, bubbling ferment. (Shake a bottle of pop) But God has a better idea than either bottling up or bursting out! James reveals this alternative. He tells us what to do when we’ve been wronged and how to do it. James 5:7 simultaneously connects and contrasts with the previous section. First, James changes his audience from “you rich people” (5:1) to brothers and sisters (5:7). You will remember that James addressed oppressive wealthy people in 5:1-6, exposing their wrongs and calling for repentant humiliation in light of the coming judgment of God. Now, beginning in 5:7, James addresses the victims of their ugliness: Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. James continues with the theme of Christ’s coming in judgment when he returns a second time. While persecutors should fear Christ’s coming, believers, anticipate it through patiently enduring suffering. Don’t miss that James has shifted to believers in this section. The man without Christ is frustrated if he tries to bring patience into persecution, mistreatment, or everyday afflictions. Yet, through the work of
Welcome to Day 2129 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 11 – Warnings To The Wealthy – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church message – 11/21/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Warnings To The Wealthy We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last week we focused on The Perils of Playing God, covering Warnings against Judging Others and Warnings About Self-Confidence. Today while we are focused on Thanksgiving, we will explore Warnings to the Wealthy and learn why wealth should not be our primary source of Thankfulness. So join me on pages 1884-5 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 5:1-6 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. Let me take you back about 100 years. In 1923, an elite group of businessmen met at the luxurious Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. The roster included some of the early twentieth century's most influential, famous, and wealthy moguls. These men were among them: * Charles M. Schwab—president of Bethlehem Steel Corporation * Richard Whitney—president of the New York Stock Exchange * Albert Fall—Secretary of the Interior under President Harding * Jesse Livermore—Wall Street tycoon * Ivar Kreuger—head of a global monopoly of match manufacturers
These heavy hitters controlled more wealth than the total assets of the United States Treasury at the time. Indeed these men would become models of the entrepreneurial spirit and stellar examples of financial success. But fast-forward about twenty-five years or so and look back on the courses of their lives: * Schwab—died $300,000 in debt in 1939 (nearly 6 million in today’s money) * Whitney—served time at Sing Sing prison for embezzlement * Fall—served time for misconduct in office, leaving behind a ruined reputation * Livermore—committed suicide in 1940, describing himself as “a failure.” * Kreuger—shot himself in 1932 after his global monopoly collapsed!
Buried beneath the rubble of humiliation, defeat, crime, sickness, and financial collapse, these men—along with a number of their colleagues—died in a painful, pathetic condition. Their wealth, power, and prestige did nothing to soothe the personal anxiety and guilt they suffered in life. The reality is that great intelligence and hard work can make a person wealthy. But it takes God-given wisdom and supernatural humility to manage wealth and influence. Last week James warned us against playing God instead of submitting to God’s sovereignty...
Welcome to Day 2128 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 10 – The Perils of Playing God – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church message – 11/14/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – The Perils of Playing God We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last week we focused on what causes quarrels and fights between people, specifically between Christians. It stems from insisting that we have our way. We also learned how to avoid conflicts, by being content and allowing God’s Spirit to control our lives. James continues with this theme of self-desire and self-reliance in our passage for today. If we insist on controlling our lives instead of allowing God to guide us, we fall into The Perils of Playing God. Playing God is split into two sections: Warnings against Judging Others and Warnings About Self-Confidence. So join me on page 1884 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 4:11-17 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? * Boasting About Tomorrow
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. Without question, Jesus Christ best demonstrates true humility. He voluntarily gave up His heavenly position and came into the world, became a blue-collar laborer, lived in perfect obedience to God and the Law, and willingly sacrificed His life on the cross for all sins (Philippians 2:6-8). This perfect humility of God the Son becomes a model for us to follow in our pursuit of humility. Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” If we back up two verses, Paul warned the Philippians against the same egocentric arrogance that James is focused on. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-4 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. In the broader section of his letter (3:13-5:6), James develops the theme that real faith produces genuine humility. He illustrates this cardinal virtue of the Christian faith with powerful words and compelling images. We’ve already seen how he contrasted those wise in their own eyes with those with humble wisdom from God (3:13-18)....
Welcome to Day 2127 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 9 – Starting and Stopping Fights – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church message – 11/07/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Starting and Stopping Fights We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Two weeks ago, we looked at persons who are Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise. One sign of wisdom is understanding what causes fights and how to avoid or stop fights. So join me on page 1885 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 4:1-10 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”[c] 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. As I grew up in a large family with ten kids, we often fought each other. There was sibling rivalry as we competed for attention. I am sure our squabbles were mostly unimportant, but that did not prevent us from fighting. Growing up in an apple orchard gave us the perfect weapon, especially when they were rotten. They were nasty to get hit with but never did any real damage. (Apples) Unfortunately, as adults, too often, we still seem to work arguments and fights into our lives. Fighting comes naturally to most people, especially men. Why? Because we’re each born with a scrappy nature that prefers going for the jugular instead of giving in. It all started after the Fall (Genesis 3). The first
Welcome to Day 2126 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 8 – Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/24/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the letter of James. Last week we focused on “Control Your Tongue” or “zip your lips” in today’s vernacular. So much knowledge today is increasing exponentially, but it seems wisdom is sorely lacking. So today, we will look at persons who are Wise, Unwise, and Otherwise. So join me on page 1884 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. As most of you know, I consider myself quite a lumberjack with my huge chainsaw. An old proverb says, “A tree is best measured when it’s down.” The actual size and quality of a tree’s lumber can best be determined after the tree has been cut down. So, accurately measuring a person’s accomplishments can also be seen at the end of their life. This proverb is especially true of the life of Solomon, son of David. During Solomon’s reign over Israel, he thrived as an author, diplomat, poet, politician, philanthropist, architect, and engineer. At his apex, Solomon was a man unparalleled by any other. How was Solomon able to accomplish so much during his lifetime? Second, Chronicles 1 provides the answer. When Solomon inherited the kingdom from his father, David, God appeared to him in a vision in 2 Chronicles 1:7. That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Can you imagine that offer? What would you ask for if the Lord of heaven and earth offered anything you asked? Solomon reveals his true character when he answers in 2 Chronicles 1:10, “Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” In essence, he said, “I’ve inherited an overwhelming task! More than anything else, I need wisdom! I need practical insight into the subtleties of life so I can govern Your people well. I ask and nothing more.” Now that’s a response of humility! With open hands, he turned to God to give him what he needed to accomplish what he needed to do. About a thousand years after Solomon asked for wisdom from God to accomplish his calling, another descendent of David named James wrote 1:5, If you need wisdom, ask...
Welcome to Day 2125 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 7 – Controlling Your Tongue – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/17/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Controlling Your Tongue We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we focused on Faith and Works, and how they must go together like hand in glove. As part of the Faith and Works life, we must learn to “Control Your Tongue” or “zip your lips” in today’s vernacular. So join me on page 1883 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 3:1-12 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. In last week’s message, James 2:14-26, the half-brother of our Lord, zoomed in on his central message—real faith produces genuine works. Throughout the letter from James, a probing question holds his whole theme together: “If you say you believe as you should, why do you behave like you shouldn’t?” In 3:1-12, James develops this general theme in a very specific direction: controlling the tongue. No other section of the Bible speaks with greater clarity and impact on the potential destructive power of our words. We might summarize this powerful passage as a question: “If you say you believe as you should, why do you say things you shouldn’t?” 3:1-2 James begins his indictment against the tongue with a surprising introduction. At first glance, it looks as though he’s...
Welcome to Day 2124 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 6 – Faith and Works – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/10/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Faith and Works We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we focused on how our Christian lives cannot contain Partiality and Prejudice any more than oil and water can mix. Our focus today is on Fatih and Works. Join me on page 1882 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 2:14-26 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” [e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. I believe most of us have sung the song “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.” In some church settings, they also added the verse, “If you’re saved, and you know it, shout Amen!” And then it continues, “If you’re saved, and you know it, then your life will surely show it.” As I was thinking about that phrase, this week gave me pause. I thought, “Lord, does my life really show the faith I profess?” What about all the things I’m called to do daily as a believer in Christ, as a citizen of God’s kingdom? What about all those things that cut crosswise against cultural norms and society’s expectations? So I
Welcome to Day 2123 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 5 – Partiality and Prejudice – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 10/03/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Partiality and Prejudice We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we focused on Listening and Doing Good. Today we will cover some hot topics in our society, but they are even more important within the church. Our focus is on Partiality and Prejudice. Join me on page 1882 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 2:1-13 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “You shall not murder.”[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. In many of our Christian lives, we wrestle against a form of Christianity obsessed with externals. Too many believers draw quick conclusions about people based merely on their first impressions— almost as if they had forgotten what we are told in 1 Samuel 16:7, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but...
Welcome to Day 2122 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 4 – Listening and Doing – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/26/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Listening and Doing We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we discovered why we should not be misled by sin because we are God’s Prized Possessions. Today our focus is on Listening and Doing. Join me on page 1882 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 1:19-27 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. 26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. A debilitating disease is crippling the body of Christ—a syndrome so common that it seems to affect every believer with either a mild or an acute case. This insidious condition neutralizes the church’s impact and nullifies its testimony. It can diminish effectiveness and paralyze production. The problem? A divorce between confession and deed, theology and action, listening and doing. As a result, God’s Word fails to make it from the head to the heart for too many Christians. God’s Word gets lodged between the heart and the hands for many more. In developing his overarching lesson that real faith produces genuine works, James has already dealt with the Christian’s perseverance through trials, which proves our faith (1:1-12), and the believer’s victory over temptation, demonstrating our character (1:13-18). As our theme for this series states, Wisdom is Faith in Action. In this final section of chapter 1, James zooms in on the believer’s appropriate response to God’s Word. The break in the relationship between belief and behavior may be pandemic among Christians, but James reminds us that the two estranged partners of the Christian walk can be reconciled. -1:19-20 — James begins with a reminder: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this” Unquestionably, he’s writing to believers, brothers, and sisters in Christ. And he begins by acknowledging that they should already know what he’s about to say. In the NLT, James
Welcome to Day 2121 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 3 – God's Prized Possession – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/19/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – God’s Prized Possession We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we started mining the rich wisdom that makes this letter a treasure trove of practical advice we can use daily. Today we will discover why we should not be misled by sin because we are God’s Prized Possessions. Join me on page 1881 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 1:13-18 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. Let me read verse 18 also from the NLT, as I feel it gives a better intent of how God views us: He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. So hold that thought. In last week’s message, James dealt with the kind of “trials” of life that test a person’s endurance—the ability to keep the faith under extreme pressure to give in (1-12). Next, James explores the other meaning of that Greek word for trials: a test of moral endurance (13-18). (Bulletin Insert) In six short verses, he presents the truth about temptation in a straightforward manner. Rather than skimming the surface of temptation, as many preachers and teachers tend to do, James probes deeply below the surface to reveal the inner workings of temptation. But less like a psychologist and more like a physician, James begins with certain facts that describe temptation (13-16), then moves to a focus that determines victory for overcoming temptation (17-18). Verse 13 James wants his fellow believers to understand at least four things about temptation. First, temptation is always present, and nobody is exempt from temptation. Once again, James says, “when,” not “if.” Like trials in the form of tests of faith, trials in the form of temptations are inevitable. There is no “spiritual vaccine,” no “get out of temptation free” card, and no alternate route to avoid the traps along the trail. Not a person here is immune or innocent. The aging monk in the monastery is no safer from temptation than the young person in the inner city. The lowly saint in prayer wrestles with temptation just as much as the executive in his Porsche. Second, God never prompts temptation verse 13 in the NLT says, And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. God doesn’t whisper evil thoughts into our minds or create an alluring mental image. God isn’t even indirectly involved...
Welcome to Day 2120 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 2 – Trials of Life – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/12/2021 James: Wisdom is Faith In Action – Trials of Life We are continuing our series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. Last week we were introduced to James, the half-brother of Jesus, and learned a lot about his life and leadership within the first church of Jerusalem. This week we start mining the rich wisdom that makes this letter a treasure trove of practical advice we can use daily. Join me on page 1880 in the pew bibles as I read the Scripture for today. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: James 1:2-12. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wildflower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls, and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. You don’t have to live long or experience much life, especially as an adult, before realizing that life is complicated and unfair. Instead, there seems to be a mountain of hurts, heartaches, pain, problems, disappointments, discouragements, sicknesses, suffering, disease, and death that sometimes overshadow life's sweet songs. As a result, we could become discouraged unless we understand the purpose. This letter from James helps us to gain that understanding. Let’s focus on verses 1-4 As we discovered last week in the introduction to James, the recipients of this letter were people enduring adversity. Having been “scattered abroad,” they were disoriented, disillusioned, and probably downright depressed. In addition, they were bearing the brunt of the criticism, brutality, and unjust treatment. James greets these beleaguered believers with a single word in verse 1: “Greetings.” Though this was a common form of official greeting at that time, it meant “to rejoice,” as in Romans 12:15—“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” This contrast between his readers’ harried situation and James’s exhortation to “consider it pure joy” in the following line sets the tone for his letter. So, without hesitating, James leaps headfirst into his most pressing issue, trials, which appears a second time in verse 12. The word...
Welcome to Day 2119 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom James – Wisdom is Faith in Action 1 – Who is James – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 09/05/2021 JAMES: WISDOM IS FAITH IN ACTION – WHO IS JAMES? As mentioned last week, we are beginning a new series today on the Proverbs of the New Testament, better known as the book of James. This letter is chocked full of practical wisdom on how to live the life of a radical disciple, which we focused on during August. Today I want to provide a background of who James is, and why he is so uniquely fit to author the first book written in the New Testament. Since most of the lesson today sets the stage for our study through James, which may take many weeks to complete, we will only cover one verse today, James 1:1. Thus, this lesson will be somewhat academic in nature before we explore the depths of the wisdom found in James. James 1:1 (NIV) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. James 1:1 (NLT) This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. We live in a world where politics rules the day. In this world, a person’s public reputation too often drowns out the private reality. Who you know usually trumps what you know. Name-dropping often gets you farther than talent or skill. These cynical sayings not only apply to the political realm, where quid pro quo is the status quo. Unfortunately, the “good of boy” system also tends to corrupt most areas of business, academia, entertainment—and, yes, even the church. This is why the opening words of the book of James are so refreshing. Like a cool spring breeze blowing through a musty room, the unassuming nature of these first few words drives out arrogance, ego, and presumption. Written by a man who could have dropped the Name above all names, this simple, straightforward greeting sets the tone for a letter that assaults our natural human tendencies toward sin and selfishness with a radical message of authenticity and humility. That begs the question, which is today’s message titled ‘Who is James?’ From the very first phrase, the name “James,” this short letter presents us with a problem: Which “James” wrote this letter? Unfortunately, his humble self-identification as “a bond-servant (or slave) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:1) doesn’t get us far. So, unless we were among those first recipients of the letter, we are left to some old-fashioned sleuthing to determine which James penned these words. If you run through the New Testament, you’ll come across four men with this name. It’s relatively easy to rule out a couple of these. First, James, the father of Judas (not Iscariot), never appears in the New Testament except in Luke 6:16. James, the son of Alphaeus, is probably the same as “James the Less.” Although he is one of the Twelve, he disappears from the biblical account after the upper room experience on Pentecost (Acts 1:13). So these two can be safely dismissed as unlikely candidates for authorship. This leaves James, the son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle John, or James, the half-brother of Jesus. Though the first James, a “Son of Thunder,” played a significant leadership role in the infant church as one of Christ’s inner three (Peter, James, and John), he was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom under Herod Agrippa I. That occurred around ad 44 in persecution that resulted in further scattered the Jewish Christians throughout the Roman world (Acts 12:2). Shortly after this...
Welcome to Day 2118 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Becoming A Radical Disciple 5 – Dependence and Death – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/29/2021 Becoming A Radical Disciple – Dependence and Death My purpose in this series is to consider eight character traits of Christian discipleship that are often neglected and deserve to be taken seriously. In the past four weeks, we have explored Nonconformity, Christlikeness Maturity, Creation Care, and Living a Simple and Balanced Life. This week we look at the final two character traits of dependence and death. Let’s first explore the following: Dependence I must admit that I continually struggle with one area of life: dependence on others. But I know in my heart that a radical disciple must depend on others to live a rich and satisfying life. As I reflect on the past 65 years of life, as an adult, there are four significant times when there was no choice but to depend on others. The first significant time was when, after nearly 18 years of running a successful computer business that we had expanded to three locations and had over 50 employees, we were forced to close and lost most of our finances. I indeed take responsibility, and we made some unwise choices of growing too fast by acquiring two other computer businesses. We did not realize that the values and worldviews of the other owners were not as closely aligned with ours as we had thought. As a result, we did not do enough due diligence and did not have the financial strength required. The dot com boom of the day went bust shortly after those acquisitions, resulting in the financial markets drying up for technology businesses, and we went bust with the markets. During that time, we realized how valuable dependence on family, friends, and even Putnam church, allowing us to work with the youth provided the foundation to get back on our feet again. We had to work hard to overcome the failure, but I learned some valuable lessons. The second time was when Hazel was diagnosed with Leukemia, and there was nothing we could do. But, again, dependence on God, family, and many friends, helped our family through those difficult days. The third was when I made the unwise choice to combine a very large chain saw with an extension ladder. As a result, a not-so-huge branch snapped back and kicked me off onto the cement sidewalk below, fracturing my left femur right below the hip joint. It could have been so much worse, and I praise God that it was not. Right after the fall, I dependent on my nephew was required, who had to prop up my back, so I wouldn’t move my leg, which stuck out at an odd angle. Again, dependence on Paula, my brother, the ambulance, the entire medical staff, and the surgeon were all needed. I was once again reminded that we all are dependent on others. The final story is more recent, and happened the same night I started speaking full-time at Putnam on May 16th. My Dad died that night, and the primary responsibility for all the funeral arrangements was mine, the oldest son living in Marietta. If it were not for my brother Jack, several other siblings, our kids, and, very importantly, our church family, there would have been no way to handle it. Being dependent on many people that week allowed us to have a beautiful church, graveside service, and family celebration afterward. It also allowed me time to prepare a message for the next day’s church service. I have realized that God can use dependence on others during these experiences to...
Welcome to Day 2117 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Becoming A Radical Disciple 4 – Living a Simple and Balanced Life – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/22/2021 Becoming A Radical Disciple – Living A Simple and Balanced Life My purpose in this series is to consider eight character traits of Christian discipleship that are often neglected and deserve to be taken seriously. In the past three weeks, we have explored Nonconformity, Christlikeness Maturity, and Creation Care. Living a Simple Life I suggest that the fifth characteristic of radical disciples is simplicity, especially regarding money and possessions. As Christians, citizens of God’s kingdom, we claim to have received a new life from Jesus Christ. What lifestyle, then, is appropriate for us? In particular, how are our lives to be distinguished from the lifestyle of those who make no Christian profession? How should our lifestyle reflect the challenges of the present-day world? Much of the world is alienated from God. Most people, especially in affluent countries, view the earth’s resources differently, as if they own them. That is not the truth, for God has created the world for the enjoyment of all. We live in a country where it is a dog-eat-dog world. We buy things we don’t need to show off to people we don’t like. The old saying goes, ‘we have to keep up with the Joneses.’ So our garages or attics overflow with stuff we rarely use, and then we have to spend more on storage units for the overflow. Then, when we die, we leave it all to our children and grandchildren, so they have to sort through it all and give most of it away, or worse, have to throw it out because it is no longer useful, if it ever was. All of us should be shocked by the poverty of millions and disturbed by the injustices. The country of Haiti is a perfect example, as are many emerging nations. Yet, most of the time, we feel somewhat helpless about how to help effectively. Yet few of us desire to give up anything substantial to help. There is nothing wrong with, nor should we ever envy, a person who, as a believer, has abundant resources by God’s grace. It boils down to that familiar verse we also covered in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. As citizens of a kingdom, we have a higher calling. Those who live in affluent circumstances, including most Western cultures, must accept our responsibility to develop a more simplistic lifestyle and contribute generously to relief and evangelism. Of course, living a simple life requires prayerful wisdom, insight, and understanding. God expects us to be prudent with the resources he has given us to manage. God permits a few people to be abundantly wealthy, but their treasures must be stored up in heaven so they can effectively help others in need. Since we are only managers of all God has given us, our purpose today is to consider our responsibility in becoming a radical disciple and how that is connected to living a simple and balanced life. Of course, there are many advantages to living a simple life, but let’s look at some essential aspects. ...
Welcome to Day 2116 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Becoming A Radical Disciple 3 – Maturity and Creation Care – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/15/2021 Becoming A Radical Disciple – Maturity and Creation Care My purpose in this series is to consider eight character traits of Christian discipleship that are often neglected and deserve to be taken seriously. In the past two weeks, we have explored Nonconformity and Christlikeness. Today our focus will be on Maturity and Creation Care. Maturity What would be your answer if I were to ask you to summarize the Christian scene in the world today? While it is somewhat difficult to know with certainty, I would sum it up in just three words, namely ‘growth without depth.’ There is no doubt of the church’s phenomenal growth in many parts of the world, including the western cultures. The statistics of church growth are tremendous. Unfortunately, the news media, even many Christian ministries, focus on the negative aspects. ‘Explosion’ is not too dramatic a word to describe it. It is an exciting time to be alive as a citizen of God’s kingdom. For example, the church in China and India has grown at least one hundredfold since the middle of the twentieth century. More Christian believers now worship God every Sunday in China than in all the churches of Western Europe. Many churches have been forced underground, but persecution has grown and strengthened God’s kingdom throughout the ages. Bible.com and Biblegateway.com have experienced tremendous growth as more people are connected online. Never before have there been so many Biblical resources available today, especially on the internet, where many are either free or very inexpensive. For many years, the top category for podcasts worldwide has been Religion and Spirituality, with Christianity being the majority. A 2021 American Bible Society survey showed that 71% of Americans read the Bible regularly. To make a long story short, the kingdom of God is expanding rapidly, and when Christ returns a second time, it will be to establish His kingdom in a worldwide Eden. With all the negative news out today, this is the Good News that we can rally behind. While this is good news, we have to keep in perspective this is not an indication that many of these people desire to become radical disciples, for it is numeric growth without depth. Therefore, the third character trait of a radical disciple is Maturity. A lack of maturity is an issue in western culture and the church worldwide. Church leaders throughout the world indicate that this is an issue. There are superficial disciples everywhere; as we see, there is a massive problem with a lack of godliness and integrity. The church universal lacks a solid biblical or theological foundation of its own. This rapid growth results in an increasing number of immature disciples because few mature, knowledgeable Shepards are available to train the sheep. This fact is one of our calls to radical discipleship. The lack of radical discipleship is not new; the church’s rapid growth fuels it. We can say this because the apostles whose letters we find in the New Testament rebuke their readers for their immaturity and urge them to grow up. Consider, for example, Paul’s critique of the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this...
Welcome to Day 2115 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Becoming A Radical Disciple 2 – Christlikeness – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/08/2021 Becoming A Radical Disciple – Christlikeness As mentioned last week, my purpose in this series is to consider eight character traits of Christian discipleship that are often neglected and deserve to be taken seriously. In addition, last week, we considered four major secular trends threatening to engulf the Christian community. In the face of these, we are all called, not to feeble-minded conformity, but to radical nonconformity. As we face the challenge of pluralism, we are to be a community of truth, standing up for the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. As we face the challenge of materialism, we are to be a community of simplicity and pilgrimage. As we face the challenge of relativism, we must be a community of obedience to God’s precepts. Finally, as we face the challenge of narcissism, we must be a community of love. Today we will consider Christlikeness. Throughout our lives, we ask ourselves, what is our purpose during our pilgrimage while we remain here on earth? It is this: God created us to be his imagers, and as such, God wants his people to become like Christ, who is the perfect imager. For Christlikeness is the will of God for the people of God. Therefore, as citizens of God’s kingdom and imagers of God, we should imitate the only perfect imager, which is Christ. In today’s message, we will consider three steps in our process to Christlikeness. First, to lay down the biblical foundation for the call to Christlikeness; second, to give some New Testament examples; and third, to draw some practical conclusions. The Biblical Foundation of the Call to Christlikeness This foundation is not a single text, for the foundation is more substantial than can be summed up in one text. Instead, the foundation consists of three texts connecting us from the past to the present and giving us a glimpse of the future: Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and 1 John 3:2. The first text is Romans 8:29: For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. The second text is 2 Corinthians 3:18: So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. Before I read the third text, we need to understand that the perspective has changed from the past to the present, from God’s eternal foreknowledge to his present transformation of us by the Holy Spirit. From God’s eternal purpose to make us like Christ, to his historical work by his Spirit to transform us into an imager like Christ. The third text is 1 John 3:2: Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. Since God is working to this end, it is no wonder he calls us to cooperate with him. ‘Follow me,’ he says. ‘Imitate me.’ So, returning now to 1 John 3:2, we don’t know in any detail what we shall be, but we know that we will be like Christ. Therefore, there’s no...
Welcome to Day 2114 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Becoming A Radical Disciple 1 – Nonconformity – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 08/01/2021 Becoming A Radical Disciple – Nonconformity Over the past couple of weeks, we moved from radical choices, to a radical teacher, and now the title of this new series, ‘Becoming a Radical Disciple.’ Thinking of yourself as radical may make you uncomfortable. For others, it may be empowering. So let’s say I have a radical element in me, but I suspect that most of you also do in some area of life. First, why am I using the term ‘Disciple’ instead of ‘Christian?’ It surprises many people to discover that the followers of Jesus Christ are called ‘Christian’ only three times in the New Testament. Luke’s comment in Acts 11:26 was that it was in the Syrian Antioch church where Jesus’ disciples were first called ‘Christians.’ This is significant because Antioch was known to be an international community. Consequently, its church was an international community too. Therefore, it was appropriate that its members were called ‘Christians’ to indicate that their common allegiance to Christ overcame their ethnic differences. However, as a matter of trivia, the term Christian means ‘Little Christ’ and was used by outsiders in more of a derogative manner. The other two occurrences of the word ‘Christian’ prove that it was beginning to be more commonly used. When Paul was on trial before King Agrippa and challenged him directly in Acts 26:27, Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” Then the apostle Peter, whose first letter was written against the background of growing persecution, found it necessary to distinguish between those who suffered ‘as a criminal’ and those who suffered ‘as a Christian’ in 1 Peter 4:16, But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! Both words (Christian and disciple) imply a relationship with Jesus, although perhaps ‘disciple’ is the stronger of the two because it inevitably means the relationship of the pupil to teacher. During his three years of public ministry, the Twelve were disciples before they were apostles. As disciples, they were under the direct instruction of their teacher and lord. In some ways, it would be better if the word ‘disciple’ had continued into the following centuries so that Christians were self-consciously disciples of Jesus and took seriously their responsibility to be ‘under discipline,’ which means continuing to learn. My concern is that we who claim to be disciples are not serious enough in our commitment to the Lord Jesus, which will provoke him to say again: “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? (Luke 6:46). For genuine discipleship is passionate discipleship; this is where my next word comes in. So, secondly, why ‘radical’? Since this is the adjective I am using to describe our discipleship, it is crucial to indicate the sense in which I am using it. The English word ‘radical’ is derived from the Latin root word radix. Initially, it seems to have been applied as a political label to people with liberal and reformist views....
Welcome to Day 2113 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 11 – A Christian's Amazement: Who Is This Radical Teacher – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/25/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Amazement: Who is This Radical Teacher? Matthew 7:28-29 Today’s Scripture is found on page 1507 of the pew Bible. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law. Many secular and religious people are prepared to accept the Sermon on the Mount as containing self-evident truth. They know it includes such sayings as ‘God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.’ ‘Love your enemies,’ ‘No one can serve two masters,’ ‘Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. ’ and ‘Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.’ They say, in these passages, Jesus of Nazareth is the moral teacher at his most straightforward and best. As we have learned these past 11 weeks, Matthew 5-7 is much more than that. It is the Manifesto of Christ to the citizens of God’s kingdom. It is our marching orders. His teachings and sketch of the Christian counter-culture are his commands for radical discipleship. What remains for us now is to consider the uniqueness of the teacher himself. We shall find it impossible to drive a wedge between the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount and the Jesus of the rest of the New Testament. Instead, the teacher of the Sermon on the Mount is the same supernatural, dogmatic, divine Jesus to be found everywhere else. So the main question the Sermon forces upon us is not so much ‘What do you make of this teaching?’ as ‘Who on earth is this radical teacher?’ The reaction of those who heard the Sermon is they were amazed at the authority of his teaching. The teacher's great authority struck the first hearers of the Sermon (the crowds, as well as his disciples, 5:1). He did not hum and haw, or hesitate as I do when I speak. He was neither tentative nor apologetic. Nor again, on the other hand, was he ever bombastic or flamboyant. Instead, with quiet and unassuming assurance, he laid down the manifesto for the citizens of God’s kingdom. By the end of Jesus’s teaching, the crowds were amazed, for the Greek verb is strong; it means ‘dumbfounded.’ You know, the look of someone who is dumbfounded. In fact, I look that way quite often. Mouth open, glazed look in the eyes because it is difficult to take it all in. Let us analyze this authority of Jesus, as exposed in the Sermon. On what was it grounded? What was Jesus’s self-awareness which led him to speak in this way? What clues does the Sermon itself give of how he understood his identity and mission? We do not have far to seek to find answers to these questions. Today we will explore the seven attributes of this radical teacher. 1. Jesus’ authority as the teacher
The crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with absolute authority. Yes, Jesus presented himself first and foremost as a teacher, and he amazed his listeners with the substance, the quality, and the manner of his instruction. But, of course, there had been thousands of other teachers throughout the area and in the temple. Many were his contemporaries. What, then, was so special about Jesus? He...
Welcome to Day 2112 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 10 – A Christian Commitment: The Radical Choices – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/18/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Commitment: The Radical Choices Matthew 7:13-27 Today’s Scripture is found on page 1506 of the pew Bible. * The Narrow and Wide Gates
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. * True and False Prophets
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit, you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit, you will recognize them. * True and False Disciples
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ * The Wise and Foolish Builders
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” As mentioned last week, Matthew 7 consists of several self-contained paragraphs. However loosely, the connecting thread which runs through chapter 7 is that of relationships. It would seem quite logical that having described a Christian’s character, influence, righteousness, holiness, and ambition, Jesus should concentrate finally on our relationships. Today we will explore how those relationships are tied to our commitments as Christ-followers. As citizens of God’s kingdom, will we support that kingdom and build it up, or will we destroy it from within by making wrong choices? All choices have consequences, and our choices can be seen in the analogy of those citizens of our great country who take advantage of the benefits of a free society but then destroy the very foundation on which these benefits are built. Ponder this analogy today as we explore the truths discovered in the last half of Matthew chapter 7. Christ emphasizes here even more strongly than before the necessity of choice. We have learned about...
Welcome to Day 2111 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 9 – A Christian’s Relationships: Judging Others and Effective Prayer – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/11/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Relationships: Judging Others and Effective Prayer Matthew 7:1-12 Today’s Scripture is found on page 1505 of the pew Bible. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7 consists of several self-contained paragraphs. Their link with each other is not apparent. Nor does the chapter as a whole follow on from the previous chapter with any precise sequence of thought. However, the connecting thread which runs through chapter 7, however loosely, is that of relationships. It would seem quite logical that having described a Christian’s character, influence, righteousness, holiness, and ambition, Jesus should concentrate finally on our relationships. The Christian counter-culture is not individualistic but a community event. Relations within the community between the citizens of God’s kingdom and those who are not yet citizens are of overriding importance. Matthew 7 deals with the network of 7 relationships into which we are drawn as the followers of Jesus. We will focus on the first four this week, and the remainder over the next week or two. The seven relationships include: 1. To our fellow citizens of God’s Kingdom (1–5). 2. To a group startlingly designated ‘dogs’ and ‘pigs.’ (6). 3. To our heavenly Father (7–11). 4. To everybody in general: the Golden Rule (12). 5. To our fellow citizens of God’s kingdom (13, 14). 6. To false prophets (15–20). 7. To Jesus our Lord (21–27).
- Our attitude to our fellow citizens of God’s kingdom (1–5)
Jesus does not anticipate that the Christian community will be perfect. 1. The Christian is not to be a judge (1, 2)
Jesus’ words, Do not judge others, and you will not be judged, are well-known but often misunderstood....
Welcome to Day 2110 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 8 – A Christian’s Ambition: Not Material Security, But God’s Rule – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/04/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Ambition: Biblical Priorities Result in Freedom From Worry Matthew 6:19-34 Today’s Scripture is found on page 1505 of the pew Bible. * Teaching about Money, Possessions, and Worry
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. In the first half of Matthew 6 (1–18), Jesus describes the Christian’s private life ‘in the secret place’ (giving, praying, fasting); in the second half (19–34), he is concerned with our public business in the world (questions of money, possessions, food, drink, clothing and ambition). The same contrast could be expressed regarding our ‘religious’ and ‘secular’ responsibilities. This distinction is false, because we cannot separate these into water-tight compartments. Indeed, the separation of the sacred from the secular in church history has been disastrous. If we are Christians, citizens of God’s kingdom, then everything we do is holy because it is done in...
Welcome to Day 2109 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 7 – A Christian’s Prayer: Not Mechanical, But Thoughtful – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/27/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Prayer: Not Mechanical, But Thoughtful Matthew 6:7-15 Today’s Scripture is found on page 1504 of the pew Bible. I am displaying two versions of this passage on the overhead. Read along with me in your pew Bible or on the right-hand column from the overhead. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,[a] but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Hypocrisy is not the only sin to avoid in prayer, so is endless babbling like pagans (Non-Jews). For they think they will be heard because of their many words. Hypocrisy is the folly of the Pharisees, and repetitive babbling is the folly of the pagans. Hypocrisy is a misuse of the purpose of prayer (diverting it from the glory of God to the glory of self); babbling on is a misuse of the very nature of prayer (degrading it from a real and personal approach to God into a mere repeating of words with no substantive meaning). Again, we see that the method of Jesus is to paint a vivid contrast between two alternatives to indicate his way more plainly. First, regarding the practice of piety in general, he has contrasted the pharisaic way (flamboyant and selfish) with the Christian way (secret and godly). In particular, now regarding the practice of prayer, he contrasts the pagan way of empty babbling with the Christian way of meaningful communion with God. Jesus is always calling his followers to something higher than the attainments of those around them, whether religious people or secular people. He emphasizes that Christian right living is more excellent (because it’s inward), Christian love broader (because it’s inclusive of enemies), and Christian prayer more profound (because it’s sincere and thoughtful) than anything to be found in the non-Christian community. Last week we learned about the Pharisee’s way of prayer and its issues. Today let us consider the following: 1. The pagan way of prayer
I am displaying both versions on the overhead as an example of how your Bible study can be more effective. Comparing...
Welcome to Day 2108 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 6 – A Christian’s Religion: Real or Hypocritical – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/20/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Religion: Real or Hypocritical? Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 We are on the sixth week of our series on the Sermon on the Mount. I pray you are learning and enjoying it as much as I am. We won’t complete this series in eight weeks, but that is ok. Looking back over the past five weeks, we see that Jesus began his instruction on the mount by revealing the essential elements of Christian character in the beatitudes. Jesus then incorporated those character traits into the metaphors of salt and light, which is the influence for good that Christians will exert in the community if they exhibit this character. Further, He then described the Christian righteousness or right living, which must exceed the right living of scribes and Pharisees. Right living is accomplished by accepting the full implications of God’s law without dodging anything or setting artificial limits or a list of rules. It is the heart attitude or obedience rather than sacrifice. Christian righteousness is right living, unlimited. These teachings must penetrate our hearts, minds, and motives beyond our actions and words. It must master us even in those hidden, secret places. So today, as we transition from describing our Christian Character, Chrisitan Influence, and Christian Righteousness through good deeds, which we taught in the seven lessons of Matthew 5, we move to our motive when we perform good deeds. Let’s read Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18, which is found on page 1502 in the pew Bible * Giving to the Needy
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. * Prayer
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. * Fasting
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. When we think we may be getting an understanding of right living,...
Welcome to Day 2107 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 5 – A Christian’s Righteousness Part 2: The Spirit of the Law – Daily Wisdom Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2106 of our trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today we continue with our ongoing series of messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years. This first series of messages will cover the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5-7. I pray that it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement. Putnam Church Message – 06/13/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Righteousness Part 2: The Spirit of the Law Matthew 5:31-48 We are continuing this week on the subject of right living, or a Christian’s righteousness. If you remember, this is part of Matthew 5-7, commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is considered the closest to a manifesto in all Christ’s teachings. As citizens in God’s kingdom, our proclamation is to build that kingdom. If we were in the army, this would be our marching orders. That is an excellent analogy for these teachings because ‘We Are in the Lord’s Army’ as the old children's song goes. But, instead of violence, our weapons are the character traits in the beatitudes and are applied through us being salt and light. Not to beat a dead horse, although I understand that it is safer to do so than a live horse, let us not forget what we learned in previous weeks. Christ came to establish a Christian counter-culture, which turns our modern culture upside down. Or better to say, it turns an upside-down world, right-side up! (Flip the globe right-side up) So far, Jesus has spoken of a Christian’s character in the beatitudes and how if we take on those character traits, we can influence modern culture as we become the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This salt and light are manifested through right living, which is ‘good deeds.’ Last week we covered Matthew 5:17-30, the first three of seven teachings covering the remainder of chapter 5. This week our focus will be on Matthew 5:31-48. The entire passage is broken down into seven lessons to learn. Those seven lessons once again are: 1. Teaching about the Law 2. Teaching about Anger 3. Teaching about Adultery (Lust) 4. Teaching about Divorce 5. Teaching about Promises 6. Teaching about Revenge 7. Teaching about Love for Enemies
If you missed last week, please go to putnamchurch.org, where you can watch the message. It is also on the church’s FaceBook page. With that said, let’s move on to our fourth teaching, which is: Teaching About Divorce (Matthew 5:31–32) 31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’[m] 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery. The fourth...
Welcome to Day 2106 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 4 – A Christian's Righteousness Part 1: The Spirit of the Law – Daily Wisdom Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2106 of our trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today we continue with our ongoing series of messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years. This first series of messages will cover the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5-7. I pray that it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement. Putnam Church Message – 06/06/2021 Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Righteousness Part 1: The Spirit of the Law Matthew 5:17-30 So far, Jesus has spoken of a Christian’s character and the influence we will have in the world if we exhibit this character and if our character bears fruit in ‘good deeds.’ He now proceeds to define further this character and these good works in terms of righteousness, or as I like to call it, right living. Jesus explains that the right living He has mentioned twice, is a character trait we, as his disciples, should hunger after. (6) We may even suffer as we conform to God’s moral law. (10) In our passage for today, we learn that our good deeds, which we will call righteousness or right living, must be better than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (20). The ‘good deeds’ are deeds of obedience. Jesus began his Sermon with beatitudes in the third person (‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’). He continued in the second person (‘You are the salt of the earth,’ and You are the light of the world). In today’s verses, he changes to the authoritative first person and uses for the first time his unique and dogmatic formulas I tell you the truth (18), and I warn you (20). In verses 17-20, this first section teaches about the bridge of God’s old covenant, focused primarily on the nation of Israel and His new covenant, which is establishing His worldwide kingdom. It contrasts the New Testament and the Old Testament, between the good news and the law. I had initially planned to cover the entire passage listed in the bulletin, but unless you want me to speak for an hour, I thought it would be best to split it in half and finish the remainder next week. Therefore, we will cover Matthew 5:17-30 today. The entire passage is broken down into seven lessons to learn. We will cover lessons 1-3 today and the remainder next week. 1. Teaching about the Law 2. Teaching about Anger 3. Teaching about Adultery (Lust) 4. Teaching about Divorce 5. Teaching about Promises 6. Teaching about Revenge 7. Teaching about Love for Enemies
Teaching about the Law (Matthew 5:17-20) 17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven....
Welcome to Day 2105 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 3 – A Christian’s Influence: Salt and Light – Daily Wisdom Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2105 of our trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today we continue with our ongoing series of messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years. This first series of messages will cover the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5-7. I pray that it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement. Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Influence: Salt and Light Matthew 5:13-16 Last week we learned that the beatitudes describe the essential character of the disciples of Jesus, including us. As we continue with the verses today, the salt and light metaphors indicate their influence for good in the world, even today. Yet, the notion that we, as citizens of God’s kingdom, can exert a beneficial influence in the world should cause us to pause and consider if this is true. What possible influence could the character traits described in the beatitudes exert in this challenging, harsh world? What lasting good can the poor and the meek do, the mourners and the merciful, and those who try to make peace, not war? Would we not simply be overwhelmed by the floodtide of evil? What can we accomplish if our passion is an appetite for righteousness and our weapon is a pure heart? Are we too feeble to achieve anything, especially if we are a small minority in the world? Consider, though, how vast the army of citizens of God’s kingdom grows each day. More than we can imagine. It is evident that Jesus did not share our skepticism. When God became human in Jesus Christ, it was to continue His plan to establish His kingdom on earth, which began in Eden. It was only delayed because of sin. We read last week in verses 10-12 that the world will undoubtedly persecute the church, yet it is the church’s calling to serve this persecuting world with good deeds. To define the nature of our influence, Jesus used two domestic and everyday elements as metaphors. At the time of Christ’s life on earth, every home, however poor, used, and we still use both salt and light. During his boyhood, Jesus must often have watched his mother use salt in the kitchen and light the lamps when the sun went down. Salt and light are indispensable household commodities. Nothing is more useful than ‘salt and sunshine’ The need for light is evident. Salt, on the other hand, had a variety of uses. It was both a condiment and a preservative. It seems to have been recognized from time immemorial as an essential component of the human diet and seasoning of food. In particular, refrigeration was used to keep meat wholesome and prevent decay in the centuries before refrigeration was invented. Indeed it still is. If properly cured, meat can keep nearly indefinitely. Can you imagine a slab of bacon or ham without salt? It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. (hold up bacon) The fundamental truth behind these metaphors, common to them, is that the church and our modern culture are distinct communities. Further, the metaphors tell us something about both communities. The world without Christ is a dark place, with little or no light since an external light is needed to illuminate it. True, the world’s elite are always talking about how enlightened they are, but...
Welcome to Day 2104 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 2 – The Christian Character - The Beatitudes – Daily Wisdom Sermon on the Mount – A Christian’s Character: The Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-12 Everybody who has ever heard of Jesus of Nazareth, and knows anything at all of his teachings, is probably familiar with the beatitudes with which the Sermon on the Mount begins. Their simplicity of words and clarity of thought has attracted each new generation of Christians, and many others. The more we explore their implications, the more it remains unexplored. Their wealth is inexhaustible. We cannot plumb their depths. I will read each verse today as we go through the Beatitudes, so if you want to keep your Bibles open, starting in Matthew 5:3 Let us consider the beatitudes in detail. The first four beatitudes describe the Christian’s relation to God, and the last four the Christian’s relations and duties to their fellow humans. 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (3)
The Old Testament supplies the necessary background against which to interpret this beatitude. At first, to be ‘poor’ meant to be in literal, material need. But gradually, because the needy had no refuge but God, ‘poverty’ came to have spiritual overtones and be identified with humble dependence on God. Thus, to be ‘poor in spirit’ means acknowledging our spiritual poverty, indeed our spiritual bankruptcy, before God. For we are sinners, under God's holy wrath, deserving nothing but God's judgment. We have nothing to offer, nothing to plead, nothing with which to buy the favor of heaven. To the poor, in spirit, the kingdom of God is given. God’s rule, which brings salvation, is a gift as absolutely free as it is utterly undeserved. It has to be received with the dependent humility of a little child. At the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contradicted all human judgments and all nationalistic expectations of the kingdom of God. The kingdom is given to the poor, not the rich; the feeble, not the mighty; to little children humble enough to accept it, not to soldiers who boast that they can obtain it by their skill. In Jesus’s ministry on earth, it was not the Pharisees who entered the kingdom. They thought they were rich, so rich in merit that they thanked God for their attainments. The Zealots did not dream of establishing the kingdom by blood and sword. The publicans, prostitutes, and the rejects of human society, who knew they were so poor, could offer nothing and achieve nothing. They could only cry to God for mercy, and he heard their cry. Still today, the indispensable condition of receiving the kingdom of God is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty. 1. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (4)
One might almost translate this second beatitude, ‘Happy are the unhappy,’ to draw attention to the startling paradox it contains. What kind of sorrow can bring the joy of Christ’s blessing to those who feel it? The comfort is offered not primarily for those who mourn the loss of a loved one but also for those who mourn the loss of their innocence, righteousness, and self-respect. It is not the sorrow of grief to which Christ refers, but the sorrow of repentance. Mourning and comfort are the second stages of spiritual blessing. It is one thing to be spiritually poor and acknowledge it; it is another to grieve and...
Welcome to Day 2103 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sermon on the Mount 1 - The Upside-Down Culture – Daily Wisdom Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2103 of our trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Beginning today, I will share the messages I delivered at Putnam Congregational Church over the past couple of years. This first series of messages will cover the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5-7. I pray that it will be a conduit for learning and encouragement. Putnam Church Message – 05/16/2021 Sermon on the Mount – The Upside-Down Culture Matthew 5:1-2 The Sermon on the Mount covering Matthew 5-7 is Matthew’s version of the good news. It is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though possibly it is the least understood, and indeed, it is the least obeyed. Nevertheless, it is the nearest thing to a manifesto that Jesus ever uttered, for it is his description of what he wanted his followers to be and to do. In my mind, no two words better summarize its intention or indicate its challenge to the modern world more clearly than the expression ‘Christian counter-culture.’ You might say it is an upside-down culture. Let me tell you why. I realize that King Solomon tells us there is nothing new ‘under the sun.’ Still, with our ever-advancing technology and ability to communicate instantly to the entire world at once, it appears that a Christian counter-culture is more necessary than ever before when we take to heart the manifesto that Christ preached in The Sermon on the Mount. We have seen through the past several decades a spirit of disillusion. Each rising generation is disillusioned with the world it has inherited. Sometimes the reaction has been naive, though that is not to say it has been insincere. For example, there were times of unrest in the recent past coming out of the Vietnam War. There were riots and bombings in our country and many other places worldwide. But, unfortunately, we tend to forget those events quickly. The pandemic of the past 18 months has brought to the forefront what has been brewing under the surface for several decades. The events and philosophies have been put into overdrive. When you consider the Violent Uprisings, Riots, BLM, Critical Race Theory, Wokeness, Cancel Culture, Entitlement Mentality, and many other movements that we read about nearly every day, it seems like the wheels have fallen off the bus called common sense. It looks like someone has been passing out crazy pills. It is not just young adults anymore; adults of all ages have been influenced. Of course, with 24/7 always-on opinion newscasts, the talking heads constantly push an agenda. Add to that instant online social media; anyone can have their bully pulpit to spew their doctrine anywhere. When we begin to despair, we have to remind ourselves again. Although the noise may be louder today, there is nothing new under the sun. In a way, Christians should find this disturbing alternative reality prevalent in our culture one of the most hopeful, even exciting, signs of the times. For we recognize in it the activity of God’s Spirit within us who before he was our comforter was our disturber. We know for our current society to find true peace and comfort, it will only find it through the Spirit of Peace. Those pressing so hard against this Christian counter-culture are...
Welcome to Day 2102 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2102 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2102 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 31. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 31 * The Sayings of King Lemuel
31 The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message,[a] which his mother taught him. 2 O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, 3 do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. 5 For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. 6 Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. 7 Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more. 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. 9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. * A Wife of Noble Character
10 [b]Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. 11 Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. 14 She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. 16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. 18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the...
Welcome to Day 2101 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 30 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2101 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2101 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 30. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 30 * The Sayings of Agur
30 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.[a] I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.[b] 2 I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. 3 I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One. 4 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know! 5 Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. 6 Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. 7 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. 8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. 9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name. 10 Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. 11 Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. 12 They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed. 13 They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. 14 They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity. 15 The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More,...
Welcome to Day 2100 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 29 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2100 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2100 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 29. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 29 29 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. 2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. 3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted. 4 A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it. 5 To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet. 6 Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy. 7 The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all. 8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger. 9 If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction. 10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them.[a] 11 Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked. 13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common— the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both. 14 If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever. 15 To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. 16 When the wicked...
Welcome to Day 2099 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2098 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2098 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 27. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2099 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2099 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 28. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 28 28 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. 2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability. 3 A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops. 4 To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them. 5 Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely. 6 Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich. 7 Young people who obey the law are wise; those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.[a] 8 Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor. 9 God detests the prayers of a person who...
Welcome to Day 2098 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 27 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2098 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2098 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 27. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 27 27 Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring. 2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth— a stranger, not your own lips. 3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier. 4 Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous. 5 An open rebuke is better than hidden love! 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. 7 A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. 8 A person who strays from home is like a bird that strays from its nest. 9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. 10 Never abandon a friend— either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away. 11 Be wise, my child,[a] and make my heart glad. Then I will be able to answer my critics. 12 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. 13 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.[b] 14...
Welcome to Day 2097 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 26 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2097 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2097 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 26. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 26 26 Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest. 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. 3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back! 4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. 5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation. 6 Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison! 7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg. 8 Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot. 9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk. 10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random. 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. 12 There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise. 13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!” 14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed. 15 Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth. 16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors. 17 Interfering in someone else’s argument is as...
Welcome to Day 2096 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 25 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2096 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2096 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 25. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 25 * More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah. 2 It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them. 3 No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, or all that goes on in the king’s mind! 4 Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith. 5 Remove the wicked from the king’s court, and his reign will be made secure by justice. 6 Don’t demand an audience with the king or push for a place among the great. 7 It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table than to be sent away in public disgrace. Just because you’ve seen something, 8 don’t be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat? 9 When arguing with your neighbor, don’t betray another person’s secret. 10 Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation. 11 Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. 12 To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry. 13 Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer. They revive the spirit of their employer. 14 A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it is like clouds and wind that bring no rain. 15 Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones. 16 Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick! 17 Don’t...
Welcome to Day 2095 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 24 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2095 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2095 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 24. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 24 24 Don’t envy evil people or desire their company. 2 For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble. 3 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. 4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. 5 The wise are mightier than the strong,[a] and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. 6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers. 7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say. 8 A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. 9 The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker. 10 If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. 11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. 12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. 13 My child,[b] eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. 14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short. 15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live. 16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to...
Welcome to Day 2094 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 23 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2094 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2094 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 23. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 23 23 While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. 2 If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat; 3 don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you. 4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. 5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. 6 Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies. 7 They are always thinking about how much it costs.[a] “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it. 8 You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted. 9 Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice. 10 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans. 11 For their Redeemer[b] is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you. 12 Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge. 13 Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them. 14 Physical discipline may well save them from death.[c] 15 My child,[
Welcome to Day 2093 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 22 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2093 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2093 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 22. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 22 22 Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. 2 The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both. 3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. 4 True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life. 5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it. 6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. 7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. 8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end.[a] 9 Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor. 10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear. 11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend. 12 The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous. 13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!” 14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap; those who make the Lord angry will fall into it. 15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far...
Welcome to Day 2092 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2092 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2092 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 21. The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 21 21 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. 2 People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. 3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices. 4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart, and evil actions are all sin. 5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. 6 Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.[a] 7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away, because they refuse to do what is just. 8 The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road. 9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home. 10 Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them. 11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise; if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser. 12 The Righteous One[b] knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked; he will bring disaster on them. 13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. 14 A secret gift calms anger; a bribe under the table pacifies...
Welcome to Day 2091 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 20 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2091
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2091 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 20
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 20
20 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season
will have no food at the harvest.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
10 False weights and unequal measures[a]—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
11 Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
then brags about getting a bargain!
15 Wise words are more valuable
than much gold and many rubies.
Welcome to Day 2090 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 19 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2090
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2090 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 19.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 19
19 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and a fool.
2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.
3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many “friends”;
poverty drives them all away.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
nor will a liar escape.
6 Many seek favors from a ruler;
everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
7 The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.
8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and a liar will be destroyed.
10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule over princes!
11 Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish child[a] is a calamity to a father;
a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
15 Lazy people sleep soundly,
but idleness leaves them hungry.
16...
Welcome to Day 2089 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 18 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2089
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2089 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 18.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 18
18 Unfriendly people care only about themselves;
they lash out at common sense.
2 Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.
3 Doing wrong leads to disgrace,
and scandalous behavior brings contempt.
4 Wise words are like deep waters;
wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.
5 It is not right to acquit the guilty
or deny justice to the innocent.
6 Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;
they are asking for a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their ruin;
they trap themselves with their lips.
8 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
9 A lazy person is as bad as
someone who destroys things.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
the godly run to him and are safe.
11 The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense;
they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.
12 Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor.
13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.
14 The human spirit can endure a sick body,
but who can bear a crushed spirit?
15 Intelligent people are always ready to learn.
Their ears are open for knowledge.
16 Giving a gift can open doors;
it gives access to important people!
17 The first to speak in court sounds right—
until the cross-examination begins.
18 Flipping a...
Welcome to Day 2088 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 17 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2088
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2088 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 17.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 17
17 Better a dry crust eaten in peace
than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.
2 A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.
3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
liars pay close attention to slander.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;
parents[a] are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool;
even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
8 A bribe is like a lucky charm;
whoever gives one will prosper!
9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.
10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
11 Evil people are eager for rebellion,
but they will be severely punished.
12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.
13 If you repay good with evil,
evil will never leave your house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,
so stop before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
both are...
Welcome to Day 2087 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 16 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2087
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2087 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 16.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 16
16 We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud;
they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.
By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness,
than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.
10 The king speaks with divine wisdom;
he must never judge unfairly.
11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
he sets the standards for fairness.
12 A king detests wrongdoing,
for his rule is built on justice.
13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
he loves those who speak honestly.
14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat;
the wise will try to appease it.
15 When the king smiles, there is life;
his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
and good judgment than silver!
17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil;
whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before...
Welcome to Day 2086 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 15 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2086
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2086 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 15.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 15
15 A gentle answer deflects anger,
but harsh words make tempers flare.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,
but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
3 The Lord is watching everywhere,
keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
4 Gentle words are a tree of life;
a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5 Only a fool despises a parent’s[a] discipline;
whoever learns from correction is wise.
6 There is treasure in the house of the godly,
but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.
7 The lips of the wise give good advice;
the heart of a fool has none to give.
8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
9 The Lord detests the way of the wicked,
but he loves those who pursue godliness.
10 Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined;
whoever hates correction will die.
11 Even Death and Destruction[b] hold no secrets from the Lord.
How much more does he know the human heart!
12 Mockers hate to be corrected,
so they stay away from the wise.
13 A glad heart makes a happy face;
a broken heart crushes the spirit.
14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
while the fool feeds on trash....
Welcome to Day 2085 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 14 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2085
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2085 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 14.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 14
14 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord;
those who take the wrong path despise him.
3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
but the words of the wise keep them safe.
4 Without oxen a stable stays clean,
but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
5 An honest witness does not lie;
a false witness breathes lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it,
but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
7 Stay away from fools,
for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.
8 The prudent understand where they are going,
but fools deceive themselves.
9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can fully share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the godly will flourish.
12 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.
14 Backsliders get what they deserve;
good people receive their reward.
15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!
The prudent carefully consider their steps.
16 The wise are cautious[
Welcome to Day 2084 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 13 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2084
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2084 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 13.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 13
13 1 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline;[a]
a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
2 Wise words will win you a good meal,
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin everything.
4 Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper.
5 The godly hate lies;
the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
6 Godliness guards the path of the blameless,
but the evil are misled by sin.
7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
others who are rich pretend to be poor.
8 The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
but the poor won’t even get threatened.
9 The life of the godly is full of light and joy,
but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
10 Pride leads to conflict;
those who take advice are wise.
11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
wealth from hard work grows over time.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 People who despise advice are asking for trouble;
those who respect a command will succeed.
14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain;
those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
15 A person with good sense is respected;
a treacherous person is headed for destruction.[
Welcome to Day 2083 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 12 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2083
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2083 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 12.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 12
12 1 To learn, you must love discipline;
it is stupid to hate correction.
2 The Lord approves of those who are good,
but he condemns those who plan wickedness.
3 Wickedness never brings stability,
but the godly have deep roots.
4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.
5 The plans of the godly are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush,
but the words of the godly save lives.
7 The wicked die and disappear,
but the family of the godly stands firm.
8 A sensible person wins admiration,
but a warped mind is despised.
9 Better to be an ordinary person with a servant
than to be self-important but have no food.
10 The godly care for their animals,
but the wicked are always cruel.
11 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
12 Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot,
but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.
13 The wicked are trapped by their own words,
but the godly escape such trouble.
14 Wise words bring many benefits,
and hard work brings rewards.
15 Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to others.
16 A fool is quick-tempered,
but a wise person stays calm when insulted.
17 An honest witness tells the truth;
a false witness tells lies.
Welcome to Day 2082 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 11 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2082
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2082 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 11.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 11
11 1 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.
2 Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Honesty guides good people;
dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.
5 The godly are directed by honesty;
the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them;
the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends,
but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;
they shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;
a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.
16 A gracious woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17...
Welcome to Day 2081 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 10 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2081
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2081 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 10.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 10
The Proverbs of Solomon
10 1 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child[a] brings joy to a father;
a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
2 Tainted wealth has no lasting value,
but right living can save your life.
3 The Lord will not let the godly go hungry,
but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.
4 Lazy people are soon poor;
hard workers get rich.
5 A wise youth harvests in the summer,
but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.
6 The godly are showered with blessings;
the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
7 We have happy memories of the godly,
but the name of a wicked person rots away.
8 The wise are glad to be instructed,
but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
9 People with integrity walk safely,
but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
10 People who wink at wrong cause trouble,
but a bold reproof promotes peace.[b]
11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;
the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
12 Hatred stirs up quarrels,
but love makes up for all offenses.
13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
but those...
Welcome to Day 2080 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 9 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2080
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2080 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 9.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 9
Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved its seven columns.
2 She has prepared a great banquet,
mixed the wines, and set the table.
3 She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.
She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.
4 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
To those who lack good judgment, she says,
5 “Come, eat my food,
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;
learn to use good judgment.”
7 Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
8 So don’t bother correcting mockers;
they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
11 Wisdom will multiply your days
and add years to your life.
12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
Folly Calls for a Hearing
13 The woman named Folly is brash.
She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.
14 She sits in her doorway
on the heights overlooking the city.
15 She calls out to men going by
who are minding their own business.
16 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
To those who lack good judgment, she says,
17 “Stolen water is refreshing;
food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there.
Her guests are in the depths of the grave.[a]
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 9, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a...
Welcome to Day 2079 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 8 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2079
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2079 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 8.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 8
Wisdom Calls for a Hearing
8 Listen as Wisdom calls out!
Hear as understanding raises her voice!
2 On the hilltop along the road,
she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3 By the gates at the entrance to the town,
on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
4 “I call to you, to all of you!
I raise my voice to all people.
5 You simple people, use good judgment.
You foolish people, show some understanding.
6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.
Everything I say is right,
7 for I speak the truth
and detest every kind of deception.
8 My advice is wholesome.
There is nothing devious or crooked in it.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
clear to those with knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies.
Nothing you desire can compare with it.
12 “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.
I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.
14 Common sense and success belong to me.
Insight and strength are mine.
15 Because of me, kings reign,
and rulers make just decrees.
16 Rulers lead with my help,
and nobles make righteous judgments.[a]
17 “I love all who love me.
Those who search will surely find me.
18 I have riches and honor,
as well as enduring wealth and justice.
19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
my wages better than sterling silver!
20 I walk in righteousness,
in paths of justice.
21 Those who love me inherit wealth.
I will fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
23 I was appointed in ages past,
at...
Welcome to Day 2078 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 7 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2078
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2078 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 7.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 7
Another Warning about Immoral Women
7 Follow my advice, my son;
always treasure my commands.
2 Obey my commands and live!
Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.[a]
3 Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
4 Love wisdom like a sister;
make insight a beloved member of your family.
5 Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.
6 While I was at the window of my house,
looking through the curtain,
7 I saw some naive young men,
and one in particular who lacked common sense.
8 He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
strolling down the path by her house.
9 It was at twilight, in the evening,
as deep darkness fell.
10 The woman approached him,
seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11 She was the brash, rebellious type,
never content to stay at home.
12 She is often in the streets and markets,
soliciting at every corner.
13 She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
and with a brazen look she said,
14 “I’ve just made my peace offerings
and fulfilled my vows.
15 You’re the one I was looking for!
I came out to find you, and here you are!
16 My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19 for my husband is not home.
He’s away on a long trip.
20 He has taken a wallet full of money with him
and won’t return until later this month.[b]”
21 So she...
Welcome to Day 2077 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 6 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2077
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2077 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 6.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 6
Lessons for Daily Life
6 My child,[a] if you have put up security for a friend’s debt
or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—
2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement
and are caught by what you said—
3 follow my advice and save yourself,
for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.
Now swallow your pride;
go and beg to have your name erased.
4 Don’t put it off; do it now!
Don’t rest until you do.
5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter,
like a bird fleeing from a net.
6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
Learn from their ways and become wise!
7 Though they have no prince
or governor or ruler to make them work,
8 they labor hard all summer,
gathering food for the winter.
9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?
When will you wake up?
10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
12 What are worthless and wicked people like?
They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,
and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,
broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.
16 There are six things the Lord hates—
no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
a person who sows discord in a family.
20 My son, obey your father’s commands,
and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart.
Tie them
Welcome to Day 2076 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 5 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2076
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2076 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 5.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 5
Avoid Immoral Women
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment,
and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.[a]
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.
She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.
7 So now, my sons, listen to me.
Never stray from what I am about to say:
8 Stay away from her!
Don’t go near the door of her house!
9 If you do, you will lose your honor
and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
and now I must face public disgrace.”
15 Drink water from your own well—
share your love only with your wife.[b]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
having sex with just anyone?[c]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
Never share it with strangers.
18 Let your
Welcome to Day 2075 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 4 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2075
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2075 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 4.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 4
A Father’s Wise Advice
4 My children,[a] listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2 for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4 My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
10 My child,[b] listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12 When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever
Welcome to Day 2074 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 3 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2074
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2074 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 3.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 3
Trusting in the Lord
3 My child,[a] never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.
2 If you do this, you will live many years,
and your life will be satisfying.
3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
4 Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.
11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.[b]
13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
17 She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who...
Welcome to Day 2073 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 2 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2073
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2073 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 2.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 2
The Benefits of Wisdom
1 My child,[a] listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
12 Wisdom will save you from evil people,
from those whose words are twisted.
13 These men turn from the right way
to walk down dark paths.
14 They take pleasure in doing wrong,
and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
15 Their actions are crooked,
and their ways are wrong.
16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
17 She has abandoned her husband
and ignores the covenant she made before God.
18 Entering her house leads to death;
it is the road to the grave.[b]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never...
Welcome to Day 2072 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 1 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2072
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2072 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 1.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
8 My child,[a] listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.
10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!
11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave[b];
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13 Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”
15 My child, don’t go
Welcome to Day 2070 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 30 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2070
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2070 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 30.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 30
The Sayings of Agur
30 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.[a]
I am weary, O God;
I am weary and worn out, O God.[b]
2 I am too stupid to be human,
and I lack common sense.
3 I have not mastered human wisdom,
nor do I know the Holy One.
4 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?
Who holds the wind in his fists?
Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?
Who has created the whole wide world?
What is his name—and his son’s name?
Tell me if you know!
5 Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
7 O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
8 First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
10 Never slander a worker to the employer,
or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 Some people curse their father
and do not thank their mother.
12 They are pure in their own eyes,
but they are filthy and unwashed.
13 They look proudly around,
casting disdainful glances.
14 They have teeth like swords
and fangs like knives.
They devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among humanity.
15 The leech has two suckers
that cry out, “More, more!”[
Welcome to Day 2071 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 31 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2071
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2071 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 31.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 31
The Sayings of King Lemuel
31 The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message,[a] which his mother taught him.
2 O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows,
3 do not waste your strength on women,
on those who ruin kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.
Rulers should not crave alcohol.
5 For if they drink, they may forget the law
and not give justice to the oppressed.
6 Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.
7 Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.
8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
A Wife of Noble Character
10 [b]Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the...
Welcome to Day 2069 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 29 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2069
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2069 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 29.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 29
29 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism
will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked are in power, they groan.
3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
4 A just king gives stability to his nation,
but one who demands bribes destroys it.
5 To flatter friends
is to lay a trap for their feet.
6 Evil people are trapped by sin,
but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.
7 The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.
8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated,
but the wise will calm anger.
9 If a wise person takes a fool to court,
there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.
10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people,
but the upright seek to help them.[a]
11 Fools vent their anger,
but the wise quietly hold it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to liars,
all his advisers will be wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common—
the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor fairly,
his throne will last forever.
15 To discipline a child produces wisdom,
but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
16 When the wicked...
Welcome to Day 2068 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 28 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2068
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2068 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 28.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 28
28 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,
but the godly are as bold as lions.
2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.
But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.
3 A poor person who oppresses the poor
is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops.
4 To reject the law is to praise the wicked;
to obey the law is to fight them.
5 Evil people don’t understand justice,
but those who follow the Lord understand completely.
6 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and rich.
7 Young people who obey the law are wise;
those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.[a]
8 Income from charging high interest rates
will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.
9 God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.
10 Those who lead good people along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the honest will inherit good things.
11 Rich people may think they are wise,
but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.
12 When the godly succeed, everyone is glad.
When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper,
but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
14 Blessed are those who fear to do wrong,[
Welcome to Day 2067 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 27 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2067
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2067 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 27.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 27
27 Don’t brag about tomorrow,
since you don’t know what the day will bring.
2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
a stranger, not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.
4 Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood,
but jealousy is even more dangerous.
5 An open rebuke
is better than hidden love!
6 Wounds from a sincere friend
are better than many kisses from an enemy.
7 A person who is full refuses honey,
but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.
8 A person who strays from home
is like a bird that strays from its nest.
9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend
is as sweet as perfume and incense.
10 Never abandon a friend—
either yours or your father’s.
When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.
It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.
11 Be wise, my child,[a] and make my heart glad.
Then I will be able to answer my critics.
12 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
13 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.[b]
14...
Welcome to Day 2066 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 26 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2066
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2066 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 26.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 26
26 Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
and a fool with a rod to his back!
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6 Trusting a fool to convey a message
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8 Honoring a fool
is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
is like an archer who shoots at random.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12 There is more hope for fools
than for people who think they are wise.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!
Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter
than seven wise counselors.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument
is as...
Welcome to Day 2065 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 25 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2065
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2065 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 25.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 25
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah.
2 It is God’s privilege to conceal things
and the king’s privilege to discover them.
3 No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth,
or all that goes on in the king’s mind!
4 Remove the impurities from silver,
and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s court,
and his reign will be made secure by justice.
6 Don’t demand an audience with the king
or push for a place among the great.
7 It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table
than to be sent away in public disgrace.
Just because you’ve seen something,
8 don’t be in a hurry to go to court.
For what will you do in the end
if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?
9 When arguing with your neighbor,
don’t betray another person’s secret.
10 Others may accuse you of gossip,
and you will never regain your good reputation.
11 Timely advice is lovely,
like golden apples in a silver basket.
12 To one who listens, valid criticism
is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.
13 Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer.
They revive the spirit of their employer.
14 A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it
is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
15 Patience can persuade a prince,
and soft speech can break bones.
16 Do you like honey?
Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!
17 Don’t visit your neighbors too often,
or...
Welcome to Day 2064 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 24 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2064
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2064 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 24.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 24
24 Don’t envy evil people
or desire their company.
2 For their hearts plot violence,
and their words always stir up trouble.
3 A house is built by wisdom
and becomes strong through good sense.
4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled
with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
5 The wise are mightier than the strong,[a]
and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
victory depends on having many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.
8 A person who plans evil
will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
9 The schemes of a fool are sinful;
everyone detests a mocker.
10 If you fail under pressure,
your strength is too small.
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
13 My child,[b] eat honey, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
If you find it, you will have a bright future,
and your hopes will not be cut short.
15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,
and don’t raid the house where the godly live.
16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to...
Welcome to Day 2063 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 23 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2063
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2063 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 23.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 23
23 While dining with a ruler,
pay attention to what is put before you.
2 If you are a big eater,
put a knife to your throat;
3 don’t desire all the delicacies,
for he might be trying to trick you.
4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle.
6 Don’t eat with people who are stingy;
don’t desire their delicacies.
7 They are always thinking about how much it costs.[a]
“Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
8 You will throw up what little you’ve eaten,
and your compliments will be wasted.
9 Don’t waste your breath on fools,
for they will despise the wisest advice.
10 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers;
don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
11 For their Redeemer[b] is strong;
he himself will bring their charges against you.
12 Commit yourself to instruction;
listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13 Don’t fail to discipline your children.
The rod of punishment won’t kill them.
14 Physical discipline
may well save them from death.[c]
15 My child,[
Welcome to Day 2062 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 21 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2062
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2062 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 22.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 22
22 Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord made them both.
3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road;
whoever values life will avoid it.
6 Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
7 Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster,
and their reign of terror will come to an end.[a]
9 Blessed are those who are generous,
because they feed the poor.
10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too.
Quarrels and insults will disappear.
11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech
will have the king as a friend.
12 The Lord preserves those with knowledge,
but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there!
If I go outside, I might be killed!”
14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;
those who make the Lord angry will fall into it.
15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness,
but physical discipline will drive it far away.
16 A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor
or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17 Listen to the words of the wise;
apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today—yes, you—
so you will trust in the Lord.
20 I have written thirty...
Welcome to Day 2061 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 21 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2061
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2061 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 21.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 21
21 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
he guides it wherever he pleases.
2 People may be right in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.
3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
than when we offer him sacrifices.
4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
and evil actions are all sin.
5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.[a]
7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The guilty walk a crooked path;
the innocent travel a straight road.
9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic
than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.
10 Evil people desire evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise;
if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.
12 The Righteous One[b] knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked;
he will bring disaster on them.
13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
will be ignored in their own time of need.
14 A secret gift calms anger;
a bribe under the table pacifies...
Welcome to Day 2060 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 20 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2060
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2060 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 20
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 20
20 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season
will have no food at the harvest.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
10 False weights and unequal measures[a]—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
11 Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
then brags about getting a bargain!
15 Wise words are more valuable
than much gold and many rubies.
Welcome to Day 2059 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 19 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2059
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2059 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 19.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 19
19 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and a fool.
2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.
3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many “friends”;
poverty drives them all away.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
nor will a liar escape.
6 Many seek favors from a ruler;
everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
7 The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.
8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and a liar will be destroyed.
10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule over princes!
11 Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish child[a] is a calamity to a father;
a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
15 Lazy people sleep soundly,
but idleness leaves them hungry.
16...
Welcome to Day 2058 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 18 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2058
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2058 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 18.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 18
18 Unfriendly people care only about themselves;
they lash out at common sense.
2 Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.
3 Doing wrong leads to disgrace,
and scandalous behavior brings contempt.
4 Wise words are like deep waters;
wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.
5 It is not right to acquit the guilty
or deny justice to the innocent.
6 Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;
they are asking for a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their ruin;
they trap themselves with their lips.
8 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
9 A lazy person is as bad as
someone who destroys things.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
the godly run to him and are safe.
11 The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense;
they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.
12 Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor.
13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.
14 The human spirit can endure a sick body,
but who can bear a crushed spirit?
15 Intelligent people are always ready to learn.
Their ears are open for knowledge.
16 Giving a gift can open doors;
it gives access to important people!
17 The first to speak in court sounds right—
until the cross-examination begins.
18 Flipping a...
Welcome to Day 2057 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 17 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2057
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2057 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 17.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 17
17 Better a dry crust eaten in peace
than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.
2 A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.
3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
liars pay close attention to slander.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;
parents[a] are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool;
even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
8 A bribe is like a lucky charm;
whoever gives one will prosper!
9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.
10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
11 Evil people are eager for rebellion,
but they will be severely punished.
12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.
13 If you repay good with evil,
evil will never leave your house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,
so stop before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
both are detestable to the Lord....
Welcome to Day 2056 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 16 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2056
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2056 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 16.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 16
16 We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud;
they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.
By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness,
than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.
10 The king speaks with divine wisdom;
he must never judge unfairly.
11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
he sets the standards for fairness.
12 A king detests wrongdoing,
for his rule is built on justice.
13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
he loves those who speak honestly.
14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat;
the wise will try to appease it.
15 When the king smiles, there is life;
his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
and good judgment than silver!
17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil;
whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before...
Welcome to Day 2055 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 15 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2055
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2055 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 15.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 15
15 A gentle answer deflects anger,
but harsh words make tempers flare.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,
but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
3 The Lord is watching everywhere,
keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
4 Gentle words are a tree of life;
a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5 Only a fool despises a parent’s[a] discipline;
whoever learns from correction is wise.
6 There is treasure in the house of the godly,
but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.
7 The lips of the wise give good advice;
the heart of a fool has none to give.
8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
9 The Lord detests the way of the wicked,
but he loves those who pursue godliness.
10 Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined;
whoever hates correction will die.
11 Even Death and Destruction[b] hold no secrets from the Lord.
How much more does he know the human heart!
12 Mockers hate to be corrected,
so they stay away from the wise.
13 A glad heart makes a happy face;
a broken heart crushes the spirit.
14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
while the fool feeds on trash....
Welcome to Day 2054 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 14 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2054
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2054 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 14.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 14
14 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord;
those who take the wrong path despise him.
3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
but the words of the wise keep them safe.
4 Without oxen a stable stays clean,
but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
5 An honest witness does not lie;
a false witness breathes lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it,
but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
7 Stay away from fools,
for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.
8 The prudent understand where they are going,
but fools deceive themselves.
9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can fully share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the godly will flourish.
12 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.
14 Backsliders get what they deserve;
good people receive their reward.
15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!
The prudent carefully consider their steps.
16 The wise are cautious[
Welcome to Day 2054 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 14 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2054
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2054 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 14.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 14
14 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord;
those who take the wrong path despise him.
3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
but the words of the wise keep them safe.
4 Without oxen a stable stays clean,
but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
5 An honest witness does not lie;
a false witness breathes lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it,
but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
7 Stay away from fools,
for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.
8 The prudent understand where they are going,
but fools deceive themselves.
9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can fully share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the godly will flourish.
12 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.
14 Backsliders get what they deserve;
good people receive their reward.
15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!
The prudent carefully consider their steps.
16 The wise are cautious[
Welcome to Day 2053 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 13 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2053
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2053 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 13.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 13
13 1 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline;[a]
a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
2 Wise words will win you a good meal,
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin everything.
4 Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper.
5 The godly hate lies;
the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
6 Godliness guards the path of the blameless,
but the evil are misled by sin.
7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
others who are rich pretend to be poor.
8 The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
but the poor won’t even get threatened.
9 The life of the godly is full of light and joy,
but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
10 Pride leads to conflict;
those who take advice are wise.
11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
wealth from hard work grows over time.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 People who despise advice are asking for trouble;
those who respect a command will succeed.
14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain;
those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
15 A person with good sense is respected;
a treacherous person is headed for destruction.[
Welcome to Day 2052 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 12 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2052
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2052 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 12.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 12
12 1 To learn, you must love discipline;
it is stupid to hate correction.
2 The Lord approves of those who are good,
but he condemns those who plan wickedness.
3 Wickedness never brings stability,
but the godly have deep roots.
4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.
5 The plans of the godly are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush,
but the words of the godly save lives.
7 The wicked die and disappear,
but the family of the godly stands firm.
8 A sensible person wins admiration,
but a warped mind is despised.
9 Better to be an ordinary person with a servant
than to be self-important but have no food.
10 The godly care for their animals,
but the wicked are always cruel.
11 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
12 Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot,
but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.
13 The wicked are trapped by their own words,
but the godly escape such trouble.
14 Wise words bring many benefits,
and hard work brings rewards.
15 Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to others.
16 A fool is quick-tempered,
but a wise person stays calm when insulted.
17 An honest witness tells the truth;
a false witness tells lies.
Welcome to Day 2051 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 11 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2051
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2051 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 11.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 11
11 1 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.
2 Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Honesty guides good people;
dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.
5 The godly are directed by honesty;
the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them;
the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends,
but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;
they shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;
a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.
16 A gracious woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17...
Welcome to Day 2050 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 10 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2050
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2050 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 10.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 10
The Proverbs of Solomon
10 1 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child[a] brings joy to a father;
a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
2 Tainted wealth has no lasting value,
but right living can save your life.
3 The Lord will not let the godly go hungry,
but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.
4 Lazy people are soon poor;
hard workers get rich.
5 A wise youth harvests in the summer,
but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.
6 The godly are showered with blessings;
the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
7 We have happy memories of the godly,
but the name of a wicked person rots away.
8 The wise are glad to be instructed,
but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
9 People with integrity walk safely,
but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
10 People who wink at wrong cause trouble,
but a bold reproof promotes peace.[b]
11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;
the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
12 Hatred stirs up quarrels,
but love makes up for all offenses.
13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
but those...
Welcome to Day 2049 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 9 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2049
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2049 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 9.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 9
Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved its seven columns.
2 She has prepared a great banquet,
mixed the wines, and set the table.
3 She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.
She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.
4 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
To those who lack good judgment, she says,
5 “Come, eat my food,
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;
learn to use good judgment.”
7 Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
8 So don’t bother correcting mockers;
they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
11 Wisdom will multiply your days
and add years to your life.
12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
Folly Calls for a Hearing
13 The woman named Folly is brash.
She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.
14 She sits in her doorway
on the heights overlooking the city.
15 She calls out to men going by
who are minding their own business.
16 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
To those who lack good judgment, she says,
17 “Stolen water is refreshing;
food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there.
Her guests are in the depths of the grave.[a]
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 9, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a...
Welcome to Day 2048 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 8 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2048
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2048 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 8.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 8
Wisdom Calls for a Hearing
8 Listen as Wisdom calls out!
Hear as understanding raises her voice!
2 On the hilltop along the road,
she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3 By the gates at the entrance to the town,
on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
4 “I call to you, to all of you!
I raise my voice to all people.
5 You simple people, use good judgment.
You foolish people, show some understanding.
6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.
Everything I say is right,
7 for I speak the truth
and detest every kind of deception.
8 My advice is wholesome.
There is nothing devious or crooked in it.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
clear to those with knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies.
Nothing you desire can compare with it.
12 “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.
I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.
14 Common sense and success belong to me.
Insight and strength are mine.
15 Because of me, kings reign,
and rulers make just decrees.
16 Rulers lead with my help,
and nobles make righteous judgments.[a]
17 “I love all who love me.
Those who search will surely find me.
18 I have riches and honor,
as well as enduring wealth and justice.
19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
my wages better than sterling silver!
20 I walk in righteousness,
in paths of justice.
21 Those who love me inherit wealth.
I will fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
23 I was appointed in ages past,
at the very...
Welcome to Day 2047 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 7 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2047
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2047 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 7.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 7
Another Warning about Immoral Women
7 Follow my advice, my son;
always treasure my commands.
2 Obey my commands and live!
Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16554a (a)]
3 Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
4 Love wisdom like a sister;
make insight a beloved member of your family.
5 Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.
6 While I was at the window of my house,
looking through the curtain,
7 I saw some naive young men,
and one in particular who lacked common sense.
8 He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
strolling down the path by her house.
9 It was at twilight, in the evening,
as deep darkness fell.
10 The woman approached him,
seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11 She was the brash, rebellious type,
never content to stay at home.
12 She is often in the streets and markets,
soliciting at every corner.
13 She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
and with a brazen look she said,
14 “I’ve just made my peace offerings
and fulfilled my vows.
15 You’re the one I was looking for!
I came out to find you, and here you are!
16 My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19 for my husband is not home.
He’s away on a long trip.
20 He has taken a wallet full of money with him
and won’t return until later this month.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16572b (b)]”
21 So she seduced him with her pretty speech
and enticed him with her flattery.
22 He followed her at once,
like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16574c (c)]
23 awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
little knowing it would cost him his life.
24 So listen to me, my sons,
and pay attention to my words.
25 Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
Don’t wander down her wayward path.
26 For she has been the ruin of many;
many men have been her victims.
27 Her house is the road to the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16579d (d)]
Her bedroom is the den of death.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 7, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor,...
Welcome to Day 2046 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 6 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2046
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2046 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 6.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 6
Lessons for Daily Life
6 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%206andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16518a (a)] if you have put up security for a friend’s debt
or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—
2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement
and are caught by what you said—
3 follow my advice and save yourself,
for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.
Now swallow your pride;
go and beg to have your name erased.
4 Don’t put it off; do it now!
Don’t rest until you do.
5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter,
like a bird fleeing from a net.
6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
Learn from their ways and become wise!
7 Though they have no prince
or governor or ruler to make them work,
8 they labor hard all summer,
gathering food for the winter.
9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?
When will you wake up?
10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
12 What are worthless and wicked people like?
They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,
and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,
broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.
16 There are six things the Lord hates—
no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
a person who sows discord in a family.
20 My son, obey your father’s commands,
and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, their counsel will lead you.
When you sleep, they will protect you.
When you wake up, they will advise you.
23 For their command is a lamp
and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
is the way to life.
24 It will keep you from the immoral woman,
from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman.
25 Don’t lust for her beauty.
Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.
26 For a prostitute will bring you to poverty,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%206andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16543b (b)]
but sleeping with another man’s wife will cost you your life.
27 Can a man scoop a flame into his lap
and not have his clothes catch on fire?
28 Can he walk on hot coals
and not blister his feet?
29 So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife.
He who embraces her will not go unpunished.
30 Excuses might be found for a thief
who steals because he is starving.
31 But if he is caught, he...
Welcome to Day 2045 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 5 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2045
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2045 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 5.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 5
Avoid Immoral Women
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment,
and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16499a (a)]
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.
She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.
7 So now, my sons, listen to me.
Never stray from what I am about to say:
8 Stay away from her!
Don’t go near the door of her house!
9 If you do, you will lose your honor
and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
and now I must face public disgrace.”
15 Drink water from your own well—
share your love only with your wife.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16509b (b)]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
having sex with just anyone?[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16510c (c)]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
Never share it with strangers.
18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts satisfy you always.
May you always be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?
21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
they are ropes that catch and hold him.
23 He will die for lack of self-control;
he will be lost because of his great foolishness.
As you ponder Proverbs 5, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a
Welcome to Day 2044 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 4 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2044
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2044 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 4.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 4
A Father’s Wise Advice
4 My children,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%204andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16468a (a)] listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2 for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4 My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
10 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%204andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16477b (b)] listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12 When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
24 Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
25 Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
27 Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
As you ponder Proverbs 4, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we...
Welcome to Day 2043 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 3 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2043
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2043 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 3.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 3
Trusting in the Lord
3 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16433a (a)] never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.
2 If you do this, you will live many years,
and your life will be satisfying.
3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
4 Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.
11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16444b (b)]
13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
17 She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.
19 By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
by understanding he created the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,
and the dew settles beneath the night sky.
21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
Hang on to them,
22 for they will refresh your soul.
They are like jewels on a necklace.
23 They keep you safe on your way,
and your feet will not stumble.
24 You can go to bed without fear;
you will lie down and sleep soundly.
25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
26 for the Lord is your security.
He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
when it’s in your power to help them.
28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”
29 Don’t plot harm against your neighbor,
for those who live nearby trust you.
30 Don’t pick a fight without reason,
when no one has done you harm.
31 Don’t envy violent people
or
Welcome to Day 2042 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 2 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2042
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2042 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 2.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 2
The Benefits of Wisdom
1 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%202andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16411a (a)] listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
12 Wisdom will save you from evil people,
from those whose words are twisted.
13 These men turn from the right way
to walk down dark paths.
14 They take pleasure in doing wrong,
and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
15 Their actions are crooked,
and their ways are wrong.
16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
17 She has abandoned her husband
and ignores the covenant she made before God.
18 Entering her house leads to death;
it is the road to the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%202andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16428b (b)]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never reach the paths of life.
20 So follow the steps of the good,
and stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 For only the godly will live in the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be removed from the land,
and the treacherous will be uprooted.
As you ponder Proverbs 2, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2041 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 1 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2041 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 1.
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
8 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16385a (a)] listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.
10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!
11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16389b (b)];
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13 Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”
15 My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.
16 They rush to commit evil deeds.
They hurry to commit murder.
17 If a bird sees a trap being set,
it knows to stay away.
18 But these people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life.
Wisdom Shouts in the Streets
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22 “How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23 Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.
28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29 For they hated...
Welcome to Day 2040 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 31 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2040
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2040 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 31.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 31
The Sayings of King Lemuel
31 The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2031andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17262a (a)] which his mother taught him.
2 O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows,
3 do not waste your strength on women,
on those who ruin kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.
Rulers should not crave alcohol.
5 For if they drink, they may forget the law
and not give justice to the oppressed.
6 Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.
7 Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.
8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
A Wife of Noble Character
10 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2031andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17271b (b)]Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2031andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17282c (c)] clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 31,...
Welcome to Day 2039 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 30 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2039
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2039 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 30.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 30
The Sayings of Agur
30 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2030andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17229a (a)]
I am weary, O God;
I am weary and worn out, O God.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2030andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17229b (b)]
2 I am too stupid to be human,
and I lack common sense.
3 I have not mastered human wisdom,
nor do I know the Holy One.
4 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?
Who holds the wind in his fists?
Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?
Who has created the whole wide world?
What is his name—and his son’s name?
Tell me if you know!
5 Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
7 O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
8 First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
10 Never slander a worker to the employer,
or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 Some people curse their father
and do not thank their mother.
12 They are pure in their own eyes,
but they are filthy and unwashed.
13 They look proudly around,
casting disdainful glances.
14 They have teeth like swords
and fangs like knives.
They devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among humanity.
15 The leech has two suckers
that cry out, “More, more!”[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2030andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17243c (c)]
There are three things that are never satisfied—
no, four that never say, “Enough!”:
16 the grave,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2030andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17244d (d)]
the barren womb,
the thirsty desert,
the blazing fire.
17 The eye that mocks a father
and despises a mother’s instructions
will be plucked out by ravens of the valley
and eaten by vultures.
18 There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
19 how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman.
20 An adulterous woman consumes a man,
then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
21 There are three things that make the earth tremble—
no, four it cannot endure:
22 a slave who becomes a king,
an overbearing fool who prospers,
23 a bitter woman who finally gets a husband,
a servant girl who supplants her mistress.
24 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
25 Ants—they aren’t strong,
but they store up...
Welcome to Day 2038 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 29 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2038
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2038 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 29.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 29
29 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism
will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked are in power, they groan.
3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
4 A just king gives stability to his nation,
but one who demands bribes destroys it.
5 To flatter friends
is to lay a trap for their feet.
6 Evil people are trapped by sin,
but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.
7 The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.
8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated,
but the wise will calm anger.
9 If a wise person takes a fool to court,
there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.
10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people,
but the upright seek to help them.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2029andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17211a (a)]
11 Fools vent their anger,
but the wise quietly hold it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to liars,
all his advisers will be wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common—
the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor fairly,
his throne will last forever.
15 To discipline a child produces wisdom,
but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
16 When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes,
but the godly will live to see their downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind
and will make your heart glad.
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
19 Words alone will not discipline a servant;
the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.
20 There is more hope for a fool
than for someone who speaks without thinking.
21 A servant pampered from childhood
will become a rebel.
22 An angry person starts fights;
a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
23 Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor.
24 If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself.
You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
but trusting the Lord means safety.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but justice comes from the Lord.
27 The righteous despise the unjust;
the wicked despise the godly.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 29, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love...
Welcome to Day 2037 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 28 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2037
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2037 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 28.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 28
28 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,
but the godly are as bold as lions.
2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.
But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.
3 A poor person who oppresses the poor
is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops.
4 To reject the law is to praise the wicked;
to obey the law is to fight them.
5 Evil people don’t understand justice,
but those who follow the Lord understand completely.
6 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and rich.
7 Young people who obey the law are wise;
those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2028andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17180a (a)]
8 Income from charging high interest rates
will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.
9 God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.
10 Those who lead good people along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the honest will inherit good things.
11 Rich people may think they are wise,
but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.
12 When the godly succeed, everyone is glad.
When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper,
but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
14 Blessed are those who fear to do wrong,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2028andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17187b (b)]
but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.
15 A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor
as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.
16 A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people,
but one who hates corruption will have a long life.
17 A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave.
Don’t protect him!
18 The blameless will be rescued from harm,
but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed.
19 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.
20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,
but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.
21 Showing partiality is never good,
yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.
22 Greedy people try to get rich quick
but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.
23 In the end, people appreciate honest criticism
far more than flattery.
24 Anyone who steals from his father and mother
and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
is no better than a murderer.
25 Greed causes fighting;
trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.
28 When the wicked take charge, people...
Welcome to Day 2036 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 27 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2036
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2036 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 27.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 27
27 Don’t brag about tomorrow,
since you don’t know what the day will bring.
2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
a stranger, not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.
4 Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood,
but jealousy is even more dangerous.
5 An open rebuke
is better than hidden love!
6 Wounds from a sincere friend
are better than many kisses from an enemy.
7 A person who is full refuses honey,
but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.
8 A person who strays from home
is like a bird that strays from its nest.
9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend
is as sweet as perfume and incense.
10 Never abandon a friend—
either yours or your father’s.
When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.
It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.
11 Be wise, my child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2027andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17157a (a)] and make my heart glad.
Then I will be able to answer my critics.
12 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
13 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2027andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17159b (b)]
14 A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning
will be taken as a curse!
15 A quarrelsome wife is as annoying
as constant dripping on a rainy day.
16 Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind
or trying to hold something with greased hands.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.
18 As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,
so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.
19 As a face is reflected in water,
so the heart reflects the real person.
20 Just as Death and Destruction[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2027andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17166c (c)] are never satisfied,
so human desire is never satisfied.
21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but a person is tested by being praised.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2027andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17167d (d)]
22 You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,
even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.
23 Know the state of your flocks,
and put your heart into caring for your herds,
24 for riches don’t last forever,
and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.
25 After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears
and the mountain grasses are gathered in,
26 your sheep will provide wool for clothing,
and your goats will provide the price of a field.
Welcome to Day 2035 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 26 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2035Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2035 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 26.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 26
26 Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
and a fool with a rod to his back!
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6 Trusting a fool to convey a message
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8 Honoring a fool
is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
is like an archer who shoots at random.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12 There is more hope for fools
than for people who think they are wise.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!
Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter
than seven wise counselors.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument
is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18 Just as damaging
as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19 is someone who lies to a friend
and then says, “I was only joking.”
20 Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21 A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
23 Smooth[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2026andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17141a (a)] words may hide a wicked heart,
just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,
but they’re deceiving you.
25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.
Their hearts are full of many evils.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2026andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17143b (b)]
26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,
their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
27 If you set a trap for others,
you will get caught in it yourself.
If you roll a boulder down on others,
it will crush you instead.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and flattering words cause ruin.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 26, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide,...
Welcome to Day 2034 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 25 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2034Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2034 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 25.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 25
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah.
2 It is God’s privilege to conceal things
and the king’s privilege to discover them.
3 No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth,
or all that goes on in the king’s mind!
4 Remove the impurities from silver,
and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s court,
and his reign will be made secure by justice.
6 Don’t demand an audience with the king
or push for a place among the great.
7 It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table
than to be sent away in public disgrace.
Just because you’ve seen something,
8 don’t be in a hurry to go to court.
For what will you do in the end
if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?
9 When arguing with your neighbor,
don’t betray another person’s secret.
10 Others may accuse you of gossip,
and you will never regain your good reputation.
11 Timely advice is lovely,
like golden apples in a silver basket.
12 To one who listens, valid criticism
is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.
13 Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer.
They revive the spirit of their employer.
14 A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it
is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
15 Patience can persuade a prince,
and soft speech can break bones.
16 Do you like honey?
Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!
17 Don’t visit your neighbors too often,
or you will wear out your welcome.
18 Telling lies about others
is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,
wounding them with a sword,
or shooting them with a sharp arrow.
19 Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble
is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.
20 Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart
is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather
or pouring vinegar in a wound.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+25andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17110a (a)]
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.
If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
22 You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 As surely as a north wind brings rain,
so a gossiping tongue causes anger!
24 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic
than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.
25 Good news from far away
is like cold water to the thirsty.
26 If the godly give in to the wicked,
it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring.
27 It’s not good to eat too much honey,
and it’s not good to seek honors for yourself.
28 A person without self-control
is like a city with broken-down walls.
Today, as you ponder...
Welcome to Day 2033 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 24 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2033
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2033 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 24.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 24
24 Don’t envy evil people
or desire their company.
2 For their hearts plot violence,
and their words always stir up trouble.
3 A house is built by wisdom
and becomes strong through good sense.
4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled
with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
5 The wise are mightier than the strong,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2024andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17061a (a)]
and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
victory depends on having many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.
8 A person who plans evil
will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
9 The schemes of a fool are sinful;
everyone detests a mocker.
10 If you fail under pressure,
your strength is too small.
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
13 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2024andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17069b (b)] eat honey, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
If you find it, you will have a bright future,
and your hopes will not be cut short.
15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,
and don’t raid the house where the godly live.
16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
don’t be happy when they stumble.
18 For the Lord will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them.
19 Don’t fret because of evildoers;
don’t envy the wicked.
20 For evil people have no future;
the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My child, fear the Lord and the king.
Don’t associate with rebels,
22 for disaster will hit them suddenly.
Who knows what punishment will come
from the Lord and the king?
More Sayings of the Wise
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise:
It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;
rich blessings will be showered on them.
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss of friendship.
27 Do your planning and prepare your fields
before building your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
don’t lie about them.
29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!
I’ll get even...
Welcome to Day 2032 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 23 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2032
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2032 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 23.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 23
23 While dining with a ruler,
pay attention to what is put before you.
2 If you are a big eater,
put a knife to your throat;
3 don’t desire all the delicacies,
for he might be trying to trick you.
4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle.
6 Don’t eat with people who are stingy;
don’t desire their delicacies.
7 They are always thinking about how much it costs.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17028a (a)]
“Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
8 You will throw up what little you’ve eaten,
and your compliments will be wasted.
9 Don’t waste your breath on fools,
for they will despise the wisest advice.
10 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers;
don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
11 For their Redeemer[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17032b (b)] is strong;
he himself will bring their charges against you.
12 Commit yourself to instruction;
listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13 Don’t fail to discipline your children.
The rod of punishment won’t kill them.
14 Physical discipline
may well save them from death.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17035c (c)]
15 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17036d (d)] if your heart is wise,
my own heart will rejoice!
16 Everything in me will celebrate
when you speak what is right.
17 Don’t envy sinners,
but always continue to fear the Lord.
18 You will be rewarded for this;
your hope will not be disappointed.
19 My child, listen and be wise:
Keep your heart on the right course.
20 Do not carouse with drunkards
or feast with gluttons,
21 for they are on their way to poverty,
and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23 Get the truth and never sell it;
also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
24 The father of godly children has cause for joy.
What a pleasure to have children who are wise.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17045e (e)]
25 So give your father and mother joy!
May she who gave you birth be happy.
26 O my son, give me your heart.
May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap;
a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
28 She hides and waits like a robber,
eager to make more men unfaithful.
29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?
Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?
Who has...
Welcome to Day 2031 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 22 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2031
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2031 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 22.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 22
22 Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord made them both.
3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road;
whoever values life will avoid it.
6 Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
7 Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster,
and their reign of terror will come to an end.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17000a (a)]
9 Blessed are those who are generous,
because they feed the poor.
10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too.
Quarrels and insults will disappear.
11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech
will have the king as a friend.
12 The Lord preserves those with knowledge,
but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there!
If I go outside, I might be killed!”
14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;
those who make the Lord angry will fall into it.
15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness,
but physical discipline will drive it far away.
16 A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor
or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17 Listen to the words of the wise;
apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today—yes, you—
so you will trust in the Lord.
20 I have written thirty sayings[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17012b (b)] for you,
filled with advice and knowledge.
21 In this way, you may know the truth
and take an accurate report to those who sent you.
22 Don’t rob the poor just because you can,
or exploit the needy in court.
23 For the Lord is their defender.
He will ruin anyone who ruins them.
24 Don’t befriend angry people
or associate with hot-tempered people,
25 or you will learn to be like them
and endanger your soul.
26 Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt
or put up security for someone else.
27 If you can’t pay it,
even your bed will be snatched from under you.
28 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers
set up by previous generations.
29 Do you see any truly competent workers?
They will serve kings
rather than working for ordinary people.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 22, please encourage your...
Welcome to Day 2030 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 21 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2030 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 21.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 21
21 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
he guides it wherever he pleases.
2 People may be right in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.
3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
than when we offer him sacrifices.
4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
and evil actions are all sin.
5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16967a (a)]
7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The guilty walk a crooked path;
the innocent travel a straight road.
9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic
than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.
10 Evil people desire evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise;
if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.
12 The Righteous One[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16973b (b)] knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked;
he will bring disaster on them.
13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
will be ignored in their own time of need.
14 A secret gift calms anger;
a bribe under the table pacifies fury.
15 Justice is a joy to the godly,
but it terrifies evildoers.
16 The person who strays from common sense
will end up in the company of the dead.
17 Those who love pleasure become poor;
those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
18 The wicked are punished in place of the godly,
and traitors in place of the honest.
19 It’s better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.
20 The wise have wealth and luxury,
but fools spend whatever they get.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 The wise conquer the city of the strong
and level the fortress in which they trust.
23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
and you will stay out of trouble.
24 Mockers are proud and haughty;
they act with boundless arrogance.
25 Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin,
for their hands refuse to work.
26 Some people are always greedy for more,
but the godly love to give!
27 The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable,
especially when it is offered with wrong motives.
28 A false witness will be cut off,
but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.
29 The wicked bluff their way through,
but the virtuous think before they act.
30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan
can stand against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the
Welcome to Day 2029 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 20 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2029
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2029 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 20.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 20
20 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season
will have no food at the harvest.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
10 False weights and unequal measures[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16941a (a)]—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
11 Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
then brags about getting a bargain!
15 Wise words are more valuable
than much gold and many rubies.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16947b (b)]
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet,
but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel;
don’t go to war without wise advice.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
20 If you insult your father or mother,
your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life
is not a blessing in the end.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
23 The Lord detests double standards;
he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
24 The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God
and only later counting the cost.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat,
then runs his threshing wheel over them.
27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16958c (c)]
exposing every hidden motive.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;
his throne is made secure through love.
29 The glory of the young is their strength;
the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the...
Welcome to Day 2028 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 19 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2028
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2028 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 19.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 19
19 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and a fool.
2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.
3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many “friends”;
poverty drives them all away.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
nor will a liar escape.
6 Many seek favors from a ruler;
everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
7 The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.
8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and a liar will be destroyed.
10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule over princes!
11 Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish child[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2019andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16915a (a)] is a calamity to a father;
a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
15 Lazy people sleep soundly,
but idleness leaves them hungry.
16 Keep the commandments and keep your life;
despising them leads to death.
17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!
18 Discipline your children while there is hope.
Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
19 Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty.
If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.
20 Get all the advice and instruction you can,
so you will be wise the rest of your life.
21 You can make many plans,
but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
22 Loyalty makes a person attractive.
It is better to be poor than dishonest.
23 Fear of the Lord leads to life,
bringing security and protection from harm.
24 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
25 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson;
if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.
26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother
are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
you will turn your back on knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice;
the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
29 Punishment is made for mockers,
and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 19, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a...
Welcome to Day 2027 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 18 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2027
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2027 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 18.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 18
18 Unfriendly people care only about themselves;
they lash out at common sense.
2 Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.
3 Doing wrong leads to disgrace,
and scandalous behavior brings contempt.
4 Wise words are like deep waters;
wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.
5 It is not right to acquit the guilty
or deny justice to the innocent.
6 Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;
they are asking for a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their ruin;
they trap themselves with their lips.
8 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
9 A lazy person is as bad as
someone who destroys things.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
the godly run to him and are safe.
11 The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense;
they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.
12 Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor.
13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.
14 The human spirit can endure a sick body,
but who can bear a crushed spirit?
15 Intelligent people are always ready to learn.
Their ears are open for knowledge.
16 Giving a gift can open doors;
it gives access to important people!
17 The first to speak in court sounds right—
until the cross-examination begins.
18 Flipping a coin[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16896a (a)] can end arguments;
it settles disputes between powerful opponents.
19 An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.
Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.
20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction.
21 The tongue can bring death or life;
those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord.
23 The poor plead for mercy;
the rich answer with insults.
24 There are “friends” who destroy each other,
but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 18, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily...
Welcome to Day 2026 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 17 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2026
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2026 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 17.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 17
17 Better a dry crust eaten in peace
than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.
2 A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.
3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
liars pay close attention to slander.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;
parents[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16856a (a)] are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool;
even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
8 A bribe is like a lucky charm;
whoever gives one will prosper!
9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.
10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
11 Evil people are eager for rebellion,
but they will be severely punished.
12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.
13 If you repay good with evil,
evil will never leave your house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate,
so stop before a dispute breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
both are detestable to the Lord.
16 It is senseless to pay to educate a fool,
since he has no heart for learning.
17 A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.
18 It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt
or put up security for a friend.
19 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin;
anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.
20 The crooked heart will not prosper;
the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.
21 It is painful to be the parent of a fool;
there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
23 The wicked take secret bribes
to pervert the course of justice.
24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 Foolish children[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16875b (b)] bring grief to their father
and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
26 It is wrong to punish the godly for being good
or to flog leaders for being honest.
27 A truly wise person uses few words;
a person with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 17, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow...
Welcome to Day 2025 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 16 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2025
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2025 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 16.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 16
16 We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud;
they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.
By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness,
than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.
10 The king speaks with divine wisdom;
he must never judge unfairly.
11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
he sets the standards for fairness.
12 A king detests wrongdoing,
for his rule is built on justice.
13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
he loves those who speak honestly.
14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat;
the wise will try to appease it.
15 When the king smiles, there is life;
his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
and good judgment than silver!
17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil;
whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and haughtiness before a fall.
19 Better to live humbly with the poor
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper;
those who trust the Lord will be joyful.
21 The wise are known for their understanding,
and pleasant words are persuasive.
22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it,
but discipline is wasted on fools.
23 From a wise mind comes wise speech;
the words of the wise are persuasive.
24 Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
25 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
26 It is good for workers to have an appetite;
an empty stomach drives them on.
27 Scoundrels create trouble;
their words are a destructive blaze.
28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;
gossip separates the best of friends.
29 Violent people mislead their companions,
leading them down a harmful path.
30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;
with a smirk, they plan their mischief.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained by living a godly life.
32 Better to be patient than powerful;
better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
33 We may throw the dice,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+16andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16850a (a)]
but the Lord determines how they fall.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 16, please encourage your friends...
Welcome to Day 2024 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 15 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2024
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2024 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 15.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 15
15 A gentle answer deflects anger,
but harsh words make tempers flare.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,
but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
3 The Lord is watching everywhere,
keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
4 Gentle words are a tree of life;
a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5 Only a fool despises a parent’s[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16789a (a)] discipline;
whoever learns from correction is wise.
6 There is treasure in the house of the godly,
but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.
7 The lips of the wise give good advice;
the heart of a fool has none to give.
8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
9 The Lord detests the way of the wicked,
but he loves those who pursue godliness.
10 Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined;
whoever hates correction will die.
11 Even Death and Destruction[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16795b (b)] hold no secrets from the Lord.
How much more does he know the human heart!
12 Mockers hate to be corrected,
so they stay away from the wise.
13 A glad heart makes a happy face;
a broken heart crushes the spirit.
14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
while the fool feeds on trash.
15 For the despondent, every day brings trouble;
for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
16 Better to have little, with fear for the Lord,
than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.
17 A bowl of vegetables with someone you love
is better than steak with someone you hate.
18 A hot-tempered person starts fights;
a cool-tempered person stops them.
19 A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers,
but the path of the upright is an open highway.
20 Sensible children bring joy to their father;
foolish children despise their mother.
21 Foolishness brings joy to those with no sense;
a sensible person stays on the right path.
22 Plans go wrong for lack of advice;
many advisers bring success.
23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;
it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
24 The path of life leads upward for the wise;
they leave the grave[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16808c (c)] behind.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
but he protects the property of widows.
26 The Lord detests evil plans,
but he delights in pure words.
27 Greed brings grief to the whole family,
but those who hate bribes will live.
28 The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking;
the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayers of...
Welcome to Day 2023 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 14 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2023
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2023 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 14.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 14
14 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord;
those who take the wrong path despise him.
3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him,
but the words of the wise keep them safe.
4 Without oxen a stable stays clean,
but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
5 An honest witness does not lie;
a false witness breathes lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it,
but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
7 Stay away from fools,
for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.
8 The prudent understand where they are going,
but fools deceive themselves.
9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can fully share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the godly will flourish.
12 There is a path before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.
14 Backsliders get what they deserve;
good people receive their reward.
15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!
The prudent carefully consider their steps.
16 The wise are cautious[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2014andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16765a (a)] and avoid danger;
fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.
17 Short-tempered people do foolish things,
and schemers are hated.
18 Simpletons are clothed with foolishness,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2014andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16767b (b)]
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evil people will bow before good people;
the wicked will bow at the gates of the godly.
20 The poor are despised even by their neighbors,
while the rich have many “friends.”
21 It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor;
blessed are those who help the poor.
22 If you plan to do evil, you will be lost;
if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.
23 Work brings profit,
but mere talk leads to poverty!
24 Wealth is a crown for the wise;
the effort of fools yields only foolishness.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is a traitor.
26 Those who fear the Lord are secure;
he will be a refuge for their children.
27 Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain;
it offers escape from the snares of death.
28 A growing population is a king’s glory;
a prince without subjects has nothing.
29 People with understanding control their anger;
a hot temper shows great foolishness.
30 A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
jealousy is like cancer in the bones.
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,...
Welcome to Day 2022 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 13 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2022
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2022 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 13.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 13
13 1 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline;[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16725a (a)]
a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
2 Wise words will win you a good meal,
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin everything.
4 Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper.
5 The godly hate lies;
the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
6 Godliness guards the path of the blameless,
but the evil are misled by sin.
7 Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
others who are rich pretend to be poor.
8 The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
but the poor won’t even get threatened.
9 The life of the godly is full of light and joy,
but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
10 Pride leads to conflict;
those who take advice are wise.
11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
wealth from hard work grows over time.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 People who despise advice are asking for trouble;
those who respect a command will succeed.
14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain;
those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
15 A person with good sense is respected;
a treacherous person is headed for destruction.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16739b (b)]
16 Wise people think before they act;
fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.
17 An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble,
but a reliable messenger brings healing.
18 If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace;
if you accept correction, you will be honored.
19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true,
but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.
21 Trouble chases sinners,
while blessings reward the righteous.
22 Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.
23 A poor person’s farm may produce much food,
but injustice sweeps it all away.
24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.
Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
25 The godly eat to their hearts’ content,
but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 13, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this...
Welcome to Day 2021 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 12 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2021
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2021 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 12.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 12
12 1 To learn, you must love discipline;
it is stupid to hate correction.
2 The Lord approves of those who are good,
but he condemns those who plan wickedness.
3 Wickedness never brings stability,
but the godly have deep roots.
4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.
5 The plans of the godly are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush,
but the words of the godly save lives.
7 The wicked die and disappear,
but the family of the godly stands firm.
8 A sensible person wins admiration,
but a warped mind is despised.
9 Better to be an ordinary person with a servant
than to be self-important but have no food.
10 The godly care for their animals,
but the wicked are always cruel.
11 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
12 Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot,
but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.
13 The wicked are trapped by their own words,
but the godly escape such trouble.
14 Wise words bring many benefits,
and hard work brings rewards.
15 Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to others.
16 A fool is quick-tempered,
but a wise person stays calm when insulted.
17 An honest witness tells the truth;
a false witness tells lies.
18 Some people make cutting remarks,
but the words of the wise bring healing.
19 Truthful words stand the test of time,
but lies are soon exposed.
20 Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil;
joy fills hearts that are planning peace!
21 No harm comes to the godly,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
22 The Lord detests lying lips,
but he delights in those who tell the truth.
23 The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge,
but fools broadcast their foolishness.
24 Work hard and become a leader;
be lazy and become a slave.
25 Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.
26 The godly give good advice to their friends;[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16722a (a)]
the wicked lead them astray.
27 Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch,
but the diligent make use of everything they find.
28 The way of the godly leads to life;
that path does not lead to death.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 12, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen...
Welcome to Day 2020 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 11 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2020
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2020 of our Trek. Establishing good habits is imperative for living a Godly life and one habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 11.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 11
11 1 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.
2 Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Honesty guides good people;
dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.
5 The godly are directed by honesty;
the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them;
the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends,
but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;
they shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;
a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.
16 A gracious woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Your kindness will reward you,
but your cruelty will destroy you.
18 Evil people get rich for the moment,
but the reward of the godly will last.
19 Godly people find life;
evil people find death.
20 The Lord detests people with crooked hearts,
but he delights in those with integrity.
21 Evil people will surely be punished,
but the children of the godly will go free.
22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23 The godly can look forward to a reward,
while the wicked can expect only judgment.
24 Give freely and become more wealthy;
be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper;
those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain,
but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor;
but if you search for evil, it will find you!
28 Trust in your money and down you go!
But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.
The fool will be a servant to the wise.
30 The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life;
a wise person wins friends.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2011andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16695a (a)]
31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth,
what will happen to wicked...
Welcome to Day 2019 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 10 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2019
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2019 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 10.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 10
The Proverbs of Solomon
10 1 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16634a (a)] brings joy to a father;
a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
2 Tainted wealth has no lasting value,
but right living can save your life.
3 The Lord will not let the godly go hungry,
but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.
4 Lazy people are soon poor;
hard workers get rich.
5 A wise youth harvests in the summer,
but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.
6 The godly are showered with blessings;
the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
7 We have happy memories of the godly,
but the name of a wicked person rots away.
8 The wise are glad to be instructed,
but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
9 People with integrity walk safely,
but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
10 People who wink at wrong cause trouble,
but a bold reproof promotes peace.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16643b (b)]
11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain;
the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
12 Hatred stirs up quarrels,
but love makes up for all offenses.
13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding,
but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.
14 Wise people treasure knowledge,
but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.
15 The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
the poverty of the poor is their destruction.
16 The earnings of the godly enhance their lives,
but evil people squander their money on sin.
17 People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life,
but those who ignore correction will go astray.
18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar;
slandering others makes you a fool.
19 Too much talk leads to sin.
Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
20 The words of the godly are like sterling silver;
the heart of a fool is worthless.
21 The words of the godly encourage many,
but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
22 The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.
23 Doing wrong is fun for a fool,
but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.
24 The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled;
the hopes of the godly will be granted.
25 When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away,
but the godly have a lasting foundation.
26 Lazy people irritate their employers,
like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.
27 Fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28 The hopes of the godly result in happiness,
but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity,
but it destroys the wicked.
30 The godly...
Welcome to Day 2018 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 9 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2018
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2018 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 9.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 9
1 Wisdom has built her house;
she has carved its seven columns.
2 She has prepared a great banquet,
mixed the wines, and set the table.
3 She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.
She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.
4 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
To those who lack good judgment, she says,
5 “Come, eat my food,
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;
learn to use good judgment.”
7 Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
8 So don’t bother correcting mockers;
they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
11 Wisdom will multiply your days
and add years to your life.
12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
Folly Calls for a Hearing
13 The woman named Folly is brash.
She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.
14 She sits in her doorway
on the heights overlooking the city.
15 She calls out to men going by
who are minding their own business.
16 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
To those who lack good judgment, she says,
17 “Stolen water is refreshing;
food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there.
Her guests are in the depths of the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%209andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16633a (a)]
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 9, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2017 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 8 – Daily Wisdom
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2017
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2017 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 8.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 8
Wisdom Calls for a Hearing
8 Listen as Wisdom calls out!
Hear as understanding raises her voice!
2 On the hilltop along the road,
she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3 By the gates at the entrance to the town,
on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
4 “I call to you, to all of you!
I raise my voice to all people.
5 You simple people, use good judgment.
You foolish people, show some understanding.
6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.
Everything I say is right,
7 for I speak the truth
and detest every kind of deception.
8 My advice is wholesome.
There is nothing devious or crooked in it.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
clear to those with knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies.
Nothing you desire can compare with it.
12 “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.
I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.
14 Common sense and success belong to me.
Insight and strength are mine.
15 Because of me, kings reign,
and rulers make just decrees.
16 Rulers lead with my help,
and nobles make righteous judgments.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+8andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16595a (a)]
17 “I love all who love me.
Those who search will surely find me.
18 I have riches and honor,
as well as enduring wealth and justice.
19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
my wages better than sterling silver!
20 I walk in righteousness,
in paths of justice.
21 Those who love me inherit wealth.
I will fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
23 I was appointed in ages past,
at the very first, before the earth began.
24 I was born before the oceans were created,
before the springs bubbled forth their waters.
25 Before the mountains were formed,
before the hills, I was born—
26 before he had made the earth and fields
and the first handfuls of soil.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,
when he drew the horizon on the oceans.
28 I was there when he set the clouds above,
when he established springs deep in the earth.
29 I was there when he set the limits of the seas,
so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.
And when he marked off the earth’s foundations,
30 I was the architect at his side.
I was his constant delight,
rejoicing always in his presence.
31 And how happy I was with the world he created;
how I rejoiced with the human family!
32 “And so, my children,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+8andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16611b (b)] listen to me,
for all who follow my ways are joyful.
33 Listen to my instruction...
Welcome to Day 2016 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 7 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2016 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 7.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 7
Another Warning about Immoral Women
7 Follow my advice, my son;
always treasure my commands.
2 Obey my commands and live!
Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16554a (a)]
3 Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
4 Love wisdom like a sister;
make insight a beloved member of your family.
5 Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.
6 While I was at the window of my house,
looking through the curtain,
7 I saw some naive young men,
and one in particular who lacked common sense.
8 He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
strolling down the path by her house.
9 It was at twilight, in the evening,
as deep darkness fell.
10 The woman approached him,
seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11 She was the brash, rebellious type,
never content to stay at home.
12 She is often in the streets and markets,
soliciting at every corner.
13 She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
and with a brazen look she said,
14 “I’ve just made my peace offerings
and fulfilled my vows.
15 You’re the one I was looking for!
I came out to find you, and here you are!
16 My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19 for my husband is not home.
He’s away on a long trip.
20 He has taken a wallet full of money with him
and won’t return until later this month.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16572b (b)]”
21 So she seduced him with her pretty speech
and enticed him with her flattery.
22 He followed her at once,
like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16574c (c)]
23 awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
little knowing it would cost him his life.
24 So listen to me, my sons,
and pay attention to my words.
25 Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
Don’t wander down her wayward path.
26 For she has been the ruin of many;
many men have been her victims.
27 Her house is the road to the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16579d (d)]
Her bedroom is the den of death.
Today, as you ponder Proverbs 7, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take
Welcome to Day 2015 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 6 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2015 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 6.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 6
Lessons for Daily Life
6 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%206andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16518a (a)] if you have put up security for a friend’s debt
or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—
2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement
and are caught by what you said—
3 follow my advice and save yourself,
for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.
Now swallow your pride;
go and beg to have your name erased.
4 Don’t put it off; do it now!
Don’t rest until you do.
5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter,
like a bird fleeing from a net.
6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
Learn from their ways and become wise!
7 Though they have no prince
or governor or ruler to make them work,
8 they labor hard all summer,
gathering food for the winter.
9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?
When will you wake up?
10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
12 What are worthless and wicked people like?
They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,
and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,
broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.
16 There are six things the Lord hates—
no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
a person who sows discord in a family.
20 My son, obey your father’s commands,
and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
21 Keep their words always in your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, their counsel will lead you.
When you sleep, they will protect you.
When you wake up, they will advise you.
23 For their command is a lamp
and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
is the way to life.
24 It will keep you from the immoral woman,
from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman.
25 Don’t lust for her beauty.
Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.
26 For a prostitute will bring you to poverty,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%206andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16543b (b)]
but sleeping with another man’s wife will cost you your life.
27 Can a man scoop a flame into his lap
and not have his clothes catch on fire?
28 Can he walk on hot coals
and not blister his feet?
29 So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife.
He who embraces her will not go unpunished.
30 Excuses might be found for a thief
who steals because he is starving.
31 But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole,
even if he has to sell everything in...
Welcome to Day 2014 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 5 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2014 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 5.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 5
Avoid Immoral Women
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment,
and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16499a (a)]
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.
She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.
7 So now, my sons, listen to me.
Never stray from what I am about to say:
8 Stay away from her!
Don’t go near the door of her house!
9 If you do, you will lose your honor
and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
and now I must face public disgrace.”
15 Drink water from your own well—
share your love only with your wife.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16509b (b)]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
having sex with just anyone?[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16510c (c)]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
Never share it with strangers.
18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts satisfy you always.
May you always be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?
21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
they are ropes that catch and hold him.
23 He will die for lack of self-control;
he will be lost because of his great foolishness.
As you ponder Proverbs 4, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’...
Welcome to Day 2013 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 4 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2013 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 4.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 4
A Father’s Wise Advice
4 My children,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%204andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16468a (a)] listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2 for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4 My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
10 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%204andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16477b (b)] listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12 When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
24 Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
25 Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
27 Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
As you ponder Proverbs 4, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally...
Welcome to Day 2012 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 3 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2012 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 3.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 3
Trusting in the Lord
3 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16433a (a)] never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.
2 If you do this, you will live many years,
and your life will be satisfying.
3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
4 Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.
11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16444b (b)]
13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
17 She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.
19 By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
by understanding he created the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,
and the dew settles beneath the night sky.
21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
Hang on to them,
22 for they will refresh your soul.
They are like jewels on a necklace.
23 They keep you safe on your way,
and your feet will not stumble.
24 You can go to bed without fear;
you will lie down and sleep soundly.
25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
26 for the Lord is your security.
He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
when it’s in your power to help them.
28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”
29 Don’t plot harm against your neighbor,
for those who live nearby trust you.
30 Don’t pick a fight without reason,
when no one has done you harm.
31 Don’t envy violent people
or copy their ways.
32 Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord,
but he...
Welcome to Day 2011 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs – Chapter 2 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2011 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 2.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 2
The Benefits of Wisdom
1 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%202andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16411a (a)] listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
12 Wisdom will save you from evil people,
from those whose words are twisted.
13 These men turn from the right way
to walk down dark paths.
14 They take pleasure in doing wrong,
and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
15 Their actions are crooked,
and their ways are wrong.
16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
17 She has abandoned her husband
and ignores the covenant she made before God.
18 Entering her house leads to death;
it is the road to the grave.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%202andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16428b (b)]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never reach the paths of life.
20 So follow the steps of the good,
and stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 For only the godly will live in the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be removed from the land,
and the treacherous will be uprooted.
As you ponder Proverbs 2, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2010 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 1 – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, but my grandkids call me Gramps. We are on Day 2010 of our Trek. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. The realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom drives me to seek God’s wisdom each day, and there is no better way to do this than to meditate on God’s book of Wisdom. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Proverbs 1.
The Book of Proverbs - Chapter 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
8 My child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16385a (a)] listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.
10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!
11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16389b (b)];
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13 Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”
15 My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.
16 They rush to commit evil deeds.
They hurry to commit murder.
17 If a bird sees a trap being set,
it knows to stay away.
18 But these people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life.
Wisdom Shouts in the Streets
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22 “How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23 Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.
28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29 For they hated...
Welcome to Day 2009 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Remember Your Creator – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2009 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 12, which is the final chapter, and I have titled this chapter:
Remember Your Creator
1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.
4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.
5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.
6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Concluding Thoughts about the Teacher
8 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”
9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17510a (a)]
11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17511b (b)] drives the sheep.
12 But, my child,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17512c (c)] let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s...
Welcome to Day 2008 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Uncertainties Of Life – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2008 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 11, and I have titled this chapter:
The Uncertainties Of Life
1Send your grain across the seas,
and in time, profits will flow back to you.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2011andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17491a (a)]
2 But divide your investments among many places,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2011andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17492b (b)]
for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.
3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.
4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2011andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17495c (c)] so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
Advice for Young and Old
7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.
8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
9 Young people,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2011andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17499d (d)] it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.
As you ponder this chapter covering The Uncertainties of Life, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 2007 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Ironies Of Life – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2007 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 10, and I have titled this chapter:
The Ironies Of Life
1As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,
so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.
2 A wise person chooses the right road;
a fool takes the wrong one.
3 You can identify fools
just by the way they walk down the street!
4 If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit!
A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.
The Ironies of Life
5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants!
8 When you dig a well,
you might fall in.
When you demolish an old wall,
you could be bitten by a snake.
9 When you work in a quarry,
stones might fall and crush you.
When you chop wood,
there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
10 Using a dull ax requires great strength,
so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom;
it helps you succeed.
11 If a snake bites before you charm it,
what’s the use of being a snake charmer?
12 Wise words bring approval,
but fools are destroyed by their own words.
13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions,
so their conclusions will be wicked madness;
14 they chatter on and on.
No one really knows what is going to happen;
no one can predict the future.
15 Fools are so exhausted by a little work
that they can’t even find their way home.
16 What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2010andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17486a (a)]
the land whose leaders feast in the morning.
17 Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader
and whose leaders feast at the proper time
to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
18 Laziness leads to a sagging roof;
idleness leads to a leaky house.
19 A party gives laughter,
wine gives happiness,
and money gives everything!
20 Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts.
And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom.
For a little bird might deliver your message
and tell them what you said.
As you ponder this chapter covering Thoughts On Wisdom And Folly, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and...
Welcome to Day 2006 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Thoughts On Wisdom And Folly – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2006 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 9, and I have titled this chapter:
Thoughts On Wisdom And Folly
Death Comes to All
1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 2 The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%209andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17454a (a)] ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.
3 It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”
5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. 7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!
9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. 10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%209andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17462b (b)] there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
11 I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.
12 People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.
Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly
13 Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. 14 There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. 15 A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. 16 So
Welcome to Day 2005 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Wicked And The Righteous – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2005 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 8, and I have titled this chapter:
The Wicked And The Righteous
How wonderful to be wise,
to analyze and interpret things.
Wisdom lights up a person’s face,
softening its harshness.
Obedience to the King
2 Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. 3 Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. 4 His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. 5 Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right, 6 for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble.
7 Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen? 8 None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.
The Wicked and the Righteous
9 I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other. 10 I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%208andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17445a (a)] in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless. 11 When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. 12 But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. 13 The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows.
14 And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!
15 So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.
16 In my search for wisdom and in my observation of people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. 17 I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim.
As you ponder this chapter covering The Wicked And The Righteous, please...
Welcome to Day 2004 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wisdom For Life – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2004 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 7, and I have titled this chapter:
Wisdom For Life
A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies—
so the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
4 A wise person thinks a lot about death,
while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
5 Better to be criticized by a wise person
than to be praised by a fool.
6 A fool’s laughter is quickly gone,
like thorns crackling in a fire.
This also is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns wise people into fools,
and bribes corrupt the heart.
8 Finishing is better than starting.
Patience is better than pride.
9 Control your temper,
for anger labels you a fool.
10 Don’t long for “the good old days.”
This is not wise.
11 Wisdom is even better when you have money.
Both are a benefit as you go through life.
12 Wisdom and money can get you almost anything,
but only wisdom can save your life.
13 Accept the way God does things,
for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
14 Enjoy prosperity while you can,
but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
The Limits of Human Wisdom
15 I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. 16 So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? 17 On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time? 18 Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+7andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17424a (a)]
19 One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!
20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
21 Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you. 22 For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.
23 I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work. 24 Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find. 25 I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.
26 I discovered that a seductive...
Welcome to Day 2003 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Enjoy What You Already Have – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2003 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 6, and I have titled this chapter:
Enjoy What You Already Have
There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. 2 God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.
3 A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead. 4 His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn’t even have had a name, 5 and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man. 6 He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?
7 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough. 8 So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?
9 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
The Future—Determined and Unknown
10 Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.
11 The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?
12 In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?
As you ponder this chapter covering Enjoy What You Already Have, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily...
Welcome to Day 2002 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Futility Of Wealth – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2002 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 5, and I have titled this chapter:
The Futility Of Wealth
As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17376b (b)]Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.
4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. 6 Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.
7 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.
The Futility of Wealth
8 Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. 9 Even the king milks the land for his own profit![https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%205andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17383c (c)]
10 Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! 11 The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
12 People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.
13 There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. 14 Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. 15 We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.
16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.
18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work...
Welcome to Day 2,001 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Advantages Of Companionship – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2001 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and living a life with wisdom. Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 4, and I have titled this chapter:
The Advantages Of Companionship
Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. 2 So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. 3 But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
5 “Fools fold their idle hands,
leading them to ruin.”
6 And yet,
“Better to have one handful with quietness
than two handfuls with hard work
and chasing the wind.”
The Advantages of Companionship
7 I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. 8 This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.
9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
The Futility of Political Power
13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. 14 Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. 15 But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%204andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17373a (a)] who replaces him. 16 Endless crowds stand around him,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%204andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17374b (b)] but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.
As you ponder this chapter covering The Advantages of Companionship, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend
Welcome to Day 2,000 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Time For Everything – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2000 of our Trek. What a blessing it has been to serve you these past 2,000 treks. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and living a life with wisdom, and it can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I will read through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he realized God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 3, which is certainly fitting for episode 2,000 of Wisdom-Trek. I have titled this chapter:
A Time For Everything
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
The Injustices of Life
16 I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! 17 I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”
18 I also thought about the human condition—how God proves to people that they are like animals. 19 For people and animals share the same fate—both breathe[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%203andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17355a (a)] and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! 20 Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust. 21 For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is our lot in life. And no one can bring us back to see what happens after we die.
As you ponder this chapter covering The Futility of...
Welcome to Day 1999 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Futility Of Pleasure And Work – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1999 of our Trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek as we focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years is to read a chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for living a life with wisdom. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I will read through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he realized God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Let’s read Ecclesiastes 2, and I have titled this chapter:
The Futility Of Pleasure And Work
I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. 2 So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” 3 After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.
4 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. 7 I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. 8 I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!
9 So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. 10 Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. 11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.
The Wise and the Foolish
12 So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%202andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17322a (a)]). 13 I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. 14 For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. 15 Both will die. So I said to myself, “Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!” 16 For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.
17 So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
The Futility of Work
18 I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. 19 And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my...
Welcome to Day 1998 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A View Of Wisdom Without God – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1998 of our Trek. Today we begin a transition in the structure of Wisdom-Trek as we focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible. One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years is to read a chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for living a life with wisdom. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I will read through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon wrote the book as the wisest person ever to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he realized God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom. This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Let’s begin today with the reading of Ecclesiastes 1, and I have titled this chapter:
A View of Wisdom Without God
These are the words of the Teacher,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-17293a (a)] King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.
Everything Is Meaningless
2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? 4 Generations come, and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises, and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. 6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. 7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. 8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.
9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually, it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11 We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.
The Teacher Speaks: The Futility of Wisdom
12 I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. 14 I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.
15 What is wrong cannot be made right.
What is missing cannot be recovered.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.” 17 So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind.
18 The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief.
To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.
As you ponder this chapter of wisdom without God, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Welcome to Day 1997 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Give Away Your Riches – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1997 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Richard Fairchild, and it is: Andrew Carnegie, who amassed a fortune of over 400 million dollars, ended up giving 99.5% of it away. He said this about it, ‘The man who dies rich, dies disgraced.’
Give Away Your Riches
Andrew Carnegie was a business tycoon whose fortune today would be worth 6.85 trillion dollars. He was undoubtedly one of the wealthiest persons of his day and would be the same today. Yet, even with all of his wealth, he understood that you can’t take it with you, and he gave nearly all of his wealth away. Most cities today still have a library that Andrew Carnegie initially funded. As Christ-followers, how we view possession, especially wealth, determines where our heart is. At best, we are to be stewards or caretakers of what God has given us the privilege to manage. We don’t own anything. The rich man nor the pauper take material resources with us when we die. Yes, we may pass on some of those resources to our family or worthy organizations, but we will no longer manage them. What we pass on in the way of character and integrity will determine our heritage for eternity. We can instruct and help others, which in turn will help others. This is the impact that we have on eternity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A17-18andversion=NLT (I Timothy 6:17-18)
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1996 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1996 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Habitation – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1996 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from A. W. Tozer, and it is: And what kind of habitation pleases God? What must our natures be like before he can feel at home within us? He asks nothing but a pure heart and a single mind. He asks no rich paneling, no rugs from the Orient, no art treasures from afar. He desires but sincerity, transparency, humility, and love. He will see to the rest.
God’s Habitation
A.W. Tozer was undoubtedly a man who knew and understood God better than most. When Jesus Christ ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He left His disciples with the promise that He would send an Advocate, a helper who would dwell within us and instruct us according to God’s Word. God’s Spirit dwelling in us gives us everything we need to live a Godly life. Everything we need to be about building God’s kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. God’s dwelling is each individual believer and all believers corporately; that is His church. Therefore, as the temple of God, we should maintain a pure heart and singleness of mind. God does not require great riches, for He has created it all. He chooses to dwell in our earthen vessels and desires us to have sincerity, transparency, humility, and love for Him and each other. He will take care of all of our needs.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%206%3A8andversion=NLT (Micah 6:8)
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1995 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1995 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Enjoying Every Minute – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1995 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Johnny Carson, and it is: And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it.
Enjoying Every Minute
While I am more inclined to say it is by God’s grace and providence in my life that brings me to the place where I can agree with Johnny Carson. If you understand and accept that you were put on earth for a reason. And ultimately, that reason is to bring honor and glory to God by building His kingdom here on earth, then will realize that it does not matter as much about what you do for employment, even if it is the high calling of a stay-at-home parent. Our calling and vocation as citizens of God’s kingdom are to live in such a manner that the love and grace of God flow through you to everyone you meet. So find out how best God can use you in your world, and then choose to find joy even on those difficult days. God’s grace abounds, and our lives and imagers of God should be to project God in all that we do.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+5%3A18-20andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1994 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1994 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Out Of The Storm – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1994 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Haruki Murakami, and it is: And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.
Out Of The Storm
Much like the pain of delivering a baby, or so I am told, when you are in the middle of a storm of life, it feels like you cannot endure. But, as with a newborn baby, once you hold that miracle of life, all the pain dissipates. Similarly, once the storms of life are over and you manage to survive, you may not realize at first that you have come through the storm. After the initial shock, knowing that the storm is over, you won’t be the same person you were when you entered that storm. Your life will be changed. If your mindset is strong and positive, you will shine like the sun after a storm. You will have learned the lessons of the storm, and know that when the next storm comes, you have the strength to get through it. You will rejoice in life lessons that allow you to carry on.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010%3A25andversion=NLT (Proverbs 10:25)
When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1993 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1993 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Undivided Heart – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1993 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from J. C. Geikie, and it is: An undivided heart, which worships God alone and trusts him as it should, is raised above all anxiety for earthly wants.
An Undivided Heart
Much of our anxiety and frustration in life is caused by a divided heart and mind. We desire that which is short-term and fleeting as opposed to being willing to sacrifice for that which is better for us long-term. We don’t trust God enough to be patient and wait on Him for the best for us. Instead, we settle for what is just ‘good enough.’ Only when we become undivided in heart and mind and desire God’s will for us, trusting in Him above all else, will our anxieties fade, and we will be satisfied and fulfilled in Him. Let us trust in God, allowing our confidence to grow, then fear and anxiety will control us less and less. Be undivided in heart and mind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A5-8andversion=NLT (James 1:5-8)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1992 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1992 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Laugh To Forget – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1992 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Tom Bodett, and it is: An optimist laughs to forget; the pessimist forgets to laugh.
Laugh To Forget
I realize that different people have different personalities and perspectives. Some are naturally inclined to view life through the lens of the past, others through the present, and still others through the perceived future. Some people or more pessimistic while others are optimistic. While I understand that part of a person’s outlook may be genetic in nature, or shaped by their past, we all have a choice to view each situation in life negatively or positively. As I have mentioned previously, I am an eternal optimist, and I will reframe just about everything I experience or encounter through a positive lens and mindset. I don’t know how to view life in any other manner. I must admit though when things are rough in life, I must choose that I will look for the good and benefits of every encounter, whether it appears to be good or bad. While we are in a situation, we don’t fully comprehend at the time if the situation will ultimately be good or bad. Many times, God permits us to go through trials and tribulations that are difficult to shape and mold us into His image. So, choose to laugh in every situation, and you will soon find that every situation is an opportunity to laugh. Life in this physical realm is short whether you live to 10 years or 150 years, so learn to laugh at life and the road you are on will appear much smoother.
Psalm 126
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+126andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-16093a (a)]
it was like a dream!
2 We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1991 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love...
Welcome to Day 1991 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Robbed Of Joy – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1991 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: An old man was asked what had robbed him of joy the most in his lifetime. He replied, ‘Things that never happened.’
Robbed Of Joy
We all fall prey to this syndrome at times. It is where we worry, fret, or have anxiety about what might happen. However, if you chronicle what causes you stress and then look back at it, you would soon realize that most things that consume us with worry never occur. We have little or no control over the remainder, so it is senseless to expend energy with anxiety. So instead of allowing fear to rob you of joy, cast all your cares on God, for He cares for you. Fill your life with gratitude and joy; there will be no room for fear and anxiety. A God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present can undoubtedly take care of us. Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be joyful in Jesus than to trust and obey.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204%3A6andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:6)-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1990 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1990 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Failures Are Practice Shots – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1990 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles F. Kettering, and it is: An inventor fails 999 times, and if he succeeds once, he’s in. He treats his failures simply as practice shots.
Failures Are Practice Shots
All famous inventors tried and failed dozen, hundreds, or possibly thousands of times before they came up with the correct combination to succeed. The problem is that most will give up long before they reach a reasonable level of success. Even today, with multi-processing high-speed computers running simulations or AI, it will take many iterations of a process before a successful outcome. Technology may speed up the processing, but it took many tries to make the computers we take for granted today. If you are unwilling to invest the time needed to succeed, then you will ultimately be doomed to failure. Once you succeed, you will need to continually reinvent yourself to stay ahead of the dozens of others who are improving your process or products. Failures on your quest are not the end. They are just practice shots where you are becoming increasingly better at what you are working on until you finally reach a level of success. Then after a brief celebratory victory lap, it is back to the grindstone to improve on your invention or pursuit. Do not give up. Run the race to win. Fulfill the destiny that God has called you to, no matter what those around you may say.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:1-4)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-30176c (c)] then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1989 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek...
Welcome to Day 1989 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Intelligent And Wise – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1989 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bryant H. McGill, and it is: An intelligent and wise person is never afraid or ashamed to find errors in their understanding of things.
Intelligent And Wise
We should not be ashamed to admit that we are wrong or may have errors in our work unless it is habitual. Only a truly intelligent and wise person is also mature enough to understand that you gain intelligence and wisdom by making mistakes, learning from them, and then continuing excellently. Now, there is a point if you keep repeating the same mistakes and you are not adding intelligence or wisdom that you may not be intelligent or wise. Intelligence is the accumulation of knowledge, while wisdom is an accumulation of common sense and life skills. So when you make mistakes or have errors in your work or studies, you have a choice to add to your learning and wisdom and make corrections, or you become a simple fool. In the first situation, there is no need to be ashamed. In the latter, you should be ashamed that you are not gaining intelligence and wisdom. Choose wisely.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%202%3A15andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 2:15)
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1988 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1988 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Infinite God – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1988 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from A. W. Tozer, and it is: An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.
We are limited in our abilities and thinking because we are finite creations. We are controlled and confined within space and time. We can only be in one place at a time, and we experience life one moment at a time. God has no such limitations on Him. Therefore, we cannot comprehend a God who dwells outside space and time. Yet, according to God’s revelation to us, through His Word, He has created us as finite creatures. But those same limitations are not part of God’s character. I can somewhat comprehend everlasting life, but that is based on a fixed starting point. I cannot understand not having a beginning or end. I cannot comprehend being untethered from the limitations of space. We know that Jesus’s resurrected bodies which we will take on at the last day, did not have the limitations our mortal bodies have today. We will be free to move within time and space at will. Since God is not limited as we are today, He can give all of himself to each of us individually. It is no different than if we were the only single-created human. God has no limits. Therefore, He can fill each one with His Spirit to dwell within us. His Spirit will teach, guide, and direct us in all we do. We believe by faith, even when we cannot understand.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Isaiah 55:8-9)
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1987 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’!...
Welcome to Day 1987 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be Concerned For Others – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1987 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is: An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
Be Concerned For Others
All of us tend to be self-consumed. We may not admit it, but in many ways, most of us act as if we are at the center of the universe. We become so self-absorbed that we fail to be concerned for others as we should be. Let us rise above our small individual worlds and show a broader concern for all humanity, starting with our family and close friends. God does not expect us to impact the world with His kingdom individually, but He does expect us to impact our world with His kingdom. If each of us, as Christ-followers, moves beyond self and focuses on the concerns and needs of others we influence, we will see the world change and God’s kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven. Let us change our small world so we can change the world as a whole.
Philippians 2:1-4
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1986 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1986 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be A Realist – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1986 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Sydney J. Harris, and it is: An idealist believes the short run doesn’t count. A cynic believes the long run doesn’t matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run.
Be A Realist
It is so easy to get stuck in the mindset of an idealist, wishing our lives and circumstances were what we desire instead of accepting life as it is. Yet, we don’t want to be a cynic, thinking that what we do does not matter long-term. Instead, a realist understands that we need to do what is required today and that it does matter while we plan, prepare, and work towards what we need to do long term. Neither the idealist nor a cynic will not be successful because they are not focused on the entire picture and refuse to accept areas they may not have control over. So, as difficult as it may be, being a realist, dealing with life as it is, and working through the obstacles is the only successful long-term path.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A10-13andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:10-13)
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1984 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1985 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Be Too Safe – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1985 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dr. Myron S. Allen, and it is: An idea in a cage is like a silver dollar buried in the ground. Both are safe, but neither produces anything.
Don’t Be Too Safe
Ideas or plans kept to yourself and not executed result in nothing for you or the world. Our purpose, our vocation as Christ-followers, is to be salt and light to the world while building God’s kingdom. If we remain safe in our little bubble, then we are not fulfilling God’s commands to go into all the world to make disciples throughout our sphere of influence. Instead, we are to plant the good news into the hearts of those whom we rub shoulders with. Or else we are to water the seeds which others have already planted. We are not to be idle. As the parable that Jesus taught in Matthew 25, we are to take what God has given us, whether little or much, and multiply it to the best of our abilities. Let us not play it safe as the one servant did and hide the money in the ground; let us be about multiplying His kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%203%3A5%2D7andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1984 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1984 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Always Decide – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1984 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John H. Patterson, and it is: An leader is a person who always decides; sometimes he decides correctly, but he always decides.
Always Decide
One significant difference between a person who leads effectively and a person who does not is their ability to make decisions on a timely basis. Every one of us is continually making decisions and choices, even if the decision is not to decide. Those who rise as authentic leaders can decide, even if their choices are not always correct. A genuine leader will also take responsibility for their decisions and then remedy any decisions that were not correct. The key is not being paralyzed with fear, but being able to move forward even if the path is not clear. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but if we abide in His Word continually, God will provide us with a sound mind so that the majority of the decisions that we do make will be wise decisions.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%202%3A24andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 2:24)
So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1983 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1983 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Excuse – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1983 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: An excuse is first cousin to a lie.
An Excuse
We all make excuses, just like we all have a propensity to lie. But, unfortunately, in both cases, the one hurt most by an excuse or a lie is ourselves. We are quick to make excuses for our lack of achievement or to cover up where we fell short in some area of life. Not in all, but in many cases, an excuse is a lie that we tell ourselves. While there are legitimate reasons to provide excuses for where we have missed the boat, we need not offer an excuse but state the reason for not meeting some expectations for ourselves or others. A viable reason is some circumstance that was out of our control, and therefore we were prevented from meeting an obligation or expectation. We do need to be careful that we do not allow our excuses or reasons to cross over the line where we choose to lie or fabricate our story in part or whole. Every time we lie, we do so to protect ourselves or our image. The fact is, though, it only tarnishes us even more than if we would have told the truth to begin with. So, as much as possible, minimize excuses, and avoid lying.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+2%3A20-23andversion=NLT (1 John 2:20-23)
But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1982 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1982 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Learn To Chew Quickly – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1982 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Roy Ash, and it is: An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew, hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.
Learn Quickly
I have been an entrepreneur since childhood, which has grown exponentially throughout my adult life. We have been successful in most endeavors but have also failed significantly at times. We have made a lot of profit, but we also lost nearly everything at one point. So I can completely relate to this quote today. So many times, I have bitten off more than I can comfortably chew with the hope and prayer that I can learn to chew before I choke. Sometimes, the best way to learn is in the middle of chaos, where you know that you must swim or you will undoubtedly sink and drown. This sets a successful entrepreneur apart from someone who dreams of being an entrepreneur.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+11%3A1-6andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6)
Send your grain across the seas,
and in time, profits will flow back to you.
But divide your investments among many places,
for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.
When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1981 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1981 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Enterprising Person – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1981 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jim Rohn, and it is: An enterprising person is one who sees opportunity in all areas of life.
An Enterprising Person
There are opportunities in nearly every area of life, if you are willing to pursue them. As another saying goes, most people will miss opportunities because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. Indeed, to take advantage of the opportunities available, you must be willing to sacrifice what you desire most for what you desire today. All opportunities require choices. You must choose to invest your time, talent, and resources into a worthwhile potential opportunity. You will not be successful in every opportunity you pursue, but if you do not choose to pursue opportunities, then you will never know what might have been. Make sure that your vision, mission, and values are clearly defined. Then you will know when to invest in an opportunity, and when to bypass specific opportunities. God expects us to fulfill the talents and abilities that He has blessed us with. Pursue them with passion and zeal.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012%3A24andversion=NLT (Proverbs 12:24)
Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1980 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1980 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Making A Life – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1980 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: An educational system isn’t worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn’t teach them how to make a life.
Making A Life
I understand that the educational systems throughout the world have an enormous task of preparing people for meaningful work that will benefit society and each individual life. However, with technology changing rapidly and commerce becoming ever more global, it is difficult at best to prepare for those changes. Nevertheless, we must prepare young and older people that learning is a lifetime endeavor to stay relevant in today’s world. We must teach people how to think, learn, and gain wisdom. The skills needed today may be obsolete a decade from now. We must train everyone to take responsibility and be diligent in their advancement. We must instill in the populace that manual labor is just as crucial to society as the highly educated positions. We must teach everyone that common sense is just as critical as educational learning. We must instill within everyone that gaining wisdom about life is more important than preparing to make a living. God grants each of us the talents and abilities needed to fulfill our duties of building His kingdom on earth in preparation for his return when He finalizes that kingdom by establishing His global Eden where heaven and earth become one.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A5-7andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:5-7)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1979 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a...
Welcome to Day 1979 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Becoming Poor – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1979 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: An easy way to become poor is to pretend you are rich.
Becoming Poor
There are many ways to become poor. First, it could be that you did not have opportunities to earn a livable wage. Possibly there were opportunities, but you chose not to take advantage of them. You could have had a chronic illness that drained you of what resources you might otherwise have. Third, you may have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous people who stole your finances through some scheme. Finally, you may not have been wise with managing your money. More often than not, those who are perpetually poor it is because they pretend to be rich and spend money trying to look rich when you do not have the money. This causes an endless downward spiral where money flows out of your life much faster than it flows in. It would be best if you gained the wisdom in these situations to understand that managing money and other resources is based on how we spend it. God gives us many principles in His Word on wise financial management. If you are poor, start learning from the best financial book in all history, the Holy Bible.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2028%3A20andversion=NLT (Proverbs 28:20)
The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1978 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1978 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Morning Blessings – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1978 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry David Thoreau, and it is: An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Morning Blessings
I realize that not everyone is a morning, person, but for me, it is the magical time of day. I don’t take early morning walks outside, but I do get up early and run or walk on the treadmill. It is the time when I commune with God while I listen to Bible passages, podcasts, and audiobooks. It is the hour of blessings and feeding of my soul, mind, and body. It is a blessing for the whole day. Regardless of the hour, you rise each day, set aside time to allow your soul, mind, and body to receive the blessing of God that he has stored up for you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A3-8andversion=NLT (Ephesians 1:3-8)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1977 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1977 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Being Average Is Fine – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1977 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: An average person with average talents and ambition and average education, can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clearly focused goals.
Being Average Is Fine
I like this quote from Brian Tracy because I can relate to the concept. Although I would like to think that I am above average in most areas of life, I realize that I am a pretty average Joe. I am short of stature, not overly athletic, and at best average in most academic subjects. However, one area in which I am above average is self-confidence and focus. What I lack in talent and education, I make up with hard work, perseverance, and tenacity. When I set a goal, I am focused on the steps needed to complete that goal. I will not give up and consistently pursue the end game. So if you find yourself just being an average person in many areas of life, that is fine. You do not have to be a brilliant genius. You must be willing to have clearly focused goals and not give up. Even if you make little incremental progress each day, you will achieve your goals if you do not give up.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A5andversion=NLT (Proverbs 21:5)
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1976 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1976 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Your Choices Make You – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1976 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Mertens, and it is: Always remember that in life, you make choices, and then those choices make you.
Your Choices Make You
We all must make choices every day. Even putting off making a choice is a choice to delay. Yet, every choice that we make has consequences. Those consequences determine who we are as a person. You are free to make choices, but once made, you are not free from the consequences of those choices. This truth is embedded in the law of planting and harvesting. What you plant are the choices that you make. What you harvest is the consequences of those previously made choices. You cannot escape the results any more than you can escape the law of gravity. There is a saying: “What goes up must come down.” Since we cannot avoid making many choices each day, we must be wise in our choices. The only way to gain wisdom is to fill your mind with God’s precepts found in His Word. Then, your choices will result in positive and helpful outcomes as you gain more wisdom. Since your choices determine who you are. Choose wisely.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6%3A15-18andversion=NLT (Romans 6:15-18)
Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1975 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1975 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Focus On What You Have – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1975 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert H. Schuller, and it is: Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost.
Focus On What You Have
In every area of our life, we need to be focused on what we have, not on what we used to have or could have had, if only… We should never dwell on what might have been or what we used to have. Our thoughts can easily paint a false picture of your past. We have all made mistakes and have made unwise choices. These choices may have caused us to lose relationships, resources, prestige, and other things we wished we still had. So, a word of advice from Gramps, stop it! Yes, we should learn from our past, but we should not allow it to control who we are or what we have today. God has provided us with unlimited blessings, and what may seem like a loss may be the source of many other blessings. Every setback in life can be a step up to what we are today or can become tomorrow. So, focus on today’s blessings, whether little or much, then your tomorrow will be filled with more. A grateful heart and spirit are like a magnet drawing untold blessings.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A20-21andversion=NLT (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1974 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1974 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Eat Your Words – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1974 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Andy Rooney, and it is: Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
Eat Your Words
When we speak to or about others, make sure your words are kind, encouraging, soft, and sweet. You never know when what you say will come back to you where you will have to eat your words. When your words are soft and sweet, then if you do have to eat them, for whatever reason, they will be good for your soul. On the other hand, if what you say to others is caustic, harsh, and unkind, they will rot your soul if you have to eat them. As a Christ-follower, we must be careful how we speak and interact with others. The visible sign that we are disciples of Christ is our love for others. If we do not show love in all situations, then it will prove to the world that you are not a disciple of Christ. So show love and kindness and always keep your words soft and sweet.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204%3A31%2D32andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1973 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1973 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Blessings of Forgetfulness – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1973 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.
The Blessings of Forgetfulness
I don’t know if I am unusual in this trait, but I have been blessed with not remembering much in the way of details of the past. Yet, on the other hand, I hear Paula recite many facts from years past, even when she was a child. One of my brothers, Jack, who lives near us, is the same. He remembers so many details of our childhood growing up. Yet, I am hard pressed to remember much unless it is embedded in family stories or we have pictures of specific occasions. I don’t feel bad about it through. I also don’t remember negative things that people have done to us. I tend to reframe all situations positively and always look to the future and what beautiful surprises will be contained within the next few decades. Life is so wonderful, a gift from God. Our minds are so wonderfully creative. Opposite of that, I can remember dozens of passwords, business processes, and Scripture passages. I think this is because they are crucial to a successful future. There are many times when forgetfulness is a blessing. When we give generously to others, without any expectation of return, or being bogged down on how those resources were utilized. Once it is given away, it is no longer yours, so forget about it. On the opposite side of that coin, when someone gives to you, or is kind, make sure you remember to thank them for the blessings.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A12-14andversion=NLT (Philippians 3:12-14)
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1971 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1972 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Better Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1972 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Faulkner, and it is: Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.
Better Yourself
I am competitive and enjoy being good at what I do. I enjoy competing with others, but I am enough of a realist to know that I am not always the best at many things in life. Maybe that is why I push hard to compete with myself more than with others. I am driven to be just a little bit better each day. I fully understand and realize that God has made us unique and different. We are to be His imager. It is not as crucial that we are better than others but that we are better today than we were yesterday. We are to utilize our God-given talents and abilities to the best possible. Each day we work to build God’s kingdom will allow us to improve and be more impactful today than we were yesterday. Self-improvement will enable us to be competitive without being better than someone else. In God’s eyes, we are never compared to another person. Instead, we are accountable for utilizing what He has provided us. While in the standards of this world, we will be compared to others and ranked accordingly, God’s standards are different. Be the best with what God has given you, and then you will hear, “Well done!”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+9%3A24-27andversion=NLT;NIV (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1970 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving
Welcome to Day 1971 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Acquiring Courage – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1971 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Erica Jong, and it is: Always do the things you fear the most. Courage is an acquired taste, like caviar.
Acquiring Courage
I don’t believe I have ever tasted caviar, so I am not sure if it is an acquired taste, but the thought of eating raw fish eggs is not very appealing to me. In addition to that, I understand caviar is very expensive, so that would stop me from buying it, even if I did enjoy it. I can vouch that courage is undoubtedly something we acquire when exposed to the things we fear most. Of course, there is a limitation to our ability to handle fear, but if you gradually do things that are not comfortable for you, and persevere through them, you will slowly gain courage. With each occurrence of overcoming fear, you will see your courage grow, and even multiply exponentially. So do what you desire, even if it is a bit fearful. The more frightening the task may be, the more you should attempt it, which will build your courage. Always do what you fear most, and then watch your courage build. Facing fears will open new doors that you never thought imaginable.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A16-19andversion=NLT (1 John 4:16-19)
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you want to listen to any of our 1970 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1970 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Always Do Right – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1970 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mark Twain, and it is: Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
Always Do Right
As Christ-followers, we are compelled to do what is right, regardless of the situation. But, of course, this is much easier to say than to put into practice. When you habitually do what is right, most people will be please with your actions. But, on the other hand, you may even astonish some people who can’t believe that you chose to do right, even at a tremendous personal sacrifice to yourself or your resources. It is never right to do wrong, even if you feel it will allow you to do right in the end. The end never justifies the means, but the means should justify the end. Do not allow your thoughts to be controlled by concepts not aligned with God’s precepts in His Word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20106%3A3andversion=NLT (Psalm 106:3)
There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1969 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1969 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Set An Example – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1969 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from General George S. Patton, and it is: Always do everything you ask of those you command.
Set An Example
An effective leader is always willing to know the way of the subordinates, but more importantly, show the way. You cannot expect to lead others if you are unwilling to perform the same tasks expected of them. This does not mean that you have to be in the trenches, but you must be willing and able to do so, if needed. You should also have experience doing the tasks you require of others. You may not be able to perform as well as others in everything, but you are knowledgeable enough about the functions you can fill in if needed. Finally, the most influential leaders can empathize and sympathize with those they are responsible for. These traits can be learned but do come more naturally for some. Lead well by example.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A1-6andversion=NLT (1 Peter 5:1-6)
And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1968 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and...
Welcome to Day 1968 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Learn Something Useful – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1968 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Sophocles, and it is: Always desire to learn something useful.
Learn Something Useful
One of the mantras for Wisdom-Trek is to Learn Continuously. We should be in pursuit of lifelong learning. There has never been a time in the history of humankind when we have so much knowledge and information literally at our fingertips. Yet, we must also be wise in what we are learning. We should pursue wisdom above all else. Above riches, above frame, and even above the acquisition of knowledge. Yes, let us desire to learn, but let us ensure it is something valuable that can add to our wisdom. That is the best knowledge.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%201%3A7andversion=NLT (Proverbs 1:7)
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%202%3A6andversion=NLT (Proverbs 2:6)
For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A15andversion=NLT (Proverbs 18:15)
Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1967 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1967 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Choose Life – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1967 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jewish Teaching, and it is: Always Choose Life
Choose Life
There is much about whose life is precious or sacred in the public narrative. The fact is that God created all life, so all life is precious. If we have the option of promoting life or activities that minimize the value of life, then we must always choose life. This is true of all needless taking of life. This is true of the animal kingdom, where we should only take life when it is necessary for feeding or protecting humankind. Since humans are created to be imagers of God, there are few exceptions to always choosing life. This principle includes the life of the unborn, the aged, and the lives of every ethnic group in the world. Unless it is in self-defense and there is no other alternative, we should do all we can to preserve life. Life is precious because we are created as imagers of God. The basic principle is always to choose life because all lives matter. It is that simple.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2030%3A19andversion=NLT (Deuteronomy 30:19)
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1966 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1966 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be Still – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1965 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jacob Braude, and it is: Behave like a duck — keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like crazy underneath.
Be Still
One sign of maturity is to remain calm when you are in the midst of the storms of life. The wind may buffet you, and the rain may soak you, but like the duck in our quote today, maturity will allow it to roll off your back more quickly. Your mind may be racing and your stomach in jitters, but you can filter it enough where you handle what is within your control, and let God give you wisdom on managing the remainder within His time and through His provisions. Of course, God expects us to do what we can with the abilities He has given to us, but for everything else, we need to be in prayer that He will guide our steps. We need to pray, ‘be still my soul,’ and be willing to trust God and have the faith to know that He is ultimately in control of everything.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46andversion=NLT (Psalm 46)
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1965 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to...
Welcome to Day 1965 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Resolution to Succeed – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1965 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Abe Lincoln, and it is: Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
Resolution To Succeed
To succeed, you must be resolved to do so. You can dream, scheme, and make plans, but unless you are resolute to put those plans into action, and then persevere to completion, success will always escape you. Someone with limited skills and resources who is resolute will succeed sooner and more often than someone who has both skills and resources but does not have the tenacity to continue when the trail gets difficult. Do not allow anyone to dissuade or discourage you from taking action and moving forward. As the old proverb says, you have to take the bull by the horns. Yes, the bull may be more vigorous, but with tenacity, you can succeed if you are resolute.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2011%3A6andversion=NIV (Ecclesiastes 11:6)
Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1964 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1964 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
First-Rate Person – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1964 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Judy Garland, and it is: Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else.
First-Rate Person
God has created each of us individually as unique imagers of Him. Therefore, God does not desire for us to be someone else. Instead, he desires us to utilize our abilities and talents to further His kingdom and bring glory to Him. It is tempting to try to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ or to imitate someone well-known or famous, but then we would only be a shadow of someone else instead of the full radiance of ourselves. No one can take your place, and you cannot take anyone else’s place. Nor should you want to. As a unique imager of God, you have a special place within God’s kingdom. Therefore, always strive to be all you can be for God’s glory and let others do the same. God has already equipped you for whatever tasks He has called you to. He will see you through as He did with Joshua when he assumed leadership of the Hebrew nation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A6-9andversion=NLT;NIV (Joshua 1:6-9)
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1963 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1963 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Adjust Your Sails – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1963 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: Although we cannot change the direction of the wind, we can adjust our sails.
Adjust Your Sails
It is very accurate that we cannot change the direction of the wind, no matter how ingenous we become as humankind. We have learned to use the wind to our advantage through windmills to pump water, generate electricity, and make vehicles of all types more aerodynamic. We have had to learn how to use the forces of nature created by God to allow us to flourish as the human race. Even in a tiny sailboat, you can use the wind to progress forward if you know how to adjust your sails properly. There are no excuses for giving up. It is up to you to learn how to take advantage of the headwinds of life. Even the smallest planes always take off into the wind to achieve the lift needed to become airborne. So the next time you have to face the wind or feel you have been dealt a bad hand in life, learn how to set your sail, or play your hand to your advantage. God provides us with many lessons about life, and it is up to us to learn the lessons He is teaching us. Once you understand the lessons, teach them to others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203%3A16andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 3:16)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1962 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1962 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Overcoming Suffering – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1962 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Helen Keller, and it is: Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.
Overcoming Suffering
As a result of sin in this world, we see all creation affected by it. There is suffering in nature, suffering in the animal kingdom, and suffering among humans. If we were to focus on the suffering, the earth would be a most unpleasant place to abide. But, even though humankind chose to rebel against their creator by God’s grace, we also know and understand that He provided grace to everything He created. All creation has much beauty, from the sun’s rising to its setting. There is beauty in the moonlight and the countless stars and galaxies in the sky. There is beauty in flowers and plants, which provide us with sweet smells and nourishment. There is beauty in the animal kingdom and, indeed, in humankind. In today’s world of advanced medicine and technologies, we have overcome much of the suffering experienced in the past. With technologies increasing ever more rapidly, what we see as suffering today may be resolved in the future. Even though illnesses and poverty are being lessened, the absolute cure for what we consider to be suffering is to be able to have peace amid suffering. That peace can only be found in Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us so that we may have eternal life with God through Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A18-25andversion=NLT (Romans 8:18-25)
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1961 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically...
Welcome to Day 1961 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Stronger Together – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1961 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Helen Keller and it is: Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.
Stronger Together
Some people like working together with other people. In contrast, others enjoy doing everything alone, especially for themselves. I have to admit that I am in the latter group. For most activities, I would rather struggle to accomplish something by myself than have someone to assist me. However, I understand that, in most situations, if I would ask for assistance, it would allow the task to be completed in less time and probably safer. As I grow older and hopefully more mature, I see the increasing value in allowing others to assist me. There is undoubtedly a multiplying effect when we work together to accomplish tasks. Not only can we achieve more, but the quality of what we achieve will be more outstanding also. Let us not be too proud to ask others to assist us. Let us not be too proud to assist others that need us to help them. We need to work together while not being concerned who gets the credit. Our occupation as Christ-followers is to be building the kingdom of God. We can accomplish much more when we work together for God’s glory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+3%3A5-9andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1960 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and
Welcome to Day 1960 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Dedicated Minority – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1960 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is: Almost always, the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better.
Dedicated Minority
Like any culture and society at any time in history, most of the population would instead go with the flow rather than cause waves. So they wander around like sheep without a shepherd or follow along like lemmings. A more current analogy is that they are minions always doing what they think everyone else is. It is estimated that 10% of any group will rise to leadership positions, while the contented 90% would instead follow along. It takes the creative but dedicated minority to change the world and make a meaningful impact on the world around them. Significantly to change the world for good. So while it is ok to be part of the group and a team player when needed, look for ways to be creative and dedicated so that you can change your world for good.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A10-11andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:10-11)
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1959 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1959 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Aggravation – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1959 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ray Lammie, and it is: Almost all the aggravation we face daily is caused by other people. No one can aggravate us unless we internalize it. They do need our cooperation to succeed.
Aggravation
Living, working, or playing with others is challenging without becoming aggravated at some point. Some people will aggravate us more, some less. Even in the best of marriages, we will be aggravated at times. We will even aggravate ourselves, but when that happens, we usually take it out on others. The secret to minimizing or avoiding aggravation is not to internalize it. Every time we become aggravated with others, or even ourselves, it is because we choose to internalize that aggravation. Once we allow it to be planted within us, it may grow like a wildfire whipped up by the winds. We must choose not to fan the flames of aggravation that we have internalized. Instead, we must let it go. Unless it will cause us the loss of life or limb for us or others, it is just not worth the aggravation. I know it is not easy, but it may be easier than carrying the heavy burden that aggravation weighs down on us. Instead, fill your minds with good, godly, and worthwhile things.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-9andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:4-9)
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1958 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally...
Welcome to Day 1958 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Know Where You're Going – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1958 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Earl Nightingale, and it is: All you have to do is know where you’re going. After that, the answers will come to you of their own accord.
Know Where You’re Going
If you plan on taking a trip, starting a new business venture, or any significant event, you must know where you are going before starting. Once you know your destination or endgame, you can lay the pieces in place that will allow you to reach your destination. As the saying goes, if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. That is certainly not ideal. How much better to determine your destination first because, after that, the answers will come to you, allowing you to plan the steps necessary to reach that destination. In our Christian walk, our end game is building God’s kingdom while we live life at home, at work, at church, and in all activities, we engage in. Let’s begin with the end in mind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+4%3A25-27andversion=NLT (Proverbs 4:25-27)
Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1957 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1957 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Worry Is Atheism – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1957 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bishop Fulton Sheen, and it is: All worry is atheism, because it is want of trust of God.
Worry Is Atheism
Let’s acknowledge that we all worry about people or situations we face. We worry about those things which we have no control over. Some people enjoy worrying because it becomes their sense of purpose in life. We must understand, though, that when we worry it is because we lack faith that God has everything under His control. Therefore, if we lack faith, it is against what God desires for us, which is atheism. As Christ-followers, we don’t think of ourselves as an atheist, but a lack of trust and faith and subsequently worry reveals that, at least in some areas of life, we are antithetical to God. While it may be impossible never to worry, since we are created beings, we should work toward minimizing any such worry in our lives. If God is the God of all creation, including we as His imagers, then worry should not preoccupy any space in our lives.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A25-34andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:25-34)
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1956 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor,...
Welcome to Day 1956 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Whole Treasury of God – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1956 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Benjamin Whipple, and it is: All we want in Christ, we shall find in Christ. If we want little, we shall find little. If we want much, we shall find much; but if, in utter helplessness, we cast our all on Christ, He will be to us the whole treasury of God.
The Whole Treasury of God
Our finite mind cannot comprehend the riches and fullness that we have in Christ. Our level of completeness is based on how much we desire to be like Him. By faith, we can cast ourselves fully on Him. The level we are willing to do so is the level of completeness and contentment we will receive. We are made complete with all the fullness of life and power that come from God through Christ. If we are lacking in life, it is not because Christ is lacking. We must be willing to cast our all on Christ in utter helplessness. It is then we will experience the whole treasury of God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A14-21andversion=NLT (Ephesians 3:14-21)
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1955 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to...
Welcome to Day 1955 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
People Of Good Conscience – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1954 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Jefferson, and it is: All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
People Of Good Conscience
Even with all of the stress, strife, and uneasiness throughout the world in the past few years, much good is also being created. The people of America particularly are fiercely independent. Independence is part of the DNA on which the country was founded. But in our quote today, we see that even one of the founding fathers understood how quickly tyranny would destroy a fledgling nation. That is why he warned us that there are times when people need to speak up for injustices that are forced on the masses while the few who are rich and powerful attempt to control. The issue we face today is that both those on the extreme left and extreme right feel they are being oppressed while the remaining masses are left wondering what is happening and when the madness will end. We see that this is not just in the United States but all over the world. So while we need to stand up and speak up for actual injustices that occur, as Christ-followers, we must look at it from an eternal perspective. As the worldwide church, our primary vocation is to build the Kingdom of God so His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So first, we must be praying for all who are in leadership and powerful positions that they will see their need to make decisions based on Biblical precepts found in His Word. Second, we need to unite as a global church and love each other as an example to the world. How can we expect strife to stop in our nations if the church cannot get along? Third, we must show our love to everyone in the world in word and deed, regardless of nationality, political persuasion, or moral bent. Let us, first love, and then we may have the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. Showing God’s love is the best way to stand up to tyranny worldwide. This attitude may require sacrifice on our part but think of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A34-35andversion=NLT (John 13:34-35)
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1954 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank...
Welcome to Day 1954 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Knowledge – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1954 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Calvin, and it is: All true knowledge of God is born out of obedience.
True Knowledge
I believe an innate desire of most people is to know God, even if they don’t acknowledge Him as the creator of all things. No matter who we are or our background, we desire to understand why we are here on earth and our purpose in life. Knowledge outside of our obedience to God will always leave us wanting. The primary way we know what obedience to God consists of is to study and learn His Word. We are so blessed in the world today, where we have dozens of different versions available in nearly every language on earth at a price that is affordable to nearly everyone. Electronic versions of the Bible are free, and many organizations worldwide distribute part or all of the Bible for free. True knowledge is born out of our obedience to God. Obedience to God is learned through reading and learning from His Word. There is no excuse for anyone who seeks to know.
https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.11 (Psalms 119:11)
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1953 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1953 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Difficult Before Easy – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1953 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Norley, and it is: All things are difficult before they are easy.
Difficult Before Easy
All of us would like to live on easy street, but many steps are required before you can do that. First, you have to map out where the street should go. Second, you must have the resources needed to procure the land where the street will be. Third, you must plow up the dirt to prepare a proper roadbed. Fourth, you must ensure that the roadbed is level and solid enough to be a road. Fifth, you must purchase the asphalt or cement needed to provide a lasting surface on the road. Six, you must put up the appropriate guardrails and signs to make the road as safe as possible. So the next time you desire to live on easy street, make sure you are willing to make the needed sacrifices to make it possible. Then, when you are ready, forge forward, and don’t let any obstacles dissuade you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010%3A4andversion=NLT (Proverbs 10:4)
Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1952 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1952 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Positive Attitude – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1952 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harvey Mackay, and it is: All the technology in the world will never replace a positive attitude.
A Positive Attitude
I have loved technological changes since I was a young boy, and it still is strong today as I am quickly approaching my 66th of life. I read up on all the technological advancements daily and am excited about the breakthroughs in science, medicine, surgery, transportation, communications, and computing power. The changes will have a significant positive impact on societies around the world. That being said, technology will never replace the power of a positive attitude in its ability to make a positive impact across the globe. Technology can help us to do everything better, cheaper, and faster, but it takes a positive attitude to drive the technology to make it happen. We should use all the technology available to us to positively impact our world as we build the kingdom of God. The technology must be coupled with a positive attitude for it to be most effective.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A23-24andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:23-24)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1951 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1951 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Death of Self – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1951 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Madame Guyon, and it is: All the graces of a Christian spring from the death of self.
Death Of Self
The core premise of our Christian faith is that Jesus Christ was willing to become our atoning sacrifice and die on the cross so that we would be acceptable to be in God’s presence. As Christ-followers, we are to have the same attitude. Therefore, we must die to ourselves to take on the same attitude that Jesus had and show Jesus Christ to everyone we come in contact with. Furthermore, we must be willing to love others in such a manner that we are eager to figuratively take up the cross of Christ and sacrifice ourselves for the goodwill of others. In this manner, we will display the grace that has been poured out on us and become willing to pour the same grace on others. Others will see our love and mercy for them when we do this.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A23-27andversion=NLT (Luke 9:23-27)
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1950Death treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1950 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Seeds of Today – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1950 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Indian Proverb, and it is: All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.
Seeds of Today
No crops provide nourishment; none of the beautiful flowers we enjoy looking at and smelling suddenly appear out of thin air. Instead, they all start with a seed that when germinated will grow into a plant and provide beautiful flowers, green vegetables, delicious fruits, and savory nuts. Although contained within those end products also contain dozens of additional seeds to propagate themselves for years to come. Through this, the cycle of life continues for generations. As imagers of our creator, we also contain within us the seeds, when germinated, will propagate throughout all eternity. In each of these examples, we often fail to understand that the seed in its original form must die to bring new life, which leads to each new generation. Only humans will continue through all eternity through physical propagation and spiritual children as we assist others in coming into the kingdom of God. Let us be the seeds of tomorrow in all that we do.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2012%3A23%2D25andversion=NLT (John 12:23-25)
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1949 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1949 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Bad Ideas – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1949 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Seth Godin, and it is: All the creativity in the world won’t help if you’re unwilling to have lousy, lame, even bad ideas.
Bad Ideas
Voltaire is credited with the saying: ‘Perfect is the Enemy of Good,’ and this is so true. However, we also know that while we will never be perfect, we can always be making progress. Unless you are willing to fail at times, maybe lots of times, you will never achieve success. Not all of our ideas will be great. Most of them will be lousy, lame, and even bad, but don’t let that stop you from coming up with more ideas. Let those ideas that are not so great foster more creativity to spur on great ideas. The ratio of bad ideas to great ideas will be very high, but you can succeed with only a tiny segment of ideas worth pursuing. So keep moving forward and let the creativity flow from you while there are opportunities. As the farmers say, “You got to make hay while the sun shines.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+9%3A4-5andversion=NLT (John 9:4-5)
We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1948 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1948 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Lovely Actions – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1948 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from James R. Lowell, and it is: All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.
Lovely Action
We have all heard, “It’s the thought that counts.” While it is good to have thought of some kind or nice action we should do for someone else, it will never take the place of actually doing something friendly, kind, or encouraging for someone else. Let us not fool ourselves into thinking that just praying for someone or thinking of someone is enough when we have the capacity and ability to assist someone. Yes, praying for others is commanded and encouraged in the Bible, and we should always be in prayer for our family, friends, and even enemies. We should be willing to do good as often as we have an opportunity, especially fellow Christ-followers. Taking action is always better than just our thoughts and prayers.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%206%3A10andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:10)
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1947 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1947 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Adversity Strengthens – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1947 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Walt Disney, and it is: All the adversity I’ve had in my life, has strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
Adversity Strengthens
I don’t believe I know anyone who actively seeks out adversity, nor do we like it when it hits us personally. But hardship in nearly every situation positively impacts our lives; if we are willing to learn the lessons, it teaches us. If history is also our teacher, we can look back at successful people of all ages and in all areas of success, and we will discover that those who succeed the greatest also had some of the greatest struggles. So don’t stress when life is difficult. Instead, learn the lessons that are taught, and continue forward. Yes, a kick in the teeth or a swift kick in the backside may indeed be the best thing in the world for you. The Bible refers to this as the refining fire that burns off the dross so that we will be as pure gold.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%2013%3A9andversion=NLT (Zechariah 13:9)
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1946 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1946 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Reason For Hope – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1946 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and it is: All that the downtrodden can do is go on hoping. After every disappointment, they must find fresh reason for hope.
Reason For Hope
Everyone experiences disappointments in life. Sometimes we are oppressed by others and looked down upon. These situations are not pleasant and can have us feeling downtrodden. As difficult as these situations are, no matter how great the disappointment, it is up to each of us to make a choice. We can choose to waller in the filth and grime of oppression, or we can choose to find a fresh reason for hope. When we choose hope, our mindset changes, and we can pursue avenues that will allow us to return to solid ground. As a Christ-follower, hope, and faith are like twin siblings that support and encourage each other. Never let your hope or faith be extinguished.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A1-3andversion=NLT (Hebrews 11:1-3)
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1945 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1945 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
All That Is Eternal – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1945 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C.S. Lewis, and it is: All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.
All That Is Eternal
As finite beings, getting our minds around the concept of eternity is difficult, but that doesn’t make it any less true. We are created as God’s imagers, so we have a definitive starting point but no expiration date. We will live eternally either abiding with God if we choose to accept Him, or eternally separated from God if we reject Him. That is why our everyday lives must impact people for eternity. While we cannot take our riches or material resources with us when we die, we can impact all of eternity by assisting those seeking to become citizens of God’s kingdom. What we say to others, how we treat others, and how we conduct our daily lives is the strongest motivating factor in people seeing that we are ambassadors for Christ because we accepted His work on the cross. Those we impact for eternity can be our children, grandchildren, other family members, and those we work with or socialize with. We have no clue how wonderful eternity will be, but we no it will be awesome. So impact eternity today. Otherwise, you will be out of date and have missed an opportunity to build God’s kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%202%3A8%2D10andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:8-10)
But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1944 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1944 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Impossible To Fail – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1944 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dorothea Brande, and it is: All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail.
Impossible To Fail
We all know that we will fail occasionally and sometimes quite often. When approaching a project or task, the key is tackling it as IF it were impossible to fail, which will significantly accelerate your success rate. On the opposite side of that coin, if you approach a project or task as if there was a high probability of failure, then your failure rate will significantly increase. Our mindset drives our outcomes in every area of life. If you expect to succeed, you will achieve more often. If you start each day with a positive mindset, your days will be much more successful. As with so many things in our lives, it goes back to the law of planting and harvesting. Plant good thoughts in your mind, and you will harvest positive outcomes. Along with the firtle soil of a positive mindset, plant the seeds of perseverance, and determination, with a good dose of hard work, and the harvest will be successful, more often than failure. Use your God-given talents and abilities for His honor and glory, and when you are finished with the project or task, you can stand in amazement at what God has accomplished through you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019%3A26andversion=NLT (Matthew 19:26)
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1943 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1943 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Good People Must Act – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1943 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Edmund Burke, and it is: All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.
Good People Must Act
Evil has been in the world since the fall of humanity, but that doesn’t mean we should just sit back and allow evil to flourish if we have the opportunity to prevent it. With the prevalence of 24/7 news stations and always-available internet and social media, evil may seem more prevalent today than at any time in history. Still, if you study recorded history, the opposite is true. The situation in the world today reminds me of the opening sentence in the classic book of The Tale of Two Cities. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Considering that there are 7.96 billion people in the world today, per capita, there is less poverty, a higher standard of living, less manual labor, less child labor, less disease, less war, less oppression, less violence, less crime, less murder, more extended lifespans, more technology, more charity, and a more level playing field for everyone than at any time in history. Yet, even considering this, we must be vigilant to take a stand against all forms of evil, oppression, and tyranny. If we do not stand for what is good and faithful and follow the precepts found in God’s Word, evil will raise its ugly head and reak havoc throughout the world. Therefore, let us build God’s kingdom every day so that we will be ready to usher in His kingdom when Christ returns to earth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A10-18andversion=NLT (Ephesians 6:10-18)
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please
Welcome to Day 1942 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Successful People – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1942 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: All successful people are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
Successful People
Success always starts with a dream. The bigger the dream the greater your success will be. The bigger the dream, the more difficult it will be to achieve. Big dreams require the willingness to overcome enormous obstacles, which must be coupled with persistence and tenacity. If you are unwilling to invest the time, resources, and energy to achieve your dreams, then either change your dreams to something you can achieve or be honest with yourself that you are unwilling to make the sacrifices needed. All worthwhile endeavors require that you work every day in your pursuit of that endeavor. It means you keep your eye on the prize, that distant vision through predefined goals and a driven purpose to achieve it. Dream big, but be willing to do what it takes to reach that prize. In life, the ultimate prize is to assist in building God’s kingdom so that one day we will have the privilege to rule and reign with that perfect imager of God, Jesus Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+9%3A24-27andversion=NLT ( 1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1941 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1941 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Public Speaking – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1941 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Roger Love, and it is: All speaking is public speaking, whether it’s to one person or a thousand.
Public Speaking
It has been said that many people are more afraid of speaking in public than death itself. When you think about it, though, we all speak in public. The only difference is the number of people we are speaking to. Although I get a little nervous when speaking in public, especially if it is a very large group, I find it easier to speak before an entire room full of people than to start a conversation one-on-one. Although most people probably don’t realize it, I am a shy person. It is challenging to be in a situation where I am expected to start or carry on a conversation with people I don’t know very well. I have to force myself outside of my comfort zone when needed because I understand that it may be an opportunity to meet someone’s needs and build God’s kingdom. This past year, I have had the privilege to be the primary teaching pastor at our small local church, providing many opportunities to learn God’s Word and hone my public speaking craft. As with anything you attempt in life, it takes practice, perseverance, and a desire to become all God intended for you. So whether you have to speak to two, two hundred, or two thousand people, do it all for the glory of God. He will give you the grace and strength to do so.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A14-17andversion=NLT (Romans 8:14-17)
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1940 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each...
Welcome to Day 1940 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Outside The Comfort Zone – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1940 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michael Bobak, and it is: All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.
Outside The Comfort Zone
Any time we take on a challenge or make progress, it will cause us some discomfort or anxiety. The more significant the progress, the less comfortable we will be. Leaving their comfort zone will be a challenge for someone who is risk-averse, but little progress will be made unless you leave that comfort zone. This statement may sound a bit complex, but if you don’t leave your comfort zone and lack progress, eventually, that situation will cause more discomfort in your life than moving forward now, even if it does cause you some pain now. You must plant seeds of discomfort today so that you will reap a harvest of progress later on. As the old saying goes, pay me now, or pay me later. Either way, you will still have to pay. The payment required for lack of progress will be much greater than small investments over time outside your comfort zone today. If you allow God to direct your steps, he will lead you through your path.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37%3A23-24andversion=NLT (Psalm 37:23-24)
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1939 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1939 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Dare To Be Different – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1939 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harry Millner, and it is: All progress occurs because people dare to be different.
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1939 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harry Millner, and it is: All progress occurs because people dare to be different.
Dare To Be Different
Throughout our teen years and even into adulthood, en masse, we attempt to be different, but most of the time, we all end up the same because we all want to be accepted by our peers. It takes a truly confident person to dare to be different without being weird or offensive. God has created us uniquely different from anyone else with our unique talents and abilities. Yet, we will have commonalities because we are created to be God’s imagers. Still, we do a disservice to ourselves and our community if we become lemmings because we are insecure and desire to fit in instead of being outstanding. If you desire to make the most progress possible so that you can have the most significant potential impact on your community and all eternity, then dare to be different. Dare to shine like the sun for God’s honor and glory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1938 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we...
Welcome to Day 1938 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Personal Breakthroughs – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1938 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Anthony Robbins, and it is: All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.
Personal Breakthroughs
As the familiar saying goes, insanity is trying the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results. If you desire breakthroughs in any area of life, you must change what you are currently doing. That begins with a change in beliefs coupled with a change of mindset. You must change your perspective, and think differently, before you will act differently, and obtain different results. So much of our life is us playing mind games. We desire to be more, have more, and do more, but we somehow convince ourselves that we don’t have to invest our time and resources to make that change. Change will happen no matter what, so if you desire better results, you must choose what changes will occur in your life, instead of letting life just happen to you. Changing your beliefs will result in a changed mindset. A changed mindset will lead to personal breakthroughs. It sounds simple, but you have to determine that you will have the persistence and patience to achieve what you desire. It is your choice.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%206%3A8%2D10andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:8-10)
Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1937 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1937 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Look Down On Others – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1937 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: All people want someone they can look up to, without that person looking down on them.
Don’t Look Down On Others
Within our created nature, we desire to look up to people in positions of authority or garner our respect in some manner. We also desire to be loved and respected by others, even those we look up to. Since we are created to be God’s imagers and take on the character traits of that perfect imager, Jesus Christ, we should copy what has been written about Him in God’s Word. Jesus never looked down on others, even those who were the lowest in their societal rankings. On the contrary, Jesus often condemned those in positions of authority and power for abusing their positions and thinking more highly of themselves than they did of others, including God. Yes, it is ok to look up to and respect others, but as you have an opportunity to be loved and respected, make sure you show that same love and respect from those who may have a lower standing in society.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A3-11andversion=NLT (Philippians 2:3-11)
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1936 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with...
Welcome to Day 1936 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Life Is A Celebration – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1936 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from St. Clement of Alexandria, and it is: All our life is a celebration for us; we are convinced that God is always everywhere. So we sing while we work...we pray while carrying out all life’s other occupations.
Life Is A Celebration
As Christ-followers, we have been granted not only everlasting life but life eternal. This fact alone should drive us to live in celebration each day. In John 10:10, Jesus said. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. Therefore, we should celebrate life every day. We should sing while we work and go about our activities. We should be in a spirit of prayer in everything that we do. Our lives should be filled with joy so everyone who observes us can see that we are filled with God’s Spirit. I understand that some days are complicated, and we will run into trying times, but even when we do, let us keep our eyes on Jesus as we are told in Hebrews 12:1-4. Therefore, since such a huge crowd of witnesses surrounds us to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1935 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1935 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Grow Continuously – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1935 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Les Brown, and it is: All of us need to grow continuously in our lives.
Grow Continuously
As with everything in nature, we are either in a state of growth or decay. No one stays static for any length of time. Growth must be fostered in all areas of our lives, but not necessarily at the same growth rate. During the different seasons of life, we may focus more on specific areas such as spiritual, family, physical, mental, social, financial, and career. Still, all must experience some level of continuous growth, or your life will be like a flat tire, making your ride through life very rough. After a period of fast growth in one area, there will need to be a time for the maturation of that growth. Let me use the analogy of a tree. During the springtime, when the sap flows through the tree trunk to feed the limbs and leave, the tree will add a lot of new wood fibers. During the remainder of that year, the fibers will take on a new phase and harden into solid wood. We need both persistence to move forward and patience to allow the recent growth in our lives to mature. You must take on the mindset of a farmer who knows and understands that the crop will not be ready to harvest until many steps are completed. The ground is plowed, the seeds are planted, if the seeds are watered and cared for, the plants will grow, and only after a long period of growth will the harvest results be available. Keep on growing throughout your life until the great harvest at the end of your days is completed.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5%3A7-8andversion=NLT (James 5:7-8)
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1934 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you
Welcome to Day 1934 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Great Leaders – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1934 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Kenneth Galbraith, and it is: All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: the willingness to confront the significant anxiety of their people.
The Great Leaders
Nearly all people have anxiety about something in life. It is up to the great leader to know and understand those they lead so they will confront the fear and stress that will impact their ability to lead. A great leader will have empathy for those they lead. They will know them well enough to understand them and what may impact their performance. While a mild amount of stress may be helpful, if the stress levels increase too much, it will certainly negatively affect the outcome. Each person you lead will have a different level of stress which causes anxiety. You must know your team well enough to know what that level is for each person. It is always important to also understand that those stress levels may vary daily. Finally, you must establish an exceptionally close bond with those you lead to be effective and extraordinary. Become a great leader so that you can assist your team to stretch and grow to be all that God designed them to be. Lead well!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A6-11andversion=NLT (1 Peter 5:6-11)
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1933 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with...
Welcome to Day 1933 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Everyone Dreams, But Not Equally – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1933 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from T.E. Lawrence, and it is All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.
Everyone Dreams, But Not Equally
Everyone dreams at night, but if you are like me, you can’t remember much of the dream after waking up. Everyone also dreams during the day. Some people daydream and think about things they would like to do or accomplish but never take action on those dreams. Then some have dreams, but small and large, and they wake up from their daytime stupor and take the necessary action to turn those dreams into reality. This second group is the dangerous people because they have their eyes wide open to see what is possible with persistence and perseverance. They refuse to go back to their sleep state until their dreams are reality. They understand that we must work during the day because night comes to all of us when we will work no more. These are also the people who understand the farmer’s proverb that you must make hay while the sun is shining. So let us use our God-given talents and abilities to make hay.
John 10:4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1932 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1932 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Feelings Manifest In Reality – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1932 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Stuart Wilde, and it is All humankind’s inner feelings eventually manifest themselves as an outer reality.
Feelings Manifest In Reality
We can hide our inner feelings for a while and when in specific settings, but eventually, our inner feelings will manifest in outer reality. For example, revealing our inner feelings may surface when we are around certain people or under the influence of drugs or alcohol when our inhibitions are relaxed. In addition, our inner thoughts and feelings can accurately represent our thought process and mindset revealed when we are unmasked from the façade we hid behind daily. As the saying goes, how a person thinks in their heart, they indeed are. I have also seen this revealed in a person who is afflicted with dementia or Alzheimers. Their hidden personality starts to bubble to the surface in how they respond to and interact with family members and friends. Some of these people flow with kindness and love, while others with anger and frustration. The encouraging word here is that if you are on the negative trajectory, you can choose to reverse course and head the other direction today. In that way, when your inhibitions are lowered through substances or age, your personality and feelings will pour our joy and love. The primary way this can come to fruition is by immersing yourself in God’s Word each day and allowing yourself to be changed from the inside out.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%205%3A17andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%204%3A12andversion=NLT (Hebrews 4:12)
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1931 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living...
Welcome to Day 1931 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Foundation Of Love – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1931 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ella Wheeler Wilcox, and it is All love that has not friendship for its base, is like a mansion built upon the sand.
The Foundation Of Love
Love must have the underlying foundation of friendship to thrive and prosper. So is it through that enduring bond of friendship that becomes a solid rock on which love must be built. While the passion associated with love may ebb and flow at times, when love is built on that base of friendship, it is like a house built on a solid foundation of rock that allows the love to persevere. Although we will continually be buffeted by the storms of life, which will create strain on a love relationship, it will not destroy that love when the solid foundation is friendship. Therefore, it is wise to foster friendship first, then allow the love to grow from that initial foundation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A24-27andversion=NLT (Matthew 7:24-27)
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1930 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter,’ Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1930 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Life Demands Struggle – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1930 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Pope Paul VI, and it is All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.
Life Demands Struggle
While overall, I have a very positive outlook and attitude toward life. I will generally reframe most hostile situations and spin them positively. Despite this, I do realize that life demands struggle. Struggle produces strength and is the building block for a well-balanced and stable life. You may wonder how I can maintain a positive outlook even in a battle. It is because of my faith in a Holy God who is the maker of heaven and earth. He ultimately controls everything that happens and knows what is best for us individually. The peace and joy that I experience amid storms are real, grounded in the faith that God will strengthen and provide what I need for every situation. Struggles are required to refine and mature us. Those who are overly protected or given too much in life will never gain the strength needed to live a rich and satisfying life, which has little to do with possessions we may or may not have. Stand strong in the storms of life, and keep your life full of joy and your thoughts positive.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A6-15andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift; too wonderful for words!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends...
Welcome to Day 1929 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Labor That Has Dignity And Importance – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1929 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is: All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance, and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
Labor That Has Dignity And Importance
There is no such thing as a meaningless job. If the work you do to earn a living is not illegal or immoral, it brings value to society. Therefore, one job should not be looked on as more important or unique because for society to function well and efficiently, everyone has to do their job well. If the garbage worker or the sewer plant manager fails to do their job well, we can have a real mess in our lives. Even more so than many rich and famous persons such as movie stars or entertainers of all sorts. Some jobs or positions may pay more due to training, or society deems those positions worth more like professional sports players, but that in no way implies that those jobs are valuable to the community or you personally. As Christ-followers, we are valuable in God’s eyes regardless of our position. We do for a living to provide for ourselves while we fulfill our greater calling, which is to build God’s kingdom on earth. Therefore, work hard, work well, and work to bring honor and glory to God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A23andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:23)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1928 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1928 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Criticize in Private – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1928 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: All instructive or critical feedback must be given in private.
Criticize In Private
There are times when we need to offer constructive criticism or instruction that will help others improve and prosper. However, you should never confront or criticize a person in public; it must be done in private or with one or two additional close associates. The purpose of all such actions is to assist a person in improving or correcting some action or attitude that is not appropriate. When required, it should be handled in a spirit of humility and love and never in a manner that is destructive to that individual. On the opposite side of that coin, when you have the opportunity to present praise and accolades, it should be done in a public setting if possible. Praise and recognition are best handled, so the person receiving it will also have the honor of their peers. In every situation, as much as possible, always build up another, never tear them down.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A1-2andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1927 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1927 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Grow In Him Step By Step – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1927 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bob Smith, and it is: All I know is that I am a product of God, and all I can do is the best I can to thank Him and honor Him and try to grow in Him, step by step.
Grow In Him, Step By Step
Although this is nearly an unlimited amount of information that we can learn and absorb, none of it is as important as knowing that we are God’s creation, made in His image. If you know and understand this fact, it is more valuable than all the knowledge in the world. Once you grasp that you are indeed a child of the King, then you will know and understand how important it is to do your best. We can thank and honor Him on our path to doing our best. Along the way, we are to continually grow in the image of our creator, step by step. So, as an imager of God, a Christ-follower, and a child of the King, let us not be static in our growth, but each day become more like that perfect imager, Jesus Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A2-11andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:2-11)
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1926 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to...
Welcome to Day 1926 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Trust The Creator – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1926 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Emerson, and it is: All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.
Trust The Creator
The world around us, from the tiniest microbe to the vastness of the universe, indeed all of the creation points us to God, the creator of all. There is so much visible evidence of God through His design that it is hard for me to grasp that there are those who don’t believe and even deny our great creators. Yet, there is much still that we don’t understand or comprehend in life. So, when we run up against those situations when our faith is lacking and we have questions, we need to refer back to what we can see and understand.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+19%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Psalm 19:1-4)
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A19-20andversion=NLT (Romans 1:19-20)
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1925 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1925 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Encoded Creativity – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1925 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Reid Hoffman, and it is: All humans are entrepreneurs not because they should start companies but because the will to create is encoded in human DNA.
Encoded Creativity
I have been an entrepreneur all of my life, which is especially evident as an adult. Indeed, not everyone is destined to be an entrepreneur, and most people don’t desire to be one. Very few that do attempt to be are a success. For me, it has been a drive and passion and certainly part of my DNA. Regardless of whether that is true for you since we are created as imagers of God, the great creator, every person is creative in some area of life. It is part of the DNA that God has embedded within each person. Some people express their creativity through art, raising a family, excelling in large corporations, welding, plumbing, ministry work, teaching, starting a business, or dozens of other areas. God has placed each of us in a unique place in life to build His kingdom and bring honor and glory to His name. Yes, creativity is engrained in each. It is part of the DNA the creator of all has passed on to each of us, His children.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-5andversion=NLT (John 1:1-5)
In the beginning, the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1924 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1924 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Great Difficulties – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1924 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Bradford, and it is: All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties.
Great Difficulties
We all think that we would like and enjoy a life of ease, but that is not what life is made of. When you accomplish great and honorable deeds and actions, the road will be strewn with obstacles, hardship, and difficulties. That is not to say we can’t be joyful even amid difficulties. On the contrary, the Bible encourages us, and even commands us, to be joyful in all situations. Joy is having peace in your heart and life, even when the storms of chaos are pummeling you from all sides. The stronger the storms, the more peaceful you will be once the storms are over. If God is indeed guiding and directing our lives, he knows and understands all we go through. Therefore, he will also provide us with the peace needed to end the journey. It is up to us to carry on until our life journey is complete.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2016%3A33andversion=NLT (John 16:33)
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1923 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1923 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Great Achievements – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1923 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from David J. Schwartz, and it is: All great achievements require time.
Great Achievements
We live in a world that desires instant everything. So we have fast food, minute rice, instant oatmeal, jiffy lube, fast pass, quick pain relief, and unlimited get-rich-quick schemes. It is a society of instant gratification without the willingness to take responsibility for our actions. This goes against God’s laws of planting and harvesting. All worthwhile achievements in our life require time and hard work. Persistence and perseverance are the core to the successes that will bring lasting results. Instead of looking for ways to circumvent the process, let us put our hand on the plow and continue to push forward until the task is complete. Let us not seek shortcuts, but the maturity and wisdom that comes from dedicating ourselves to utilize our God-given talents and abilities to finish the course and bring honor and glory to His name.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%209%3A62andversion=NLT (Luke 9:62)
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1922 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1922 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Earthly Delights – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1922 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jonathan Edwards, and it is: All earthly delights are but streams. But God is the ocean.
Earthly Delights
God has blessed us as His imagers with many wonderful delights while we continue building His kingdom on earth. But unfortunately, we become so enamored with our earthly riches and the beauty we have all around us that we forget that they are just a little foretaste of the divine glory that God has stored up for us. Of course, we should enjoy all the riches and blessings we have now, but we should never become so consumed with them that we miss the blessing from heaven that God will pour out to us if we remain faithful to His calling. What God has given us now is just a bubbling brook compared to the ocean of goodness and blessing we will receive when we join him in glory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A6-12andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:6-12)
Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+2andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-28362c (c)]—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1921 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to download each day’s trek automatically. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others...
Welcome to Day 1921 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Change Can Be Difficult – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1921 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Anatole France, and it is: All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.
Change Can Be Difficult
As I have mentioned in previous days, most people are resistant to change, which makes it difficult. However, even when change is needed and desired, there is always a bit of sadness. For example, when one phase of life ends and we begin another, most of us will experience some melancholy feelings. These feelings are natural, and we should accept them for what they are. However, most of the time, our current phase of life is comfortable, and apprehension is experienced when we must leave that comfort zone.
Nevertheless, change is required and often more exciting and rewarding than what we leave behind. When a season of life changes, a part of us must die so that new life can enter our world. After a period of sadness, rejoice in the new life you are beginning.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A23-26andversion=NLT (John 12:23-26)
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1920treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1920 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
All Change Starts Small – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1920 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Margaret Wheatley, and it is: All change, even very large and powerful change, begins when a few people start talking with one another about something they care about.
All Change Starts Small
All change and any progress will not even begin until those responsible for that change begin collaborating about something they are passionate about. When this happens though, a small but passionate group of people can take action that could change lives and even impact the world. So never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has. The Bible tells us that faith as small as the tiniest seed has the capacity to move mountains and change the world for God. So if you want to change lives, change towns, or change the world, start with a small group of people that have the same passion and make it happen.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2017%3A20andversion=NLT (Matthew 17:20)
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1919 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1919 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
All But God Changes – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1919 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles Kingsley, and it is: All but God is changing day by day.
All But God Changes
Very few people I know enjoy changes in any area of life. I, for one, adapt to change quickly, but as I mature and age, I find that I enjoy routine more and more. Even if the situation is not ideal, most people would rather stay in their comfort zone of mediocrity than enter the unknown, which may be much better. King Solomon wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%201%3A10andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 1:10), Sometimes, people say, “Here is something new!” But actually, it is old; nothing is ever truly new. While this is true in that people go through the same cycles throughout their lives and throughout history, our individual circumstances are constantly in a state of flux. Our situations constantly change which brings anxiety and discomfort to our lives. As Imagers of God, change can be good if we are changing to become more like that perfect imager, which is Jesus Christ. We can then take comfort that although our lives change, we serve an unchanging God. In that, we can have peace in the midst of storms. We can have joy amid uncertainty.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A16%2D18andversion=NLT (James 1:16-18)
So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1918 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1918 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Rise Above – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1918 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles Caleb Colton, and it is: All adverse and depressing influences can be overcome, not by fighting, but by rising above them.
Rise Above
My basic nature is positive, and I tend to reframe any negative situation in a positive light. But even I, at times, will struggle with adverse, depressing, and negative situations. When this happens, it is all too easy to allow it to drag us down with it, but that will not help or resolve the issue. Therefore, we don’t need to fight with those who are negative. Instead, rise above the fray and realize that we can do and be better regardless of the situation. As Christ-followers, we should have joy in reflecting on our abundant life. Not everything will be pleasant or without struggle, but there is so much to be thankful for. So instead of being drug down by those who are adverse, rise above and stand tall. Reframe your situation with an eternal perspective. Then even the difficult days will have a ray of paradise in them.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A9andversion=NLT ()
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A9andversion=NLT (Proverbs 13:9)
The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1917 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1917 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Begin With An Idea – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1917 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Napoleon Hill, and it is: All achievements, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea.
Begin With An Idea
Before we can accomplish anything in life, we must first have an idea and then be convinced that it is possible. Of course, ideas themselves will not accomplish anything unless action is taken, but the idea should come before the action. Unfortunately, many fail to take time for solitude where they can pause, reflect, think, and brainstorm so that ideas begin to appear and germinate. Once the ideas are formulated, they become like a packet of yeast. The yeast by itself will do nothing, but soaking it in a bit of warm water will allow the yeast to be activated. Then once the yeast is mixed with flour and other ingredients, in an environment where there is a little heat applied, it will force the entire mixture to grow. That tiny idea, represented in this analogy as a small yeast packet, will cause the mixture to double, triple, or even quadruple in size. Once that idea has entered into a plan of execution, that is, ingredients, it can be placed into an environment where it will be fully baked, just like a loaf of homemade bread. I can taste it now, and it is delicious. So dream, come up with ideas, mix them with a plan and bake them to completion. The results will be your achievements and wealth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013%3A33andversion=NLT (Matthew 13:33)
Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1916 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1916 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Aim High – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1916 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Barry Wishner, and it is: Aim so high you’ll never be bored.
Aim High
While children will frequently verbally declare that they are bored, I find that many adults live a life of boredom. Boredom is a state of mind. No one is forced to be bored; boredom is a choice. There is so much in life that we can experience, and it does not take financial resources to live a life fully. Taking a walk in nature, exercising, reading a good book from a library, laying out under the stars, watching children play, playing games yourself, working on a puzzle, woodworking, quilting, cross-stitching, music, and the list could go on and on. In addition, you can volunteer, help those less fortunate, visit the elderly, or do any activity that gets you out of your head and put your efforts into helping others. The higher your aim, the less possibility of you being bored. There is no excuse for boredom, do whatever you can to benefit and enhance the lives of others, and you will find your life is whole and prosperous.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2011%3A25andversion=NLT (Proverbs 11:25)
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1915 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1915 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Right To Be Wrong – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1915 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from David M. Burns, and it is: Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life.
Right To Be Wrong
We all desire to succeed, but success never comes through being perfect. I would say the opposite is true. Your success comes from making mistakes, learning, and trying again with additional knowledge and insight. You still won’t be perfect, but with each reiteration of the process, you become a little more excellent. The steps to success are, try, fail, learn, try, fail, and learn as many times as necessary until you reach the finish line. Sometimes success comes quickly; at other times with takes years, decades, or even a lifetime to achieve the success desired. Even when you reach success, you will not do so perfectly, but with persistence and determination, you will succeed. Never give up your right to be wrong, and in doing so, you will learn the lessons needed so that success will eventually come.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+22%3A27-30andversion=NLT (Job 22:27-30)
You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows to him.
You will succeed in whatever you choose to do,
and light will shine on the road ahead of you.
If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’
God will save them.
Even sinners will be rescued;
they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1914 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1914 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wrinkles In The Soul – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1914 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Douglas Mac Arthur, and it is: Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.
Wrinkles In The Soul
Chronological age is counted in years since your birth and is usually accompanied by graying of the hair and wrinkles in the face and body. Although this process can be slowed somewhat by proper exercise, nutrition, and sleep, the signs of physical aging will happen to everyone. Another type of aging results in wrinkles in your soul. The soul in that inner person who truly makes you who you are. There is no reason to accumulate wrinkles in the soul. Soul wrinkles result when you give up and quit in any number of areas of life. To remain young and prevent soul wrinkles, you must continually push yourself to keep trying and pursue what you love even when others give up. Taking care of yourself physically is important, but taking care of your sould is a requirement to stay young and vibrant internally. Stretch yourself to learn new things. Restore your soul by meditating on God’s precepts found in His Word. Gain wisdom through life experiences and maintain an attitude of gratitude and joy in all areas of life. Maintain the innocence and wonder of childhood, and you will never have wrinkles in your soul.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2038%3A16andversion=NLT (Isaiah 38:16)
Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1913 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1913 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Love Protects – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1913 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jeanne Moreau, and it is: Age does not protect you from love, but love to some extent, protects you from age.
Love Protects
Love knows no age limits. You can be an infant and instinctively have love for your parents. However, children, adolescents, teenagers, and adults all have the capacity to love. Love continues until the day we die. There have been scientific studies that, at least to a certain extent, the more you are loved and have love for others, the longer you are projected to live. It has been said that love makes the world go around. Love is what drives us to be and do better. It is also God’s love for us that fashioned a plan to send His son to die in our place so that we will have everlasting life. Let us strive to have the love that God has for us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A4-7andversion=NLT (I Corinthians 13:4-7)
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud, or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1911 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1912 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Diligent Person – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1912 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from David Jeremiah, and it is: Against the backdrop of people who avoid work, cut corners, and do half-hearted jobs, a diligent person stands out. Practicing diligence is an excellent way to stand out for Christ at home, in the workplace, and even at church. So today, complete each one of your tasks, however big or small, with diligence.
A Diligent Person
As Christ-followers, we are commanded to work as if we were working for the Lord, not for other humans. When we practice this, we will be diligent and persistent in everything. This lifestyle is just one of many ways to share our faith by doing more than what is expected and doing it skillfully. This concept applies to our work, church, and even more importantly, at home with our family. It should not matter if our tasks are great or small, be diligent and persistent in everything. Then the love of God will show through your life to everyone you come in contact with.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A10%2D12andversion=NLT (Romans 12:10-12)
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1911 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1911 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
We Are The Same – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1911 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from an Italian Proverb, and it is: After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box.
We Are The Same
Maybe it is my simplistic mindset or a healthy self-image, but I have never looked at people in positions of power, rank, or influence as someone extra special or someone to be revered. For the most part, we all put our pants on one leg at a time. We all must eat and sleep to maintain life. At some point, we will all die leaving everything we have behind. Then, within a few years, most of us will be forgotten, no matter our station in life.
What is more important than who we are on earth is to realize that we all serve the one unique God who is creator and Lord over all things. The fact that God made us to be His imagers, we all have the same access to His throne. We all are accountable to God. We are all unique in His sight and were created for His purpose. We should do this regardless of our position or rank in this world. Yes, indeed, at the end of the game of life, the king and the pawn are placed in the same box. It is most important on how well you played.
Ephesians 2:8-10
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1910 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1910 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Called to Greatness – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1910 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is: After one has discovered what he is called for, he should set out to do it with all of the power that he has in his system.
Called To Greatness
Within the Christian realm, our purpose in life is referred to as our calling. This is mainly used in certain circles when referring to those who feel they have been called to full-time ministry. I view it differently. As Christ-followers we are called to be builders of God’s Kingdom on earth, regardless of what we do for a living. The occupation of all Christ-followers is to be a kingdom builder. What we do for a living allows us to build God’s kingdom. This could be a job that we may refer to as an occupation, as long as it is not illegal or immoral and does not violate the precepts found in God’s Word. We could be a pastor, a business person, someone tending to the family at home, or any trade that brings value to the lives of others. It is not as critical as what you do for a living, but are you building God’s kingdom in the world you are placed in. Therefore, regardless of your earthly calling, do the very best you can and in such a manner that it brings glory to God. In doing so, you will also be a kingdom builder, which is our highest calling.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:1-4)
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1909 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See
Welcome to Day 1909 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Joy Magnified – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1909 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Ward Beecher, and it is: Affliction comes to the believer not to make him sad, but sober; not to make him sorry, but wise. Even as the plow enriches the field so that the seed is multiplied a thousandfold, so affliction should magnify our joy and increase our spiritual harvest.
Joy Magnified
Until we gain a proper perspective of affliction, we will always be discouraged, depressed, and playing the role of a victim. Everyone faces affliction during various seasons of life. No one is exempt. As Christ-followers, this is part of the maturation process. Affliction should bring a time of contemplation and wisdom. A seed will never grow unless it is first planted in soil that has been disrupted and turned inside-out. When a seed is planted, it not only produces a plant, but it will multiply that single seed into untold thousands. Yet, the seed must first endure hardship and even be destroyed so that new life can spring from its core. When affliction pierces our lives, it should magnify our joy and increase our harvest by laying down our lives to bring forth a harvest of blessings into the lives of others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A24-26andversion=NLT (John 12:24-26)
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1908 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1908 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Fly Anyway – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1908 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mary Kay Ash, and it is: Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that, so it goes on flying anyway.
Fly Anyway
Most times in life, our limitations to achieving are self-imposed. We don’t think we can do something, and sure enough, we can’t do it. However, the opposite is also true, just like the bumblebee, who by aerodynamic laws should not b able to fly. Still, God’s design and the bees’ determination fly even when it is impossible. So don’t let your limitations nor the limitations of others stifle your drive for success. By God’s grace and power, coupled with your determination and persistence, fly anyway.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010%3A27andversion=NLT (Mark 10:27)
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1907 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. Finally, if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1907 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Strong Wind of Adversity – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1907 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Arthur Golden, and it is: Adversity is like a strong wind. I don’t mean just that it holds us back from places we might otherwise go. It also tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that afterward, we see ourselves as we really are, and not merely as we might like to be.
The Strong Wind of Adversity
If adversity is strong enough and lasts long enough, it will strip away all the chaff in our lives, so all that is left is the most solid. None of us like adversity, but it will purify us like the blazing heat of a smelter until all that is dross floats to the top to be scooped away from our lives. Adversity may delay us in life, but it will not prevent us from reaching what we most desire if that desire aligns with God’s precept found in His Word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%2013%3A9andversion=NLT (Zechariah 13:9)
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1906 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. In addition, I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player to automatically download each day’s trek. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1906 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Measure Greatness – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1906 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Lou Holtz, and it is: Adversity is another way to measure the greatness of individuals. I never had a crisis that didn’t make me stronger.
Measure Greatness
People usually don’t think of measuring greatness by the amount of adversity they or others experience, but it is often the driving force behind any greatness achieved. So while we may not seek out adversity, because that is never pleasant, we should not be overwhelmed by it either. We need to view adversity through the proper lens, that it is a tool or lesson that will mature and refine us, so that we will be stronger. A crisis may seem to cripple us initially, especially if it is unexpected; if we draw our strength on God through the crisis, the crisis will make us stronger. Our strength comes from God, and it is He who will sustain us and make us stronger through the process.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james+1%3A2-4andversion=NLT (James 1:2-4)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1905 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1905 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Secret of Patience – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1905 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is: Adopt the pace of mother nature; her secret is patience.
Secret of Patience
Our lives, especially in the western world, are fast-paced, rushing around to try and cram into each day as many activities as possible. While it may have slowed slightly during the pandemic, and most people reassessed life, it appears to be resuming for many as hectic as it was before. Although I fall prey to this myself, as I grow older, I realize that an always-on, always busy lifestyle is not the type of life God intended for us. Therefore, while we are to be diligent and work hard, if we follow the example of Jesus Christ, we will take time to pause from our business and invest time with God in prayer and meditation on His Word. We need to have patience in all things. If it is important enough, it will still be there after a time of restoration. Therefore, let us purposely set time aside each day and week to stop, reflect, and meditate on all the good things that God has given to us. Let us then sing praises of gratitude to the giver of all that is good.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A8-9andversion=NLT (2 Peter 3:8-9)
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1904 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wis
Welcome to Day 1904 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Adverse Criticism – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1904 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: Adverse criticism from a wise man does more good than the enthusiastic praise of a fool.
Adverse Criticism
If we surround ourselves with people who only praise us regardless of our performance, we will never have the capacity to grow and improve. On the other hand, if we freely associate with people who will be honest and forthright with us because they are concerned for our well-being, we will become much better. The key is to surround yourself with wise people as much as possible. It is of no benefit to have foolish people around us, even if they try to make us feel good, if they don’t have your best interest long-term at heart.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2027%3A6andversion=NLT (Proverbs 27:6)
Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1903 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1903 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Source of Addiction – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1903 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Phil Ware, and it is: Addiction is a God-hunger directed to the wrong source of soul satisfaction.
The Source of Addiction
If we are honest with ourselves, we all have addictions that are desires and cravings that only God can fulfill. Some addictions are much more socially acceptable, like overworking or overexercising when you need to be investing time with your family and friends. These addictions may destroy those we love most if not kept in check. Other addictions, such as overeating, alcohol, drugs, or sex, will ruin you as a person and those who love you most. We all must recognize addictions and compulsive behaviors for what it truly is, a heart yearning to be fulfilled by God. If our faith and trust were entirely in God, we would be completely satisfied at all times and would not need to bury ourselves in addictions. God knows our weaknesses and is available to complete us, if we allow him to do so. He provided Jesus Christ for salvation, and once we understand that, we can gradually increase our faith until our addictions fall away and our fullness is in Christ. What do you need assistance with today to overcome?
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A14-19andversion=NLT (Ephesians 3:14-19)
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Fathe,r the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1902 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Welcome to Day 1902 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Useful Flame – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1902 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is: Add energy, inspire hope, and blow the coals into a useful flame.
A Useful Flame
I grew up on a farm where we had to heat much of our home with a coal-burning fireplace and a potbelly stove. Every cold day it was vital that we continue to add coal (that is, energy) to keep our home warm. The warmth inspired hope in us that the effort expended to maintain the fire was worth it. By adding coal at the correct time, we would have a useful flame. If we did not add coal in time and the fire went out, as long as there were some warm embers, we could blow the fire back into a useful flame, but it required additional effort. So it is with life, we must continually add energy and hope to our plans and efforts to keep them alive, and if we are slow doing so, we must blow the coals of desire to continue on the path moving forward. Allow God to spur you on in your efforts each day as you serve Him and build His kingdom.
2 Timothy 1:5-7
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1901 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1901 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Change The World – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1901 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Nelson Mandela, and it is: Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action is merely daydreaming, but vision with action can change the world.
Change The World
Anyone can change the world or at least their world, which will ripple through eternity. However, it does require the proper combination of vision and action. When you have action but no vision, you spin your wheels but do not get anywhere worthwhile. When you have the vision, even a great vision, but no action, you will daydream, but once again, you will not accomplish anything worthwhile. So the key is to have a solid vision coupled with a plan and then put that plan into action. You create the momentum and possibility to change your world when you do this.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A23-25andversion=NLT (Hebrews) 11:1-3
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1900 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1900 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Ready for Action – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1900 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and it is: Action springs not so much from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
Ready for Action
Preparation is always the key to successful action. Intellectually, you may need to plan, but mental planning must evolve into physical preparation, which will develop into action when the opportunity comes knocking at your door. If you are not ready and responsible, you may never even recognize the opportunity when it does arrive. Success in any area of life is that place in the road where preparation meets opportunity. You must be prepared and responsible for taking action.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A23-25andversion=NLT (James 1:23-25)
For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1899 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1899 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Action Or Words – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1899 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mark Twain, and it is: Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.
Actions or Words
We all know people who talk a little too much and are short on taking action. They are the type who will gladly share their opinion, but not lend a hand to assist. Unfortunately, we all fall into this situation, and we need to take more action and speak fewer words. Our actions speak much louder than our words, even if you have no sound made from those actions. Jesus’s half-brother James said the same thing about our faith when he announced that faith without works is useless. So show your faith by your actions. Instead of speaking, just do it. Instead of telling someone what you plan to do, show that person what you have done and are now doing. Words are a lousy substitute for action. Instead, use words to be kind and encouraging to others. If you have a choice between actions and words, choose action every time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-17andversion=NLT (James 2:14-17)
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1897 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1898 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Action Builds Confidence – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1898 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Norman Vincent Peale, and it is: Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different actions or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.
Action Builds Confidence
To confidently move forward in life, you must take action. I realize that certain people are more action-oriented, but when action is not taken, our minds will start dwelling on what may go wrong, which causes additional fear and anxiety. Inaction will cause a downward spiral which is challenging to escape from. On the other hand, your confidence will grow, and your worries will subside if you take action. Taking action does not guarantee that all will succeed or that you will be free from adverse situations, but you will still be moving. Yes, just like a sailboat must continually adjust the sails to the prevailing winds, and a jet plan must constantly adapt its heading, when you take action, it is much easier to change your course and needed. There is no reason to be fearful when God is directing us. Even if it may be somewhat flawed, any action is better than no action. So get up, take action, and move confidently forward.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A32-35andversion=NLT (Hebrews 11:32-35)
How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith, these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1897 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Welcome to Day 1897 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Achievement Is Honest Endeavor – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1897 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gramps, and it is: Achievement is not always defined by victory. Sometimes achievement lies in the honest endeavor to do your best under all circumstances, knowing that on any given day, an intensely personal effort may be the only thing that separates you from your competition. So, to be your best, grab your paddle and get moving.
Achievement Is Honest Endeavor
We all desire to be triumphant and victorious in our endeavors in life. The question is, can achievement be reached short of victory? The answer is a resounding yes! Achievement is measured by how far you progress from your starting point, based on your individual talents and abilities. Achievement for you will and should be different from anyone else. We all have a unique set of God-given talents, skills, and abilities. It is up to you to do your best under all circumstances based on what you can achieve, not others. On any given day, your intensely personal effort will be what separates you from anyone else, even if it is a competitive situation. Always do your best for God’s glory, and you will achieve what you need to. It is then you can rest in the fact that you have completed what God intended for you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203%3A23andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:23)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1896 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1896 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Aspiration and Expectation – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1896 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jack Nicklaus, and it is: Achievement is primarily the product of steadily raising one’s level of aspiration and expectation.
Aspiration and Expectation
We all want to achieve significantly in life, but the thought of big achievements seems to be out of reach for many. This is not the case though. The way to achieve greatness is to accomplish small increments and do the same each day. Then, once you reach a desired level of achievement, raise your aspirations and expectations one additional level. The journey of a thousand miles is accomplished one step at a time. It takes perseverance and discipline to do a little more tomorrow than you completed today, like anything worth achieving. So don’t be discouraged if you are not making the progress you hope for; keep on each day, and sooner than you realize, much will be accomplished. Little is much when God is in it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205%3A3%2D5andversion=NLT (Romans 5:3-5)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1895 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1895 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Prayer In Your Daily Occupation – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1895 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from François Fénelon, and it is: Accustom yourself gradually to carry prayer into all your daily occupation — speak, act, work in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be.
Prayer In Your Daily Occupation
Prayer to our Holy Yahweh has been associated with being the same as breathing in and out. Breathing is not only vital to our biological life but has also been seen as spiritually significant in most religious traditions. In the creation narrative, God breathes life into the nostrils of humankind. The Spirit is the “breath of God,” the animating force that fills our lungs. Jesus, in sending out the twelve, breathes on them as a ritual to symbolize the presence of the Spirit with and in them.
Breathing prayer takes many forms. One of the most well-known in the Christian tradition would be the “Jesus Prayer” that comes to us from our Eastern Orthodox kin. Another, perhaps somewhat less familiar, is tied to the Jewish tradition.
The Jews did not speak God’s name, but breathed it with an open mouth and throat: inhale—Yah; exhale—weh. We speak God’s name and participate in God’s breath by our very breathing. This is our first and our last word as we enter and leave the world.
Everything we speak, every action, needs to also be in the spirit of prayer lifted to the almighty who reigns on high. Be at peace with God, others, and yourself as you go through every moment of each day. Remain in a spirit of prayer at all times.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1894 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1894 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be Filled With Joy – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1894 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Catherine Marshall, and it is: According to Jesus, it is God’s will that His children be filled with the joy of life.
Be Filled With Joy
Every Christ-follower should be filled with joy to overflowing. Of course, that doesn’t mean that life will be easy all the time or that we won’t have problems or discouragements. But, it means that regardless of the pains of life, we know who holds our past, present, and future and that we are secure in Jesus Christ. Once we understand that our overriding purpose in life is to use our God-given talents and abilities to build God’s kingdom here on earth, our priorities and focus on life will serve that purpose. All too often, our sense of significance, purpose, and security is tied to what we do for a living or our family and friends. While we should do our very best in whatever we do for a living and foster strong relationships with family and friends, the only lasting value is what we do in life that will impact others for eternity. Our occupation and calling are to build God’s kingdom. Our job, family, and friends are how we fulfill that occupation. If we have our priorities in life correct, we can be filled with joy every day, regardless of the challenges and obstacles. The key is obedience to the calling of God through Christ Jesus.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A9-17andversion=NLT (John 15:9-17)
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1893 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this...
Welcome to Day 1893 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Consequence of Misfortune – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1893 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William James, and it is: Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.
Consequences of Misfortune
We all make mistakes and will fail at times in our lives. We could allow it to defeat us long-term and negatively impact our lives, or we could accept what happened, acknowledge where we fell short, and take the necessary measures to do better the next time. Acceptance of defeat and setbacks is a sign of both wisdom and maturity. Without accepting our shortcomings, we will be mired in the consequences of previous actions and choices and will leave no room for improvement in the future. Therefore, in all decisions, choices, and actions, we must be willing to accept all consequences of those decisions, choices, and actions. We are always free to choose but not free from the consequences of our choices. Therefore, choose well and choose wisely.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+24%3A14-18andversion=NLT (Joshua 24:14-18)
“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. For the Lord our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1892 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie
Welcome to Day 1892 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Know Your Tools – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1892 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Steve Maraboli, and it is: Accept yourself, your strengths, your weaknesses, your truths, and know what tools you have to fulfill your purpose.
Know Your Tools
God has created us with a unique set of character traits, talents, strengths, and abilities. He desires us to use them to our most total capabilities and for His glory. Since that is a fact, it is up to us to discover and intimately know what tools or skills God has blessed us with. We need to understand our strengths and also our weaknesses. When we find out this truth about ourselves, we can know and fulfill the purpose for which we are created. Think about the skill set you have been blessed with as tools in your toolbox for life. Likewise, you were blessed with tools to serve God for His purpose in your life. Make sure you know your tools, and as crucial that you use those tools within your toolbox of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+35%3A30-35andversion=NLT (Exodus 35:30-35)
Then Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord has specifically chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1891 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1891 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Accept Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1891 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Maxwell Maltz, and it is: Accept yourself as you are. Otherwise, you will never see opportunity. You will not feel free to move toward it; you will feel you are not deserving.
Accept Yourself
God created you wonderfully complex and marvelous. Therefore, since you are designed as an imager of God, you should accept yourself as you are. God created you as you are to seize the excellent opportunities that He has planned for you. Still, you will only be able to take advantage of those opportunities if you accept yourself. Who can stand against us if God is the designer of our lives? God makes no mistakes, and he created you as a male or female with specific talents, abilities, and skills to serve His purpose. To ignore or deny these facts is to spit into God’s face as if He did not know what He was doing. Accept yourself, and accept the purpose for which you were created. It is then that you will be able to live the rich and satisfying life planned for you before the beginning of time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8andversion=NLT (Isaiah 64:8)
And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1890 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1890 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Past, Present, and Future – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1890 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: Accept your past without regrets. Handle your present with confidence. Face your future without fear.
The Past, Present, and Future
Our outlook on life will determine our level of joy and peace. We all have decisions in our past that we may decide differently based on our current wisdom and knowledge, but we can’t change the past, making us who we are today. Nothing is gained by regretting the past. Instead, accept the past and use it as an instructor to make wiser decisions today and in the future. We can handle the present with confidence knowing that we are wiser and more knowledgeable today than in the past. The decision and choices we are making today will add to our wisdom and knowledge, allowing us to face the future with boldness. We can use this courage to march into the future without fear. God, our creator, has everything in His control, so there is no reason to fear. He has created us to be His imagers, and as such, we can confidently move through each day without fear. Even if we fail and make unwise choices, we can continue forward, knowing God is with us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%201%3A6%2D8andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 1:6-8)
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1889 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1889 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Accept Responsibility – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1889 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Les Brown, and it is: Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.
Accept Responsibility
It is so easy to blame others or our lot in life instead of accepting responsibility for everyone or everything that comes across your path in life. You first must realize that people and life are not always fair. There are many situations in life that we can wish were different, but that is not going to change them. You can only change how you react to people and circumstances, which will determine your outcome. Therefore, you must remain persistent and dependable even when others are not. In doing so, you will be able to go where you desire and do the things you desire. Be faithful in all things, accept responsibility for what you need to, and then leave the rest to God to take care of. We do not need to worry, fret, or blame. Just keep on keeping on.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A10-11andversion=NLT (Luke 16:10-11)
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1888 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1888 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Prove Grace Through Works – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1888 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: Accept God’s grace through faith, then prove His grace through works.
Prove Grace Through Works
God’s grace to us is free and abundant. We can do nothing to earn it, and there is nothing we can do to lose it short of refusing to accept the grace extended to us. Mercy is the act of withholding deserved punishment, while grace is the act of endowing unmerited favor. In His mercy, God does not give us the punishment we deserve, namely hell, while in His grace, God provides us with the gift we do not deserve, namely heaven.
Mercy and grace are the utmost attributes of love. The essence of the Bible is loving God and loving people through the lens of Jesus Christ. Two great works of God have displayed His all-powerful, gracious, and merciful nature: creation and redemption.
While God’s work of creation demonstrated His mighty power, God’s work of redemption revealed His marvelous love, shown through His mercy and grace. This very love of God is indispensable for the existence of life and the salvation of humanity. As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+145%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Psalm 145:8-9)
The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation
Acknowledging all of what I have just mentioned, we cannot take God’s grace for granted, and our lives should be living proof of the grace of God through our works. Grace is not provided to us because of our works, but our actions should reflect the grace that has been granted.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-20andversion=NLT (James 2:14-20)
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1887 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage...
Welcome to Day 1887 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Learn Through Experiences – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1887 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michael Jordan, and it is: Accept a loss as a learning experience and never point fingers.
Learn Through Experiences
The philosophy of Wisdom-Trek is that life is a slow but persistent trek. Therefore, we focus on moving forward, one step at a time. Of course, there are days when we will not make any progress, and days when we are knocked backward on our path, but we never give up. We accept days of loss as an opportunity to learn from our experiences and better understand what caused us to be delayed in our progress. Learning from these experiences prepares us to move forward with a new resolve, not to make the same mistakes that caused us the previous loss. We must resist the temptation to point fingers and blame others or circumstances for our loss, and instead, we must move forward without blaming others or being victimized by our experiences. God permits us to go through experiences and tribulations to mature and strengthen us and bring glory to His name. We should accept those tough times as gifts from God. Learn from the difficult days, rejoice in the easy days, and keep moving forward.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A8-11andversion=NLT (1 Peter 5:8-11)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1886 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1886 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
100% Responsible – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1886 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gramps, and it is: A Rich and Satisfying life all starts with deciding to take 100% responsibility. Stop making excuses, stop blaming other people, your culture, your background, or anything else, and start on whatever you want to do with your life because today is the first day of the rest of your life.
100% Responsible
We all have situations and issues that we could use as excuses for why we are in our position in life today. While our past and its obstacles may have contributed to who and where we are in life up to this point, it does not need to be an excuse for where we end up in the future. That is a choice that you need to make today. Today’s choices will be why you find yourself a year from now, ten years from now, or ten decades from now. You need to start today to make wise choices to ensure you will be where you desire to be in the future, in any area of life. I realize that I have mentioned this many times before, but you cannot defy God’s law of planting and harvesting. It is universal and as fixed as the law of gravity. What you plant today, you will harvest in the future. But like the farmer who patiently waits for the crop to grow and nurtures it throughout the process, you will need that same commitment in your life if you desire a rich and satisfying life in the future. So stop making excuses, accept 100% responsibility for your life, and start planting today, so you will be able to harvest tomorrow.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6%3A7-8andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:7-8)
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1885 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and...
Welcome to Day 1885 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Abundance – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1885 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek.com, and it is: Abundance is the ability to enjoy each day, not the size of our bank account.
True Abundance
We all feel we would have an abundance if we didn’t have debt and we had more money in the bank. But, the truth is the size of your bank account, car, or house has little to do with actual abundance. The abundance of our hearts is true riches. Wealthy people or those with an abundance of material things are usually no more satisfied or at peace with themselves and others than someone who has very little of this world’s goods. An abundance only comes from being grateful for what you have already. If you are not thankful for what you already have, you will not be grateful for more. Learn to be content with whatever you have, and then if God allows you to obtain more material wealth, you will be satisfied at all times. Focus on having an abundance of the fruit of the spirit found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal+5%3A22-23andversion=NLT (Galatians 5:22-23), But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
We need to learn contentment from the Apostle Paul in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A11-12andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:11-12)
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1884 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1884 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who Are You Traveling With? – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1884 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: Abraham did not know for sure where he was going, but he knew for sure with whom he was going.
Who Are You Traveling Life With
I like to plan and set goals in life. I want to know where I am heading and have a reasonable idea of how I will get there. That is a reasonable expectation for much of our lives, especially in the modern world. But, unfortunately, I would say that most of us, as we age into the latter years of our lives and look back on the road, we have traveled, it probably does not look like we had anticipated when we set out in our early adult lives. But is it unfortunate? The pathways that we take in life, either planned or unplanned, make us who we are today. I would not change my life journey because I am a better person because of what I have gone through. This was undoubtedly true of Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation. God instructed what seemed like, out of the blue, and Abraham and his wife Sarah departed and headed out to a land that God promised to give his descendants. So, when God calls us, we need to follow. Abraham was 75 at the time, and had no children to make descendants, so I am sure this was difficult for him to grasp. However, Abraham was obedient and packed up his family and obeyed. He did not have to be overly concerned because although he did not know where he was heading, he knew and trusted the one he was traveling with. We need to do the same.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A8-12andversion=NLT (Hebrews 11:8-12)
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A8-12andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-30144a (a)] that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1883 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Welcome to Day 1883 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Fear Difficulty – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1883 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rita Levi-Montalcini, and it is: Don’t fear difficult moments. The best comes from them.
Don’t Fear Difficulty
No one enjoys doing difficult tasks or having difficult days and weeks, but life for everyone has its difficult moments. But unfortunately, some people seem to have an abundance of difficulties. It may be some difficulties we bring on ourselves, but many are just part of being in a non-perfect world. As with most things in life, how we view life, even the difficult times, determines our ability to overcome problems. If we allow them to devastate us, then they will. If instead, we learn from the difficulties and allow ourselves to grow through them, then the best will come from the most difficult of times. We must keep in perspective that God knows and understands our good times and bad, and Jesus Christ experienced all that we have or will go through, yet without sin. Let us try to me more like that perfect imager as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A14-16andversion=NLT (Hebrews 4:14-16)
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1882 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1882 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be True To Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1882 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: Be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
Be True To Yourself
For the Christ-follower, this quote can only ring true when we align our worldview with Biblical precepts. Then, when we are faithful to God and His principles, we can be true to ourselves because God’s will for us becomes our will. When this happens, our hearts will mirror God’s heart, and we will know what activities we should be part of and what activities we should refrain from. Some of those activities that we choose not to engage with may be practical activities, but not for us at this season of life. If you cannot invest your heart into an activity, then it is best to refrain from it, at least for now. As I grow older, my priorities are changing, and I don’t have the same goals and ambitions that I once pursued. This change of focus is neither good nor bad, as long as they do not violate God’s principles, but with each season of life, we change, morph, hopefully, become more wise and mature, and our priorities shift from success to significance. I desire more for significance in the lives of others now, whereas, in the past, I would more readily pursue success. What is important is that we are true to ourselves for this particular season of life, but what is more important is that we are true to God and his calling during each season of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A11-14andversion=NLT (1 Timothy 6:11-14)
But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1881 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love...
Welcome to Day 1881 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Play The Victim – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1881 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Nora Ephron, and it is: Be the hero (or heroine) of your life, not the victim.
Don’t Play The Victim
There are heroes all around us. From soldiers who protect our borders to Fathers and mothers who never give up on their children, every person who makes a difference in the lives of other beings are heroes. Only a few of them get noticed, though. It seems like so often that you see people playing the victim card for their lot in life instead of taking responsibility for their choices and making the best of it. Regardless of whether you have been dealt a had of bad cards, it would be best if you learned to play the hand you were dealt and make a difference in your life and everyone you impact. The real heroes are rarely noticed, not desire to be noticed. They would prefer to make the best of every situation, and if that includes a bit of heroism, they will do it without fanfare or expecting fame. While Jesus was on earth, he taught us how to be leaders and heroes. It was by being a servant of all. That is the mark of a true hero.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2020%3A25%2D27andversion=NLT (Matthew 20:25-27)
But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1880 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1880 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Overcoming Self – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1880 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from St. Francis of Assisi, and it is: Above all, the grace and gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.
Overcoming Self
I am sure all of us know someone full of themselves; maybe it is the person staring back at you in the mirror. We are created as imagers of God, and as a child of the king, there is no reason for us to think of ourselves as trash. We are God’s masterpiece and have been fearfully and wonderfully made, but that is not something we have done, but what God has done for us. We also must realize that we have been crucified with Christ, and the life we now live, we live by faith in the one who loved us and gave himself for us. So we should not be full of ourselves but full of God’s Spirit that dwells within us. If we are indeed full of the spirit, then our lives will reflect the fruit of the Spirit as found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galatians+5%3A22-23andversion=NLT (Galatians 5:22-23.) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%202%3A3andversion=NLT (Philippians 2:3)
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1879 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you next time for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1879 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Ability, Motivation, and Attitude – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1879 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Lou Holtz, and it is: Ability is important. Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.
Ability, Motivation, and Attitude
While all three are components are essential, ability and motivation will not bring success unless you also have the proper attitude to achieve. Attitude is the fuel that runs the engine of success. If we use a car as an analogy, the ability would be the car body, while motivation is the engine, but neither the body nor the engine will move without the fuel. Once the fuel is pumped into the car, which is the attitude, there are few limits to the places it can go. God provides us with the ability, and doing His will for our lives is the motivation, but His indwelling Holy Spirit provides the strength to fulfill God’s will. Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you entirely as you build God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A15-19andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:15-19)
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1878 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1878 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Ability vs. Dependability – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1878 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: Ability is important. Dependability is critical.
Ability vs. Dependability
Having the ability to accomplish activities in life is important, and God has granted each of us abilities in specific areas that He chooses. However, even if we have all the ability in the world, if we do not have dependability, then little will be accomplished in our lives. Therefore, we need to be dependable in all aspects of life, from being on time, starting well, and continuing with perseverance until the task is completed. Someone with few abilities but has dependability will accomplish much more than someone who has an abundance of abilities but does not have dependability. You can and should have both and utilize them for God’s glory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A20-21andversion=NLT (Matthew 25:20-21)
The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1877 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1877 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Character Counts – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1877 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: Ability and training will help you reach the top, but it will be your character that will allow you to remain there
Character Counts
God has blessed each of us with specific talents and abilities which are different from everyone else. It is up to us to use those talents and skills for His honor and glory. Part of this is through training and honing your skills. But becoming good at what God has blessed you will only be temporary if your character traits are not aligned with God’s precepts found in His Word. Your character will allow you to continue to excel throughout your life. Your talents and skills may take on a different focus depending on the season of life you are currently in, but your character will remain the same. Your character is who you are, regardless of your talents and abilities. So, you may be thinking, what are the character traits I should include in my life. The excellent character possesses qualities like loyalty, honesty, courage, integrity, fortitude, and other essential virtues that promote good behavior. A person with good character chooses to do the right thing because they believe it is morally right. All of these qualities make up your integrity in life. It is who you are. Let us utilize the talents and skills God has blessed us with to build His kingdom on earth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A1-6andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 12:1-6)
Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1876 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live...
Welcome to Day 1876 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Start Today – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1876 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Karen Lamb, and it is: A year from now, you may wish you had started today.
Start Today
So many people have dreams, ambitions, plans, and goals, but they never wake up from their dream to achieve their desires. There are always excuses or hindrances where they are hesitant to begin. Usually, the real reason for not beginning, is fear that they may fail. This procrastination may even be an unconscious fear that they just make up excuses instead of taking that first step towards their goal. Without realizing it, a person who does this will automatically fail because they never take action on their dreams and ambitions. While everyone will look back and see how wiser decisions could have been made, those who are successful can briefly look back with the realization that they may need to adjust course slightly, but they continue to move forward. Don’t risk looking back a year from now and regretting that you never started. Start today, and even if you fail or have to make significant course corrections, you will see how far you have come and the beautiful lessons you have learned.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A57-62andversion=NLT (Luke 9:57-62)
As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” So he said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead![https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A57-62andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-25330a (a)] Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1875 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Welcome to Day 1875 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Word To The Wise – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1875 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom_Trek, and it is: A word to the wise is sufficient. A word to the unwise is resented.
A Word To The Wise
The exciting fact about wise people is that they are always seeking to gain additional wisdom. They fully understand that they are not all-knowing, nor do they have all the wisdom needed. While there may be a diminishing return on gaining knowledge for knowledge’s sake, there is certainly no limitation nor diminishing return on the depth of wisdom a person can achieve. The wiser one becomes, the more humble and mature one becomes. Whereas additional knowledge tends to puff up, additional wisdom makes you more humble. Wisdom is the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. A word to the wise will make that person wiser; whether that word is rebuke or edification, the wise will add to their wisdom.
On the other hand, a word to the unwise will be resented and will usually end up with that person arguing, being defensive, or sulking. Many times all three. The unwise lack confidence in themselves and God, so they try to cover their lack of confidence. So if you find yourself resistant when someone corrects you or provides a word of exhortation, you may lack the wisdom, discernment, and understanding needed for continued spiritual growth. Grown in wisdom each day, we are all lacking in some area of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%209%3A8%2D10andversion=NLT (Proverbs 9:8-10)
So don’t bother correcting mockers;
they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
and they will love you.
Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1874 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your...
Welcome to Day 1874 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Earthly Goals For Heavenly Gains – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1874 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom_Trek, and it is: A wise person sets his earthly goals on heavenly gains.
Earthly Goals For Heavenly Gains
Do you desire to be extremely wise throughout your life? You can tell a person’s depth of wisdom based on their goal for themselves and their life. For example, wisdom may lack if a person’s goals are primarily focused on obtaining things. On the other hand, if a person’s goals are on establishing and maintaining strong relationships and making an eternal impact on the lives of others, then the depth of wisdom is substantial. Furthermore, since our occupation in life is to be building God’s kingdom, then a wise person will have their focus on heavenly gains. A person is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. All that we possess and our talents and abilities are given to us by God, and we are stewards of them. Don’t miss the point, though, that we are to be wise stewards of all the blessings provided. So set your goal high, and with wisdom, those goals will point heavenward.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:1-4)
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1873 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1873 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Make More Opportunities – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1873 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Frances Bacon, and it is: A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
Make More Opportunities
Being wise has so many advantages that it is quite surprising that most people don’t pursue wisdom with a passion. Indeed, the book of Proverbs is packed full of references for gaining wisdom, insight, and understanding. One of those benefits or advantages is that the wise will have the wisdom to recognize and take advantage of opportunities even when they don’t appear to be opportunities at first. Unfortunately, most people are not wise enough to recognize opportunities because they usually dress in overalls and look like work. Yet, the opportunities that we create or recognize because of our wisdom will change our lives’ trek. Opportunities multiply opportunities, so the wiser we are, the more opportunities will blossom from our lives and pour over into the lives of others. That is what building the Kingdom of God is about, impacting the lives of others to bring them from the domain of Satan into the Kingdom of God. When we have more opportunities in life, it provides the resources to impact lives to a greater extent. God has granted us the ability to gain wisdom. We need to follow the precepts in His Word to gain that wisdom. It is so easy to gain wisdom; all we need is to ask as we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A5andversion=NLT (James 1:5.) If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
Here is just one passage that lists the value of wisdom:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+4%3A4-9andversion=NLT (Proverbs 4:4-9)
My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1872 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as...
Welcome to Day 1872 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Seek Wise Counsel – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1872 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Larry Burkett, and it is: A wise person seeks much counsel...a fool listens to all of it.
Seek Wise Counsel
You would think that wise people would not need to seek additional counsel since they already have a level of wisdom that is more than most people. The opposite is true. A wise person continues to gain wisdom throughout their life because they are wise enough to know that they are not wise enough. There is another crucial distinction between some who is wise and someone who is foolish. The wise person can discern which counsel adds to their wisdom and which counsel is not wisdom. Those who remain foolish do not have the discernment to distinguish between good and bad counsel, so they accept it all, which adds to their foolishness. The attributes of a wise person are that they know which counsel to keep and which to discard. God expects us to be wise. If counsel does not line up with the precepts found in God’s Word, it needs to be discarded.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9%3A8-12andversion=NLT (Proverbs 9:8-12)
So don’t bother correcting mockers;
they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
and they will love you.
Instruct the wise,
and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
and they will learn even more.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
Wisdom will multiply your days
and add years to your life.
If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1871 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1871 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Make Wise Decisions – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1871 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Chinese Proverb, and it is: A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
Make Wise Decisions
I don’t believe it has been ever more evident than today with 24/7 always-on news and the endless stream of social media posts that the masses are being led down a path of misinformation and fake news. This misinformation is prevalent with all types of media outlets, from ultra-liberal to ultra-conservative. Logically thinking for ourselves and making wise decisions seems to be a fading character trait of most people. The conclusion appears that we are losing a large segment of people who are truly wise and capable of lining up their worldview with God’s Word. We must keep God’s Word in our lives as a compass to navigate us through the tidal waves of fake news. If you think that fake news only comes from one side of the political spectrum, think again. The extensive media outlets are driven by revenue and profits, and they warp their information to fit the audience that will drive the most revenue. Don’t be misled, but instead, invest time daily reading, absorbing, and studying God’s Word so that you will have a Biblical worldview. With this Biblical worldview, you can make wise decisions and determine if what you hear or read aligns with the truth found in God’s Word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6%3A4-10andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:4-10)
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1870 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much...
Welcome to Day 1870 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Wise Are Not Lonely – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1870 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote and some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jonathan Swift, and it is: A wise man is never less alone than when he is alone.
The Wise Are Not Lonely
Those truly wise are not dependent on being with other people to be at peace and content. They understand that they are never alone because God is with them, regardless of their current situation. Yes, we all like the company and fellowship of others, but we should not depend on it for contentment. We are created to be relational, just as God chose to create and fellowship with us. Still, peace of mind and heart are only found in our relationship with God because all earthly relationships will fail to provide what we need at some point or another. Therefore, the wise continually accumulate Godly wisdom throughout their lives, and the wiser they become, the more comfortable they are with being alone with their wisdom. So if you find yourself lonely much of the time, it would be best to invest your life to gain wisdom. It will provide the peace and contentment that you desire.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+4%3A5-9andversion=NLT (Proverbs 4:5-9)
Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1869 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1869 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God-Given Talents – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1869 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Larry Bird, and it is: A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.
God-Given Talents
We all have the potential to be winners to the highest degree, as long as we understand that being a winner for one person may be entirely different for another. This is because we are created imagers of the one and only Holy God. He has created each of us with unique talents and abilities that only we can fulfill. The key is to recognize your God-given talents and abilities and then dedicate yourself by working as hard as possible to put them into practice. I realize that those talents and abilities given to us may not be fully developed, and it is our responsibility to hone them into valuable skills for building God’s kingdom. As a citizen of God’s kingdom, the ultimate goal is to perfect our God-given talents and abilities to further His work and bring honor and glory to His name. This will require hard work and perseverance, but we can accomplish it. So, every day, be about the job you are called to do.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1868 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1868 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Exhausted Winner – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1868 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Joe Torre, and it is: A winner is somebody who goes out there every day and exhausts himself trying to get something accomplished.
The Exhausted Winner
It is not easy to win at anything in life unless you are willing to put in the effort to succeed. Effort or exertion results in weariness, possibly to the point of exhaustion. To accomplish anything worthwhile, you must consistently pursue your goals and ambitions. Consistency means going out day after day and powering through, even when you don’t feel like it and even when you don’t see much progress. On most days, by the end of the day, I am either emotionally or physically exhausted, some days both. That is ok, though, because it gives me a sense of satisfaction that I not only accomplished much, but I have also impacted the lives of others. That impact may not be immediate or even significant, but mountains are moved one stone at a time. I have a lifetime to accomplish God’s purpose for me. I make sure that I take care of myself spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically so that I am prepared for each new day. By preparing properly, I know that my exhaustion will serve a greater purpose while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Don’t wear yourself out by destroying yourself, be smart and balanced. If you retain these practices, being an exhausted winner will be worth the effort.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+23%3A4-5andversion=NLT (Proverbs 23:4-5)
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1866 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1867 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Knowledge of a Winner – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1867 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Maxwell, and it is: A winner is big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.
Knowledge of a Winner
We all desire to be winners in every area of our lives. However, I don’t believe anyone desires to be a loser. Yet, there are those individuals who consistently win and those who consistently lose. Which group are you in? To be a winner does not mean that you will never fail and make mistakes. It means that when you fail and make mistakes, you are willing to accept and admit them. Once you fail or make mistakes, you do not remain in that state of mind, loathing in self-pity. Instead, you are smart enough to learn from your failures and mistakes and change your approach the next time. You don’t give up. You have the strength necessary to take the lessons learned, correct those mistakes and failures, and then begin again with new knowledge and a drive that will pull you through the most difficult of times. We know that with God, nothing is impossible, but as a student of God’s Word and the precepts that are contained within, we understand that any true success obtained must follow His principles. Otherwise, any human success we achieve will not be pleasing to God and will not ultimately advance the building of His kingdom. Be a successful kingdom builder; there is no other type of success.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A24-29andversion=NLT (Matthew 7:24-29)
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1866 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek...
Welcome to Day 1866 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Tightrope of Life – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1866 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William A. Ward, and it is: A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life.
The Tightrope of Life
Life is sometimes challenging, sort of like walking on a tightrope. You have to be very careful with each step you take. This trek of life can be a difficult path to take, but just like being on a tightrope or climbing a mountain, the higher you go, the more beautiful the scenery. In both examples, you need to make sure you are appropriately outfitted and be very careful to have the proper balance. That is where a well-developed sense of humor comes into play. Whether it is a balancing beam on a tightrope or a good walking stick for a challenging hike in life, a good sense of humor will steady you through those difficult life situations we all encounter. A well-developed sense of humor needs to be cultivated in your life. First, don’t take life too seriously. Unless a situation causes harm to life or limb, then you can laugh at it and get through it. Also, invest time reading funny stories, jokes, listening to comedians, and watching funny programs. This will help you get through the challenging times with more ease and comfort. As God’s children, we are to live fully and enjoy what He has blessed us with. Therefore, we all need to lighten up and live.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%208%3A2andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 8:2)
They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010%3A10andversion=NLT (John 10:10)
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1865 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and...
Welcome to Day 1865 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Warm Smile – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1864 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Arthur Ward, and it is: A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.
A Warm Smile
This quote is so accurate. I am sure everyone has seen smiling faces of adults and children from every culture throughout the world. No matter the spoken language, smiling and laughing are universal languages. The reason for this is twofold. First, we are all of one race, the human race. There are not multiple races in our world. That is a lie fostered by Satan to cause strife between people. Yes, there are different nationalities and cultures, but only one universal race of people. The second reason that smiling and laughing are universal languages is that God creates everyone to image Him. As imagers of the one and only God, we have many more similarities among humanity than we will ever have in differences. Our purpose is equally similar: to love and glorify God and love each other as we love ourselves. So no matter whom you are with, even if they have a different level of melatonin in their skin or have different political views, we are to love each other. So share a warm smile and a good laugh with everyone you are with, and before you know it, you will be speaking the same language, even if you can’t understand each other verbally.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+4%3A5-6andversion=NLT (Colossians 4:5-6)
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+4%3A5-6andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-29509a (a)] so that you will have the right response for everyone.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1864 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1864 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Gift Of Voice – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1864 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Margaret Atwood, and it is: A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together.
The Gift Of Voice
God has blessed humankind with a full range of communication, which the crowning jewel is our voice. We can encourage and build up others or destroy others with our voice. We can spread kindness, or spew hate. We can tell others of the Good News found in His Word with our voice. I will never understand those who use their voice for cursing when language is so full and rich with excellent and wholesome words. The Bible is packed with warnings of speaking too much. Most of those references are about communicating with no purpose or meaning and babbling on without really saying anything helpful.
The opposite is also crucial. If we fail to speak up when we should, we become powerless. So instead, speak up for those who are suffering. Speak up when you see injustices. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Speaking when you should be silent is foolishness. Remaining silent when you should speak up is cowardness. Use the power of your voice to bring glory to God and to build His kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Proverbs 31:8-9)
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1863 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1863 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Powerful Vision – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1863 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and it is: A powerful vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.
A Powerful Vision
To accomplish much at all in life, we need a vision. That vision must be powerful enough to allow a plan to be designed to move forward towards that vision. The plan must be detailed and compelling enough to foster execution because vision without execution is just a hallucination. The result must become an appeal that will enable you to better yourself and become more than you were previously. In my role caring for aging parents, I have seen first-hand the unfortunate side effects of advancing dementia and Parkinson’s disease, which causes very realistic hallucinations. They can cause significant fear where the person is in fear of their lives, and at other times, the hallucinations are people familiar to them but have long since died. The visions that come from age-related issues are not real but are not all that much different than those who have a vision for the future but are unwilling to invest the resources necessary for those visions to become a reality. Both of them are outside the scope of reality. If you want to see your dreams and visions come true, they must be powerful enough to force you to plan and then execute that plan to the end. The vision must also go beyond the status quo to the improvement of yourself and those you impact. You must reach new heights to be all that God intended you to be. God will guide you, but you must step out with your vision.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2029%3A18andversion=NLT (Proverbs 29:18)
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1862 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’!...
Welcome to Day 1862 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Vigorous Walk – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1862 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Paul Dudley White, and it is: A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.
A Vigorous Walk
When you are unhappy or a bit depressed, I know that you may not feel like getting out and walking vigorously, but it is so much better for you than additional medicine or talking through your feelings with a therapist. It is also much less expensive. I am not saying that medication and therapist are not required at times, but have you tried vigorously walking daily as an alternative? If not, it is certainly worth trying. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated. Something as simple as a brisk daily walk can help you live a healthier life.
For example, regular brisk walking can help you:
Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat
Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes
Improve cardiovascular fitness
Strengthen your bones and muscles
Improve muscle endurance
Increase energy levels
Improve your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep
Improve your balance and coordination
Strengthen immune system
Reduce stress and tension
The faster, farther, and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits. For example, you may start out as an average walker, and then work your way up to walking faster and walking a mile in a shorter amount of time than an average walker, similar to power walkers. This can be a great way to get aerobic activity, improve your heart health and increase your endurance while burning calories.
You can also alternate periods of brisk walking with leisurely walking. This type of interval training has many benefits, such as improving cardiovascular fitness and burning more calories than regular walking. And interval training can be done in less time than regular walking.
I cannot speak or decide for others, nor would I presume to do so, but I can speak for myself. At 65, I walk or jog at least five days a week. I am at or near my ideal weight and overall excellent health. I am told that I look considerably younger than my age and have strong bones and muscles. This would not be true if I did not get proper exercise, sufficient sleep, and eat healthy, balanced meals.
Since our bodies are considered God’s temple on earth and imagers of Him, we certainly should do all that we can to maintain a fit dwelling place for God’s spirit.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%206%3A19-20andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your...
Welcome to Day 1861 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Enjoy The Scenery – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1860 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Enjoy The Scenery
Prior to thinking that GPS units were a required device in every vehicle, were you ever on a trip where you were completely lost and ended up on some back road? Even with the sophistication of GPS on our phones today, which tracks our speed, location and even warns us of road construction and accidents; we have been detoured on back roads several times to avoid getting stuck in traffic. What is your reaction when either of these scenarios occurs? The best response is to take a deep breath, and enjoy the scenery. Some of the most enjoyable trips have been off the freeways and experiencing the beautiful back roads. There is so much to experience in life when we end up on detours. We must learn in every situation that God is in control and has allowed the detours to happen for a purpose. Enjoy the scenery, count your blessings, and give God the glory for those detours of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013%3A11%2D13andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1860 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1860 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Truly Good Book – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1860 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Florence Allshorn, and it is: A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.
A Truly Good Book
Have you ever been reading an enthralling book that is so difficult that hours will go by without you realizing it? It is as if you were one of the characters in that book, living in their place and time. I enjoy such books, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. Movies can be the same way, and I tend to be more fascinated with movies or books based on actual events. In recent years, I have switched over almost entirely to audiobooks to listen to them while working outside or doing a myriad of other tasks. I especially enjoy the Sy-Fy genre based in space. I imagine myself being ported off to galaxys unknown and far away. Books and movies allow us to be transported into other people’s lives and worlds. Books that stir us to be better, live better, encourage, care for, and love others more profoundly go beyond just reading. It moves us to act on what we have read. Being moved to change does not result in change unless we choose to change. There is one book, often referred to as ‘The Good Book,’ which is a collection of books, letters, and poems; the Bible should radically change us to the point where we are no longer satisfied with just reading it, but to live according to its precepts. It should motivate us to live so that others will see our lives and know that we have been changed from the inside out.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-9andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:4-9)
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1859 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded...
Welcome to Day 1859 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Produce More Leaders – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1858 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A true leader produces more leaders.
Produce More Leaders
The universal law of multiplication is valid for crops and people. Just as a good kernel of corn will produce many more seeds, the same applies to people. As a result, each of us is leaving a legacy of impact on the lives of others. That legacy may be good or bad, depending on the seeds we are planting into those we nurture. A good and godly leader will produce more leaders who will be good and godly. Regardless of what we do to earn a living, we should never underestimate the significant impact on those who cross our paths each day. Going back to the analogy of the kernel of corn, when you plant that kernel, it will always produce corn, never anything else. The same is true of our lives; what we are will be replicated in our children, grandchildren, and others we encounter. The only way to live on after we die is through those same people we impact.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A23-26andversion=NLT (John 12:23-26)
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1858 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1858 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Character Traits Of A True Leader – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1858 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from an Anonymous Source, and it is: A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.
Character Traits Of A True Leader
Being in a leadership position is not always easy. The fact is, it is pretty challenging at times. I have joked in the past that leadership would be easy if you didn’t have to deal with people. However, that is what leadership is all about, as we all know. You must have unwavering confidence to lead well, even when no one agrees with you. In addition, you must have unshakeable courage in the face of the most challenging decisions. But you also must have deep compassion to facilitate the needs of others. A Biblically sound leader does not set out to be a great leader, but becomes one through the integrity of their intent and unquestionable quality of their actions. As we see the example in Scripture from the only perfect imager of God, we become a leader when we are willing to serve others. It is then that others will follow as you lead by facilitating Biblical precepts found in God’s Word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A42-45andversion=NLT (Mark 10:42-45)
So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1857 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great
Welcome to Day 1857 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A True Friend Knows – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1857 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Arthur Ward, and it is: A true friend knows your weaknesses, but shows you your strengths, feels your fears but fortifies your faith, sees your anxieties but frees your spirit, recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.
A True Friend Knows
Most of us will only have one or two true friends during our lifetime. Few of us have the capacity to invest that deeply into the lives of others. For me, that would be Granny, who I love more deeply than anyone else. She knows my weaknesses, fears, anxieties, and disabilities better than I know myself. The opposite of that is also true. These limiting character traits do not become a point of contention between us, but rather an opportunity to deeply invest in each other’s lives to strengthen and build up one another. We are to point out our friend’s strengths, not emphasize their weaknesses. We are to fortify their faith, not highlight their fears. We are to give them the freedom to grow, not hinder them by collaborating with their anxieties. We are to show them their possibilities for the future, not give them reasons to see their disabilities. As Christ-followers, we are to build up and strengthen our fellow believers at every opportunity we are given, so our friends can maximize their God-given talents and abilities.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A9-12andversion=NLT (Romans 12:9-12)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1856 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily...
Welcome to Day 1856 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Accept, Support, and Encourage – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1856 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from an Unknown Source, and it is: A true friend is someone who accepts your past, supports your present, and encourages your future.
Accept, Support, And Encourage
Too often, we are prone to judge, abandon, and discourage others, even if we consider them to be our friends. As Christ-followers, this should never be. Although we may have to live with the consequences of past actions, good and bad, we can never go back and change what has already been done. Therefore, there is no need to judge others, especially friends, for what they did in the past. God forgives our past and remembers them no more, and we should be willing to do the same. We then need to love and support our friends in the present. If you genuinely love them and see them making unwise decisions, you need to love them enough to carefully advise them and pray with them. Finally, we should always be encouraging to others, especially our friends. Encourage and help them achieve their dreams for their future. Be supportive, loving, kind, and above all, help them walk humbly with our God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Philippians 2:1-4)
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1855 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1855 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be What God Designed You To Be – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1855 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Merton, and it is: A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be, it is obeying Him...The more a tree is like itself, the more it is like Him.
Be What God Designed You To Be
God does expect us to utilize the talents and abilities that He has given to us to our full potential. However, God does not expect us to fulfill what others may have for us. God does not expect a bush to become a tree. God does not expect a bird to become a rabbit. If we judge a fish by his ability to climb a tree, he would be incapable of doing so, and would die trying. But if we judge a fish by their swimming ability, we would see that they do pretty well. The same applies to each individual in humankind. We all have a unique set of God-given talents and abilities. As imagers of God, he does expect us to live fully manifest what He has given us personally, but not what He may have provided to another imager. Therefore, comparing ourselves to others can be deceiving or devastating.
On the other hand, comparing ourselves to who we were yesterday can be exhilarating. Let us measure ourselves according to God’s standard found in His Word. Let us be on the path of continual improvement as we become more like Jesus Christ, the only perfect imager.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208%3A28%2D30andversion=NLT (Romans 8:28-30)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1854 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Welcome to Day 1854 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Do It Right Today – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1854 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from an Unknown Source, and it is: A thing done right today means less trouble tomorrow.
Do It Right Today
If we don’t have the time to do something right today, why do we think we will have the time tomorrow. That is just not logical. Yet, all too often, we race through a project, work, or other activity because we are so busy. Still, we end up not doing it correctly, which takes us even longer when we have to redo what was already done, albeit incorrectly. The key is to slow down, analyze the situation and then work through the problem or project thoughtfully and focus on the details. As my dad told us dozens of times growing up, we should be slow and methodical as we were racing through our activities. It reminds me of the professional photographer who rushed through his photoshoot and said he did not have time to focus his cameras; he had pictures to take. So take time to do it right the first time today, and you will save yourself a lot of trouble in all of your tomorrows.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203%3A9andversion=NLT (2 Peter 3:9)
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1853 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1853 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Impact the Outcome – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1853 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A team can be impacted at any stage by anyone who has a positive or negative influence on the outcome of the team’s goals.
Impact the Outcome
Whether it is a sports team, a business team, a church team, or a family team, one person can positively or negatively influence each of those teams. Therefore, the entire team must be unified and work for the same goals and outcomes. For example, growing up in an apple orchard, I know firsthand that a single apple that begins to rot can impact all of the apples surrounding it. That is why it was essential to separate a rotting apple from the solid apples. Otherwise, the entire bag or basket of apples would be negatively impacted within time. So it is with teams; if there is one negative person, it will negatively impact the entire team. The converse is also true. If a team has experience failure or disappointment, one positive member can assist in revitalizing the whole team. So the moral of this story is, be a good apple; you never know how your life will positively impact the entire team.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=3%20John%201%3A11andversion=NLT (3 John 1:11)
Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1852 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1852 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success and Belief – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1852 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from an Unknows Source, and it is: A successful person is a dreamer whom someone believed in.
Success and Belief
Success in any area of life starts with belief. Belief in yourself and others believing in your ability to become successful. Of course, other crucial factors like hard work, diligence, and the ability to overcome failure are part of the success spectrum. This belief, or some would call it faith in God, is a very critical factor on that difficult path to success. Some success appears to be a miracle in the face of impossible odds. Like the miracles recorded in God’s Word, there was a measure of belief and faith required for the miracles to be manifested in most cases. The first and most important step towards the success desired is belief in yourself. Believe that God made you to glorify Him, and although success from God’s perspective may not be the same as we perceive it, if we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, then all that we need to do His will is provided to us. Seek first to be kingdom builders, building on a firm foundation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206%3A33andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:33)
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1851 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1851 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Successful Marriage – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1851 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mignon McLaughlin, and it is: A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
A Successful Marriage
While I agree with this quote completely, I would like to expand on it a bit. A successful marriage is where both partners choose every day to love the person they are married to. It is not optional; if you are committed to a lifelong and satisfying relationship, you must choose to love your spouse unconditionally. Love is always a choice, and it is a choice that must be made on a continuous basis. From the beginning, God created us as His imagers to be in a relationship that lasts for our natural lives. Anything or anyone that subverts God’s plan for marriage is a violation of his precepts. The New Testament equates marriage as a picture of Christ and His church. This is a sacred covenant. So choose each day to love your spouse; it is not an option.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A25-26andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:25-26)
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1850 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1850 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Firm Foundation – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1850 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from David Brinkley, and it is: A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.
A Firm Foundation
To be successful in any life endeavor, you must be willing to handle trials and hardships and turn them into advantages. But, unfortunately, many people will give up when criticized by others or when they run into headwinds of any kind. This type of defeatism will stifle forward progress, and that progress will cease altogether before too long. We cannot allow this to happen in our lives. We are created to glorify God, and we cannot do that if we are prone to give up when trials come into our path of success. So when others throw bricks at you and try to thwart your progress, pick the bricks up, but instead of throwing them back, use them to build a strong foundation for success. In Jesus’s parable of servants who wisely invested what they had been entrusted with, he commends those who were faithful with little or much. He did not commend the one who did nothing. So it is with us, God has blessed us with talents and abilities that we should use for Him. Little is much when God is in it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025%3A21andversion=NLT (Matthew 25:21)
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1849 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1849 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Stone Or Gold – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1849 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Persian Proverb, and it is: A stone given at the right time is better than gold given at the wrong time.
A Stone Or Gold
I would say that most of us think that gold is so much more valuable than a stone, but that is because most of us have ready access to a way to cash in on that gold. However, there are scenarios when that would not be accurate. For example, we are out in the wilderness and have to survive. A hard stone would have many uses in that situation, but a nugget of gold, which is far softer, would not be near as valuable. This stone could be used to crush nuts or grain, or it could be used to drive stakes into the ground. Gold would not have the same capabilities. Here is another example. Let’s say you were starving, and someone came along with food in one bucket and gold in another. The catch here is there is no way to redeem the gold before you would starve to death. In that case, the food would be exponentially more valuable than any amount of gold. So it is with God’s imagers. There may be one person who is a genius or a successful business person, but if you need a plumber to unclog an over-flowing toilet, then who brings the most value to that situation? Indeed, the trained plumber would be invaluable. As I recited at the beginning of every podcast, many things are more valuable in life than silver or gold, like wisdom and sound judgment. Keep this in mind the next time you think all would be well if you just had more riches.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+28%3A17-19andversion=NLT (Job 28:17-19)
Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.
It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.
Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it.
The price of wisdom is far above rubies.
Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it.
It’s worth more than the purest gold.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1848 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Welcome to Day 1848 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Spiritual Secret – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1848 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Amy Carmichael, and it is: A spiritual secret is to learn contentment with the things God doesn’t explain to us.
A Spiritual Secret
There are many things in this life that we will never understand fully, but we cannot allow that to cause us discontentment. As an imager of God, we must have strong faith to be content even when we may not understand the reason for specific events or issues. We don’t and can’t understand everything God allows to pour through our lives, what we may consider good or bad. The key to a contented life is to be willing to accept God’s gifts to us even when we do not recognize them as gifts but trials. One of the most obvious marks of a spiritually mature person is their ability to remain at peace and content, even when the world around them may seem to be in chaos. A spiritually mature person recognizes that everything works for our good according to God’s will for us. The secret to being a mature imager of God is no secret at all. You must learn to be content, even when you don’t understand God’s plans for you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Isaiah 55:8-9)
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1846 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1847 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Skillful Mariner – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1847 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from an English Proverb, and it is: A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.
A Skillful Mariner
We would all like our seas of life to be smooth and not buffeted by wind or waves, but that is not how life is. If it were, we would never be able to reach maturity or our full potential in life. Yes, there will be days where life is smooth sailing, but more often than not, many days will be filled with raging waves, torrential rains, and powerful headwinds. When we face these conditions as we sail through life, we will become skillful and be able to assist others facing storms in their lives. The more we experience the storms of life ourselves, and we successfully navigate through those storms, the more skillful we will become. The more proficient we become, our capacity to assist others will flourish. So it is with life. We gain the ability to use the winds, rain, and waves to our advantage to drive us forward with greater skill and expertise. Therefore, we should not curse the storms but adjust our sails to take advantage of those storms.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+1%3A3-6andversion=NLT (2 Thessalonians 1:3-6)
Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1846 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1846 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Smile of Encouragement – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1846 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Alfred A. Montapert, and it is: A smile of encouragement at the right moment may act like sunlight on a closed-up flower; it may be the turning point for a struggling life.
A Smile Of Encouragement
A genuine smile at the right moment has such extreme power that it can heal a broken heart or repair a fractured relationship. We should never underestimate what an encouraging word, hug, and smile can do for someone struggling in life. You must have a heartfelt passion for the one who you are assisting. Just a little kindness and a smile of encouragement may be the sunshine needed for the closed-up person to open up in full radiance of a spring or summer flower. We never really know what another person may be going through, so if you make it a habit to smile, be kind, and look for ways to assist others, you will have untold opportunities to further God’s kingdom through your actions. The benefits of a genuine smile will also help in your life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2029%3A24andversion=NLT (Job 29:24)
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1845 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1845 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Handwriting On The Wall – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1845 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Morris Bender, and it is: A skeptic is a person who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it is a forgery.
Handwriting On The Wall
No matter how irrefutable the truth is, some people will not believe it. I realize that we are exposed to a plethora of information today through the internet, 24/7 news shows, and millions of self-proclaimed prophets, all vying for our attention, so it becomes difficult to know what is true and what is not. However, even with this, we have a standard for which we can base truth as we construct our worldview daily. That standard is God’s Word and the precepts and principles taught within. We must understand that God’s Word is not a science book, although it contains information that can help us analyze scientific theories. Likewise, God’s Word is not a precise history book, although it does correspond with much of history throughout the ages. As I have mentioned before, God’s Word was written for us, but not directly to us. If we interpret passages based on a 21st-century worldview, we will end up down rabbit holes that lead to false conclusions. We must get inside the original authors’ minds and culture and understand their worldview to divide the word of truth rightly. With much of what we hear, read, or watch on various media platforms, we need to filter this information through the evident facts of God’s Word. If today’s information and stories don’t make sense through common sense, then it is probably nonsense. Stick with the clear handwriting found on the wall of God’s Word, and don’t be a skeptic. We would all do well to saturate our minds with the wisdom found in Proverbs.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1%3A1-7andversion=NLT (Proverbs 1:1-7)
These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1844 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be
Welcome to Day 1844 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Perfect Prayer – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1844 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and it is: A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.
The Perfect Prayer
God certainly wants to hear all of our prayers and petitions that we offer up to His holy throne, So we should never hesitate to come boldly into His presence with all of our requests and needs. One type of prayer we often overlook with the prayer of grateful praise for His untold and eternal blessings and grace in our lives. You could say that the outpouring of our hearts in recognition of God is the most perfect type of prayer. Even when we suffer hardships and trials, there is much to praise God for during difficult times. God will certainly give us the strength that we need to endure anything that comes into our path of life. During those tribulations, we can be purified and drawn closer to Him as His imager showing forth God through our lives. As you approach God in prayer, first bring your praise and adoration before reviewing a list of demands and petitions. You may also consider just praises to His name during some prayer times. He already knows all of our needs before we ask. Listen to this song of praise from King David.
https://wisdom-trek.com/wisdom-trek-podcast/day-1843 (Psalm 63:1-8)
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1843 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living...
Welcome to Day 1843 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be Prudent – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1843 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Proverbs 14:15, and it is: A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
Be Prudent
I realize that misinformation has been around since the beginning of humankind when the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. The angelic creature assured Eve that God kept something precious from her and Adam. But, unfortunately, they both believed and were deceived. So it is in our day, the news media and social media are full of all kinds of slanted or misleading information to draw us in, so we will consume their propaganda, just as Adam and Eve did. If we are not prudent and too simple in our thinking, it is easy to be sucked into the subtle lies and partial truths. We must know God’s Word so well that we can discern when information contradicts God’s precepts. Then, we need to think about our decisions and our steps. Be careful not to be deceived by information that aligns closely with your worldview just because you like what is said. Understand that news media and social media are both driven by getting people to listen, watch, and read to increase revenue. It doesn’t matter whether the information is on the right or the left, liberal or conservative; if it contradicts God’s Word, sound wisdom, and good old common sense, you are being fed information that is at least partially untrue. Think prudently, don’t be simple.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=3%20John%201%3A11andversion=NLT (3 John 1:11)
Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1842 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1842 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Safe Ship – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1842 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William G.T. Shedd, and it is: A ship is always safest in the harbor. But that’s not what ships are built for.
A Safe Ship
A ship that never leaves the harbor will never fulfill what it was destined for. Even in harbor, it could still be ripped to pieces by a hurricane. Yes, the ship may be safest in harbor, but what good does it do if it is not used for its intended purpose. The same is true of our lives. At times we feel like climbing into our bubble to be safe from the storms of life, but that is not why we are created. We are created as imagers of our all-knowing, all-powerful, all-wise God, and He has a specific destiny for our lives. Regardless of what you do for employment to meet the physical needs of your family, that is not as important as what our true occupation is. We are destined to be citizens of God’s kingdom and help build His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. What we do for employment enables us to facilitate our occupation. Everything that we do should be done for God’s glory as part of our mission of building His kingdom. So let us not grow wearing with life, or attempt to hide in a bubble, so we don’t have to face our responsibilities. Let us proceed bolding, knowing that what God has called us to do, he also equips us to do it. So face the raging waves of life when they come. God controls the waging waves just as He controls the peaceful ocean.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+40%3A28-31andversion=NLT (Isaiah 40:28-31)
Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1841 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1841 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Sharp Tongue – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1841 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: A sharp tongue can cut your own throat.
A Sharp Tongue
We need to be careful how we talk about other people, places, or organizations. Although the tongue can bring healing and encouragement, it can also bring destruction and death to others. Ultimately what we plant with our tongues will be harvested in our lives. If we plant love, compassion, encouragement, and kindness, we will harvest those same in our lifetime. On the other hand, if we plant gossip, slander, hatred, and discouraging words, we will harvest the same in our lives. Therefore, let us build up others, not tear them down. Let us show love to others, not hatred. Let us do all we can to build God’s kingdom here on earth by displaying that we are His imagers. Otherwise, the throat that we cut with our sharp and nasty tongue will be our own. God’s Word is filled with exhortations on the proper and improper use of the tongue. The best overall narrative is found in:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+3%3A1-12andversion=NLT (James 3:1-12)
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1840 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded...
Welcome to Day 1840 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Humor Is Needed Armor – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1840 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Hugh Sidey, and it is: A sense of humor is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.
Humor Is Needed Armor
A good sense of humor is one of the essential elements of life to live healthy and emotionally balanced. In addition, humor acts as armor to protect us from all of the hostile forces that bombard us daily. As citizens of God’s kingdom, we need to oppose those negative forces with an abundant supply of joy, coupled with many doses of laughter throughout the day. Joy comes from the inner peace we have, knowing that God controls every situation no matter what happens in our lives. So supplement your joy with humor, which can be reading or listening to funny stories, watching humorous programs, or laughing at yourself when you do or say something silly, as we all do. Laughter has many health benefits to your body, soul, and mind. Never take life too seriously, instead, live a rich and satisfying life as God would desire for us. After all, we are a child of the king, and we should celebrate and enjoy every day of life. So look for humor throughout each day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2017%3A22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22)
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+126%3A2-3andversion=NLT (Psalm 126:2-3)
We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1839 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1839 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Created Science – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1839 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Simone Weil, and it is: A science which does not bring us nearer to God is worthless.
God Created Science
Today, we hear so much from politicians, news media, social media, and many other experts about trusting science or believing the science. Still, these messages often seem to be shrouded in fear and not based on actual science. Like truth, the laws of the universe (such as gravity), real science ultimately comes from God and manifests through His imagers. For instance, I believe in climate change and that it is caused at least in part by humans and animals. We also should do all that is reasonably possible to minimize that change. That being said, there is no scientifically sound reason for humanity to panic. Fear the world will be destroyed in a few years or even centuries is driven by someone making a profit on that fear and not on sound science.
The Bible tells of a different conclusion at the end of time as we know it. It will be when God restores a global Eden on earth and heaven and earth are combined in a combined domain where we will work, rule, reign, and bask in God’s glory all eternity. Most people, including believers, don’t understand that the Bible was not written as a science book, so we need to be careful to read it as such. Also, the Bible was written for us, but not to us. Therefore, we have to understand the scripture through the authors’ worldview, to people to whom it was written, and the time period in which it was written. Without this understanding, we will force God’s Word into our modern time and view it through a 21st-century worldview.
While you should rely upon and trust science, ensure that your sources are reliable and trustworthy. Make sure they are grounded in solid scientific methods and can be verified. Be aware of the wolves in sheep clothing, use common sense, and trust God, the author of truth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A20-21andversion=NLT (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1837 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most...
Welcome to Day 1838 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Share The Good News – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1838 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harry F. Banks, and it is: A salesperson minus enthusiasm is just a clerk.
Share The Good News
Have you ever walked into a retail location, and the person behind the counter either ignored you or acted like you are an interruption to their day? Every team member is an ambassador for that company where they work. No matter what the position is, from a person at the front desk, someone who answers the phone, the sales reps, all the way to the owner of the business, or the president, everyone represents the company. Each person should work with enthusiasm because each person is a salesperson in their way. When you think about it, the same applies to the church. Everyone should be enthusiastic and friendly when a new person enters the church. They should be made to feel special because they are. An opportunity like this may be the difference of that person coming again to hear God’s Word and learn from it. As Christ-followers, so should it be in our individual lives. We should treat everyone we meet with compassion and respect. Every person is an imager of God, and we do not know how our lives will impact them for God’s kingdom. Even if another person treats us unkindly, we should still be kind and respectful to them. We never know what another person may be dealing with or have on their mind. You may be the living Word of God in their lives so that they will see God’s love for them through you. Never be a clerk for the kingdom of God; share the excellent Good News with them, through your words and actions. Be an ambassador for Jesus Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%209%3A23andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 9:23)
I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1836 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for...
Welcome to Day 1837 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Room Full Of Books – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1837 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Cicero, and it is: A room without books is like a body without a soul.
A Room Without Books
As God’s created imagers, we should constantly learn and absorb as much information as possible. Initially, the primary way to learn something new is to read information through books. They can be printed books or digital books. Books can provide us with a universe of information to further our minds and expand our souls. These books can be either non-fiction or fiction, allowing us to explore new worlds in our minds. However, if we neglect the opportunities to read and learn, we will soon become like muscles that are not exercised; they will eventually die of atrophy. In today’s age of modern technologies, we also have many other media to learn from, but the art of reading books helps to expand our minds in a manner that few other avenues will allow. It allows the mind to imagine, expand, think in new ways, and unlock the mysteries of the universe. Of course, on the top of the list of books you should absorb are the books found in God’s Word. They contain the riches of the universe. So invest in books, which is investing in your body, mind, and soul.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%202%3A6andversion=NLT (Proverbs 2:6)
For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1836 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1836 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Make A Beginning – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1836 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Soren Kierkegaard, and it is: A road well begun is the battle half won. The important thing is to make a beginning and get underway.
Make A Beginning
As we have talked about in past episodes, you will never make progress if you never begin a task. Starting a job is usually the most challenging part, and once you start and pick up momentum, the task becomes increasingly more accessible. That is why the most important aspect of anything that you are attempting to do is to get started. While we need to plan before moving forward, you will begin to see diminishing returns from your continued planning at some point in the planning process. Therefore, you need to get underway on what you are working on and execute the plans you have created. Finally, you have to come to a point where you say, no more getting ready, to get ready and begin. Please don’t put it off any longer; the important thing is to keep moving forward. As we are to do everything in this life to the honor and glory of God, not beginning is stifling your ability to do so. So, put your God-given talents and skills to the work of building His kingdom in every task you undertake.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A5andversion=NLT (Proverbs 21:5)
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1835 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1835 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Ability to Forget – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1835 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A retentive memory is often a good thing, but the ability to forget can be a token of greatness.
Ability To Forget
I believe that all of us desire to have a good memory, but what we retain is of utmost importance. As I have studied people, I have realized that there are essentially three types of personalities that determine what is vital to remember and how they make decisions and choices. One type is focused on the past, and their outlook, decisions, and choices are driven by their past experiences. The next kind of person is focused on the present; their outlook, decisions, and choices are driven by what they are currently experiencing. Finally, the third type of person is focused on the future. This person makes decisions based on what they perceive the future and is more forward-looking on their outlook, decisions, and choices. All three of these types of persons control outlook controls what and how they tend to remember. The past-oriented can remember more finite details of past events. The present-oriented can remember valuable information vital to their present situation but may not reflect on the past, nor project the future. A future-oriented person remembers very few finite details of the past, including the very recent past, unless it is essential to their success for the future. I am personally rooted in this third category. I do not remember many details of the past whether it was 50 years ago or five days ago. I am always focusing on the future. I tend not to remember unless it is required information for future success like passwords, financial information, appointments, deadlines, or information is needed to function well. I can easily remember that which is vital to the future.
On the other hand, Granny tends to be past-oriented, and she can remember finite details and trivia of the distant and not so distant past especially relationship-related, but can’t recall details of financial information she may have worked on from last week. All three types have strengths and weaknesses, and God made us how we are for His honor and glory. That being said, we need to forget that which is negative and destructive but cling to that which is good and beneficial. Remember God’s goodness to us in the past, so we can actively live for Him in the future.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A12-16andversion=NLT (Philippians 3:12-16)
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ...
Welcome to Day 1834 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Realist or Skeptic? – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1834 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Warren Wiersbe, and it is: A realist is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been purified. A skeptic is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been burned.
Realist or Skeptic?
I have to admit that I am very much an optimist, and within my personality style, I tend to reframe every situation to appear in the best light possible. I do tend to be idealistic at times. That being said, I have lived enough of life over the past 65 years to understand that I must live as a realist. Sometimes life is not fair, and everyone goes through trials and tribulations. I have gone through my share of life difficulties, but I have allowed those fires to help mature and purify me as best as possible. I have not let that fire stifle me or my pursuit of living a rich and satisfying life. Other people are also idealists, as I have been at times, but have been discouraged when going through the fires of life. Because of this mindset, they become very skeptical of living life. The fires may be similar in both situations, but our worldview and perspective will determine whether we become a realist or a skeptic. It is a choice; what is your choice? As Christians, we are to live a life of abundance, knowing that God has an eternal plan for us, and the trials are to mature and purify us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010%3A10andversion=NLT (John 10:10)
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1833 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1833 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Best Conversation – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1833 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: A real friend is when you can sit alone together and never say a word...and walk away feeling that you have had the best conversation.
The Best Conversation
True friendship runs much deeper than conversations that we may have with acquaintances, and sometimes even family members. Yet, so often, it is thought that friendships are built on having meaningful conversations with others. So, while you must frequently communicate with friends, there are no more extended periods of awkward silence within a conversation as the friendship deepens. Instead, deep abiding friendships allow for a time of communion with each other where no actual words are spoken, but just the peaceful harmony of silence where you are content to be with someone you deeply love and respect. That is when you know in your heart that the friendship is real and everlasting. That is the type of friendship that I have fostered with Granny. Yes, we have our time talking about many things and laughing about the simple things we do. But some of the best conversations are just being in each other’s company and feeling blessed, even if few words are spoken.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A24andversion=NLT (Proverbs 18:24)
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1832 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1832 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Real Friend – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1832 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: A real friend is a person who, when you’ve made a fool of yourself, lets you forget it.
A Real Friend
Do you have a friend that is so close to you that no matter how simple or foolish you are, they can laugh with you but never makes an issue of it. They will rarely mention it again and let it fade from your memory. Granny is that friend for me. No matter if I make a fool of myself, she never brings it up in a negative manner. Now there are times when we will laugh with each other for some of the simple and foolish things we do in life. I admit; it does allow times for a lot of laughing in our relationship. That is an essential ingredient for a strong marriage or any close friendship. Life is too short not to forgive and forget so that you can live a rich and satisfying life. So the next time a spouse or friend makes a fool of themselves, let them forget it and don’t bring it up. You would want the same thoughtfulness when you do foolish things also.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%204%3A8andversion=NLT (1 Peter 4:8)
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2013%3A34-35andversion=NLT (John 13:34-35)
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1831 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1831 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Real Decision – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1831 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Tony Robbins, and it is: A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.
A Real Decision
A decision made must be connected to an action that is taken. Otherwise, you decide to do nothing, which is not a decision. Action is the key to making your choices tangible. You can sit around and think about taking action on a matter, but until you actually act, you might as well not waste your mental energy contemplating what you might do. My grandma Burkhart called that a mugwump. She explained it this way, you can spit in one hand and wish in the other, and you will end up with the same result; nothing is accomplished. So unless you enjoy being a mugwump, I suggest that when you make decisions, you also follow through with taking action. As a Christ-follower, we are warned in Scripture that we should not be idle but always work as though we are working for God’s glory and not our satisfaction.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+3%3A6-10andversion=NLT (2 Thessalonians 3:6-10)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1830 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1830 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Proper Perspective – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1830 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Janette Oke, and it is: A quiet morning with a loving God puts the events of the upcoming day into proper perspective.
A Proper Perspective
How do you start your day? I realize that not everyone is a morning person, as I tend to be, so you may have to flip your schedule around. The key is to make sure you set aside time each day to invest with God through the reading of His Word and in prayer. Early morning works for me, and certainly sets the tone for my entire day. I get up at 5:00 am each weekday and listen to Scripture, devotionals, and uplifting podcasts while I exercise. I exercise for about 75 minutes, allowing for a significant amount of time to make sure that my mind is set correctly and that I build on a Biblical worldview. If I have the correct worldview, then I can filter the mass of information that I consume during the day based on God’s perspective instead of my inclinations. So no matter what time you wake up each day, start it with God. We need a proper perspective of life, which will only happen when we filter it through God’s perspective.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A2andversion=NLT (Romans 12:2)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1829 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1829 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Providence That Provides – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1829 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from J Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A providence that provides for sparrows will certainly protect the saints.
Providence That Provides
We become overly concerned about how we are going to take care of ourselves. We panic and fret about providing for our families, paying our bills, or saving for unexpected expenses. However, if our faith is in a holy God who created all things and loves us beyond what we could ever think or imagine, we should rest in the fact that indeed He will also take care of both our small and large needs and even some of our wants, if our heart is focused on Him. Most of what we are fearful of will never come to pass. Even if we go through hardships and tribulations at times, God will give us the strength to carry on, no matter what. So let us do the best that we can with the talents and abilities given to us by God, and then allow God to provide for us just as he provides for the sparrows.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206%3A25%2D27andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:25-27)
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1828 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1828 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Productive Coaching – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1828 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from James A. Belasco, and it is: A productive coaching relationship begins with two people with fires in their bellies: one who wants desperately to move forward and another who yearns to help that person make the journey.
Productive Coaching
[caption id="attachment_30623" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Source: Trueffelpix / shutterstock[/caption]
Effective coaching requires a willing and qualified person to coach and another person who strongly desires to receive the instruction from the coach. Effective coaching will not happen if you are missing either of those elements. Intense desire must burn within the soul of both persons. We all need coaching in life. It may be formal coaching, such as on a sports team or a business situation, or a relaxed position where a parent teaches their children appropriate behavior or practical skills. If you are the coach, you need to have a passion for assisting others in growing and flourishing. If you are being coached, you need a desire to learn, improve, and excel. When this combination matches up, there is no limit to what can be accomplished. In Biblical terms, this same process is called discipleship. Jesus Christ was a master coach to those who followed Him. Those being disciples had a burning desire to be taught. We are also called to spread the Good News by making disciples through the great commission.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024%3A32andversion=NLT (Luke 24:32)
They said to each other,
“Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1827 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1827 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Accurate Information – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1827 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is an old Proverb, and it is: A positive conviction without accurate information is a dangerous thing.
Accurate Information
We can have strong and positive convictions about a particular subject or person, but if it is inaccurate, it will lead to self-delusion and a cultic environment. Unfortunately, many people have been led astray by a dynamic personality who gathered a following based on their rhetoric that is full of positive conviction but did not contain the whole truth about a matter. This person may soon gather a cult, but they will lead the followers down the wrong path. But, on the other hand, we can have a true positive conviction based on the truth when our talk and walk follow God’s Word. It is great to have a positive conviction, but only when our beliefs align with God’s precepts. Then, we need a call to spiritual growth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+5%3A11-14andversion=NLT (Hebrews 5:11-14)
There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1826 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1826 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Extraordinary Results – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1826 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is: A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, and it sparks extraordinary results.
Extraordinary Results
Any achievement accomplished in life start with a positive attitude believing that change is possible. A positive attitude is like a series of connected pieces of dynamite. Once the first piece is lit and explodes, it transfers the energy to the subsequent source of explosion in line. This chain reaction starts with a positive attitude which links to positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. Once this chain reaction begins, the very catalyst ignites extraordinary results. So plant the seeds of a positive attitude each day, and you will harvest a massive crop of results. As a Christ-follower, there is never a reason to be negative in our attitudes. We have all that we need to live a godly life. We have the same power of God working through us by His Holy Spirit who dwells within. Live a life worthy of our calling.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014%3A17%2D19andversion=NLT (Romans 14:17-19)
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1825 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1825 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Thousand Sermons – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1825 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A pint of example is worth a thousand sermons.
A Thousand Sermons
I am sure you have heard that we need to walk our talk, and that is so true, and I agree. Especially as Christ-followers, we need to ensure that our daily lives match what we talk about and that what we talk about is in line with God’s precepts. There is much harm that can be done to the cause of Christ if our example betrays our faith. We are to be salt and light in a tasteless and dark world. If we are not, then God’s kingdom will not be built through us as it should be. So the next time you are about to open your mouth to say something, talk about someone, or spread information that is not true, then it would be best to pause and either say nothing, or only say that which is encouraging uplifting to others. Don’t let your thousand sermons return empty.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A29-30andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:29-30)
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1824 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1826 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Poor Worker – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1824 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom. Today, we have a very special guest and one of my namesakes, Harold Guthrie Chamberlain, V, my nearly 10-year-old grandson, and son of my eldest son Harold Guthrie Chamberlain, IV. We are proud to pass down our legacy, part of which is our name. We also call our grandson by his Kenyan name, Kiprono, or Kip for short. His mama is from Kenya, and we are also proud of the rich history that ties him to Kenya, where his other grandparents still live. We know that wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. Kip is going to read today’s nugget of wisdom.
Today’s quote is from George Herbert, and it is: A poor worker always finds fault with their tools.
A Poor Worker
The idea behind this expression is that a good worker would take full responsibility for any fault and not try to blame his equipment. Therefore, someone blaming shoddy work on their tools must not be very skilled. In other words, an unskilled person cannot do skilled work even with the very best tools. But, unfortunately, we live in a world where some people will not take responsibility for the quality of their work. Instead, they will blame their tools, work situation, co-workers, or even their family instead of being willing to accept responsibility. A person who does this will never improve because they constantly blame someone or something else. We need to accept responsibility and then take the necessary steps to improve our shortcomings and areas of weaknesses. Never blame; always seek to improve. God’s Word shows us how to be an approved worker.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%202%3A15andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 2:15)
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the Word of truth.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1823 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1823 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Pile Of Rocks – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1823 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and it is: A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind.
A Pile Of Rocks
It has been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that statement is so true. Of course, it applies to people, but it can apply to just about anything. For example, before we had the opportunity to work with a construction company in Arizona, I thought that the desert had quite ugly landscapes, especially compared to southeastern Ohio’s lush green rolling hills. However, after living in Arizona part-time, I came to love the beauty of the desert. Indeed, it was different but beautiful in its way. If you look for it, you can see God’s hand and beauty in almost anything, person, or situation. As with our quote today, if you take your eyes off a pile of different sizes of uncut rocks in your mind’s eye, you can begin to see the beautiful cathedral that that same pile of ugly rocks can construct. So instead of negatively looking at people, places, or things and judging them, look for the beauty within them. Look to the valleys, plains, hills, and the heavens, and we see that indeed God’s beauty surrounds us everywhere we choose to see it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%203%3A11andversion=NLT;NIV (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1822 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1822 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Opportunities in Difficulties – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1822 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harry Truman, and it is: A pessimist makes difficulties of his opportunities, and an optimist makes opportunities of his difficulties.
Opportunities In Difficulties
Our outlook and mindset highly influence how we view and function in life. If we loath difficulties and grind to a halt every time we face them, we will never make much progress in life. Opportunities are always full of difficulties. The bigger the opportunity, the greater the difficulties will be. As always, we have a choice. We can be hindered when faced with opportunities or take advantage of them, regardless of their difficulties.
Interestingly, in both situations, the opportunities are the same; it is all in how we view them. So since we do have a choice, life becomes much more enjoyable and worth living if we consider all opportunities from an optimistic mindset. Since we are created to be imagers of God, we should see every opportunity that God brings our way as an opportunity to build His kingdom. Let’s do so to the best of our abilities for His honor and glory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%206%3A10andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:10)
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1821 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1821 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Value and Worth – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1821 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Todd Hahn, and it is: A person’s value and worth has nothing to do with his or her morality.
Value and Worth
As a Christ-follower, you may think that I should never include a quote like this on Wisdom-Trek because living a moral life should be required as a Christian. It is a benchmark of our relationship with a Holy God. Although morality is a manifestation of our relationship with God, it is certainly not the basis of that relationship. Our relationship with God is based solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ. While we are encouraged in God’s Word to live a Biblically moral life, our value and worth in God’s sight are viewed through His Son and not by any righteous works we may do or have done. Understand and know that the purpose for living a virtuous and moral life is to honor a holy God who views us so worthy and valuable that He was willing to sacrifice His own son so we may have a relationship with Him. Live a life worthy of that calling.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A16-17andversion=NLT (Romans 1:16-17)
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1819 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1820 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Make Things Happen – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1820 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jill Sterklel, and it is: A person’s attitude, effort, and commitment provide the power and passion that makes unique and special things happen.
Make Things Happen
We tend to look at individuals who always seem to succeed and accomplish much in their lives and wonder how it is possible. However, if we investigated further, there would be a common thread throughout their lives. First, we would discover that those individuals who continuously succeed also have a proportionate number of failures. Second, we would find that they maintain a positive attitude and an undiminished level of effort and commitment to succeed even through their failures. Because of their attitude, effort, and commitment, they can generate the power and passion needed to make unique and special things happen. The more adversity, the more driven they are to succeed. As imagers of the most high God, we need to have the same attitude and drive in everything to bring honor and glory to His name.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A23-24andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:23-24)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1819 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1819 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Person Worth Following – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1819 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A person worth following is a follower of Christ.
A Person Worth Following
We need to be very careful about who we follow and who influences our lives. As Christ-followers, we need to follow those who are followers of Christ themselves. The worldviews that we are forming are shaped by those we emulate. If we imitate someone whose lives are not fully grounded in God’s Word, our worldview will become skewed and we will get off the path we should be following. We all have 168 hours per week; how we invest that time will determine the return on that investment. If we follow a person without the proper worldview, we will lose the return on our investment. First, we must know and follow God’s precepts, and then we need to make sure those who are mentoring us are also grounded in God’s Word. To do anything less is putting us in danger of failing in our spiritual walk.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A33andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:33)
Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1818 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1818 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Sense of Humor – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1818 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Ward Beecher, and it is: A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs--jolted by every pebble in the road
A Sense of Humor
Life is too short and absurd not to have a robust sense of humor. It’s good to laugh with others and at yourself as often as possible. Granny and I share great laughs together every day. Usually, at something silly one or both of us have done or said. Humor not only makes life easier to live, but also it is good for your body, mind, and soul. Without humor, life is rough and can be miserable. A life without humor is like living with a pebble in your shoe, or riding in an old wagon without any springs or suspension. So be willing to laugh at yourself. We all do silly things each day. A sense of humor is the oil of life’s engine. Without it, the machinery creaks and groans. No lot is so hard, no aspect of things is so grim, but it relaxes before a hearty laugh. So lighten up and laugh and live. Look for humor in everyday life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20126%3A2andversion=NLT (Psalm 126:2)
We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1817 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1817 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Big Dreams – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1817 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dayle Maloney, and it is: A person with big dreams is more powerful than a person with all the facts.
Big Dreams
Dreams are just dreams until action is taken, but dreams are the starting point for that action to begin. You can have all the facts and knowledge needed to execute a dream, but the facts and knowledge have little value until that dream is formed. The truth is, you may need to begin with the dream and then gather the required facts and knowledge to determine if the dream is viable before action is taken. It starts with the dream, then the due diligence, then form a plan, and only after the first three steps are completed can action begin. The bigger your dream, the greater possibility for tremendous success. So dream, dream big, then start converting that dream into reality. Allow God to direct your paths in the process. He will ensure that your dreams and plans are also according to His will.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2043%3A3andversion=NLT (Psalm 43:3)
Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1816 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1816 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Lot To Learn – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1816 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from unknown, and it is: A person who knows everything has a lot to learn.
A Lot To Learn
All of us have probably met a person who thought of themselves as a know it all. However, a few people seem to have a lot of facts stored away in their brains and can recall them at will. Some have a photographic memory or are incredible at remembering details and trivia. My Gramps was a bit like that. He seemed to be knowledgeable on just about every topic imaginable. He was very smart and had a scientific and engineering mindset, so he could absorb and remember information about many subjects. Of course, we didn’t always believe everything he told us, but more often than not, he was correct.
On the other hand, some attempt to come across as knowing everything, but those individuals certainly have a lot to learn about life. It is ok, to share knowledge and information you have gathered throughout the years, but remember, there is always more to learn. The wisest people are those who never stop learning, no matter how knowledgeable they are today. Remember, there is a huge difference between being wise and having a lot of knowledge.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%208andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 8)
How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1815 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1815 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Nice Person – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1815 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Anonymous, and it is: A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
A Nice Person
You can tell a person’s character based on how they treat others who can do nothing for them. If they are rude or nasty in any manner to those who do not have any societal position in life, then they are not a nice person. They will end up treating you in the same manner at some point if you fail to meet their particular need or status. So beware and be observant of how others treat anyone that comes into their life, regardless of position. How they treat the least will be an indication of their true character. The same applies to us also. As Christ-followers, we should treat everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve. Remember, they are also created as imagers of our holy God. There are many examples of how Christ was most kind to those who most cultures would deem unworthy.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A34-40andversion=NLT (Matthew 25:34-40)
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1814 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy...
Welcome to Day 1814 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Try Something New – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1814 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Albert Einstein, and it is: A person who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
Try Something New
So many people are afraid to try or do anything new for them for fear of making mistakes and failing. If you put yourself into the prison of fear, you will live a very shallow and poor life. Life becomes exciting when you are willing to try something new, even if it means you may fail. Realize that perhaps you will succeed. You will never know for sure unless you try. Even if you make mistakes and fail, if it does not endanger life or limb, you can always begin again now, knowing how to try better. God created us to live life fully, and with that, it will mean we will make mistakes, and at times fall short. As long as what you are trying to do is not against God’s precepts, there is no reason to hold back but instead move forward boldly. When you attempt new and exciting challenges, do it all for the glory of God. He has created us by His marvelous grace.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%201%3A3andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:3)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1813 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1813 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Friends – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1813 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A person who has a lot of friends either has a lot of money or is a good listener.
True Friends
Friendships can be somewhat fickle. For example, if a person is wealthy they may attract friends who desire to be associated with them because of their wealth. These friends are referred to as ‘fair-weather friends.’ They are only friends when there is a benefit associated with that friendship. If a person is a good listener, they will attract friends to them, because they are willing to invest time into the lives of others by truly listening to the concerns of others. Since most people like to talk about themselves, when someone is willing to be a genuine listener, many will desire to be associated with them, since they care about others. So if you are not wealthy, but have many friends, you must be a good listener. Caring for others and investing time into their lives is a mark of a true friend. As disciples of Christ, we are to love others as ourselves, which means being willing to listen to them and help them.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A24andversion=NLT (Proverbs 18:24)
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2019%3A4andversion=NLT (Proverbs 19:4)
Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1812 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
True Friends – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Day 1812 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Doubt Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1812 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Alexandre Dumas, and it is: A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself.
Don’t Doubt Yourself
Doubt will destroy you. Nearly every time you allow doubt and fear to creep into your mind, you undermine yourself. It leads to self-defeatism and failure. Indeed, there is a need for planning and counting the cost before plunging ahead, but once you have adequately prepared, move boldly forward to accomplish what you have planned. The more you second guess and doubt, the more prone you are to failure. As the quote today indicates, to doubt yourself is the same as enlisting in an enemy’s army to war against yourself. It is not wise, practical, or beneficial. God has gifted you with talents and abilities, and certainly, He expects you to utilize them fully. Therefore, don’t doubt yourself, and don’t doubt God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A21-22andversion=NLT (Matthew 21:21-22)
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1811 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1811 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Live Outside Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1811 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Albert Einstein, and it is: A person starts to live when he can live outside themself.
Live Outside Yourself
Since we are created as imagers of God, our very nature is to image to others what God has become within our lives. This can only happen when we live outside of ourself, and our little cloistered world and start impacting the lives of others for God’s Kingdom. We were not created to isolate ourselves from the world, but to be salt and light by proclaiming Jesus Christ to a world that is dying of thirst and stumbling around in the darkness. Once we realize that our vocation is to build God’s kingdom here on earth, our focus will shift from ourselves to everyone God permits to cross our life path. We need to climb out of our self-made prison, which only focuses inward, and break free to provide freedom to others. Let us be salt and light every day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A13-16andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:13-16)
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1810 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1810 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Express Your Gratitude – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1809 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michael Josephson, and it is: A person of character feels and expresses gratitude freely and frequently.
Express Your Gratitude
Certain character traits distinguish a person as an upright person from someone who is not honorable. For example, one of the most vital traits of a respectable person is expressing gratitude freely and frequently in nearly every situation. Gratitude in this person is not forced or contrived; it is part of who that person is. Gratitude is tied closely to so many other positive character traits. A person who magnifies appreciation as part of their life will be more joyful. They will get along with people better, and in most cases, will be physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthier. We, as Christ-followers, should always be grateful in all areas of our life. God’s Word is full of examples of giving thanks at all times.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205%3A20andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:20)
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1809 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1809 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Choose To Be Happy – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1809 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Abraham Lincoln, and it is: A person is generally about as happy as he’s willing to be.
Choose To Be Happy
As with nearly all situations in life, happiness in almost every case is a choice that we must make, and we need to make it each day. We are faced with choices continuously from what we will wear, what we will eat, and of course, how we will act or react during the day. All of us are faced with trials and difficulties and we can choose to be happy despite those times, or we can choose to be miserable. Choosing to be miserable won’t change the difficult times; it may worsen them. But choosing instead to be happy in the face of problems will allow you to determine solutions, so you do not remain in those difficult times. Rarely, if ever, does a sour disposition help a situation; it only makes it worse. As imagers of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, we should certainly remain joyful in every case, and that joy and peace will also allow us to be happy. It is our choice, what will we choose for today, and every day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+30%3A19-21andversion=NLT (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1807 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1808 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Your Horizon – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1808 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Powell, and it is: A person can grow only as much as your horizon allows.
Your Horizon
Before you can achieve a dream, you must visualize that dream. The more detailed your dreams are, the more potential you have for success. For example, when driving down the road, your sight is limited by obstructions between you and your destination. If there are any obstructions, then your horizon is limited. On the other hand, if you are driving on a flat and straight road, your horizon may be miles away. So it is with life. If your horizons are clear and far in the distance, it will be much easier to grow in whatever endeavors you are pursuing. Set your sights high so that you will be forced to grow beyond your current capabilities, forcing you to fulfill your God-given potential. It is by God’s grace that He allows us to become what we are capable of. He has given us all that we need. We need to utilize what he has given to us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A2-4andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:2-4)
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1807 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1807 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Principles Above Privileges – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1807 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dwight D. Eisenhower, and it is: A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.
Principles Above Privileges
As Christ-followers, our principles must be grounded on the principles in God’s Word. Of course, we as believers do have privileges, but they are entirely based on what God has done, and not on what we feel are our rights as humans or citizens of any particular government. Suppose we allow our privileges to be more important than our principles. In that case, they will soon break down. The point is that when the privileges which humans grant are taken from us, we will be left with neither privileges nor principles. We must never allow our principles to be compromised, to be granted a privilege. All privileges that are not given to us by God will at some point be taken away. When they are will be left with no foundation to stan on or live by, and we will become slaves to those who had previously granted us privilege. Stand only on the firm foundation of God’s Word; all other ground is sinking sand.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A24-27andversion=NLT (Matthew 7:24-27)
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise, and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come, and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1806 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1806 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Critic or a Doer – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1806 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wayne Dyer, and it is: A non-doer is very often a critic — that is, someone who sits back and watches doers, and then waxes philosophically about how the doers are doing. It's easy to be a critic, but being a doer requires effort, risk, and change.
A Critic or a Doer
It is so easy to be a critic. That is why so many people are critical of others. However, it is quite another thing to withhold criticism and get off your backside and do something. Being critical of someone or something does not produce anything worthwhile unless you are also prepared to step up, lend a hand, and have a positive impact. Being critical without assisting is like clouds and wind that do not bring rain to dry and arid soil. So instead of being critical, be a doer. Yes, it does require effort, risk, and change which will disrupt your life, but that is what we are called to do. As Christ-followers, we are to help those in need. So let’s look for ways to be a does every day. The Apostle Paul left us this example as was recorded in the Acts of the Apostles
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2020%3A35andversion=NLT (Acts 20:34-35)
You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1805 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1805 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Old Broom – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1805 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A new broom sweeps clean, but an old broom knows where the dirt is.
An Old Broom
It’s not always a good idea to get new everything, and sometimes experience is one of the best things to have. For example, a new broom has no experience in sweeping the floor. (pretend these brooms sweep by themselves.) it has to go over the entire floor to ensure all the dirt is found. On the other hand, the old broom knows where all the dirt, dust, grime usually accumulates. It knows what needs to be swept instead of going over the entire floor every time it works, so it is faster because of experience.
Another example is a business situation. New management may impose radical changes, but management with prior experience has more knowledge and implements changes more slowly and methodically. Again, there are suitable applications for both situations. Sometimes the problem requires a clean sweep, but more often than not, the knowledge that comes from experience cannot be replaced, no matter how talented or brilliant the person is. God can use us in either situation. So if you are a new broom or an old broom, sweep to your best ability.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A8-10andversion=NLT (Luke 15:8-10)
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1804 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1804 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Mother Understands – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1804 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jewish Proverbs, and it is: A mother understands what a child does not say.
A Mother Understands
Do you have, or ever had, that special person in your life that just intuitively knows what you are thinking or what your soul is crying out? It may be your mother, father, spouse, or close friend. This person can sense your needs, and they make themselves available to you when you need them most. This probably was a mother or grandmother for most of us as a child. Someone who knew you better than you knew yourself was always there to care and provide for you. We all need a person with a nurturing disposition who intuitively knows and loves you unconditionally. Are you that type of person to others that are dear to you? We need to have this type of love flowing through us. God has this love and care for each of us. As a Christ-follower, He has placed this comforter within each of us. It is God’s indwelling spirit that has taken up residence within us. He knows what our soul longs for even when we cannot express it in words.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A26-30andversion=NLT (Romans 8:26-30)
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1803 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a
Welcome to Day 1803 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Moment Of Patience – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1803 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves you a hundred moments of regret.
A Moment of Patience
All too often, regret creeps into our lives when we say the wrong thing at the wrong time. When confronted with something that upsets us or makes us angry, we would do well to pause and take a deep breath before responding. We have to understand a couple of things. First, we need to analyze why we have become angry. Was it something we said or did to offend or hurt the other person? Was it some action that a person may have misunderstood? If either were the case, we certainly need to apologize for the misunderstanding and ensure them that it was not or should not have been our intent. If it wasn’t something you said or did, then realize that the other person may be struggling with some issue that you do not know about and that you just are the recipient of their anger. That anger may not stem from you but from some subject outside your control or knowledge. If that is the case, you still need to be patient with that person. We never know what another person is going through, and we should be willing to give a wide berth of understanding before we respond in kind. These principles will alleviate much regret. As a Christ-follower, we should always be willing to be patient and forgiving, just as God has forgiven us when we sin against him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010%3A36andversion=NLT (Hebrews 10:36)
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1802 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1802 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Another Way – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1802 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Katharine Graham, and it is: A mistake is simply another way of doing things.
Another Way
Although we don’t like them, or purposely make mistakes, they are part of everyday life. If we get discouraged and give up, those mistakes will do us no good, except lead to failure. So while we should not make mistakes on purpose, but when we do, we need to learn the lessons that those mistakes teach us. When we understand the lessons mistakes teach us, we discover one more path that we do not need to take, allowing us to start once again down a different path. So let us not quit, but keep moving forward. God has provided us with the talents and abilities to accomplish His will for our lives. God knows and understands that we will make mistakes, but that does not phase Him. He does expect us to continue building His kingdom here on earth. So let us be about kingdom building with what God has already provided to us. Fulfill your calling; the rewards are eternal.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%204%3A9%2D11andversion=NLT (1 Peter 4:10-11)
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1801 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1801 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Stretched Mind – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1801 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Oliver Wendell Holmes, and it is: A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.
A Stretched Mind
Stretching your mind is another way of saying that you are being forced out of your comfort zone. Stretching our minds is not our natural inclination. Most people like to remain in their comfort zone, but doing so does not allow us to fulfill our God-goven potential. When we stretch our minds we grow and expand to the point where we will never be the same. We become more, a better version of ourselves. Therefore, we should pursue activities and experiences that allow us to learn, stretch, and grow. When we use the talents and abilities that God has gifted us, we will fulfill our holy calling and be building His kingdom. God has chosen to use humanity to further His work. It is up to us to take on these new experiences with passion and enthusiasm to grow personally and bring honor to God. Each of us is gifted differently, but we are responsible for our talents.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A4-11andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us to help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice ; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1800 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let...
Welcome to Day 1800 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Character of a Person – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1800 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Malcolm S. Forbes, and it is: You can easily judge the character of a person by how they treat those who can do nothing for them.
The Character Of A Person
Most businesses, organizations, and relationships are driven by a Quid pro quo philosophy, a Latin phrase used in English to mean an exchange of goods or services. One transfer is contingent upon the other; “a favor for a favor.” Phrases with similar meanings include: “give and take,” “tit for tat,” “you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours,” and “one hand washes the other.” Based on this philosophy, you cannot tell a person’s character. A person’s true character is only seen when they are willing to serve and assist others when the receiving person can do absolutely nothing for the one giving. A person who has an honorable character is a person who doesn’t expect a return favor. They know that it is impossible to receive anything in return yet are willing, able, and happy to assist another person in need. For the Christ-follower, we should possess this type of character. We need to be willing to help and show the love of Christ to all we encounter, regardless of their ability to do anything for us in return. This is the type of love God has for us, as seen through Jesus Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5%3A6-11andversion=NLT (Romans 5:6-11)
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1798 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:...
Welcome to Day 1799 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Worst Enemies – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1798 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Wrigley, Jr., and it is: A person’s doubts and fears are their worst enemies.
Worst Enemies
Nothing is more harmful to a person than to allow doubts and fears to consume them. It causes paralysis, uncertainty, and ultimately failure. Most doubts and fears are self-generated and should not control us. What we do not consciously realize is the core issue behind doubt and fear is pride. We are afraid that we will not measure up, or even fail. We are fearful of what others may think of us. We are scared that we don’t have what it takes to succeed. We forget that we are created as imagers of the living God. He made us his masterpiece and has equipped up with everything that we need to live a life of godliness. He has given us the talents and abilities that we need to succeed to the level that He desires. God expects us to use what he has given to us for His honor and glory. That is all, and that is enough. God also knows that we, at times, are weak and lose our confidence in ourselves and ultimately in Him. His word is full of precious promises that will give us the strength to carry on, even we are afraid. Joshua was Moses’ understudy for 40 years, and He saw the mighty hand of God at work many times. Yet, when it was his time to take over the leadership of the Nation of Israel God had to remind him that He was sufficient if Joshua continued to follow Him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A6-9andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:6-9)
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1798 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this...
Welcome to Day 1798 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Greatness Index – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1798 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zadok Rabinwitz, and it is: A person’s dreams are an index to their greatness.
The Greatness Index
When speaking about a book, an index is an alphabetical list at the end of a book that shows the page where each item in the list can be found. An index is a pointer to where a particular record is located within a larger file or database in the computer programming world. Indexes are handy, but it only points to another location. So it is with our dreams. We can have lofty dreams that represent our potential, but it is not the result. To achieve greatness and success of any kind, we need to take action to make the dreams become our reality. Yes, dreams are essential because they lay the groundwork necessary to achieve in life. So dream, and dream big, but understand that they are just the pointers or indexes to real success.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A22-25andversion=NLT (James 1:22-25)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1797 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1797 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Small Bundle – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1797 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Benjamin Franklin, and it is: A person wrapped up in themselves makes a very small bundle.
A Small Bundle
If you have spent much time with a self-absorbed person, you understand the meaning of this quote today. When a person is always attempting to promote themselves or if they are always talking about themselves, your perspective of such a person is diminished. Although a person like this may appear to come off as confident or arrogant, the underlying reason is that they lack true peace and confidence in themselves. To make up for their lack of confidence, they swing to the other end of the pendulum and go overboard in making everything centered on them. For a Christ-follower, we need to realize that all we are, or ever hope to be, comes from God, and our confidence rests in Him. We can then be confident yet humble. We can be at peace amid the turmoil. As imagers of God, we can take the spotlight off of ourselves and let that light shine through us to the Lord of Heaven’s armies.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201%3A18andversion=NLT (Ephesians 1:18)
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1796 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1796 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Without Courage – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1796 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Benjamin Franklin, and it is: A person without courage is like a knife without an edge.
Without Courage
Having tools that are broken or not as functional as possible is highly frustrating. We burn a lot of firewood during the wintertime to help heat ‘The Big House,’ which requires a significant amount of cutting and splitting the wood to have an adequate supply. I have a large 24” Husqvarna chain saw, and while it does a great job when the chain is new and sharp. It does not take long when cutting hard oak trees for the chain to dull. Cutting with a dull chain saw reminds me of today’s quote. It is challenging to make any progress with a dull chain. It is like living without the courage to handle the challenging times of life. When the chain dulls much at all, it is time to stop and invest the time needed to resharpen the chain. So it is with courage. If you lack courage in any area of life, you will become ineffective and unable to make progress. Just as the chain needs to be sharpened to make progress cutting the firewood, you will need to continuously sharpen yourself to gain the courage necessary to keep moving forward. Gaining that courage will not be easy and require shaving off the shell you are hiding behind to expose the courage you need. This process is like sharpening the chain where you remove what is worn to reveal a sharp edge to continue moving forward.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2031%3A6andversion=NLT (Deuteronomy 31:6)
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid, and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1795 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1795 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
People Love A Smiling Face – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1795 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Chinese Proverb, and it is: A person without a smiling face must not open a shop.
People Love A Smiling Face
Have you ever entered a store or shop, and the workers seemed to have just sucked on a sour lemon? Unfortunately, most of us have had those experiences. It makes you scratch your head and wonder why they are in business at all if they can’t at least be thankful that someone has blessed them by allowing them to serve their needs. Those that don’t have a good attitude about their work will probably not stay employed or be in business very long. The culture of any company starts with the owners or top managers within that company. If an owner of a business is not friendly and helpful to their employees, they should not expect the employees to be any different to the customers. You can tell almost immediately what the culture of a company or business is when you walk into it. That is why it is so essential that attitudes and values flow from the very top of the company. If the owner or top management does not reflect integrity and values, they should not be in that position. As imagers of our creator, God, we should always show forth His goodness in every life situation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%202%3A6%2D8andversion=NLT (Titus 2:6-8)
In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1794 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1794 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Experience vs Opinion – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1794 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dave Ramsey, and it is: A person with experience is never at the mercy of a person with an opinion.
Experience vs Opinion
More than at any other time in history, everyone has an opinion about everything and is not ashamed to let everyone know what it is. It has been said that opinions are like armpits, everyone has at least two, and both usually stink. What is much better than opinions is experience. If you have gone through the discipline to gain expertise in any area of life, you are not at the mercy of those who have opinions but no experience. It seems to me that those who have the least amount of experience in any given area seem to have the strongest opinions as if they were the experts. So instead of spouting an opinion, make sure that you have experience and knowledge in those areas. We certainly do not need any more self-proclaimed prophets with far too little experience and many opinions. As Christ-followers we are to be meek and humble with others allowing God’s Word and his precepts to be seen in us. Our focus is to do our best in all areas of life and use our expertise and experience to build God’s kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A2andversion=NLT (Proverbs 18:2)
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1793 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1793 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be An Artist – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1793 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Louis Miser, and it is: A person who works with their hands is a laborer; a person who works with their hands and brain is a craftsman, but a person who works with their hands, brain, and heart is an artist.
Be An Artist
While there is nothing wrong with being a laborer, as long as you fulfill your God-given potential, many do not entirely fulfill their destiny. For some, they would prefer to do as little as possible and be spectators in life. However, since we are created as God’s imagers, we need to fully utilize our role as an imager. This statement means using our body, mind, and soul (or heart) to live a rich and satisfying life. Our purpose is to do all that we can, and every opportunity we have, to build God’s kingdom here on earth. Your natural talents and abilities may be small or great. Neither is better. As long as we are entirely using what God has given to us, then that is what we should do.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A58andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:58)
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1792 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1792 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Turn You Back On Others – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1792 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Max Lucado, and it is: A person who wants to lead the orchestra must turn their back on the crowd.
Turn Your Back On Others
Leadership at times can be rather lonely, regardless of the type of organization you lead. Leadership requires that you separate yourself from the masses, and take your stand. You must turn your back on the crowd so that those you are leading can follow. Not only must you turn your back on those you are teaching, but you must also take action. Once you begin towards your goals and objectives, your leadership will display the fruit of success. You will attract a following as you start to lead. So lead, and lead well.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A5-7andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:5-7)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1791 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1791 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Find A Way – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1791 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Stephen Dolley, Jr., and it is: A person who wants to do something will find a way; A person who doesn’t will find an excuse.
Find A Way
The old saying, where there is a will, there is a way sums up this quote quite well. Of course, by its very statement, there must be a will to accomplish what needs to be done. The fact is that some people would choose to make excuses instead of finding a way to obtain what they desire. Making excuses is easy. That is why some people prefer the path of no effort. While it may be easier to make excuses than it is to find a way, in the end, it is a poor choice that leads to limited options for future choices. So if you desire to have choices and options for your life, you need to start finding ways to accomplish what you desire, instead of making excuses.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A19-20andversion=NLT (Romans 1:19-20)
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1790 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1790 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Steal No More – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1790 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Theodore Roosevelt, and it is: A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.
Steal No More
This quote appears to be somewhat humorous, but there is a lot of truth embedded in this thought, when you think about it. For example, an uneducated person may steal to feed or clothe themselves and not even realize that it is wrong. Of course, that doesn’t excuse this person for their wrongdoing, but it is a situation where it is much easier to grant mercy to such a person. On the other hand, an educated person would be more apt to steal by exploiting and taking advantage of others. This type of thief is much more egregious because they know that they are taking advantage of others and are purposely deceiving those they are stealing from. So the lesson is, that it is not only those who are desperately in need that performs crimes, but many times it is those who should know better and choose to act with evil intent regardless.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+2%3A20-24andversion=NLT (Romans 2:20-24)
You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1789 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1789 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Habits Of Industry – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1789 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Richard Whately, and it is: A person who gives their children habits of industry provides for them better than by giving them a fortune.
Habits Of Industry
There is an old familiar saying, “give a man a fish, and you will feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, and you will feed him for a lifetime.” This statement is so true, and it also applies to what we teach our children and grandchildren. If you just continually provide for them without any responsibility on their part, they will never be able to provide for themselves. This concept is true of both families and governments. How much better it is for a person to learn a skill to earn a living than just being given money or resources. Once the money or resources run out, they will be back for more. If you teach valuable skills to your family and society in general they will become helpful, producing community members. It is much better for them in the long run, and it is much better for the community.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2035%3A33%2D35andversion=NLT (Exodus 35:33-35)
He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1788 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1788 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Trusting Others – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1788 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Cardinal de Retz, and it is: A person who doesn't trust themself can never truly trust anyone else.
Trusting Others
If you find yourself unable to trust others, it is a time to look inwardly to determine if you are a trustworthy person. It is a fact that people in which we trust will disappoint us at times. When this happens, we will struggle with trusting others. If we allow this mistrust of others to fester in us, we will become miserable and untrustworthy. I have been disappointed with many persons who have violated the trust I had in them. At times it has impacted me significantly financially and emotionally. Yet, even through all of these difficult times, I have repeatedly said to Paula, I would rather trust others and have that trust occasionally violated than become cynical and not trust others. To trust others, you must allow yourself to become vulnerable. Unfortunately, many of us are too proud to allow this. When this happens, we can become untrustworthy ourselves, finding it more challenging to trust others. So I urge you to become vulnerable, trust others, and make sure that you are trustworthy.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+3%3A3-8andversion=NLT (Titus 3:3-8)
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1787 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to
Welcome to Day 1787 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Without Friends – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1787 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A person who always says what they think is courageous — and without friends.
Without Friends
There is a difference between being truthful and being brutally honest without discretion. Yes, we should be honest in all of our dealings, but we must also do everything in love. I caution you that it is not always wise to speak your mind, especially if it will cause harm to another person. You can speak the truth in love, if you must speak at all. Too often, when we speak our mind, it is without consideration of how our speech will impact the lives of others. It is not courageous to speak if what you say is harmful to others. It is just insensitive. Throughout God’s Word, it teaches us that we need to limit our speech, and when we speak, we speak words of wisdom. Having friends requires that you show yourself friendly. One facet of showing yourself to be a friend, is not always speaking what is on your mind. Instead, speak in such a manner that you encourage and love those who are your friends.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204%3A14%2D16andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:14-16)
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1786 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1786 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Know Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1786 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from St. Francis, and it is: A person that does not know themself, is not known.
Know Yourself
One significant issue with so many people who live without a proper perspective of who they are as part of God’s creation, struggle with themselves and their identity. We are created as an imager of God, and if we do not recognize and comprehend what this means, we cannot honestly image God as we should. Without the supreme confidence that we are God’s masterpiece, we will continually struggle with self-identity. We will try to be someone of value based on our accomplishments. Ultimately this will lead to failure and disappointment in ourselves and all whom we interact with. It is time to know yourself through the marvelous grace that God provided to us through His son, our savior, Jesus Christ. If we cannot love and accept ourselves, we cannot love or accept other people in our lives. Know yourself as an imager of God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A8-10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:8-10)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1785 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1785 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Necessary Actions – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1785 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Marcus Aurelius, and it is: A person should do away with unnecessary actions and unnecessary thoughts so that necessary actions will soon follow.
Necessary Actions
We often allow ourselves to be distracted by heading down unnecessary rabbit trails, and our minds are clogged with unnecessary thoughts. These distractions will take our focus off what is essential and stifle our productivity and effectiveness. It is so easy to do, especially for those who invest most of their time working on computers or other connected devices. Many social media platforms and other internet sites are designed to draw you in and keep you involved for hours. That is how much of their revenue is generated. Now, these platforms are not wrong in and of themselves, but anything that distracts us can negatively impact our lives by diminishing our productivity and effectiveness. Unnecessary actions and thoughts can manifest themselves in many areas of our lives. It could be getting lost in a good book or withdrawing into unproductive activities to escape what you should be focused on. While we all need a break at times from intense focus, I know that most of us find ourselves participating in unnecessary actions or dwelling on unnecessary thoughts. When we break from these harmful habits, we can then focus on what is essential and rewarding.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A9-13andversion=NLT (Romans 12:9-13)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1782 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving
Welcome to Day 1784 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wiser Today – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1784 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Alexander Pope, and it is: A person should never be ashamed to admit that they are in the wrong, which is but saying they are wiser today than they were yesterday.
Wiser Today
We will all make mistakes and be wrong about many things in our life. Unfortunately, too many times, we are reluctant to admit our mistakes and wrongdoings. It is a pride issue where we do not want other people to find out that we may have flaws or act incorrectly. However, we have to realize that others will most likely know already, and all we are doing by attempting to hide it is making ourselves look even more foolish. So let us be quick to admit our mistakes and failures when they happen. Errors and losses are not only unavoidable; they are a prime source of wisdom from the lessons we can learn from them. When we are wrong about something, it provides us with an automatic lesson on how to improve. Never waste an opportunity to learn. Take every setup and obstacle in your path as the lessons they are. Never be too proud to admit your mistakes and errors, you will be wiser if you just learn from them.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+3%3A17-18andversion=NLT (James 3:17-18)
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1782 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1783 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Prayer Is Listening – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1783 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Soren Kierkegaard, and it is: A man prayed, and at first, he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more and more quiet until, in the end, he realized that prayer is listening
Prayer Is Listening
So often, when we pray, we are so focused on telling God what we desire we miss that God is also communicating with us through His indwelling Holy Spirit. As part of prayer, it would do each of us a world of good if we would pause from our ceaseless ramblings and allow God to speak to us through prayer and His Word. A time for reflective meditation should become part of the process. Just as with breathing, it takes both breathing in and breathing out for you to live. So it should be with prayer. As we pray for ourselves and others, we need to breathe our prayers out, followed by breathing in of God’s presence. Prayer is not a one-way street where we do all the talking, and God just listens. It is a dialog, and as with most dialogs, it will be much richer the more we remain silent and just listen.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A5-14andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:5-14)
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1782 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve...
Welcome to Day 1782 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Live By Acting – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1782 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Carlos Casteneda, and it is: A person of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting
Live By Acting
Thinking and planning are necessary steps to accomplish anything worthwhile, but unless you take action, all the thinking and planning in the world will be worthless. Therefore, action is required to achieve anything in life. I have known a few people throughout my life that love to plan but find it challenging to move from the planning stage to taking action. These persons are always getting ready to get ready, but the execution of a plan rarely happens. Many times this stems from a perfectionist mentality. If something cannot be done perfectly, this type of person never moves beyond the dream. They need to learn that imperfect action is much better than perfect inaction. Knowledge overflows by imperfect action. Not only will things be accomplished, but the lessons learned from the mistakes made will provide an abundance of knowledge that would be difficult to obtain otherwise. So move boldly forward, even if you don’t see all the steps of the plan. To get through the most arduous journey, we need to take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%2010%3A4andversion=NLT (Ezra 10:4)
Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1781 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1781 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Portals of Discovery – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1781 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from James Joyce, and it is: A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.
Portals Of Discovery
Most of the time, we do not make mistakes on purpose, but a person of genius realizes that mistakes are part of life as if we did make them of our own volition. Knowing that mistakes will happen, instead of allowing them to derail or destroy us or our plans, mistakes or errors provide us with an opportunity to learn and to discover why something didn’t work out as planned. Once we peer through that discovery portal, we can begin with the added knowledge that we learned from our mistakes. So never allow mistakes and failures to stop your progress. Instead, let them be the stepping stones required to continue towards your pursuits. It is then that you are a person of genius.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+3%3A17-18andversion=NLT (James 3:17-18)
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1780 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1780 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Realize Your Potential – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1780 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles De Gaulle, and it is: A person of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that you can realize your potential.
Realize Your Potential
For most of us, we do not comprehend our true potential until the trials of life test us. However, if we take time to bask in the results of those trials, they will become attractive to us, and as such, we will not be discouraged or quit when difficulty knocks on our door. When we recognize that problems can help and improve us as a person, and we come to grips with that fact, we can be prepared to face those difficult times. So, while you are going about your daily trek of life and the trail becomes steep and troublesome, realize that you will see the benefits of those difficult times when you finally reach the summit. We can take comfort in realizing our potential and that God is traveling with us each step of the way. So, don’t give up or be discouraged, instead be happy that you are becoming a better representative of God’s image.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201%3A6andversion=NLT (Philippians 1:6)
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1779 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1779 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Admit Your Mistakes – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1779 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Maxwell, and it is: A person must be big enough to admit their mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.
Admit Your Mistakes
There are a lot of people who do not want to take responsibility for the mistakes they make. Instead, they would rather play the victim card and blame someone or something else for the mistakes or errors they make in life. We should not be that way. Before God and our fellow humans, we need to accept complete responsibility for mistakes, errors in judgment, and sins that crop up in our lives. We need to humbly admit them to others, learn the lessons gained from those mistakes, and then have the fortitude to correct the issues, so we do not repeat those same mistakes. It does take a confident yet humble person to own up to our flaws so that we can grow beyond them. Our confidence comes from our standing before God, knowing that we are utilizing our God-given talents and abilities to do the best we can. When we realize that we have fallen short, we need to take the lessons learned and do even better the next time. In all things, let us give God the glory for all He has accomplished in our lives.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%204%3A10andversion=NLT (James 4:10)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1778 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1778 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Hungry For God – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1778 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Leonard Ravenhill, and it is: A man may study because his brain is hungry for knowledge, even Bible knowledge. But he prays because his soul is hungry for God.
Hungry For God
We all have cravings in life. Most of us have cravings for food, success, and recognition, and we will do practically anything to obtain them. However, some people also have a hunger for knowledge and will consume books and teachings. This hunger is because our brains are created to learn and absorb untold amounts of knowledge, including knowledge of God and His Word. Learning can be excellent, and if appropriately applied, very beneficial to our world. However, there is one hunger that will never be satisfied by knowledge alone. That is the hunger of the soul. We may learn Biblical truths, but it will create a longing in our soul that can only be satisfied when we communion with God through prayer. So satisfy your hunger for God by continually going to him in prayer.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205%3A6andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:6)
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1777 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1777 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Footprints You Leave – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1777 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Margaret Lee Runbeck, and it is: A person leaves all kinds of footprints when they walk through life. Some you can see...others are invisible, like the prints they leave across other people’s lives.
The Footprints You Leave
This quote is impactful and accurate. We all leave footprints in life, both literally but more critically, figuratively. Your impact on the lives of other people cannot be taken for granted, nor can it be minimized. That impact echoes throughout all of eternity, from generation to generation. It is your only true legacy on others. That is so much more important than any material resources that you may leave for others. We must be aware of our daily treading on the lives of others. Make sure that the imprints that we are leaving on those lives are positive and encouraging. As you walk through life, walk humbly and circumspectly. Be aware of the tremendous responsibility towards others, especially those closest to you, such as friends and family members. How you walk will many times determine how others walk. Just like a child walking attempting to walk in their parent's footsteps, you impact others who walk into and out of your life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A15-20andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:15-20)
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1776 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’!...
Welcome to Day 1776 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Are You Known For? – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1776 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A man is not only known by the company he keeps, but by the enemies he makes.
What Are You Known For?
We can be known for a lot of different things in our lives. Such as what we do as an occupation or what church or clubs we associate with. One of the primary ways we are known is by the people we associate with or don’t associate with. Those that we keep company with and invest a lot of time with will largely determine how we act and the activities we are involved in. Those people will either be positively or negatively impact our lives. Others will judge us, either fairly or unfairly, by the company that we keep. They will also judge us by those who are considered our enemies. Especially in today’s politically charged environment, we have lost a lot of civilities where we no longer feel we can agree to disagree and remain civil with others. So we need to be careful of both who we associate with and those we consider to be enemies. My mom used to tell us that if you sleep with dogs, don’t be surprised when you wake up with fleas. This saying is so true; you will be known for the company you keep and the company you don’t keep. Choose wisely.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A33andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:33)
Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1775 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1775 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Not Old – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1775 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Barrymore, and it is: A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.
Not Old
It doesn’t matter your biological age; you can still be young and vibrant as long as you hold onto your dreams. Your age is just a number, and until you start regretting what you have done or feel that you are too old to reach your dreams, you will still have a youthful disposition and outlook on life that no one can pluck from your hand. So dream big and then take action to reach those dreams. Always Do Your Best. Your best will change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret. We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment. I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end. The past is a great place, and I don’t want to erase it or regret it, but I don’t want to be its prisoner either. So regardless of the past, leave it there. Press forward to become all that God intended you to be.
Luke 9:57-62
As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1774 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’...
Welcome to Day 1774 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Defeated By Self – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1774 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jan Christian Smuts, and it is: A man is not defeated by his opponents but by himself.
Defeated By Self
No one can be permanently defeated unless they choose to give up. Hence, in most situations, the person who no longer tries will experience the agony of defeat instead of the thrill of victory. Yes, we may fail, but we are not defeated as long as we do not fail to begin again. Being defeated comes from within when you give up, trying again. Therefore, there is always another chance for victory if we choose to persevere during those difficult times. Life is not always easy, and it is sometimes downright difficult, but that is life. That is no excuse to quit. We are created to be imagers of God, and He has gifted us with all that we need to live a victorious life in Him. No one has the same talents and abilities, and God only expects us to use what He has given to us. If we do that, then we will always be successful as we continue to journey through our trek of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A4-11andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1773 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live...
Welcome to Day 1773 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
You Become What You Think – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1773 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mahatma Gandhi, and it is: A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.
You Become What You Think
This quote has so much truth contained in it. It also mirrors the same teaching that is found in God’s Word. Many people look at a quote like this and slant it towards something wrong or evil, but the opposite can be true. Once again, it goes back to the law of planting and harvesting. Whatever you plant into your mind, that is what will grow in your life. That is what you will become. It is so evident. We don’t ever slip into bad or good habits. Our continual thought process forms habits, and the actions we take are based on those thoughts. The key is to saturate your mind with good, pleasing, kind, and encouraging to others. Anyone can become a person of virtue. Even if you have to plow up the lousy soil of your mind and then start with a new crop, it is achievable.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A43-45andversion=NLT (Luke 6:43-45)
“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1772 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1772 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success Brings Contentment – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1772 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bob Dylan, and it is: A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between, he does what he wants to do.
Success Brings Contentment
There are many measures of success, but one of the most valid measures of a successful and content person is someone who loves what they do from the time they wake up in the morning until they lay down to sleep at night. This person may not be financially wealthy or well known, but having enough to take care of themselves and their families, they are satisfied with life. So many people are always chasing that elusive rainbow where the grass is always greener. Even if they do become rich and famous, they are always grasping for more. That is not success, but slavery to materialism, vanity, and pride. We need to work towards being a person of integrity and conviction. A person who cares for their family and others will find enjoyment and satisfaction at the end of any day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204%3A10%2D12andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:10-12)
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1771 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1771 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Character – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1771 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ralph W. Sockman, and it is: A man has no more character than he can command in a time of crisis.
True Character
It becomes very evident what a person's true character is when they go through challenging times, trials, and tribulations. All of us can be pleasant and of good nature when all is well with us, our families, work, and finances. The test is to impact even one of those areas of life, and then you start to see the veneer crumble to expose what is contained beneath it. When we are in the midst of a crisis, we begin to see our true selves. How do you act and react when the pressure is on and all in not well? Our lives must be built on the foundation of God’s Word, so when the storms come raging through our lives we will stand firm. When we can command ourselves, with God’s strength and peace, during those storms, then our true character is revealed.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A24-27andversion=NIV (Matthew 7:24-27)
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1770 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1770 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Lose Your Innocense – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1770 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry David Thoreau, and it is: A man had better starve at once than lose his innocence in the process of getting his bread.
Don’t Lose Your Innocence
Doing what is right and living a life of integrity is much more important than any riches or resources we can possibly obtain. Therefore, it is much better to do without, even if it is painful, than to compromise your integrity by going against God’s precepts found in His Word. There are few, if any, material things in life worth compromising your reputation. It may require that you step out in faith, knowing that it is God’s will, even if you need to sacrifice greatly, that He will provide. We should never do wrong, even if it seems that the results would be positive. The ends do not justify the means. Do what is right always, and long-term, you will live a rich and satisfying life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%202%3A11%2D13andversion=NLT (Titus 2:11-13)
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1769 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1769 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Full Of Courage – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1769 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Cicero, and it is: A man full of courage is also full of faith.
Full Of Courage
Since I have been a Christ-follower since early in life, it is difficult to imagine how a person without a strong faith in God could also be a courageous person. Therefore, although I understand that I may be more confident and courageous than most people I meet, my confidence and courage are rooted in my faith that God is the creator of all things seen and unseen. Furthermore, since I have been created as an imager of God, I can have the confidence that He is in control of everything in my life, and there is nothing that can happen to me outside of God’s plan for my life. Therefore, I know if I make choices contrary to the precepts found in God’s Word, I will harvest what I have planted. On the flip side, if I plant what God desires for my life, I will harvest the crop that results from right living. The formula is simple. Follow God’s precepts, and we can live a confident and courageous life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A6-9andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:6-9)
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1768 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1768 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Become A Failure – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1768 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A man doesn’t become a failure until he is satisfied with being one.
Don’t Become A Failure
Failure, in most cases, is a frame of mind and not an actual event. We can fail repeatedly, but until we are satisfied that failure is our lot in life, then we have not truly failed. There is no limit to the number of times you can get back up on your feet, dust yourself off, and begin again with even more wisdom than before. Only when we become comfortable with living below our God-given potential, we start the downward spiral of mediocracy, which eventually leads to failure. We may not be abundantly prosperous in all of our endeavors, but as long as we persevere and do the best we can for today, we are on the path to success.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A20-23andversion=NLT (Matthew 25:20-27)
The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’
“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1767 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Welcome to Day 1767 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Forced Action – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1767 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John F. Kennedy, and it is: A man does what he must – in spite of personal consequences, despite obstacles and dangers and pressures.
Forced Action
When our backs are up against a wall, when we are between a rock and a hard place, when ourselves or our families are in peril, we will rise to the occasion and do what we must. It is incredible what we can do when we have no other choice but to move forward. Come hell or high water, in times of crises, we quit thinking about our personal consequences and are able to overcome obstacles, dangers, and pressures to do what is necessary. It is through times of crisis when we have the strength and fortitude that is needed to overcome. It is in times of failure that we can learn the lessons needed to succeed. This is one of the primary reasons we should not be overly discouraged when life does not go according to plan. It causes us to learn, mature, and gain the wisdom that is needed for life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A31-33andversion=NLT (John 16:31-33)
Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet, I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1766 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1766 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Same Opinion – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1766 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.
Same Opinion
This quote is quite well known, but is more truthful today than at any point in past history. With the self-appointment experts that troll social media and populate most of the 24/7 newscast the fight for people's attention is at a fever pitch. We all like to pontificate on our knowledge and so-called wisdom, but the fact is very few of us are experts or understand that which we so vehemently defend. We will not convince others that our opinions are correct by arguing and fighting with them. We will not convince others by separating from them or trying to get them canceled. Truth and wisdom are in such short supply today that it has become the leading critical issue. It isn't easy to believe anything we are told from our politicians, the news media, and most social media postings. Deep fakes and outright lies flood most of what we consume as information today. It is not convincing anyone, but makes us much more skeptical of anything that may have some truth embedded within. We need to turn back to the only source of truth: God and the precepts found in His Word. God’s Word is the one truth we can believe in, and it will change our opinions, hearts, and minds.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A13-16andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)
When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For,
“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?”
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1765 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally...
Welcome to Day 1765 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Feed On Truth – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1765 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C.S. Lewis, and it is: A man can’t always be defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it.
Feed On Truth
While we have a mandate and obligation to defend the truth, we have to understand that if we don’t intimately know that same truth, there is no way for us to defend it adequately. Therefore, you must continually feed on that truth so that it will be second nature to you when it is time to defend it. It will be like breathing or your heart beating. When your life is marinated with God’s truth, it will seep from your pores at the slightest contact with that which is false. When you boil it all down, though, the truths found in God’s Word will defend themselves. Therefore, your responsibility is to know the truth well enough that when you speak God’s Word, it will be sufficient. So focus on feeding on the truth so that it will defend itself.
Ephesians 6:10-18
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1764 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living...
Welcome to Day 1764 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Better Legacy – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1764 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Scott, and it is: A man cannot leave a better legacy to the world than a well-educated family.
A Better Legacy
We often think we must leave a great legacy when we die to provide our family, friends, or organizations with something of sizable monetary value. While this can be commendable, money is certainly not a legacy of most significant value. Instead, providing your family with a well-rounded education is of much greater importance. This education should include Biblical wisdom and knowledge and knowledge of how to make a good and ethical living, the arts, culture, and people. A well-educated family will provide each member with all the tools they need to create their living legacy. Education is essential, and one of the most critical aspects of an excellent education is knowing how to learn on your own. To provide a skill set that creates additional skill sets. That is indeed the best legacy you can leave to others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A2-9andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:2-9)
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1763 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through...
Welcome to Day 1763 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be Comfortable – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1763 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mark Twain, and it is: A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.
Be Comfortable
There seems to be an epidemic of people who are just not comfortable with who they are. They are dissatisfied with life, disillusioned with their future, and always seeking peace outside of themselves. But, unfortunately, they have not discovered that peace is always internal and can only be achieved when our peace rests in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When we have God’s Spirit dwelling within us, we can finally be satisfied and comfortable with ourselves and those we interact. The peace of God comes from knowing that He has control of our lives and is directing His creation for His purpose. Joy and peace go hand in hand. You are never joyful unless you are first at peace with yourself. Likewise, you are never at peace with yourself unless you are at peace with God. It’s your choice; choose wisely.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%3A26%2D28andversion=NLT (John 14:26-28)
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1761 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1762 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Unlimited Enthusiasm – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1762 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles Schwab, and it is: A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.
Unlimited Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm may not be required for success on every occasion. Still, if a person is going to be successful in their endeavors on a consistent and continual basis, they must be enthusiastic about what they are doing. It boils down to the fact that if a person has unlimited enthusiasm, they will not quit until success has been achieved, even if it requires going through multiple failures. The passion and drive needed to persist through the trials and obstacles of life are bolstered by unlimited enthusiasm. It is that extra ingredient needed to keep on going when others would have given up and quit. Boundless enthusiasm is created when we choose to be enthusiastic. As with most aspects of life, when deciding to take action, continue, and fight against the odds, our desires are strong enough to align with our choices. If we follow God’s leading in our lives, we should move forward with enthusiasm and know that He who began a good work in us will continue to guide us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201%3A6andversion=NLT (Philippians 1:6)
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1761 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1761 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Glory – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1761 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C. S. Lewis, and it is: A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.
God’s Glory
Is it any wonder why C. S. Lewis is one of the favorite and most respected authors of all time? His allegorical books ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ have been read for many generations and were made into popular movies. His quote for today is not only allegorical; it is a profound truth. There is nothing that humans can do or say that diminishes God’s glory one iota. Just because a person refuses to acknowledge and worship God does not change God, it only shows the ignorance of that person. God’s glory cannot be diminished by humans. We are His creation, and imagers, so the only thing that a person should and can do is show forth God’s glorious image. A crazy person may say there is no sun, but that does not its brilliance and majesty or change the fact that the sun is evident to all. Similarly, just because a person says there is no God, or does not acknowledge that God is real does not minimize He greatness. God’s glory is evident to all.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+14%3A11-12andversion=NLT (Romans 14:11-12)
For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1760 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1760 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Not A Failure – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1760 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Burroughs, and it is: A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame others for his failures.
Not A Failure
Failure is not a problem unless you refuse to take responsibility and blame other people or circumstances for your failure. Yes, we will fail, none of us is perfect, and we cannot perform perfectly every time. The key is to prepare yourself to minimize the impact of failures and quickly recover so you can begin again, but this time with the additional wisdom learned through that failure. Unfortunately, it is usually our pride that causes us to view failures as something negative. Although none of us like to fail, it will not be nearly as devastating if you realize that failure is a part of life in any worthwhile endeavor. When you know that failure is an integral part of success, you won’t be devastated when it happens, but understand that it is part of the lessons you learn as a pupil of the schoolmaster called life. So move ahead boldly and anticipate failures and pitfalls. Be ready to pivot and begin again. Above all else, God will continue to direct and guide you, even though those difficult paths of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119%3A105andversion=NLT (Psalm 119:105)
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201%3A6andversion=NLT (Philippians 1:6)
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1759 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1759 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Do What You Can – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1759 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Albert Schweitzer, and it is: A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.
Do What You Can
In today’s fast-paced, driven society, we are pressured to do more each day. However, if we don’t pause and reflect once in a while, we can become frustrated and feel defeated. We need to utilize our God-given talents and abilities to do our best, but not more than capable. We can do what we can do. The key is to continue consistently and persistently to repeat what we can do each day. Day after day, for that season of life. If we do our part, we can lay our heads on the pillow at the end of each day, knowing that we have done our best for that day. Then, when we rise the following day, we can do it again that day. As we repeat this process, we will find out what we have done is enough.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%202%3A15andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 2:15)
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1758 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1758 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Believe In Yourself – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1758 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before,
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Vince Lombardi, and it is: A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.
Believe In Yourself
Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest coaches, knew what it took to be a champion. Nearly all our limitations are self-imposed. God created us as masterpieces to fulfill our destinies as His imagers. To image God is to project through us His greatness to a world that so desperately needs Him. If we view ourselves as God views us will have the courage, determination, dedication, competitive drive, and the willingness to sacrifice the little temporal things of life and pay the price for that which is eternal. So why do we settle for being less than what designed us to be? We settle when we choose to have what we desire now, for what we want most. Don’t allow short-term shiny objects to distract you from your potential in life. You can reach your potential if you are willing to pay the price now for huge returns at a future date. Don’t give in, don’t give up, keep moving forward.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea%2010%3A12andversion=NLT (Hosea 10:12)
I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1757 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1757 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Life Is Like A Mirror – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1757 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ken Keyes, and it is, A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror.
Life Is Like A Mirror
What is your outlook of the world and those with whom you are associated? It is a fact that how we view life is mainly reflective of our attitude and outlook. So, for example, if we see the world as getting increasingly worse and going to hell in a handbasket, our perspective of life will be filtered through those lenses. In that case, our world will seem pretty dismal. But, on the other hand, if our worldview considers the world, even with its problems, as becoming increasingly better through communication and technology, then our perspective of the future will be much brighter. Therefore, one thing we can rely on, regardless of our worldview, is specific facts that point to the truth. You may want to consider some facts, especially if you struggle and see the world as hostile. First, in all of recorded human history, there are far fewer wars and conflicts. Second, our life spans are increasing exponentially. Third, medical breakthroughs allow us to live longer and with a much better quality of life. Fourth, technology is allowing living and working conditions to be much better and more manageable. Finally, the ability to communicate with family and friends is increasingly more accessible and less expensive. These examples are just scratching the surface of what we will see in the next 20-50 years, and the breakthroughs are increasing exponentially also. So if your worldview is one of hostility, you need to expand your horizons to see all the blessings we have in our lives today, especially compared to ages past. What is in our hearts and minds will overflow into our lives. Everyone we meet is a mirror of our hearts and mind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+10%3A12andversion=NLT (Hosea 10:12)
I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,
and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,
for now is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come
and shower righteousness upon you.’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1756 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek...
Welcome to Day 1756 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Not Luck At All – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1756 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Howard Schultz, and it is, A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future.
Not Luck At All
For the most part, life is not made up of good luck or bad luck. Yes, there are rare occasions when a person is in the right place at the right time, but it happens much less than you would imagine. In most situations, the reason the timing and opportunity coincide is that a person has prepared themselves, sometimes for years, to be ready when an opportunity does show itself. There is a relatively well-known saying that Most people miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. It is about preparing for opportunity, and when it arrives, it is about being willing to take the risk, seize the day, and accept responsibility for your future. Instead of luck, it is being prepared for setbacks and obstacles that will come your way and pivoting to take advantage of them. You might say, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A8-11andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 9:8-11)
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1755 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1755 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Inspired To Excel – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1755 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is, A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.
Inspired To Excel
Do you have someone who has inspired you to move outside of your comfort zone and excel to a level you never thought you could achieve? Most people who succeed in any area of life would probably indicate that this is the case. I know in my life, my parents played a role in this process, along with hours and hours of listening to tapes of individuals who were successful and provided me with the encouragement to pursue goals beyond what I would have otherwise. You can be inspired to excel if you are willing to learn from the sages who have already proven that they are successful. Then, you will need to turn that inspiration into action. When you take, you will begin to see achievements. As you see achievements, you will need to gain perseverance when the trials of life become difficult, and they will. That perseverance will generate long-term endurance and strength to ignore the naysayers so that you can continue on in the face of obstacles, setbacks, and even failure. So take the encouragement from others and allow it to inspire you to excel beyond anything you could have dreamed.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:1-4)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1754 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to...
Welcome to Day 1754 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHaving A Backbone – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1754 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert Kiyosaki, and it is A lot of people are afraid to tell the truth, to say no. That’s where toughness comes into play. Toughness is not being a bully. It’s having backbone.
Having A Backbone
It is ok to be gentle and meek, which is not the same as being weak. It is certainly ok to always tell the truth and when you need to say no to requests or demands. However, when you stand on your principles, focus, and priorities, you may have to say no to what is good so that you can say yes to what is best. Remember that when you choose no, it automatically opens up the possibility of saying yes to something even more incredible. When you have to say no to something that may compromise your ethics and integrity, you are not mean to the other person; you are standing for what you deem the truth and what is best for you. You must make choices based on God’s will for you and what is best for yourself and your family. That is not shunning others or being a bully; you have a backbone and stand up for your principles. Stand strong.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A22-25andversion=NLT (James 1:22-25)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1753 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1753 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMore Persistence And Effort – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1753 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Elbert Hubbard, and it is A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.
More Persistence And Effort
There is a fine silk thread between success and failure. Just a little more persistence and effort may exponentially change an outcome and turn what seems to be a hopeless failure into glorious victory. Let me give you an example, although not a perfect analogy of the earnings paid out in the Kentucky Derby for 2021. The first-place winner takes home $1.86 million, the second place is $600,000, the third place is $300,000, and the fourth-place earnings are $150,000. There was only a fraction of a second between all four top-place winners. Just that little more persistence and effort between the first and fourth place winners was a difference of over $1.7 million. So it is with many of our pursuits in life. If we are willing to work just a little harder, be a little more persistent, pour in a little more effort, and it will have an exponential difference in the results of whatever we are pursuing. Don’t quit, don’t give up, keep on keeping on. We are imagers of Christ who have been given incredible talents, abilities, and skills. We need to use them for God’s glory and show others the path to God’s kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A3-11andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:3-11)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to...
Welcome to Day 1752 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomKnowledge That Acts – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1752 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Kahlil Gibran, and it is: A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.
Knowledge That Acts
In our current message series at church, we are studying the letter from James, which is closely related to this quote. Our theme for the series is ”Faith is Work in Action.” If we have knowledge that we should act on and do not take action, our knowledge is worthless. We are not to be idle in our lives but use the wisdom and knowledge provided by God to take action towards building His kingdom. God does not expect us just to accumulate knowledge but to assist those who are in need when we can help. However, as Christ-followers and citizens of God’s kingdom, we have responsibilities to use the little knowledge we have and multiply it through our actions. That is true value. Knowledge with no action is idleness, and there is no value in idleness. In the letter of James, he focuses on this concept, except he uses the word faith instead of knowledge. In this situation, they are indeed similar.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-20andversion=NLT (James 2:14-20)
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1750 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy...
Welcome to Day 1751 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Right Side Of Heaven – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1751 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A little girl taking an evening walk with her father looked up at the stars and exclaimed, ‘Oh, Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what must the right side be!’
The Right Side Of Heaven
Do you ever take time to go outside on a starry night where there is no local light source and lay on your back to look at the beauty of the universe? If not, you should do so as soon as possible. It is breathtaking and beyond comprehension. Our minds cannot comprehend the beauty of God’s creation. It is so vast that astronomers have no idea of how large the universe is. Yet in James 1:18, we are told, He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. Think about this; we are God’s prized possession out of all that He created. That means as God’s created images, his love for us is even greater than the vast universe. If that doesn’t cause us to pause and glorify God, nothing will. We have just seen a glimpse of the magnitude of His creation. If what we can see now is so marvelous, just think what heaven will be like. It will be a wonder to behold.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A9andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:9)
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1750 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1750 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHow Much Faith Is Enough – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1750 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Watson, and it is: A little faith is faith as a spark of fire is fire.
How Much Faith Is Enough?
Faith is an exciting concept, and it depends on how comfortable and familiar we are with what we are putting our faith in. For most of us, when we sit down in a chair, we have faith that it will be strong enough to support us. It is because we have experience with and trust in most chairs. The same could be said for so many items we use every day, from beds to vehicles. We also have faith that the food we purchase won’t make us sick or kill us. But, how much faith is enough to handle life daily? I would say, not very much faith is required to live a normal lifestyle without fear. Can we say the same about our faith in God? How much faith is necessary to trust that God will provide for our daily needs, keep us from harm, and guide our future? If we can have faith that a chair will support us, it should not even cross our minds that the creator of the universe, which includes you and me, can direct our lives for His purpose for us. We are as God’s imagers, and as such, we are to project God into the lives of others. If we live fearful lives, what does that indicate of our trust and faith in God? Jesus Christ taught us that we just need a very small amount of faith as citizens of God’s kingdom to move mountains and impact our world.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17%3A20-21andversion=NLT (Matthew 17:20-21)
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1749 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1748 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Lifestyle vs A Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1749 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Leonard, and it is: A lifestyle is what you pay for; a life is what pays you.
A Lifestyle vs A Life
If you work hard and are prudent with what you earn, you can create the lifestyle you wish to live. However, it does take focus, endurance, and wisdom to take advantage of the opportunities you cross on your trek of life. Especially in most free countries, you can create just about any type of lifestyle desired. However, you must ask yourself and your family, are you willing to pay the price necessary to reach your desired lifestyle. I am certainly not referring only to a monetary cost. Every time to choose to say yes to one option, you are automatically saying no to other possibilities. Just make sure your choices are a good investment for you, and the impact on your life with family and friends is worth the cost. Living a rich and satisfying life is much more than obtaining material resources, it includes a rewarding life of relationships that no amount of money can buy. The satisfaction, peace, and relationships you can foster in your life are the payments you will receive from a well-lived life. One aspect of a well-lived life is sharing our resources with others to help improve their lifestyles.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%203%3A16%2D18andversion=NLT (1 John 3:16-18)
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1748 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1748 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Very Small Universe – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1748 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Glenn, and it is: A life spent centering only on itself will, in the end, occupy a very, very small universe.
A Very Small Universe
When we are wrapped up in ourselves and focused only on our needs and desires, our world or our universe will be a tiny one. However, when we expand our horizons, participate in activities that allow us to grow, and push outside our comfort zone, we will become more than we currently are today. Through this growth process, when we assist others and focus on their needs, it will allow us to expand exponentially. The more we develop ourselves and help others grow, the more we will learn and the larger our universe will become. We were not created to be an island unto ourselves but in loving relationships with God and fellow imagers of God. It is then we can fulfill our God-given destiny utilizing all our God-given talents and abilities. So, grow yourself, and help others to grow also.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A3-11andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:3-10)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1747 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com....
Welcome to Day 1747 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Life Of Action – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1747 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rita Mae Brown, and it is: A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction.
A Life Of Action
When faced with opportunities, challenges, or difficulties in life, are you proactive or reactive? The answer to this question will largely determine how you live. This choice applies to all areas of your life, physically, intellectually, and spiritually. If you are continually reactive, you become a slave in those areas of life because the dictates and choices of others continuously drive you. Others are calling the shots and making decisions for you.
On the other hand, if you are a proactive person, before you are forced into making a decision based on someone else's agenda, you take the bull by the horns and take the action that is needed to seize the opportunities, face the challenges, and handle the difficulties of life. Being free allows you to live a life with choices, resulting in a rich and satisfying life. To be reactive stems from being fearful, which in most situations is a false fear. When you are proactive, you will make more mistakes in life, but overall you will be much farther ahead long term while maintaining the ability to make choices and be free! Don’t live a life of slavery to your fears. Instead, live a life of freedom knowing that God will give you the wisdom when faced with those exciting and challenging decisions of life, which we all face.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%201%3A7andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 1:7)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1746 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1746 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Life Of Obedience – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1746 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Vonette Z. Bright, and it is: A life of obedience is not a life of following a list of do's and don'ts, but it is allowing God to be original in our lives.
A Life Of Obedience
To some, they picture obedience as the same as following a strict list of rules and regulations—a list of dos and don’ts. That is not obedience but legalism. On the contrary, obedience is when we willingly and joyfully follow the precepts found in God’s Word. We follow them, not because we are forced to, but because we desire to please our creator. God only wants what is best for us, and only God ultimately knows what is best. Therefore, our desire to please God must be stronger than our desire to please ourselves. When we follow His precepts because of our love for Him, we can experience the rich and satisfying life that Jesus desires for us. Therefore, we must guard that obedience does not turn to pride but is driven out of our love for God and others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202%3A16andversion=NLT (Galatians 2:16)
Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1745 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1745 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMaking Mistakes In Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1745 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from George Bernard Shaw, and it is: A life making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing at all.
Making Mistakes In Life
Few people purposely make mistakes, nor do we enjoy it when we do, but mistakes are inevitable because none of us are perfect, and most are far from it. The alternative to not making mistakes is to do nothing, but that would be the biggest mistake you could make in life. It is more honorable to try and make mistakes than not to try. Mistakes are the stepping stones to learning. Mistakes are part of the dues a person pays to live a rich and satisfying life. Making mistakes is an inherent part of life that we cannot escape from; however, we must be big enough to admit those mistakes, smart enough to benefit from them, strong enough to correct them, and wise enough not to repeat them. We should learn from the mistakes that other people make also. We can never live long enough to make all of the mistakes ourselves. The biggest mistake you can make in your life is the constant fear of making mistakes.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A35-39andversion=NLT (Romans 8:35-39)
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1744 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy...
Welcome to Day 1744 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Life Of Importances – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1744 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jackie Robinson, and it is: A life of importance is based on the impact it has on other lives.
Life Of Importance
Everyone wants to feel important and looked on by others as an important person. However, there is a simple formula to be viewed as important by others. It is based on the positive impact that you have on the lives of others within your world. We may not be known outside of a tiny group of individuals, but how we impact those lives can have a positive effect that will ripple through all of eternity. Your importance is not based on how much money you make, what kind of house you live in, what school you went to, or what type of car you drive. It is much more vital that we make an impact on others with what we have. Little is much when God is in it. If God has been gracious to you and allows you to manage many resources, it will only matter if you use those resources to impact others. Mother Teresa lived with those she influenced in the slums of India, and yet she moved positively to thousands of lives with very few resources.
On the other hand, RG LeTourneau is perhaps the most inspiring Christian businessman and inventor of road construction and heavy equipment that forever changed the world. Not only did his equipment changed the physical world, with the millions that he earned and managed for God, he also invested 90% of what he earned into ministries that spread the good news of Christ throughout the world. Two extreme cases, and yet both of their lives had a huge impact on our world. Most of us are somewhere between these two examples, so yes, with little or much when God is in it, we can move mountains for His kingdom. Live a life of importance today.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A6-12andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 9:6-12)
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself,...
Welcome to Day 1743 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife in Thankfulness – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1743 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bengt Sundberg, and it is: A life in thankfulness releases the glory of God.
Life In Thankfulness
Thankfulness in our lives is just one way of bringing glory to God. Adopting a mindset of gratitude allows us to take our minds off ourselves and our selfish desires. When we take on this mindset, we become thankful for all the blessings pouring through our lives by the hands of others, and of course, from God. Living life in thankfulness is a choice. Even if not every situation in our lives is favorable, we can still be thankful for the difficult times because they mature us into better people. When we are thankful, we are kind to others, and we treat them in the same manner as we would like to be treated. Knowing that God is the provider of every good and perfect gift, we can count it all joy, regardless of the circumstance we face. Thankfulness is also contagious. The more we show gratitude and express our thankfulness to others, they will catch that contagion and be more thankful themselves.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A17-18andversion=NLT;NIV (James 1:17-18)
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1741 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1742 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTouched By God – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1742 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mark Mobley, and it is: A life touched by God always ends up touching others.
Touched By God
God cannot change you without it impacting all areas of your life. Therefore, when you live according to God’s precepts found in His Word and directed by His spirit, you should think differently, live differently, and act differently. In doing so, your life will impact the lives of everyone you come in contact with. It is linked to the universal law of planting and harvesting. Once God has planted His Spirit within you, the crop harvested is a crop of kindness and good deeds to others. It is one of the pieces of evidence that God has touched you. Through your changed life, you will impact and be able to assist others through their transformation. It is the multiplying effect, which is also part of the law of planting and harvesting. If God has touched your life, it will multiply through you and through others that you impact.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A9-10andversion=NLT (Romans 12:9-10)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1741 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1741 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Lie Has No Future – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1741 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A lie may take care of the present, but it definitely has no future.
A Lie Has No Future
I believe that we are all prone to lying, at least to some extent. But, unfortunately, it seems to be universal among humankind. It may just be fudging the facts or embellishing the truth slightly, but when you strip away all excuses and rationalization, it has some element of a lie if it is not the truth. This pattern of behavior may help us out of a sticky situation today, or it may fool others to our true intent and motive, but it will be discovered if continued. As difficult as being completely honest is, if we desire to positively impact others, we need to have a character of integrity in all we do. The more you lie, the deeper your troubles will become, and the fewer others will trust you.
On the other hand, when you always tell the truth, you never have to determine what to say when you are confronted with the facts of a situation. Just continue truthfulness at all times, and life will be so much easier to live. The truth is liberating. It allows you to take off the shackles of slavery that lies bind you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012%3A22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 12:22)
The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1740 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1740 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Lie Is Quick – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1740 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Winston Churchill, and it is: A lie goes halfway around the world before the truth can get its pants on.
A Lie Is Quick
I don’t know of a time in history where this quote has been more accurate than today. With instant information worldwide, self-proclaimed social media experts, and the 24/7 news cycle bombarding us with negative news, the lies are fast and furious. It is nearly impossible to know if the information we absorb today is truth, mixed truth, or purposeful deception. Unfortunately, it appears that almost everyone is proclaiming their version of the truth and trying to destroy anyone who disagrees with them. We even see those who are Christ-followers spreading disinformation and condemning those who disagree with their viewpoint. This should not be. Yet, even with this disarray of information in the world today, we can take comfort in that God is the author of all truth, so if what you hear elsewhere does not line up with God’s Word, then it is not truth. So don’t be discouraged or be faint of heart. God’s Word will prevail, and His truth will win out in the end when Christ returns to establish His worldwide kingdom where Eden will be restored, not as a garden but encompassing the entire globe.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+14%3A10-13andversion=NLT (Romans 14:10-13)
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1739 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,’ please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1739 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDetermination – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1739 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ronald Reagan, and it is: A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough.
Determination
If you are going to lead others on a quest towards a goal, you must believe in your soul that the quest is worth pursuing and be convinced of the best way to handle it. Once you have determined that a particular course of action is the right one, you must have the perseverance and endurance to reach the finish line. When the trail ahead of you becomes daunting and complex, filled with setbacks and obstacles, you must continue no matter what. One of the essential marks of a great leader is that they do not give up, give in, or quit when others would. Instead, a great leader will keep moving forward, learn to enjoy the journey, and be able to reap the reward of a job well done. Furthermore, a great leader will gladly share that reward with those they lead. Joshua, the Old Testament leader of the Nation of Israel, was given these leadership instructions directly from God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A6-9andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:6-9)
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1737 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you...
Welcome to Day 1738 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLeading People for Good – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1738 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rosalynn Carter, and it is: A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t want to go but ought to be.
Leading People for Good
There is undoubtedly a difference between a leader and a great leader. The position of leadership on its own has a certain amount of authority that comes with it. Because of this, a leader can lead people to a goal or destination which they already desire to go based on self-interest. On the other hand, it requires a great leader to lead people to reach new heights and go to places uncomfortable for them. Most people are resistant to venture outside of their comfort zone, even for their good. A skillful and effective leader can instill confidence and courage into a person by walking beside them, encouraging them, and assisting them through the difficult areas of the path. A great leader has the vision to move forward towards the goal, not only for themselves and the organization but also for each team member. It is required of a great leader to stretch their team to reach their individual God-given abilities. May God’s grace fill you so that you can be a great leader.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1-2andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1737 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1737 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNo Shades of Gray – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1737 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from G. Alan Bernard, and it is: A leader not only stays above the line between right and wrong, but he also remains well clear of the gray areas.
No Shades of Gray
When you are leading others with integrity, there is no room for questionable or gray areas in the decisions you make and the values you stand for. Therefore, you must stay above reproach and never dabble with any questionable areas of life. I realize that at times, decisions are not always crystal clear, and there can be various interpretations of what is right or wrong, but you should have a clear understanding in your mind of where you draw the line in your decision-making. If you are drifting towards that line into the gray areas of life, you need to change course and remain well clear of those areas where there are shades of gray. It is much better to stand firmly for what is right than to err towards what some may interpret as wrong. The passage for today was written explicitly to those who desire to be leaders within a church situation. The same should apply to any area of life because we should all aspire to this level as Christ-followers.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A1-5andversion=NLT;NIV (1 Timothy 3:1-5)
This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1736 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See...
Welcome to Day 1736 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomKnow And Solve Problems – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1736 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John C. Maxwell, and it is: A leader lives with people to know their problems. A leader lives with God in order to solve them.
Know and Solve Problems
A good leader is invested in the lives of those whom they lead. They care for them and desire to know their problems to assist in any manner possible. However, it is also true that a good leader will not have solutions for all of the issues they encounter. That is why a good and godly leader will live close to God in his daily walk of life to have the wisdom needed to assist those whom they lead. I don’t see how it could be possible to handle leadership demands if you are not fully immersed in God’s Word, a guide to assist when leading others. In addition to God’s Word, which when properly understood is a manual for living, a Christ-follower has God’s spirit within to lead and guide. So if you desire to be a good and godly leader, invest time daily in God’s Word and prayer. In doing so, you will gain the necessary skills to know the problems of those you lead and provide Biblically-based solutions to those problems.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%205%3A12andversion=NLT (Daniel 5:12)
This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1735 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1735 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLead By Example – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1735 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not.
Lead By Example
This quote is undoubtedly accurate. Everyone is involved in leadership of some kind, even if it is your children, nieces, and nephews, or a meeting where you participate. We may verbalize our leadership to others, but the example we leave to those we lead will speak much louder than any words or proclamations that we may utter. As the old cliché says, we must walk our talk. What we say will have a minor impact on others. However, what we do, and how we act will have a significant effect on others. It is similar to reputation. We all have a reputation. How we serve and what we say in life determines if that reputation is good or bad. Since you are leading others, ensure that your example is worth following. Your example should be so ethical that you would not mind your kids or grandkids following you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2071%3A7andversion=NLT (Psalm 71:7)
My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1733 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1734 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomShow The Way – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1734 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John C. Maxwell, and it is: A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
Show The Way
Each of us is a leader in some area of life. The question is, how effective is your leadership? There are various leadership methods, and specific techniques have proven to be much more effective than others. An effective leader practices the three attributes which are mentioned in today’s quote. First, a leader must know what the objectives and outcomes are for every specific project or tasks. Second, an effective leader will go along with their group or team, not just send them out on their own. Third, an effective leader will also show the way the team or group must go. Finally, a leader will also set an example for their team and be an example. Excellent and effective leadership requires all three aspects. How are your leadership skills?
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%201%3A13andversion=NLT (Deuteronomy 1:13)
Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1733 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1733 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomInspired By Achievement – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1733 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ralph Lauren, and it is: When a leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He then inspires the power and energy to get it done.
Inspired By Achievement
Depending on the situation or circumstance, we are either leaders or followers. When we have the opportunity to lead, we must lead well. A dream requires a vision and conviction that you can achieve what you set out to do. When your followers see that vision and conviction, they will also believe that it is possible. As a result, your followers will be inspired with power and energy to accomplish the tasks set before them. In the other situation, where you are a follower, look to the leader to show you the vision and conviction needed to complete the dream ahead of you and follow well.
We need to understand that our gifts of leadership or the talent of being a support person come from God. We are responsible to God for how we utilize these gifts. Use them wisely.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A6-8andversion=NLT (Romans 12:6-8)
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1732 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1732 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Knowledge – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1732 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Billy Graham, and it is: A knowledge of the Bible is essential to a rich and meaningful life.
Bible Knowledge
Billy Graham was undoubtedly the most influential evangelist of our modern age, with his active ministry spanning over 60 years. His knowledge of the Bible was extensive. So it should be with us. Knowing God’s Word is essential to be able to live by its precepts that are found within. The more extensively we understand the Scriptures from the perspective of its original authors and the culture in which they lived, the more we can understand what God desires of us as His imagers. We need to let the Bible be what it is. While it can teach us about nature and science, that is not its primary purpose. While it can teach us some history, it is not primarily a history book.
I’m suggesting that the path to accurate biblical understanding requires that we don’t make the Bible conform to our traditions, prejudices, personal crises, or our culture’s intellectual battles. Yes, you’ll find material in Scripture that will help you resolve personal difficulties and questions. But you must remember that, while the Bible was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. What the authors wrote is still vital for our lives today, but we can only accurately discern the message if we let them speak as they spoke.
The point is that letting the Bible be what it is not only helps us interpret Scripture accurately, but it has incredible apologetic value. Taking Scripture on its own terms helps our focus and fends off distractions. When Scripture is rightly understood, its relevance will also be clear.
As Billy Graham said: A knowledge of the Bible is essential to a rich and meaningful life.
Jesus put it this way:
John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1731 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’!
Welcome to Day 1731 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAll Is Well – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1731 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Fred Smith, and it is: A key element of maturity is a quiet center…an undisputable spot in the heart where all is well.
All Is Well
Are you at peace with yourself? When the storms of life rage, do you come undone? When someone treats you unkindly or maligns you, do you respond in kind? One of the proofs that you are a mature person is when you can remain calm within the storms of life, which buffet us daily. Maintaining that quiet center of emotions indicates that all is well within, even when they are not without. As Christ-followers, we have the extra benefit of God’s Holy Spirit that dwells within us, granting us divine power to be at peace, even if the world is in chaos. Having this peace assures our hearts that all is truly well. We can be a powerful testimony and example to those who are struggling or in turmoil, which will allow us to share with others where our peace comes from, which is God in us. If you are not quite to the place where you can have a quiet center, quiet confidence, then I would encourage you to invest more time in God’s Word and in prayer to grow in maturity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204%3A6%2D8andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:6-8)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1730 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1730 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Single Step – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1730 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Chinese Proverb, and it is: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
A Single Step
This proverb is well-known but still accurate and practical. Any task or project that we need to accomplish will only be completed when we take the first step of action, and then follow that step with a sequential series of steps. Therefore, we need to get past getting ready to get ready and move forward. In most situations, it does not require that we rush through the project, but we must continue on one step at a time with perseverance. It is always best to plan our activities and know the detailed steps within the plan. That being said, our plan is worthless if we do not begin with that single first step. Once you start, the momentum will keep you moving forward. One step at a time, you will reach your journey of a thousand miles.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A35-36andversion=NLT (Hebrews 10:35-36)
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1729 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1729 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPay It Forward – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1729 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Albert Einstein, and it is: A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.
Pay It Forward
The concept behind this quote from Albert Einstein is also the core of Wisdom-Trek: our lives should be a living legacy to others. No person is self-made because who we are today is primarily determined by other people who influence and impact our lives. By God’s grace, He has allowed the lives and labors of others in history past, or our current season of life, to help us learn and grow. These individuals helped to shape and form our God-given abilities and talents so that we can be all that God intended for us. We need to make sure that we pass these same benefits to others by positively impacting anyone who crosses through our trek of life. This concept is what it means to create a living legacy so that you are influencing others every day, and that all you do will echo through eternity in the lives of others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205%3A11andversion=NLT (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2015%3A2andversion=NLT (Romans 15:2)
We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1728 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1728 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFriends and Enemies – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1728 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A hundred friends are not enough, but one enemy is too much.
Friends And Enemies
Very few people have enough energy and time to invest in more than a few close friends. That being said, there is no real limit on the number of friendly acquaintances you may have over your lifetime. Fortunate is the person who surrounds themselves with others who will assist, support, and love them. Interestingly, most of us have many friends and acquaintances, but it only takes one person who does not like us to spoil our mindset. I see this situation magnified on social media sites. People may get a thousand likes or positive comments on something they publish, but if they receive one negative comment, they dwell on that one negative comment instead of the thousand positive ones. We all fall prey to this mindset, but let us break free of these shackles and focus on good things. With friends and many other situations in life, if we are not careful, we will allow our mindset to drift into a negative pattern. We need to be focused on good, strengthening our body, mind, and soul.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:8-9)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1727 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1727 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBoomerang Hugs – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1727 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bil Keane, and it is: A hug is like a boomerang — you get it back right away.
Boomerang Hugs
There are very few people who don’t like a good hug, and the great thing about earnestly hugging another person is that you receive a hug back at the same time. I realize that during the past couple of years, we were cautioned and somewhat restricted on who and when we should hug another person during the ongoing pandemic. I understand the concerns, but feel that it was more detrimental not to show this form of affection to so many who desperately need this connection with others. There is an innate desire within each of us to crave the gentle touch from another person. This desire does not go away during times of illness or hardship. If anything, it heightens such a need. So as permitted, and where appropriate, show your love and concern for others through a healthy hug. Show others that you do care and what is best for them. In return, in most cases, that hug will come back to you as they return the mutual love and concern for you.
Romans 12:9-11
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1726 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1726 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHouse vs. Home – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1726 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Benjamin Franklin, and it is: A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.
House vs. Home
While Ben Franklin did not expand far enough on the differences between a house and a home, this is a good foundation. A house is just a structure where people may dwell, but a home supports, nourishes, and protects those who live within. This nourishment and protection go beyond the physical needs of the family who lives within the home. A strong home will provide the necessities of food and fire for the mind as well as the body. No person is complete who is just feed physically. Each person who lives within a home must also have their mind filled with nutrients and protection and be an educated, well-rounded individual. So, within your home each day, ensure that each occupant is fed well and kept warm in both body and mind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203%3A33andversion=NLT (Proverbs 3:33)
The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1724 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1725 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOutpace the Competition – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1725 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ovid, and it is: A horse never runs so fast as when he has other horses to catch up and outpace.
Outpace The Competition
In nearly all areas of life, competition is beneficial for you, to the person(s) you are competing with and whatever you are pursuing and the product you are making or marketing. Knowing that we have to go head-to-head with another person for a position, client, sporting event, or other pursuits in life will allow us to try harder, perform better, and succeed in the goals we are trying to achieve. In addition, competing will make the activity even more enjoyable. When others determine the level of achievement we are competing with, it raises the stakes for everyone involved. It will allow teams or individuals to try harder and excel in sporting events. It will enable manufacturers of products to produce better and even new products. Finally, it will force better performance within any organization. I don’t believe we are doing children a favor when we take out competition from events because they will be expected to compete when they are adults. It is acceptable to recognize participants, but there should also be rewards for those who excel. It is not a matter of whether you are better than someone else; it is a matter of utilizing your God-given potential to your greatest potential for you. Competition helps to make sure we are doing our best for God’s glory. We may not win when we compete, but it has proven to be effective if it forces us to do and be better than we would have otherwise. Compete well, and give God the glory for the outcome, no matter what the result.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012%3A1andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:1)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1724 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...
Welcome to Day 1724 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Holy Life Shines – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1724 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dwight L. Moody, and it is: A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.
A Holy Life Shines
As imagers of God, a lighthouse is such a great example of what our lives are to be like. It is God’s spirit that will draw a person to himself, we are to be a light to shine brightly and show the way. Our lives will only show the way when our light is not obstructed by sin. The keeper of the lighthouse had to make sure that the power source was in place to energize the light, and that the light was always clean so it would shine as brightly as possible. God’s Holy Spirit, who dwells in us, is the power source, and living lives unobstructed by sin will ensure that our light is shining each day brightly. We do not need to make a lot of noise, or create a lot of fanfare in order to reach others for Christ. We just need to keep shining each day. Stand your ground just as a lighthouse is built on a solid rock foundation. Be unmovable in your faith, while being flexible in your love for others. Live a life that is holy, which means to be set apart from God for His service. It is then you will make the deepest impression on others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A21-22andversion=NLT (Mark 4:21-22)
Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1723 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1723 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYour Failure Point – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1723 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert Schuller, and it is: A high jumper never knows how high he can jump until he reaches a failure point.
Your Failure Point
None of us know with certainty how far we can go until we reach the point of failure, as indicated in our quote today. A competitive high jumper who desires to improve and excel will not quit the first time they crash into the bar. Instead, they will keep practicing and working on their techniques to reach new heights each time they compete. So it is with any desire which we pursue. If we quit the first time we fail, our life will be marked with a series of failures. That is not what God expects from us, nor should we expect from ourselves. We need to pick ourselves up from the mat, return to the starting line, and try again. Once we clear the current hurdle, we need to ask for the bar to be raised to improve and succeed at a higher level. You will never know how far you can go until you reach a temporary point of failure. Once you analyze why you failed, and have an opportunity to learn and improve, you can continue towards your new goal or destination. You are never a failure until you chose to quit. Have faith that God will take you to new heights based on your God-given talents and abilities. You may amaze yourself with how far you can go. So, keep moving forward!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+1%3A11-12andversion=NLT (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)
So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1722 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more...
Welcome to Day 1722 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Hero – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1722 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Christopher Reeve, and it is: A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
A Hero
When we think of a hero, it is usually a person who has some extraordinary talents and abilities, but that is not a true hero. Instead, those individuals who perform heroic acts are very ordinary persons who value other people's lives over their own. Because of their view that all life is precious when they face the overwhelming obstacles of life. Their mindset and worldview are such that when there is a call to action, they are mentally and emotionally prepared to take on challenges that might ordinarily frighten them. They are the people who will jump into a lake to rescue a drowning child. They are willing to approach a burning vehicle to drag out a victim that is trapped. They are the health care workers of the past couple of years who found the strength to persevere and endure despite overwhelming obstacles. They are the grandparents who pray for their children and grandchildren that God would keep, protect, and watch over them each day. Let us look around and honor those everyday heroes. Also, be willing to be a hero yourself.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2016%3A3andversion=NLT (Psalm 16:3)
The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1721 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1721 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomUnencumbered – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1721 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ymber Delecto, and it is: A healthy body and soul come from an unencumbered mind and body.
Unencumbered
There is increasing evidence that a healthy body and soul comes from people at peace with themselves, others, and God. Unfortunately, all too often, we allow the challenges and pressures from life to choke our minds with worry and fretting, which sucks our life from us and robs us of the simple joys of life. When we can free our minds from these thoughts, and allow the peace of God to invade our minds, that we can unencumber ourselves from them. We need to take off the shackles of the past and become free so that we can enjoy the joys of today and the bright hope for tomorrow. Become healthy in both mind and soul by letting go of that which you have no control over.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A31-34andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:31-34)
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1720 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1720 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Great Accomplishment – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1720 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Walter Gagehot, and it is: A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.
A Great Accomplishment
Most people love to cheer for the underdog, for those who overcome all odds to achieve something great. It brings us pleasure and satisfaction. I don’t know about you, but if I desire to accomplish some grand plan or goal when someone tells me that I cannot, it only spurs me to try even harder. It becomes a motivating factor in our ability to conquer and win. We need that extra challenge that creates more internal drive. It reminds me of children confronted with a dare, a double dare, or even a double-dog dare (whatever that means). It is a challenge that is difficult to pass up, so we become more confident than ever about our ability to achieve. When confronted with opposition to your plans, check your motive, but then push on to become all that God intended you to be based on your God-given talents and abilities. Don’t let anyone rain on your parade or discourage you. It may be their insecurities coming out or that they do not want to see you succeed. Keep moving forward and let God give the victory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A10-12andversion=NLT (Isaiah 41:10-12)
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
“See, all your angry enemies lie there,
confused and humiliated.
Anyone who opposes you will die
and come to nothing.
You will look in vain
for those who tried to conquer you.
Those who attack you
will come to nothing.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1719 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1719 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Leader's Courage – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1719 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Maxwell, and it is: A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.
A Leader’s Courage
While most leadership roles originate from a position within an organization, effective leadership is within the person leading. It takes courage to lead and especially to lead well. Unfortunately, many persons put into leadership positions lack the courage and passion that results in good leaders. When the path ahead becomes challenging, if a leader does not have a clear vision that they can set their eyes on, their ability to reach their destination will be thwarted. To fulfill the vision, it does take courage and passion that is deep within a person. That has nothing to do with the position a person holds. Courage does not come from not being afraid, but it comes from the ability to move forward, even when you are scared. So be encouraged by the fact that you can become a great leader when you are willing to take responsibility with passion and strive towards your vision.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2016%3A13andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1718 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1718 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Big Government – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1718 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Jefferson, and it is: A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
A Big Government
We all enjoy government benefits and tax breaks that help us personally; it is our fundamental nature. We need to be very careful, though when we start thinking that any government payments, benefits, or tax breaks are free, they most certainly are not. There will always be strings attached to anything that we receive back from government agencies. I fully understand that what we receive is at least partially what we have paid into the system as taxes, but most government officials do not look at it in that manner. Regardless of whether you think our current tax structure is fair or equitable, once monies are paid to the government in the form of taxes, the elected officials and the government agencies claim it as their own. So instead of pushing for more benefits for ourselves, we need to be working towards streamlining the government so that it is fair and equitable to everyone. This may mean those who are in need will receive the assistance they need, and may not have to pay for it, but ultimately they are under bondage to that governmental system. It is better to help those who can eventually support themselves to gain the skills needed to do so. If we become too dependent on the government, then we will have no defense when they desire to take away the very freedoms that are rightfully ours to have. The government has a legitimate purpose in all societies. We need to honor that purpose and pay the taxes owed but at the same time not to become overly dependent on the government. Let us work to depend on God instead. As the church, we need to do as much as possible to assist those in need.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2013%3A5%2D7andversion=NLT (Romans 13:5-7)
So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1717 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your...
Welcome to Day 1717 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Gossiper – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1717 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A gossiper is like an old shoe—its tongue never stays in place.
A Gossiper
Most of us probably don’t think of ourselves as a gossiper, but if we analyze what we say to others throughout a week, our actual speech may tell a different story. We all tend to fall prey to talking about other people or situations when they are not present. We may sugar coat it in a manner that portrays that we are concerned for that person or to let others know details so they can also pray about it, but we must be cautious when we rationalize our conversations. We often find that we are like an old shoe, where our tongue never stays in the confines of a closed mouth. Gossip and slander are some of the most insidious and harmful traits that we can incorporate into our language, so we must be careful if we have those tendencies. Gossip and slander are listed right along with some of what we perceive to be the extreme of all wrong behaviors, yet so many participate in it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A28andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:28)
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+15%3A16-20andversion=NLT (Matthew 15:16-20)
“Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204%3A31andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:31)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1716 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow
Welcome to Day 1716 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Witness – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1716 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John White, and it is: A good Christian witness isn't like a salesman, where his emphasis is on a person rather than a product. Instead, a good witness is like a signpost. It doesn't matter whether it is old, young, pretty, ugly; it has to point in the right direction and be understood. We are witnesses to Christ, and we point to him.
A Good Witness
Some Christians, pastors, and evangelists act like they have to create a sales pitch to share the good news of Christ. This is not the case at all. First, it is only God's Spirit that can draw a person to seek Him. He uses humans as instruments to reach people, but not through lofty promises or glitzy sales pitches. Second, we are to live in such a manner that we become a signpost pointing others in the right direction. Our lives should be the salt of the earth which generates a thirst for God in people's hearts. We are also to be a light to the world, illuminating the dark paths people are traveling so they can see the way to God. We should know the way to God and be willing to show the way to those seeking Him. We do not need any unique talents, be of a certain age or social status. Each of us can be like that dependable sign on the trails of life, continuing to point the correct direction to God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201%3A27andversion=NLT (Philippians 1:27)
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1715 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1715 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Last Word – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1715 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Barbara Johnson, and it is: A good way to have the last word is to apologize.
The Last Word
I think most of us like to have the last word in a conversation. What that usually means is that we want to be right at the expense of the other person. Suppose you feel the need to be correct and prove another person as wrong means that you both have lost. We don’t have to agree on most topics to carry on a meaningful and productive conversation. We live in such a contentious environment today, especially online, where a whole segment of people call trolls whose purpose is to argue and disagree with others who may not share their opinion. There are very few issues worth arguing about in life and even fewer people whose minds have been changed because of an argument. It usually just entrenches those individuals to be adamant with their opinion. Instead, we should love others and be concerned about their well-being. We do not have to win the argument or try and prove we are right. As long as we are right with God, and at peace that our thoughts and opinions align with God’s precepts found in His Word, then that is all we need. If you must have the last word, let it apologize for when we are offensive or have spoken inappropriately.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+4%3A5-6andversion=NLT (Colossians 4:5-6)
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
In Greek, the words gracious and attractive mean ‘and seasoned with salt,’ which reminds me of https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A13-16andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:13-16) “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1714 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you...
Welcome to Day 1714 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good System – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1714 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Orison Swett Marden, and it is: A good system shortens the road to the goal.
A Good System
The older I become, and the longer I manage businesses and organizations, the more convinced I am that those who are most successful in any area of life it is because they have good systems in place to keep them focused and on track. Systems allow for the most direct and efficient route to reach the goals that need to be achieved. I have found this to be true in my own life, and the lives of countless others who are highly successful. I am asked regularly how I am able to accomplish so many tasks and keep them all straight. Based on my systems, I have established habits and routines to keep me on task towards the goals I need to achieve each day, week, month, quarter, and year. It is nothing magical or extremely profound. I use a combination of an online task/duty list and calendar. Those tasks that I must regularly complete, such as each day, week, month, quarter, or year but not at a specific time of day, I place on my tasks list. I also flag them based on how often they need to be completed, and group them based on the particular client or group they need to be completed for. For instance, if I need to create a monthly financial statement for a specific client, I flag that task as monthly and on which day it needs to be completed. That task will automatically display on my list for that day, and who it is for. For those appointments, meetings, or phone calls where I have a specific time, I must complete that task, then that is placed on my calendar, with a reminder that it is coming up. I can access my tasks list and calendar from a desktop computer, iPad, iPhone, and even my watch, so I am rarely out of touch with them. I check my list and calendar periodically each day to make sure that I am not missing anything. This system alleviates the need to clutter my mind with attempting to remember tasks and appointments. I rarely miss anything that needs to be completed.
Now, I admit I like my schedule each day to follow a specific pattern, and when it does not, I have to make sure that I still complete any critical task with a firm deadline. At the end of each day, I review my list one final time to check off all the tasks completed for that day, and am reminded of any that still need to be finished. Usually, those are the lower priority tasks in which I have some flexibility, and they don’t have to be completed on a fixed day, but usually within a specific time frame, such as this week. Even on crucial tasks, I will usually have it appear a few days before the deadline to ensure it is completed on time.
I realize that my system may not work for everyone, but systems are needed, and a good system shortens the road to all goals in life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A5andversion=NLT (Proverbs 21:5)
Good planning and hard work lead to...
Welcome to Day 1713 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Scare – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1713 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Edgar Watson Howe, and it is: A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice.
A Good Scare
Some people love horror movies and being scared. I am not one of those people. While I am not fearful of much in life, I don’t particularly like vivid images seared into my mind, which may cause restless sleep. There are other scares in life, though, that may be beneficial. For example, think about a person who has not taken care of themselves physically, and due to their neglect, they become ill with emphysema, cancer, or a heart attack. This type of scare may be the same wake-up call that a person needs to start a lifestyle that will build up the body instead of destroying it. All the good advice given previously may fall on deaf ears, but the choice becomes clear when faced with the scare of their mortality. Another example someone who does not drive safely and then has a severe accident but walks away untouched should scare a person into better driving habits. A third example is a man who neglects his wife and children then one day comes home to an empty house that should scare him into changing his ways. The result of the vacant home was because previous advice was not heeded. So, yes, it is true that a good scare is even more potent than good advice for many people. Let us not be guilty of needing a good scare. Sometimes the fear that others experience acts like great advice to us. A good scare was true when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Apostles about the amount of money they sold their land for, indicating they were giving it all to the church. As a lesson, both of them immediately dropped dead because of their lie. It made a significant impact on the early church.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+5%3A10-11andversion=NLT (Acts 5:10-11)
Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1712 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others...
Welcome to Day 1712 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Reputation – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1712 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from George Eastman, and it is: A good reputation is measured by how much you can improve the lives of others - customers, employees, community.
A Good Reputation
A good reputation takes a long time to establish, but can be destroyed in what seems like a short period. However, when you understand how decisions are made, you realize that this is no such thing as a momentary lack of judgment or integrity. On the contrary, a good reputation is earned because it is rooted in a life of integrity. Furthermore, a reputation is not some nebulous concept where you suddenly have a good or bad reputation because it can be easily measured. As with anything that can be measured, then it can be quantified and replicated. A good reputation comes down to how much of a positive impact you can make on the lives of others. What is your reputation with your employees or associates, your community, and the clients that you serve? More importantly, what is your reputation with your spouse, children, and family members who know you the best, on the good days and bad is? As the old saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. A pudding bowl may look delicious sitting on the counter, but once you dig below the crust that forms on homemade pudding, what is the texture and taste below that? Are you sweet and delicious, or spoiled and rotten? It takes a long time to build a good reputation based on integrity. Don’t let the daily temptations of life slowly draw you away from what takes so long to make. Be strong, be good pudding.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022%3A1%2D3andversion=NLT (Proverbs 22:1-3)
Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
The rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord made them both.
A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1711 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you...
Welcome to Day 1711 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Race – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1711 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A good racehorse does not ask for a dry track.
A Good Race
We would all love it, if our race in life were on smooth straight surfaces with no restrictions or obstructions. The problem is that you will never fulfill your God-given potential if life is always easy with no tribulations. It is the problematic segments of our race of life that allow us to hone our skills, mature, and be refined into pure gold. Just like the best racehorses don’t require a dry track or all the conditions to be perfect. Racehorses are bred to race in any situation and are born to love the race. Racing is their calling in life. So it is when they are racing; they are in their natural element. It is the same for us, we are created as imagers of God, and we are here on this earth for a specific purpose. Our purpose, our vocation as citizens of God’s kingdom, is to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. By its very nature, being salt and light is not a life of ease. It is not a smooth and flat racetrack. Our lives are to bring savory life to a dying world and light to a dark world. Being salt and light may not always be an easy race, but an easy race is not our vocation. We do not ask for a dry track but the strength to race well.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012%3A1andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:1)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1710 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1710 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Plan – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1710 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from H. Stanley Judd, and it is; A good plan is like a road map: It shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there.
A Good Plan
Prior to having GPS capabilities at our fingertips via smartphones, we relied on printed maps. While the maps were beneficial, they did not automatically show us the best way to reach our destination. In addition, while our GPS units usually map the quickest routes even if there are construction or accidents, most other plans are not as efficient. Just because business and life plans are not as accurate as a GPS unit, we still should create, modify, and refine our plans because they guide us to our final destination. No plan, map, or the most accurate GPS units are perfect, but they are necessary to navigate our trek of life. The most crucial aspect of any plan is determining your destination before starting on your journey. Otherwise, you may be heading in the wrong direction. Then, with the goal in mind, your plan will guide you on the best way to reach that destination.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2040%3A5andversion=NLT (Psalm 40:5)
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 21:30)
No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1709 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1709 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Name – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1709 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Proverbs 22:1, and it is: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
A Good Name
The book of Proverbs is packed with nuggets of wisdom. I know I have mentioned it several times in the past, but I can’t help but emphasize that you should invest time each day to read a few verses or a chapter in Proverbs. Today's quote emphasizes what is most desirable in life, even more desirable than massive amounts of riches, including silver and gold. To be a person of integrity, which results in maintaining a good name, is more desirable. To be esteemed as a good person is considered even better than silver or gold. Wealth of any kind is so fleeting, and its value is so temporal. One aspect of creating a living legacy is to live in such a manner so when others think of you as a person; they don’t think of your financial treasures but your wealth as an individual that they hold you in high esteem because of your good name.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A17-19andversion=NLT (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1708 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1708 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOne Step, One Slip – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1708 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gramps, and it is: A good name is gained one step at a time, but can be lost with one slip of character.
One Step, One Slip
There is no easy path to a life of integrity, respect, and a good reputation. Instead, it is gained and earned one step at a time. It is like building a solid brick house that starts with a solid foundation firmly attached to the underlying bedrock. It is built slowly, one brick at a time. There are no shortcuts, no compromise, no weaknesses. It requires solid bricks cemented together with the mortar of our daily lives. That mortar is the daily grind that, at the time, is not overly exciting nor appealing. It is sticking to doing what is right, even when you do not feel like it. But, on the flip side, our good name and reputation can be destroyed by one slip of our integrity. Compromising our integrity is like a tornado from the storms of life that can appear seemingly out of nowhere with little warning and destroy your life like an actual tornado will destroy your solid brick house. Stand firm when the storms of life come, and watch out for those tornadoes that can spring up and destroy you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A10-12andversion=NLT (Ephesians 6:10-12)
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1707 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1707 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Memory – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1707 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Irish Blessing, and it is: A good memory is one that can remember the day’s blessings and forget the day’s troubles.
A Good Memory
Some people have the ability to remember the past with vivid clarity, while others have difficulty remembering the last five minutes. Most of us are somewhere in between. There are three basic personalities that I think play a part in this. Those who make decisions based on the past, those who make decisions based on their current situation, and those who are more forward-looking and decide what they perceive the future will hold. I have to admit, I am very much a forward thinker and tend to be very optimistic when viewing the past, present, and future. I tend to remember the day’s blessings and forget the day’s troubles. While I try to be realistic in my assessment of life and the future, I don’t want to create any unnecessary roadblocks that impede the potential for the future. We can learn from the past, but we cannot change it. Regardless of how difficult the past has been, it does not have to be our future. I know certain personality types deal with life differently, but it is also based on the choices we make from this day forward. Let us choose to remember the day’s blessings and dwell on them while minimizing the day’s troubles because they are behind us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%203%3A12%2D14andversion=NLT (Philippians 3:12-14)
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1706 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your...
Welcome to Day 1706 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1706 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A good life is when you assume nothing, do more, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are.
A Good Life
For most of us, our lives are overflowing with abundant blessings. We may not have much in the way of wealth, but that is not very important. Today’s quote is a recipe for living a good life. Live life each day with a forward-thinking mindset, while realizing life does not always turn out as planned. Work hard and often smile at the small blessings each day. At the same time, dream big about all your tomorrows. Finally, make it a habit to laugh often, even if sometimes it is at the silly things you do. If you incorporate this advice into your life, you will realize how very blessed you are. Life is too rich and often too short to be miserable. Live life fully acknowledging all that we have been blessed beyond our wildest imaginations. To do otherwise is to rob yourself of the real pleasures and treasures of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+5%3A18-19andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19)
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1705 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1705 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBlame and Credit – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1705 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John C. Maxwell, and it is: A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.
Blame and Credit
You can usually spot a good leader both in a time of crisis and success. For example, when plans are not going well, or the team has missed its mark, a good leader will step up and take the lion's share of the responsibility and blame for the poor performance. On the other hand, when a team succeeds abundantly and is being showered with praise, a good leader will allow that spotlight to shine on those who excelled and were directly responsible for the overall success. A good leader does not need to hog the glory because they are confident in themselves and the team's ability. Poor leaders constantly attempt to blame others when the team does not succeed and then try to take the glory when the team succeeds. Of course, because of poor leadership, a team is less likely to succeed, which turns to a downward cycle of failure and defeat. On the contrary, a great leader will instill a sense of victory within the group, and the team will succeed much more often than the times they fail.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%202%3A3andversion=NLT (Philippians 2:3)
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1704 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1704 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Great Leader – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1704 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt, and it is: A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.
A Great Leader
A bad leader will discourage followers and not be effective in their leadership. A good leader will inspire and help followers to be more confident, as long as they continue to lead. A great leader will not only inspire followers to have confidence, but will also infuse those same followers with solid self-confidence. A great leader not only knows the way but will also show the way. A great leader will then instill within followers the ability to be leaders themselves. In word and action, a great leader is a person who does not have to demand respect. They are the type of people who attract followers like a magnet to steel. Their lives exude integrity and trust. Another trait of a great leader is authenticity, which is absolutely a key for inspirational leaders, as this is the foundation of respect. Great leaders are passionate, knowledgeable, engaging, personable, self-aware, and resilient. Choose today to live and lead well. The following passage describes what character traits a church leader should have, but the concepts apply to leadership in all areas of life.
1 Timothy 3:1-5
This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-29693a (a)] he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1703 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy...
Welcome to Day 1703 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Leader – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1703 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Franklin D. Roosevelt, and it is: A good leader can’t get too far ahead of his followers.
A Good Leader
One aspect of being a good leader is to make sure those you are supposed to be leading are still following you. Unfortunately, one lesson that I had to learn as a young leader of our company and other organizations is that I was moving forward at such a brisk pace that I lost sight of those who were supposed to follow. Not only that, as my wonderful bride would have to remind me, I had not only left my followers in the dust, I just plowed over several followers in my haste to move forward. So as a leader of others, whether you are young or old, keep in mind that you need to assure that you are still being followed and that your team knows where they are heading. So, every once in a while, put yourself in the shoes of your followers and ask this question: Would I be willing to follow this person? There are many facets needed to be an excellent leader, and there are several ways to develop leadership qualities. One way is through practice. Be aware of the skills you need to develop and find opportunities to use those skills. Another way is through professional development through the use of a mentor or training course. Finally, as with every aspect of life, always be humble and willing to learn.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2022%3A26andversion=NLT (Luke 22:26)
But among you, it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1702 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1702 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAny Other One Thing – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1702 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Laura Ingalls Wilder, and it is: A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.
Any Other One Thing
We all like to be around individuals or groups of people who make us laugh. Comedy is a huge industry. Our TV lineups are packed with what we call sitcoms, which stand for situational comedy. Laughing is proven to be beneficial for the body, mind, and soul. Therefore, we should live to laugh at our situations or even ourselves from time to time. Unfortunately, sometimes we just take ourselves too seriously. There is somewhat an overused phrase that I see hanging in many homes and offices, but it has a lot of truth about how we should face each day. The saying is: Live, Laugh, and Love. We should apply this phrase to our lives in this manner. Each day as you are going about living, don’t forget to laugh with others and love others. When we apply this mantra to our lives, we will come to understand the quote for today. A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing. In addition, we need to make it a point to encourage others, be kind to others, and invest time in laughing with others. Let’s not take life too seriously. Tomorrow is a new day, and most of what we are concerned about today will never happen.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015%3A13andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:13)
A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015%3A15andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:15)
For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1701 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1701 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Laugh – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1701 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Willaim Makepeace Thackeray, and it is: A good laugh is sunshine in the house.
A Good Laugh
Laughter is good for what ails you. There are few human emotions that are as powerful as laughing. When you hear another person laugh, it immediately lifts your spirit and brings sunshine into your life. We desperately need to engage in activities that will bring laughter to our souls. Of course, a good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do. A good laugh has significant short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally; it induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
Activate and relieve your stress response. For example, a rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:
Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more severe illnesses.
Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its natural painkillers.
Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2017%3A22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22)
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1700 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve...
Welcome to Day 1700 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Formidable Combination – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1700 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Nelson Mandela, and it is: A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.
A Formidable Combination
The joining of a good head with a good heart certainly makes a person much more well-rounded and balanced. I know some who have a good head on their shoulders and can work through just about any problem or issue they confront. The problem with only have a good head is that you end up damaging others in the process of solving problems. I also know some who have a good heart but don’t always logically think through the consequences before assisting others. This scenario can lead to a situation where more significant problems arise because they were not anticipated. Indeed, a good head and a good heart are a combination that is hard to beat and will produce much good. When you can logically think through a problem and have the passion and heart to help others, it will produce great rewards for the person giving and receiving. This combination can also be found in couples where one person has a good head, and the other has a good heart, and as they work together, they can help and complement one another. Keep these thoughts in mind when you have the opportunity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A5-7andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:5-7)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1699 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1699 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Best Sermon – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1699 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Benjamin Franklin, and it is: A good example is the best sermon.
The Best Sermon
A life lived well and for the betterment of others will always carry more weight than anything that we may speak. But, unfortunately, too often, people tell us the right thing to do, yet they do not follow their advice. However, there are those few special people in our life that we can look up to. We look up to them because they not only teach us the right way to live our lives, but they also provide us with a good example. We can certainly learn more from a person who sets a good example than someone who does not walk their talk. When we see another person living right it becomes contagious. They draw you tho them like a moth to a flame. You desire to be around them and to emulate them. Our actions always speak louder than our words. Others will notice when you live right and will be much more willing to listen to you when you are speaking.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013%3A1andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 13:1)
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A15-16andversion=NLT (1 Perter 3:15-16)
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1698 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1698 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Good Example – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1698 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A good example can overcome a lot of bad advice.
A Good Example
Most people love to advise on many topics as if they were experts on those topics. A person may be an expert, but the experts usually show by example, not by proclamation. It is like either a single person or a young couple without children giving parenting advice. I am sure you have either experienced or heard of this. Hopefully, you are not the one giving the advice. I would rather receive parenting advice from a person with multiple children, and by example, it is evident that they have raised them to be successful adults. The same goes for people who advise you on financial matters, business success, dating, marriage, living a healthy lifestyle, or many other topics. You need to seek after those individuals who are showing by example a mastery of that topic and proven success. If you surround yourself with those types of people, you will be well on your way to success.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A7andversion=NLT (Hebrews 13:7)
Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1697 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1697 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCarve Your Name On Hearts – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1697 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles H. Spurgeon, and it is: A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.
Carve Your Name On Hearts
The entire concept of Wisdom-Trek is summarized in this quote from Charles Spurgeon. Our character that is how we live each day, adds to our living legacy. It does not matter how much wealth or resources you accumulate in a lifetime unless used to help others. Our character is indeed an ongoing memorial of who you are and how you live. We do not need a fancy tombstone listing our achievements, but our positive and godly impact will be carved into the hearts of those who we serve. They will love you for your living legacy much more than any material inheritance which you leave. If God allows you to accumulate wealth and resources during your lifetime, and it is used to further His kingdom, that is an additional blessing for your life. When I read this quote it also reminded me of my dad, who recently passed away at age 90. Although he could not leave us any earthly treasures, he left our family, and indeed the world, a living legacy of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who were taught the precepts for living found in God’s Word. This legacy is carved in our hearts.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+3%3A2-3andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 3:2-3)
The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1696 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily...
Welcome to Day 1696 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Godly Mind – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1696 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rembrandt, and it is: A godly mind prizes honor above worldly good.
A Godly Mind
What Rembrandt described in this quote can also be labeled integrity. It is a person of integrity who has filled their minds with the character trait of honor and morally right attributes. It is a person who is noted for their right living in every situation and will not change for a person's praise or monetary gain. Instead, the godly mind is altered by allowing God’s precepts to permeate their every thought. This kind of person expects it from themselves and those with whom they invest time. They are not after monetary gain if it means sacrificing their integrity. Yes, you can have both, but a person of integrity will never compromise to gain worldly good. They are too honorable to obtain what they may desire today if it means their honor would be sacrificed.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+2%3A11-14andversion=NLT (Titus 2:11-14)
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1695 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1695 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Praying Person – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1695 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Watson, and it is: A godly person is a praying person.
A Praying Person
This quote is certainly true, but the opposite would also be true. A praying person is also a godly person. The two are intricately woven together like a tightly bound rope. It is impossible to conceive that a godly person does not also pray, or a person who does not pray could be godly. They go together like a hand and glove, bread and butter, or peanut butter and jelly. Prayer gives a person the strength, courage, and desire to live a godly life. Prayer is tied to forgiveness and love. It brings healing to the soul, and as God also grants, to the body. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%205%3A16andversion=NLT (James 5:16)
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Christ himself gave us a model prayer during his discourse on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. He also provided many examples of how effective prayer was, as mentioned in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%205%3A16andversion=NLT (Luke 5:16), But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. If Jesus, who was the perfect imager of God, needed to pray, we who are also imagers of God, yet not perfect, certainly need to pray all the more. Prayer is so essential in our lives but not to coerce God into giving us what we desire, but to bring our will in line with God’s will. It is to draw us close to God, and then we will realize how close God is to us. Therefore, we should maintain an attitude of prayer at all times and in every circumstance. This is God’s will for us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A16-18andversion=NLT (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1694 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Welcome to Day 1694 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomProof Of God – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1694 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and it is: A God who let us prove his existence would be an idol.
Proof Of God
Scientifically there is no way to prove that God exists. The opposite is also true; scientifically, there is no way to prove there is no God. We know that over the millennium that science is not always accurate or provable. For example, the most outstanding scientist available a few centuries ago proposed that the earth was flat. Another premise was that the earth was the center of the universe, and the sun rotated around the earth. As we now know, based on more empirical evidence that both of those premises were drastically wrong. Being created as God’s imagers, we cannot empirically prove that God exists; if we could, we would be as great or greater than the creator himself. At that point, God would only be a powerless idol. While we cannot prove the existence of God, there is proof everywhere that He does. Yes, we do have to accept this evidence by faith, but those who do not believe that God exists must by faith believe that everything results from chance and fate. There is more evidence, and it is much easier to have faith that God exists than the belief that He does not. I choose by faith to believe what I find in God’s Word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+19%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Psalm 19:1-4)
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day, they continue to speak;
night after night, they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A19-20andversion=NLT (Romans 1:19-20)
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. Forever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1693 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously...
Welcome to Day 1693 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAim At The Goal – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1693 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bruce Lee, and it is: A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at.
Aim at the Goal
As I have often mentioned, it is good to set goals and then create as detailed a plan as possible to reach those goals. But, of course, the farther out the goal, the less precise the distant plans will be. In fact, along the way, you may need to readjust your goal from what you had initially intended. Changing or resetting goals is fine and can be healthy. Unfortunately, we cannot know with certainty what our future will hold. There will be many twists and turns, mountains and valleys that we must traverse before reaching our destination. Once goals are set, you should have scheduled checkpoints along the way where you stop, assess your current situation and then ask these three questions.
Is the original goal still the destination we desire?
Are we still heading towards our goal?
What adjustments do we need to make to reach our goal?
If you answer no to the first question, then pause and determine what your new destination is and modify plans accordingly. If your goal hasn’t changed, but you are off course, then decide how you got off course and why. After you have analyzed how and why you are off the path, then make appropriate adjustments to keep heading in the direction of your destination.
Adjust your course or change the destination as needed. Finally, realize that the lesson learned through this analysis contributes to your success during your trek of life. You will never ultimately fail in life unless you choose to quit altogether.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+25%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Psalm 25:8-9)
The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1691 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you...
Welcome to Day 1692 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBe Refreshed – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1692 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Proverbs 11:25, and it is: The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed
Be Refreshed
This proverb may be considered an oxymoron. How can you prosper if you are giving money and resources away? One thing I can be sure of, though, this proverb is abundantly factual. I can say this, because I have experienced the results in my own life. Let me break it down in a manner that might help to understand the principle of being generous and refreshing others. Let’s say that I am a farmer, and I desire to grow corn. I have 10 bushels of seed corn that I can use to plant in the spring or use the corn to feed to animals. If I use it as feed, I am out of corn when the 10 bushels are gone. If I am willing to plant the corn, tend the fields, wait for it to grow, ripen, and then harvest the crop, I will end up with a yield of approximately 1,000 bushels. All it takes is a lot of hard work, perseverance, and faith that God will give the increase. The refreshment does not come during the sweltering summer months when the farmer is tending the crop. But as the crop is harvested, there is much rejoicing. How refreshing to think about. So it is when we are generous and willing to refresh others, we will end up prospering and being refreshed beyond anything we can imagine. Once again, the law of planting and harvesting can be applied to our willingness to give to others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2011%3A13%2D15andversion=NLT (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)
“If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil. He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1691 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’...
Welcome to Day 1691 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Business Friendship – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1691 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John D. Rockefeller, and it is: A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship.
A Business Friendship
Based on his success in business, I would say that John D Rockefeller knew a thing or two about business and friendships. It may be that he learned this lesson through a challenging experience of his own. However, from my own experience and observing several others businesses, I know that this quote contains good advice and wisdom. Indeed, one of the quickest ways to harm a friendship is to be a business partner. It can work, but grave errors are often made, and misconceptions flourish when business plans are not thought through before starting. The company must be structured with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for each partner. You should never start a business with 50/50 ownership. Someone has to be the overriding decision-maker. You need to have buy/sell agreements in place if one person wants out or can no longer participate in the business. You may not desire a spouse assuming control in the absence of your partner. Finally, there needs to be strong financial controls to ensure success and determine how any funds are distributed. These principles also apply if your friend and partner is also your spouse. Although working together and owning businesses has worked great for Paula and me, this is not always the case for married couples. It does work well if you are also able to establish trusted partners and friends through your business. That is because all the structure as mentioned above is set up before friendship. Keep in mind that a strong friendship may not result in a good business partnership. These principles assume that if you choose to establish a business partnership with another person or friend, both of you are committed Christ-followers. Otherwise, your business view and worldview may not align effectively. It would be challenging to be successful in business in these conditions.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+6%3A14-15andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1690 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom....
Welcome to Day 1690 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAn Accepting Friend – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1690 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bernard Meltzer, and it is: A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.
An Accepting Friend
Throughout our lives, we have very few close friends. Your true friends are the ones who understand you and don’t hold your past against you. Instead, they will hope with you and help you achieve your dreams for the future. Most importantly, a good friend will accept you just the way you are and help you become all that God intended you to be. We have such few close friends during our lifetime because it requires an investment of time, genuine concern, and love to maintain the bonds of friendship. In my observation, it appears that women desire a greater need for multiple close friends, while my men are pleased with one or two. On a personal level, having Paula as my primary close friend is sufficient for me. Due, in part, to the schedule we maintain with work, exercise, Bible study time, and investing in our kids and grandkids, it is undoubtedly a fulfilling life for me. The key is to be a good friend to others and a close friend to those you love most.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012%3A26andversion=NLT (Proverbs 12:26)
The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%204%3A7andversion=NLT (1 John 4:7)
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1689 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1689 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDo It and Say Nothing – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1689 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A fool tells you what he will do; a boaster what he has done. The wise man does it and says nothing.
Do It and Say Nothing
This quote certainly sums up most of humanity. We all know people who continually tell us of their grand plans and what they plan to accomplish. Somehow though, they never seem to get around to doing much of anything. Yet others do achieve some things, and you certainly know all about what they have done. But, unfortunately, they are the type who love to blow their trumpet loud and long to make sure that everyone knows what they have done. Others don’t say much and don’t draw attention to themselves, but you see the fruit of their efforts when you observe their quiet lives. They accomplish much, and it is usually for the benefit of others. This last type of person is indeed the wise ones. They realize and understand that we are here to accomplish God’s purpose with our lives. They would rather God receive the glory due him, and not themselves. Be like this third person.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012%3A23andversion=NLT (Proverbs 12:23)
The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 13:16)
Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1688 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1688 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Right Fool – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1688 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Cowper, and it is: A fool must now and then be right, by chance.
A Right Fool
This quote reminds me of a similar one: even a broken clock is right twice a day. So it is with those who are fools, so steeped in their foolishness, that they have no clue or understanding of how foolish they are. That said, even someone who continually makes unwise choices, which is the definition of a fool, is bound to be right by chance occasionally. I realize that we all make unwise or foolish decisions from time to time, but the Bible warns us not to remain unwise but to learn and grow in wisdom. The problem with most who are foolish is that they don’t even realize they are. A fool deludes themselves into thinking that their foolish decisions are wise. Let us know and understand ourselves well enough to realize when we need to obtain more wisdom, not be too proud to ask others for help and pursue whatever learning is required to be wise. An excellent place to start our journey to wisdom is to continually read and study the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It is an easy habit to establish, but few people do so. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, one for each day of the month. I would encourage you to start reading the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month each day. Repeat this habit each month, and you will be amazed at the wisdom you will obtain. I have been practicing this habit for forty years, and it has been radically life-changing for me. Here are three verses of many in the book of Proverbs that will help you to understand.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 13:16)
Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2017%3A28andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:28)
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2027%3A22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 27:22)
You cannot separate fools from their foolishness, even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1686 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:...
Welcome to Day 1687 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAiring Opinions – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1687 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Proverbs 18:2, and it is: Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.
Airing Opinions
To think that a proverb King Solomon wrote nearly 4,000 years ago would be so relevant to our online social media world today is impressive. It is a testament to the enduring lessons from God’s Word. But, of course, Solomon also wrote in another book of the Bible, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%201%3A9andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 1:9) History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Yet, so many persons today find a bully pulpit online where they delight in airing their opinions. It is evident from most arguments' absurdity, from people on all parts of the political and religious spectrum, that those who do so find no pleasure in understanding others or the topics that they are pontificating about. There is so much misinformation that flows through the news media and social media today that it is challenging to discern the truth. Politicians are corrupt and lie, news anchors no longer are ethical in their journalism, and a horde of self-proclaimed experts online spew verbal vomit continuously. That is why we need to focus on God’s Word. It not only contains truth; it is truth. When you don’t know who to believe, it is time to back away from the information you are receiving elsewhere, and dig into God’s Word for good news that will impact your life positively.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2030%3A4%2D6andversion=NLT (Proverbs 30:4-6)
Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?
Who holds the wind in his fists?
Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?
Who has created the whole wide world?
What is his name—and his son’s name?
Tell me if you know!
Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
Do not add to his words,
or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1686 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each
Welcome to Day 1686 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAbusive Power – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1686 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Alexander Hamilton, and it is: A fondness for power is implanted in most men, and it is natural to abuse it when acquired.
Abusive Power
We all like to be in control and have power over others. Unfortunately, for some, this thirst for power will slowly grow and will turn into abusive power. We are all leaders in some area of our life. Leadership can take the form of a parent with your children or a teacher with your students. Maybe you are a manager, supervisor, or mentor to someone. Regardless, we have the ability to both lead and exert power over many people during the coruse of our lives. The question is, will you abuse the power that had been given to you? Will you exert it over others to control or manipulate them? Defined control and power are taught in the Bible. Jesus had the power of God coursing through his human frame, and yet, he never abused that power. He taught his disciples that if you desire to be first in the kingdom of God, you must be a servant on earth. Jesus lays out how we can be powerful in God’s kingdom in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20%3A25-28andversion=NLT (Matthew 20:25-28,) But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1685 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1685 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Firm Faith – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1685 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from B. B. Warfield, and it is: A firm faith in the universal providence of God is the solution of all earthly troubles.
A Firm Faith
All of us have faith, at least to some degree. Even if you do not believe in a personal God who created us to be His imagers, you still have faith. Every time you sit down on a chair, you have faith that it will hold you. Every time you get into a car, you have faith that you will reach your destination. So the question we need to ask ourselves as Christ-followers: is our faith strong enough in the universal providence of God that we can cease to worry about that which we have no control over. If not, what can we do to strengthen our faith? We certainly won’t have all of the answers, but that is where faith comes in. The writer of https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A1-3andversion=NLT (Hebrews 11:1-3) reminds us, Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
If we have faith that God did create the entire universe, then why do we struggle and doubt that He will not provide for our daily needs? Instead, we need to depend on ourselves less and depend on God more.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A31-34andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:31-34) “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1684 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’
Welcome to Day 1684 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Keep On Delivering – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1684 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Carl Hubbell, and it is: A fellow doesn't last long on what he has done. So he has to keep on delivering.
Keep On Delivering
We can accomplish outstanding achievements in life, but rarely can we just sit back and not continue to pursue new or additional successes. What we have achieved in the past is soon forgotten, by ourselves and even more so, by others. We shouldn’t be content to rest on past success but continue to compete against ourselves to become all that God intended us to be. We need to utilize our God-given talents and abilities effectively. There are times where you need to take a break and rest for a while, but never be so comfortable that you never start again. We were created as God’s imagers to fulfill his purpose for us within his kingdom. While accomplishment can bring a significant amount of satisfaction to our life, we should work to bring glory to God and not to ourselves. We should pursue assisting others in the attainment of their dream. Let us keep on keeping on…even when you feel like quitting. Otherwise, you and your accomplishments will be soon forgotten.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+5%3A18-20andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. 20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1682 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1683 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Character of Integrity – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1683 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Fuller, and it is: A fault, once denied, is twice committed.
A Character of Integrity
I believe we all have the propensity to lie or to cover up our faults and inadequacies. We desire to make ourselves look better in front of others. While I certainly understand that desire and tendency, this type of behavior shows a weakness of integrity. Covering up a fault will only make us look even worse when the truth is discovered. It is much better to admit and confess when we have erred. We may have to suffer the embarrassment and possible ridicule now, but that is much less than what we will have to suffer if we engage in covering up, and then it is exposed. A person with character traits that include being honest with themselves will show to others that we have a character of integrity. Don’t let the temptation to look good in the short term cost us our life of strong integrity long term. We all have faults; that is part of being a human. To attempt a cover-up of those faults is shortsighted, foolish, and will result in the fault being committed twice. It is just not worth it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010%3A9andversion=NLT (Proverbs 10:9)
People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2011%3A20andversion=NLT (Proverbs 11:20)
The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020%3A7andversion=NLT (Proverbs 20:7)
The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1682 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1682 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Fair-Weather Friend – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1682 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: A fair-weather friend is one who is always there when he needs you.
A Fair-Weather Friend
While Zig Ziglar is adding humor to what is meant by having a fair-weather friend, as with all comedy, there is undoubtedly an element of truth that makes it even funnier. On a more serious note, how do we identify fair-weather friends who are not dependable when needed. How do we love and encourage those who only come to us when they need something, and they drain our emotional energy. These types of friends are always taking but not replenishing or giving back to others. Should we exclude them from our lives, or should we continue to reach out to them? Cutting our connections with others can be a difficult decision to make. If you allow it, some individuals will suck your life, so there may be certain situations where you need to set some limits. From a secular worldview, it may be ok to cut off another person from our life completely. However, if we look at this situation from a Biblical worldview, we must consider how that will impact a person from an eternal perspective. We also need to consider how we can serve others, even if they do not pay it forward.
In “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus teaches us that our vocation is to create a Christian counter-culture. All things considered, we are to err on the side of loving others regardless, as we are taught in Matthew 5:43-48. You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1681 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead
Welcome to Day 1681 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Experience of Failure – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1681 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Elbert Hubbard, and it is: A failure is a man who has blundered but is not capable of cashing in on the experience.
The Experience of Failure
Any person who attempts anything significant will fail in their pursuits somewhere along their journey. The more you attempt, the greater the possibility of failure will be. On a personal note, I have attempted many adventures in life. Some of the enterprises were successful, some of which were not. I probably look successful in the eyes of most people, but my failure to success ratio is probably about the same as anyone. One thing I did differently than some was that I turned my experiences into future success. I attempted to learn from each painful lesson of failure, which there have been many, and use it the next time for my benefit. It is the same with you. You will fail at times, guaranteed, but you need to be willing to take the rich lessons of those failures and use them as a downpayment towards your next adventure. God will give you wisdom, if you are willing to use it. You must work hard and keep on keeping on, especially when you feel like giving up. There are no rewards so rich as the lessons learned and the experience gained from total failure. You will never completely fail unless you give up and not try again.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%2022%3A13andversion=NLT (1 Chronicles 22:13)
For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1680 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1680 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDream Together – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1680 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Lennon, and it is: A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.
Dream Together
No one in this world is an island unto themselves. Even those who claim to be self-made required a lot of assistance from others to succeed throughout their entire life. The same applies to our dreams. If we ever hope to turn our dreams into reality, then it will be exponentially easier when others share are dreams. In this way, we can share our success because we would not be successful without others. First, we must recognize that it is only by the grace of God that we have the intellect, drive, and passion, coupled with opportunities to take advantage of those opportunities. Next, we need others who have abilities and strengths that we do not have to assist us where we are lacking. Lastly, we must be willing to make the sacrifices needed to allow our dreams to become a reality. Success will require others to come along with us. Welcome their assistance, and succeed together.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%204%3A9-12andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1679 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1679 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCreative Vision – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1679 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Denis Waitley, and it is: A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.
Creative Vision
Dreams are essential both in your sleep at night and for your future vision. Dreams help you to imagine that which may be far off. Dreams are like looking through a telescope to see your final destination in various areas of your life. Like you cannot navigate with a telescope, you need goals and plans that will enable you to have a creative vision of how you will reach your destination. As you proceed towards your final vision during your trek of life, you will run into many obstacles and setbacks on your way. You will experience many unfamiliar and unknown situations which will take you out of your comfort zone into situations you would prefer to avoid. Going through these times will help you to appreciate your waypoints and destination even more. Allow you minds, hearts, and soul to learn and grow during those difficult times. If your vision is solid and creative enough, it will be worth the journey. Make sure you enjoy the journey and not just yearn for the destination. God ultimately knows what we will face in our journey of life, and we can rest in the fact that He will be there with us and guide us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2029%3A11andversion=NLT (Jeremiah 29:11)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1678 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1678 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDesired Dreams – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1678 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Matt Yates, and it is: A dream is what you desire if anything and everything is possible.
Desired Dreams
If money and time were not a restriction, what would your dreams be? Would you pay off debt, buy things, upgrade your home, buy a new home, start a business, or invest in the lives of others? None of these are mutually exclusive and could all be part of your dream. The fact is, you can do all of the items on this list with what you have available today. We should not wait for ideal conditions because that will never happen. Create a list of your dreams. Prioritize them to what is practical and feasible for now, or in the short term. Expand your plan to include what steps you need to put in place to achieve your objectives that are not attainable short term. Choose what you are willing to sacrifice now so that you can achieve what you desire the most. Don’t get this list confused. You must sacrifice what you desire now for what you desire most. Otherwise, your long-term, more significant goals will never happen. Yes, you should dream and dream big, but you also have to be willing to wait, persevere, and work hard for those big dreams. You will not be able to accomplish all your dreams overnight, it will take a lifetime of passion, but it will happen with proper discipline and restraint. As with most facets of our lives, it can be narrowed down to the principle of planting and harvesting. Plant well, care for your crops during the growing season, and you will harvest well. The same applies to your dreams.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%205%3A7andversion=NLT (James 5:7)
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1677 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for
Welcome to Day 1677 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Dream and a Goal – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1677 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harvey Mackay, and it is: A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.
A Dream and a GoalWe all need to dream, but if we don’t take the next steps, then just like a dream while sleeping, it will soon evaporate with the day as our minds become busy with other distractions. The only way to hang onto a dream and then progress towards making a dream come true is to set goals based on that dream and then create a plan with definitive deadlines that we must achieve. The first step is to analyze your dream to determine if it is possible to turn it into reality. Suppose it is, then what goals need to be set for the achievement of that dream. Once the goal is set, then you must create a plan to reach that goal. Next, you must set a deadline for when each part of the plan will be achieved. Otherwise, a dream is just a dream, which will quickly evaporate from your mind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A5andversion=NLT (Proverbs 21:5)
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%202%3A15andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 2:15)
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1676 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1676 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTurning Dreams Into Reality – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1676 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Colin Powell, and it is: A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.
Turning Dreams Into Reality
Most of us are dreamers, and we like the dreams we envision for ourselves. So, naturally, we desire our dreams to come true, but they do become a reality through magic. For dreams to become true, we must be willing to invest what it takes for that to happen. There is no magic or secret formula. I will give you the recipe for turning dreams into reality. It takes equal measurements of sweat, determination, and hard work. Mix these ingredients vigorously for a long time, and it will harden your resolve to achieve that which you dream. There are no easy paths to the success that we desire in any area of life. Hard work is a gift from God, one that we must choose to enjoy because work is from God. Don’t delude yourself into thinking that dreams will magically become a reality. Follow the precepts found in God’s Word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A11andversion=NLT (Proverbs 13:11)
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2028%3A19andversion=NLT (Proverbs 28:19)
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1675 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1675 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFinding Your Purpose – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1675 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Maxwell, and it is: A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose — a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.
Finding Your Purpose
I believe all of us have asked and maybe even continue to ask about our purpose in life. Sometimes life seems somewhat futile, or as King Solomon wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1%3A2andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 1:2), “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” If this is our thinking, then yes, life will seem difficult. We can take comfort in knowing that God is in control. Therefore, He has a greater purpose for our lives than we can ever hope or imagine. If we retain that conviction, we will find purpose in causes that we pursue, persons we love, and goals that we strive to achieve. We cannot lose sight that God does have a divine purpose for each person. We are His imagers, and because of that, our primary purpose is to image Him. Our purpose will be manifested through our vocation, our family life, and our recreation. So when you find that life is difficult, or you are struggling with finding your purpose, stay focused on those you love, the causes that are meaningful to you, and the goals you would like to achieve. When you do this, you will also find your purpose.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1674 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1674 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Trials of Perfection – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1674 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Chinese Proverb, and it is: A diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor the man perfected without trials.
The Trials Of Perfection
Did you ever have a rock tumbler when you were younger? At some point in our family, I know we had at least one. It was neat to put the rough, sharp, and dirty stones into the tumbler, which also contained water and sand. It would spin the tumbler when it was turned on, and it wasn't quiet when starting. Over the following hours, the noise level of the tumbling rocks would become less and less. The hardness of the original stones determined how long the process would take. Even the hardest stone, like a diamond, will eventually be polished to a smooth and beautiful gemstone. Gems will not be produced if there is no sand and water causing friction.
So it is with our lives, our hard edges will only be made smooth with the friction of trials and difficulties which we face. No one likes to go through these trials, but they are required to become the gemstones in God’s kingdom. The more complex our character and personalities are, the more tests are necessary to make us pure. Instead of avoiding the trials, we must accept them and become fully immersed to learn quickly. Just like the stones in the rock tumbler, or gold in a fire, it should desire to come out as beautiful gems and pure gold.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+1%3A6-7andversion=NLT (1 Peter 1:6-7)
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1673 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’...
Welcome to Day 1673 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Day of Worry – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1673 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Lubbock, and it is: A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.
A Day Of Worry
While I enjoy the work that I do daily, it does require that I am in front of a computer for at least 10 hours a day, many times longer. Besides being on my feet at my standing desk for all of those hours, It is certainly not physically demanding work. There is a lot of mental processing that must go on for all of those hours. At the end of each day, I am mentally and somewhat physically exhausted. I yearn to be outside working hard physically, but that is not the plan God has for me. To make up for this, I do exercise each morning vigorously for about 75 minutes. That certainly helps me physically, and I know it is necessary to continue living a healthy lifestyle. I do long for the weekends, where I can get out of doors and work hard physically. One exhausting task that I do is cutting up our numerous giant trees with a large chainsaw and then splitting them into firewood with our log splitter. At the end of a few hours of that, and I am physically spent. But you know what, it is an exhaustion that you can appreciate. Another type of exhaustion that is not satisfying and will destroy you if you allow it to invade you is the exhaustion that comes from worry. Nearly all worry is based on fear and not facts. Anxiety will destroy you spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. Two solutions will help you when you are prone to worry. First, invest time in some very strenuous physical activities. Second, find someone who requires assistance or in need of a friend and invest time into their lives. You will find that you are worrying less and have more energy than ever.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6-7andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:6-7)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1672 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1672 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHemmed in Prayer – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1672 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles Spurgeon, and it is: A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.
Hemmed in Prayer
Ever have one of those days where it seems to unravel before your very eyes? I have had my share of them. Sometimes they come all at once. When life begins to unravel, where can we run? How do you start and end your day? I would recommend that you hem the beginning of each new day by allowing God’s Word to flow through you and seeking His face through prayer. When you establish the proper mindset at the beginning of each day, it will allow you to focus on what is most important in life. When you end your day with a prayer of gratitude for another day well-lived, you hem the day that might have otherwise unraveled.
Why do we hem a piece of cloth? So that it looks finished. So that it doesn’t unravel. So that it doesn’t fall apart. We hem so that the fabric is protected and the edges are secure.
Our all-knowing God is doing that for our lives. He hems us in so that we have borders and those borders are protected. God hems us in so that we are secure and finished in Him. He hems us in, behind us, and before us. What an important truth to live, remember, you are hemmed in today. The borders of your life are protected and secure because of our all-knowing, all-loving God.
If your life has come unraveled, turn in prayer to the Master Tailor. He stands at the ready with the needle in hand. God is prepared to put things back for you. All you have to do is “stand still”…..and see the salvation of the Lord. The Master hems you in through prayer.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+31%3A1-5andversion=NLT (Psalm 31:1-5)
O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
don’t let me be disgraced.
Save me, for you do what is right.
Turn your ear to listen to me;
rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
a fortress where I will be safe.
You are my rock and my fortress.
For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
for I find protection in you alone.
I entrust my spirit into your hand.
Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1671 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:...
Welcome to Day 1671 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHalfway to Winning – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1671 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Heinrich Heine, and it is: A daring beginning is halfway to winning.
Halfway to Winning
Everyone desires to succeed in every area of life. To achieve anything of significance in life, you must plan and then work that plan. When you plan, you must stretch yourself, and escape from your comfort zone. Planning is not enough, though. You must execute your project with a passion for success and for completing that plan. Get beyond getting ready to get ready and take action. For most of us, we need to be sufficiently motivated to take action and then have the inner drive to continue through with perseverance when we run into obstacles. If our passion is not strong enough when we begin, we will not make the bold choices needed to succeed ultimately. Set your mind to what you desire for your outcome, and then boldly go forward. Like a boulder rolling down a hill, it is hard to get moving, and the progress is slow and difficult. As boulder gains momentum, it will gain speed and veracity the farther it goes. Be daring, be bold, and make an impact on the world. This is our vocation as citizens of God’s kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians+3%3A17andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:17)
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1670 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1670 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDon't Be Cynical – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1670 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Oscar Wilde, and it is: A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.
Don’t Be Cynical
We all know someone who is a bit cynical about life. As I grow older, and have seen and experienced much of what goes on in this world, I have to watch my attitude to make sure that I do not become too cynical. With the craziness going on in government, and within the radical fringes of society, we understand why there is so much cynicism in the world today. The breakdown of ethics and truth should never be an excuse to become cynical. Being cynical is not a character trait aligned with God’s precepts, found in His Word. We have a higher calling. There is more value to life than just cost. It is difficult not to become cynical ourselves. It is even more challenging to be kind to those who always find fault with everything or cynical of anything you may attempt to do. We must keep in focus that our lives should be lived fully, including loving those challenging to love. If we don’t practice this, we will adopt that cynical mindset ourselves.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A43-48andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:43-48)
You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1669 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1669 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Importance of Others – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1669 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mahatma Gandhi, and it is: A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.
The Importance of Others
This quote from Mahatma Gandhi is very true from a business perspective. So often, owners and employees of businesses and companies of any type lose sight of what is most important. We need to expand this thought though to churches, non-profit organizations, our families, and any place we find ourselves where we have an opportunity to serve others. Everyone whom God allows us to cross paths with should be important to us. We live on a thin silver cord where we are dependent on so many others for our existence. We should not view others as an interruption to our lives but by God’s grace and opportunity to serve another imager of God. Yes, we should pour ourselves into others, and by doing so, we can impact their lives for all eternity. We must keep an exponential mindset that we are a multiplying factor in all we come in contact with. If they pass on what you have given them, your service will multiply hundreds of times through eternity. Let us never lose sight of this impact.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+4%3A8-11andversion=NLT (1 Peter 4:8-11)
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1668 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen...
Welcome to Day 1668 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Cup of Sweet Water – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1668 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Amy Carmichael, and it is: A cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.
A Cup of Sweet Water
We must be cautious about what we fill ourselves with. Whatever we allow in our minds and hearts will spill out of us during times of hardship and distress.
Adversity does not build character; it reveals it. How you handle a crisis is a test of your character. Life is full of obstacles. Every one of us faces some type of adversity during our short time on this earth. It is not a matter of if something will be thrown our way, but when. The actual personal test comes in the form of our response. How we handle our challenges will reveal our true character. Going through difficult times is like a heavy truck going over a small bridge: it doesn’t cause cracks so much as it reveals where there are already weak spots.
We all have to walk through pressure-filled situations regularly. Marriage and parenting are two realms of life that cause all kinds of adversity. Being in leadership or working with difficult co-workers can cause a great deal of stress. Struggling to pay the bills, or dealing with declining health, can also feel like a heavy truck going over the small bridge that is your life. In those situations, we often have to face the worst about ourselves: our tendency to run from reality to find comfort in a favorite addiction, our anger and tendency to attack and blame others for our problems, or our fears and anxieties at facing the difficulties of life.
So how do we prepare ourselves for adversity?
First and foremost, we would be wise, as the pressure reveals the cracks in our character, to hear the gospel and recognize that our need for a Savior is more significant than we ever knew.
Secondly, we need to be continually filled with the Spirit. We must spend the time daily in God’s presence, confessing our sin and worshiping Jesus, getting to know who our great God is and what it means to know Him and live for Him. As we let Him sanctify us, we will find that when the trials come, we will have a greater ability to withstand the pressure, because we are strengthened by His Spirit within us and are becoming more and more like Jesus in our attitudes and actions.
There is no escaping adversity in this world, and when the hard times hit, it is often too late to change who we are. Now is the time to cultivate the life of the Spirit. Now is the time to draw on God, so that when adversity comes, we can stand firm and weather the storm.
Make sure your cup is full of sweet water, so when adversity does come, what splashes out will be refreshing to others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A45andversion=NLT (Luke 6:45)
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Welcome to Day 1667 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Principle of Greatness – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1667 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jim Collins, and it is: A culture of discipline is not a principle of business, it is a principle of greatness.
A Principle of Greatness
Discipline is a requirement of greatness. If a business, a church, a family, or each of us personally must be disciplined before we will ever achieve anything that is considered great. It goes back to the principle of planting and harvesting. If we ever intend to harvest greatness in an area of our lives, we must first plant and then cultivate discipline over a significant time. It won’t happen in any other way. This principle also applies to any type of organization. Planting the tiny seeds of discipline every single day is the first step. Discipline seeds watered with showers of persistence will foster growth and success, resulting in an abundant harvest of greatness. Just like the law of gravity will always pull an object to the ground, greatness cannot be achieved without discipline. It is not just discipline in one area of life, but discipline in everything that we do. It cannot be any other way.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A10-11andversion=NLT (Hebrews 12:10-11)
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1666 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1666 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Crushing Hurt – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1666 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Beth Moore, and it is: A crushing hurt comes to our heart, and the sympathizing, scarred hand of Christ presses the wound; and just for a moment, the pain seems to intensify...but finally the bleeding stops.
A Crushing Hurt
There are times in our lives where we are overcome by physical, emotional, and even spiritual hurts and disappointments. It may be an illness or disease in ourselves or a close loved one. It may be the loss due to the death of our spouse, family member, or close friend. It may be an emotional struggle where those we love most abandon us or treat us harshly. It may be where we have fallen away from God’s precepts and living a life that is contrary to His Word. When we are in the pit of despair or the dungeon of gloom, we need to turn by faith to the only one who can provide true peace and comfort. At first, as we begin to climb out of the valley, it may seem like the scarred hand of Christ is hindering us as He walks us through the deepest darkest valleys and up the rocky paths that take us upwards. As we continue, we will realize that the sun begins to shine again by God's grace and that we are being made whole. I recognize that our complete deliverance will only come when we dwell in eternity with Christ, but the pain will subside, and the bleeding of our hearts will stop. We can then look back and realize that Jesus never abandoned us but comforted us when we needed it most.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A22-25andversion=NLT (1 Peter 2:22-25)
He never sinned,
nor ever deceived anyone.
He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,
who always judges fairly.
He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed.
Once you were like sheep
who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd,
the Guardian of your souls.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1665 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a...
Welcome to Day 1665 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Creative Person – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1665 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ayn Rand, and it is: A creative person is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.
A Creative Person
Some people are very competitive when competing against others and need that external motivation to succeed. Although I do like to compete with others at times, I am more driven by my desire to achieve and excel within myself. I hold myself to a high standard and like to see if I can improve a little more each day, week, month, and year. It is the incremental changes over time that create an exponential mindset and level of achievement. I don’t necessarily consider myself overly creative, but what I lack in natural creativity, I strive to make up by exceeding in several areas of my life. You can do the same. Whether you are driven to exceed the levels others have achieved or transcend your past accomplishments, you can excel and live a rich and satisfying life. Regardless, be motivated by your desire to succeed. Always remember that the minor incremental changes will allow you to achieve greatness.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025%3A20%2D22andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:20-21)
The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1664 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1664 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Cowboys Guide To Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1664 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Barefoot the Cowboy, and it is: I have 15 bits of wisdom which will help you in life a heaping amount.
A Cowboys Guide To Life
Don’t interfere with something that ain’t botherin’ you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
The easiest way to eat crow is while it’s still warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.
If it don’t seem like it’s worth the effort, it probably ain’t.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every morning.
Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.
If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.
Don’t worry about bitin off more’n you can chew, your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger’n you think.
Generally, you ain’t learnin’ nothin’ when your mouth’s a-jawin’.
If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there with ya.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2012%3A11andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 12:11)
The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1663 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1663 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLooking Forward – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1663 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C.S. Lewis, and it is: A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.
Looking Forward
I have to admit; I am future-oriented in my outlook on life. The past and the present do not strongly influence what I anticipate will happen in the future. I am optimistic but pragmatic. While I don’t look at the future through rose-colored glasses, I tend to reframe any situation in my life positively. I realize that others view the future based on their experiences of the past. Still, others view the future on what is happening in the present. Regardless of which perspective you view life, as Christ-followers, we often reframe our past and current circumstances based on what we perceive heaven or eternity to be like. In that manner, Christ-followers at times do minimize their responsibilities that we have on earth. We do need to fulfill our purpose in building God’s kingdom while we dwell on the earth, but we can never take our eyes off the prize before us, which is eternity. Sometimes this will cause us to conflict with our focus in life. We desire eternity, but yet we still have work to do while we are alive. So while we can look eagerly towards eternity, we must remain steadfast in our devotion and service to God. This is how the Apostle Paul put it in his letter to the Philippians.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+1%3A20-24andversion=NLT (Philippians 1:20-24)
For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1662 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Welcome to Day 1662 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomUnderstanding God – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1662 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from St. John Chrysostom, and it is: A comprehended god is no god.
Understanding God
We not only think we know who God is, but many times, we try to set ourselves up as God. Instead of realizing that we are created an imager of God, we try to make God in our image. We are invited to know God, and this is accomplished by knowing His Word and following His precepts found in His Word. We are responsible for the revelation that God has provided to us, but there is so much that we will not understand, and that is ok. By faith, we believe, even when we may not fully comprehend God and his plan for the world and each of us individually. So it has been since the creation of humankind, we walk by faith, not by sight. Unlike those from the time of creation through when God came to earth through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, we do have God’s complete revelation to humans, which is His Word. God’s Word contains all that He chose to reveal to us, but we still have much we do not know about God, His ways, and how He works. Our focus needs to be on building God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We aim to restore Eden, where God, His divine creatures, and humankind will dwell together as we serve Him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Isaiah 55:8-9)
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%202%3A9andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:9)
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1661 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more...
Welcome to Day 1661 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Competent Leader – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1661 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John J. Pershing, and it is: A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops; an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops.
A Competent Leader
Every person is a leader of others, at least in some area of life. You may be a Dad or Mom, Aunt or Uncle, a teacher, a manager, a pastor, or an officer in the armed service. Regardless of who you impact, it would be best to strive to be competent in that area of life. When you are competent in a particular area of life, even if those you lead are not very good or qualified, you can still obtain good service from those you lead. Otherwise, it will frustrate and demoralize those you are attempting to teach if you are incapable of your leadership. You may need to train yourself to be a better, more competent leader. If that is the case, by all means, obtain the training that you need. Don’t try to bluff your way through leading others. You will lose the respect and admiration of others. Do whatever is necessary to be more competent in all areas of life, especially in those areas where God has gifted you. You will know when you see a person who is a good leader. An example of a good leader in the church is described in:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A1-7andversion=NLT (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1660 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Welcome to Day 1659 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomClose Your Mouth – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1659 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Anonymous, and it is: A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Close Your Mouth
We all have an issue with talking too much, talking when it isn’t appropriate, and saying things that are not kind to others. Our mouth can get us into all sorts of trouble. It could be with your spouse, with a friend, with a work associate, or in a multitude of other situations. Why do we feel so compelled to spew out words when it would be much better if we just kept our mouth shut most of the time? When we talk too much, and too often, it won’t take too long before we say something that is inappropriate or that others don’t need or want to hear. I know this doesn’t sound pleasant, but I refer to this as verbal diarrhea because when your spew words too quickly, it is repulsive to others. It would do us well if we just listen to what others are saying and determine their real needs and concerns. Once we listen with intention, then be very careful in providing your wisdom and advice. There is a vacuum in our society for people who are good listeners. It takes practice before listening with intention becomes a practice. When you are speaking, it is impossible to listen at the same time. For humankind, there are a plethora of verses that caution us about opening our mouth and talking when we should keep our mouth closed and listen.
Here are just a few.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A19andversion=NLT (James 1:19) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10%3A19andversion=NLT (Proverbs 10:19) Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2017%3A28andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:28) Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2017%3A27andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:27) A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1658 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen...
Welcome to Day 1658 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Clear Vision – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1658 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power.
A Clear Vision
I have known and continue to see individuals who lack the confidence and personal power to succeed in various areas of life. This lack of confidence, many times, will be the result of lacking a clear vision of what a person desires in life. If there is no vision, then there can be no definitive plans made for the future. It requires both. Vision without a plan is just a hallucination. You may see the vision, but it will never become a reality unless you design a plan and take action.
On the other hand, a plan without a vision is just drudgery. But a vision with a plan that is then put into action can change the world. To put it in a slightly different light, action without thought is impulsiveness. Thought without action is procrastination. When impulsiveness is unwanted, the message seems to be this: think – that is, reflect at a deeper level – before acting. The opposite of strategic thinking might be mindlessness.
Once you have confidence and power, you will be successful in whatever areas of life you desire. When others see confidence in you, they are willing to trust and follow you, giving you the power to carry on and make a positive impact on others for God’s kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A3andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:3)
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020%3A18andversion=NLT (Proverbs 20:18)
Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1657 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1657 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTruth Abandoned – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1657 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget: https://feeds.captivate.fm/wisdomtrek/
Today’s quote is from Hans Kung, and it is: A Church which abandons the truth abandons itself.
Truth Abandoned
When most of us think of church, we think of a particular church building or possibly a denomination. If this is the case, then we don’t have the correct mindset. The church is made up of everyone who has placed believing loyalty in the work of Jesus Christ. Christ is truth, so if you individually, a local gathering of believers, or the church universal abandons the truth, it abandons its very essence. We hear of believers deconstructing their faith which is essentially abandoning the truth. We hear of local congregations adopting our modern culture even if it is contrary to the precepts found in God’s Word, which is also an abandonment of the truth. God is the author of all truth, and Jesus told his disciple Thomas in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%3A6andversion=NLT (John 14:6) Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
There can be no truth apart from God and His son. Our modern culture seeks truth, but they seek it in all the wrong places. The culture will never be satisfied until they turn to God. Yes, Jesus, God in human form, came to establish His kingdom on earth, but it was not that kingdom that everyone thought He would develop. The local official Pilate specifically asked Jesus if he was a king. Unfortunately, Pilate abandoned the truth also. May we, as God’s church, never fall prey to this exact situation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A35-38andversion=NLT (John 18:35-38)
Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
Pilate said, “So you are a king?”
Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1656 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most
Welcome to Day 1656 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomChristian Enthusiasm – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1656 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A Christian will not amount to much unless there is enthusiasm in his Christianity.
Christian Enthusiasm
We can become enthusiastic about many things and events in life. What about your life as a disciple of Christ? Are you passionate about being a citizen of God’s Kingdom? If we want to impact the lives of others for the cause of Christ, then we need to show a little enthusiasm. I do not have, by nature, an overall bubbly personality. I am somewhat reserved, but that does not equate to a lack of confidence and excitement in my daily trek of life. With a tremendous internal passion, I desire to see the kingdom of God advance throughout the world. This inner drive and enthusiasm drives me on to produce this podcast five days a week. To publish encouraging scripture verses twice each day. To take on the additional responsibilities of speaking at our church regularly. It should be the same in your life. If you wish to be effective in your Christain walk, you need to be enthusiastic about your calling and destiny. Your walk does not have to be an exciting external show of enthusiasm, but it may be the gentle spirit of encouragement and kindness to others in which you wish to share God’s kingdom.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A57%2D58andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1655 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1654 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomServant Lord – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1654 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther, and it is: A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.
Servant Lord
As true imagers of God, we do have the ability to choose. We are not automatons who are receiving divine mental direction from our creator. Yes, if we are seeking, God’s Spirit will guide us, but we still can choose. God can choose, and since we are imagers of Him, he has granted us that ability. Jesus Christ, who is God who became human, decided to do so. Throughout His life, He was faced with every type of temptation as we are, and yet He did not sin. He chose to remain loyal to His divine nature. It is the same for us. We are free to lord over others treating them in a manner that is not according to God’s Word. We are also free to be a perfectly dutiful servant that chooses to place ourselves under others and be subject to them. Christ was the perfect imager of God, and so we should follow His example, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and be willing to serve others as Christ came to serve.
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1653 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1653 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Keyhole To God – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1653 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert E. Gibson, and it is: A Christian is a keyhole through which other folks see God.
The Keyhole To God
Do others see God in you? There is no way that we as fallen humans can do justice to God’s magnificence, but does your life show a tiny glimpse of God? After all, we are created to be God’s imagers. To show forth His attributes and character traits. I know, most of the time, we are a poor reflection of who God really is, but your life should show enough light that others can see God through you. Think about a time when you were a child, or maybe even as an adult where you looked through a keyhole to get a tiny view of what lies beyond a closed door. If the next room did not have a light shining in it, you would see nothing. If there were an obstacle is blocking the keyhole, you would not be able to see into the next room. Yes, your perspective would be governed by the small part of the room that you could actually see. So it is with us; if others are looking through the keyhole, represented through our lives, they should know the radiance of God through us. Let the light of God shine for all to see through the keyhole, which is our lives.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A11-13andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1652 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1652 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEncourage Everyone – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1652 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Max Lucado, and it is: A Christian in his surroundings should encourage everyone to be better, instead of being the one who stoops to be like everyone else.
Encourage Everyone
As Christ-followers, we are to be distinctly different from those who are not, but in a very positive manner. Instead of blending in with our current culture, we need to be defining what the culture should be as a disciple of Christ. Our world view and outlook on life are not the same as what is so intelligently portrayed on TV, the news media, or much of social media. Where we see division and strife, we should be demonstrating love and encouragement. Where we see people cutting down others, we should be building others up. Where we see anger and violence, we should be promoting unity and peace. Instead of stooping to the dangerous level of those who do not know Christ, we should be climbing on the towering rock of safety. Our natural habitat as citizens of God’s kingdom should be reflected in the fruit of the Spirit that inhabits us. When we act as if we are not part of God’s kingdom, we are not adequately representing the King of our kingdom. We need to encourage everyone we meet to be better. We are not to stoop down to be like those who are not yet part of God’s kingdom. We are to have the same attitude as Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Philippians 2:1-4)
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1651 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your...
Welcome to Day 1651 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTruly Free – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1651 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Lyof N. Tolstoy, and it is: A Christian cannot help being free, because in the pursuit and attainment of his object, no one can either hinder or retard him.
Truly Free
In the western world, we hear about freedom and have fought many wars to maintain that freedom. America was founded because of the desire to be free. We cherish independence and are willing to rise to preserve it. Freedom has been sought after since the beginning of humankind. The first couple, Adam and Eve, were driven by their desire to be free from God’s single restriction. Since we are created to be bearers of God’s image, we have to recognize that we have the freedom to choose. God had to give us the freedom to choose if we are to image God fully. When Jesus Christ was on the earth, all Jews, including the entire religious class, thought that the Messiah would come and free them from the oppressive Roman government. That was not the type of freedom for which Christ came to earth. God became human through the incarnation of Jesus Christ to restore Eden on earth by building up God’s kingdom. Christ pointed out to the religious leaders of His day that they were not only slaves to the Roman government, they were also slaves to their sin. When we know the truth of who Jesus is and remain faithful to His teaching, we will be free. Nothing can put us in bondage again once we are truly free.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A31-36andversion=NLT (John 8:31-36)
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1650 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy...
Welcome to Day 1650 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCarrying A Heavy Load – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1650 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Croft M. Pentz, and it is: A chip on the shoulder is the heaviest load you can carry.
Carrying A Heavy Load
There is no heavier load that you can carry in this world than a load of unforgiveness, anger, and bitterness. These are the three components that make up the chip that you carry on your shoulder. If you have a chip on your shoulder, it means you feel angry because someone mistreated you, holding a grudge.
This phrase originated in the USA in the 1800s. It refers to a practice where people who were looking for a physical fight would place a chip of wood on their shoulders, challenging others to knock it off. A chip on your shoulder is a metaphor which means that you are habitually negative, combative, or have a hostile attitude, usually because of a deep resentment or long-held grievance.
Having this type of attitude is no way to live, especially as Christ-followers. Anger and resentment is a heavy burden that hurts others and damages the person who is carrying them. It will cause physical, emotional, and spiritual damage that will eventually destroy the person who bears the burden. So instead of daring someone else to knock the chip off your shoulder, please take it in your hand and throw it into the deepest sea. Forgive others if necessary, and put the past behind you. Each day is a new day to impact others positively as we continue to build God’s kingdom.
Jesus’s half-brother James puts it this way in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A19%2D21andversion=NLT (James 1:19-21) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1649 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great...
Welcome to Day 1649 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLeave Your Mark – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1649 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Chinese Proverb, and it is: A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every passerby leaves a mark.
Leave Your Mark
We will impact every child that passes through our life. It is impossible not to leave a mark on their life. We have a great responsibility to make sure that the marks we leave are positive and encouraging. Even more important than that is the fact that we will influence them for all eternity. This is especially true of our children and grandchildren, but it also applies to all children we are around. It may be our nieces or nephews. It may be children we meet at school functions or social events. It may be friends of our children that come over to our house. It may be children that you coach, teach at church, or mentor in some other manner. Regardless of how we are associated with a child, it is our God-given responsibility to point them in the direction of His eternal kingdom. This can be accomplished through attitudes and actions, or when we have a direct opportunity to teach them. The marks we leave on each child must be positive and in line with God’s precepts found in His Word. To do less than that is missing the mark, and an opportunity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2018%3A5%2D7andversion=NLT (Matthew 18:5-7)
“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1648 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1648 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Childlike Person – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1648 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Aldous Huxley, and it is: A childlike person is not a man whose development has been arrested; on the contrary, they are a person who has given themselves a chance of continuing to develop long after most adults have muffled themselves in the cocoon of middle age habit and convention.
A Childlike Person
As children, we are endlessly curious and willing to explore anything that comes into our path. Unfortunately, as we experience life, depending on how many restraints are placed on us as we are developing, most people lose their natural curiosity and wonder for life. For the most part, our school systems do not foster creativity and a chance to learn based on our innate personalities but attempt to conform us into a structure that is not natural for most children. Parents and grandparents need to make sure that their children are given permission and encouraged to learn and grow without stifling them. Yes, I realize that we have to protect our children and grandchild from harm, but in far too many cases, we overcompensate to the point where we don’t allow them to fulfill their God-given potential. As our children grow into adulthood, we need to teach them to mature and be responsible without being muffled into the cocoon of middle-age habits and convention. We as adults need to take off the shackles that have been placed on us and open up the curiosity and creativity that has been repressed deep within us. There is a significant difference between having childlike faith, curiosity, and wonder and being childish. Being childish as adults manifest itself as selfishness and irresponsibility. Jesus Christ fully understood this childlike faith when he blessed the children as written in Luke 18:15-17- One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1647 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this...
Welcome to Day 1647 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFinding God In You – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1647 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Austin Sorensen, and it is: A child is not likely to find a father in God unless he finds something of God in his father.
Finding God In You
Godly parenting is not easy, but it is essential. How a child views life, their role in the world, and their concept of God often comes from how effective we are as parents. I realize that each child has their own will and is ultimately responsible for the decisions and choices they make in life, but that does not absolve us as parents and grandparents, to set them on the right path, and point them in the right direction. There is a verse in Proverbs that shares some good advice for us. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022%3A6andversion=NLT (Proverbs 22:6) - Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. This verse is not a guarantee that your children will not deviate, but it certainly provides them with a path to which they can return based on your divine direction. If you are a father or grandfather (or hope to be at some point), your responsibility is even greater. Since God’s Word refers to God as our heavenly father, our children’s perception of God will largely be determined by how they view you as a father. Your children are not likely to find a father in God unless they see God-like qualities in you as their father. I urge you as parents, and especially fathers, to live a good and godly life before your children at all times. It will have a significant impact on their lives throughout eternity. The most powerful way to build God’s kingdom on earth is through your family, especially your children. When they see and follow your example of a godly life based on the precepts found in God’s Word, they are likely to pass that example onto their children. These practices can be passed on through many generations, which will impact all of eternity. Never underestimate your impact on building God’s kingdom, especially as a godly father. It is then your children will see an all-loving God as their heavenly father. Be a good and holy leader and example to your children.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A7andversion=NLT (Hebrews 13:7)
Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1646 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom....
Welcome to Day 1646 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAssume Responsibility – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1646 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and it is: A leader is a person who assumes responsibility. They say, I was beaten. They do not say, my team was beaten.
Assume Responsibility
I realize that it is a problem that has been with us since the beginning of human history. Still, it sure seems like we live in a generation where way too many people are unwilling to accept responsibility. There is such an entitlement mentality among many people that I find it hard to accept. I realize that others may not have had the solid upbringing and parental training that I was blessed with, but our modern society lacks this same training. Especially as a leader, or person of authority, we must assume responsibility for every choice and decision we make and for every action we take. It is not easy to assume the responsibility at times, mainly when you may not have directly involved, but those you are responsible for have not performed correctly. If you lead others, you automatically become ultimately responsible for all of their decisions and actions. If you are willing to do this, those you lead will learn from you and respect your leadership. Let us take time to train those we lead, which may be employees, associates, children, or grandchildren, to assume responsibility for their decisions and actions. It is up to us to make disciples of those who we impact. It is undoubtedly a principle throughout the entirety of God’s Word. Take time to read the story that Jesus Christ taught about being a faithful servant and accepting responsibility in Matthew 25:14-30.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6%3A4-5andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:4-5)
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1645 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great...
Welcome to Day 1645 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Cheerful Mind – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1645 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from George Matthew Adams, and it is: A cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation...is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run.
A Cheerful Mind
Why do we find today so many people who are anxious and fearful? Ultimately all unfounded fear or anxiety is due to a lack of faith that God has everything under His control. As a Christ-follower, we should be filled with joy and, in most situations, be able to have a cheerful mindset. When we can rest in God’s protection and provision, it reinforces our faith that God is in control. It is essential to reinforce our mindset with God’s precepts found in His Word to relax in the truths that we have no reason to be anxious or fearful. A joyful spirit produces a cheerful mind. It will act like medicine to help you relax about the issues that are causing anxiety and fear. When you can relax and be joyful, even during those times that may cause you to fear, you will soon understand that the fear fades away, and you are no longer anxious. Anxiety and fear will become a ghost and quickly fade away from your mind. I understand that each of us has weaknesses where we allow fear and anxiety to seize hold of us, and our faith may falter. God understands this also. While I have not counted them personally, I have read many times that there are 365 verses in God’s Word to overcome and conquer fear. That is one for each day of the year. So, do not fear or be anxious. Instead, cultivate a joyful and cheerful mind, and reinforce it daily so that you can relax in God’s provision and strength. Draw on that strength.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A8-9andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:8-9)
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17%3A22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22)
A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1644 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let...
Welcome to Day 1644 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDon't Give Up – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1644 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Coach Tom Landry, and it is: A champion is simply someone who did not give in when he wanted to.
Don’t Give Up
Perseverance is the golden key to success and being a champion. Without perseverance, the likelihood of failure and loss increases dramatically. Perseverance is not easy. It means that you keep going in the face of severe opposition. It means that you keep going, even when you are exhausted. It means you keep going even when you feel like giving up. Others may look at the life of Granny and me and think, well, they have had it easy, or they just seem to keep going no matter what. Believe me; we have not lived on easy street. We both came from very humble childhoods, with nothing in the way of material resources. Since we have been married, we have had to work extremely hard, and have put in many long days. We have also scrimped and saved, willing to put off obtaining what we desire now, for what we hope for long term. At times, we have been misunderstood and have been called scrooge because of our conservative spending habits. That is ok with us, Granny and I are closely aligned in our thoughts about spending and investing. We like to invest in the long term. It does require perseverance to do so, but so does victory in any area of our lives. If we live just for today, we will have many sad tomorrows. We also need to be victorious champions in our spiritual lives. We need to continue, even when we feel like giving up. We need to rejoice that we have the God-given strength to persevere.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205%3A3%2D5andversion=NLT (Romans 5:3-5)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1643 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
Welcome to Day 1643 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOpposition Is Great – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1643 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Neal, and it is: A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against, not with, the wind.
Opposition Is Great
This quote for today is undoubtedly accurate. An eagle will never soar to its lofty heights on calm winds. They must soar high to see all of the abundant food that God is providing for them. Let’s bring it back down to earth and think of a grain of wheat or kernel of corn. Unless it is buried in the ground, it will never germinate and push through the soil to reach for the sun. Think of the mighty oak tree that reaches hundreds of feet into the air towards the nourishment of the sun. When the mighty oak is buffeted with torrential wind and rain, it sends its roots deep into the ground to hold it in place and seek its nutrients. So it is with humankind. The difficult times in our lives force us to mature and grow. It is the refining fire of adversity that allows us to come out as pure gold. It is the times when we must reach deep into our souls and cry out to our creator that God provides the strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Look to heaven for your strength. The kite rises highest against the wind, not with the wind. Rise up, rise high! Rejoice during the times of significant opposition, for it is during these times where we are drawn closest to God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-8andversion=NLT (James 1:2-8)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1642 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek...
Welcome to Day 1642 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLet Your Life Shine – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1642 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from James Keller, and it is: A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.
Let Your Light Shine
Based on the philosophy of many individuals, you would think that when attempting to light a candle from another candle, it would completely extinguish the flame of the first candle. Nothing is farther from the truth. When a flame is passed from one to another, it multiplies the overall amount of light exponentially. Compare the light emitted on a birthday cake of a one-year-old to someone who is one hundred. The first is a tiny flicker, and the latter is a bonfire. The same can be said of our lives. When we allow our inner spirit to touch the lives of others, we pass on a flame that continues to grow the more often it is given. When we make it a habit of passing our flame onto many more people, we exponentially enrich many lives. Let’s think about this from a different angle. When we allow others to share their sorrow and grief with us, it lessens that sorrow as we divide it among us. But, if we share our blessings with others, it multiplies those blessings, and they become even more remarkable. So never feel that your flame will be diminished by sharing it with others, instead realize that a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. The fact is, it will exponentially multiply the more we share.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A14-16andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:14-16)
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1641 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1641 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPoor Kind Of Business – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1641 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Ford, and it is: A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business.
Poor Kind Of Business
Businesses and people who become fixated on just making money will end up self-imploding. There is so much more to the life and success of a company and us personally than just accumulating wealth. If money-making is the objective, although for a time wealth is earned, the overall success of a company or individual will be minimized. Money is so so fleeting, and so temporal. Although a business needs to make a profit, that cannot be the primary objective or vision. A business should provide products or services to others that will enrich their lives in some manner. The owners, employees, and customers of a business must each benefit, or there is no foundation for that company. Our lives need to be the same. We need need to enrich the lives of everyone that God places into our world. Whether we own a company, or as individuals, our central purpose for existence is to build God’s kingdom by positively impacting the lives of everyone we have the opportunity to associate with. With the technology that we have available today, we can influence others throughout the entire world. There has never been a better time with more opportunities than today. The advancement in technology over the next few years or decades will give us the incredible ability to connect to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Share with others in need what God has richly blessed you with.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A17-18andversion=NLT (1 Timothy 6:17-18)
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1640 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep
Welcome to Day 1640 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Key To All Success – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1640 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mahatma Gandhi, and it is: A burning passion coupled with absolute detachment is the key to all success.
The Key To All Success
Success manifests itself in various ways, and to some extent, like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder. Most of us think of success in financial or monetary measures, but that is only one indicator of a successful life and certainly not the most important. You can be successful in many areas of life. Some success measures that come to mind are family, ministry, work, business athletics, health, and finances. Being successful in one of these areas indicates whether you will be successful in another area, but correlation does equal causation. You may become highly wealthy from a worldly perspective, but if you neglect your family and it falls apart, success is undoubtedly diminished by a more critical failure. To be successful in any area of life, you must have the passion for being successful and yet personally detached from that success. You must not allow your passion to be successful to compromise your integrity and morals. As Christ-follower, your success must be grounded in the precepts for living found in God’s Word. All success will ultimately come from God, and it is He who we should attribute our success to. That being said, God still expects us to do our part to be successful. As an analogy, God does feed the birds of the air, but He doesn’t throw the worms into the nest for them. So it is with us; we must have the passion for succeeding but never compromise God’s Word to do so.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%201%3A7andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:7)
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1639 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you...
Welcome to Day 1639 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBooks Open Your World – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1639 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jeff Bezos, and it is: A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn a reputation by trying to do hard things well.
Your Reputation
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and one of the wealthiest people on earth, certainly knows how important a company brand is. His analogy is undoubtedly correct. What a brand is to a company, your reputation is your brand as a person. Just as a company brand is not created overnight, a good reputation is built over years of living a good and godly life. A life lived with honesty, integrity, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A good reputation should be sought after, but it does not come easy. According to God’s Word, living a life without hypocrisy, doing what is right, requires perseverance, focus, dedication, and an intense desire to live well. It is doing the hard things well. For Amazon, before they became the giant company that touches nearly everyone’s life in some manner, they started out selling books online and lost money for many years. Amazon continued with a vision to do the hard things well, and now their brand is pervasive throughout the world. So it is with us, if we desire to have a worldwide impact with a good reputation for God’s kingdom, we must be willing to live in a manner where we sacrifice the quick and easy, for doing the hard things well.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3%3A3-6andversion=NLT ( Proverbs 3:3-6)
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022%3A1andversion=NLT (Proverbs 22:1)
Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1638 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously...
Welcome to Day 1638 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBooks Open Your World – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1638 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Franz Kafka, and it is: A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us.
Books Open Your World
Growing up, I was not much of a reader until I was in my 30s when I started reading fiction books. I read the Bible and other study materials earlier, but not for enjoyment, but to prepare lessons or messages. Once I started reading, and experiencing other people, places, and things, that is to say, other worlds, I was hooked. I have been an avid reader ever since. I especially like space-related science-fiction novels that allow me to travel through time and space to worlds unknown and unexplored. I can experience life outside the confines of my terrestrial home.
In recent years, I have switched almost exclusively to audiobooks that I can listen to while working outside, exercising, or a myriad of other activities to allow my mind to travel. I listen to the books at two times the normal speed, allowing me to absorb content much faster while still being wholly immersed in the story. While not all the books I read or listen to are fiction, I will admit fiction makes up most of my list. I like to step outside of the current business and political world that we are part of and travel in my mind. The non-fiction books, which are usually business or Biblically related, open my mind to thoughts and information that I have not experienced. In the past five years in the audiobooks alone, I have listened to almost two hundred books. I also use podcasts in much the same manner, to learn from other information that can help me in business and ministry.
As our quote, today indicates, books, whether physical or audio, will break through the ice that clogs our minds. It opens up the vast sea of information available to us at our fingertips or in our ears and will expand our horizons beyond anything we can imagine. Open your world and take advantage of the wealth of information found in books. It is always worth the investment.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A15andversion=NLT (Proverbs 18:15)
Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1637 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live...
Welcome to Day 1637 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Bold Christian – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1637 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Young, and it is: A bold Christian is the highest style of a man or woman.
A Bold Christian
When you think of a bold person, what comes to your mind? Is it someone with courage? To be bold is not to be mean or a bully. It is described like this: it is not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring. Do you respect or admire a bold person?
In our western world, we often think that as Christ-followers, we are being accused or persecuted. While some persecution is happening in our modern democratic countries during the past few years, we are not experiencing anything close to the persecution in some Asian or middle-eastern countries. If you experience severe persecution at some point in your life, will you stand bold as an imager of God? Will you count yourself worthy to suffer? None of us like to suffer, but we must remain bold regardless of what we face in life. When you show boldness, others will notice you and seek to follow your ways. We must stand boldly as Christians because there is nothing that we have or will go through outside the plan of God. As others see our bold stand, it will give them the encouragement and strength to stand bold for their faith. Never underestimate the impact that you have on others. God has promised all that we need to be bold. We have the confidence to go before God boldly. Stand strong, stand bold.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%204%3A16andversion=NLT (Hebrews 4:16)
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1636 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1636 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomUndefeated – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1636 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ray Comfort, and it is: A blind, anemic, weak-kneed flea on crutches would have a greater chance of defeating a herd of a thousand wild stampeding elephants, than the enemy has of defeating God.
Undefeated
The comparison in today’s quote gives us a minor glimpse of the power of God. In other words, no person, government, world power, or supernatural being can ever come close to defeating God. God is the creator of the universe and supreme over everything that He created. When I ponder the magnitude of the universe with its billions of stars, planets, solar systems, and the untold number of galaxies, I feel like I am the flee in today’s quote, quite incapable of grasping God’s power and might. Based on this knowledge, I am confident that I never have to fear or worry because our mighty God is in control of all. God has made us His imagers and representatives on earth. We are called to build His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. God’s original plan for Eden was not stopped; it is still ongoing through us. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His plan to restore Eden was put in place. Through each of us individually and His earthly body, the church His plan will be fulfilled. The mighty God cannot be defeated.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+50%3A1-6andversion=NLT (Psalm 50:1-6)
The Lord, the Mighty One, is God,
and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines in glorious radiance.
Our God approaches,
and he is not silent.
Fire devours everything in his way,
and a great storm rages around him.
He calls on the heavens above and earth below
to witness the judgment of his people.
“Bring my faithful people to me—
those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.”
Then let the heavens proclaim his justice,
for God himself will be the judge.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1635 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you...
Welcome to Day 1635 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomReal Money – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1635 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Evertt Dirksen, and it is: A billion here, a billion there; the first thing you know, we're talking about real money.
Real Money
While this quote is rather humorous, I believe that most of us would love to have a billion here or there. The fact is most of us are way too focused and even somewhat obsessed with gaining as much wealth as possible. What would you do with a billion dollars, or even a million? We can dream, and our dream would be lofty. It is hard for us even to comprehend. Through countless studies, it has been determined that earning anything over $70,000 per year does not increase our happiness or satisfaction with life. Having a substantial amount of money has a converse effect on our happiness. I know you probably think, maybe, but it sure would be fun to try and prove those studies wrong. I know for my life and many others, we focus too much on having money. We think that if we had more money, we could do so much more to help others. The truth is, how you spend or invest your money now is very similar to how you would act if you had an abundance of wealth. Your habits would not change much. We worry about not having enough, but if we are not generous with the small amount that we currently have, we will be no more generous if we have more. It is a heart attitude regardless of whether you have little or much. God’s Word does encourage us to be wise stewards of what God has provided to us. We should not be frivolous with our money but invest wisely and in that which will impact eternity. In the end, that is where the real money is stored.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+6%3A19-21andversion=NLT (Matthew 6:19-21)
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1634 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...
Welcome to Day 1634 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Bend In The Road – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1634 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Helen Keller, and it is: A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.
A Bend In The Road
Life is full of twists and turns, and the older I become, the more I realize that you can never anticipate all of them. As I look back on nearly 65 years of life and look forward to at least another 65 years, I know that no matter how well I plan and organize, I must always be ready for unforeseen bends in my road. The crucial element for a successful life is to know that nothing will ever go 100% as planned, and we must be prepared for the inevitable changes that we will encounter. It reminds me of the old idiom ‘The best-laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray.’ Yes, planning is crucial, and we should have clear goals and agendas, but those who are the best planners also plan for contingencies realizing that rarely does life goes according to plan. We have to understand that is ok. There will be bends in our road of life, but that is not the end of the road unless we fail to make the turn. Think about your trek of life as analogous to a rough mountain trail. We will have steep uphill climbs and many twists and turns. We will have to forge through rushing rivers, but we will also come to flat, smooth plateaus where our trek is easy. We must be prepared for all the terrains on our trek of life. When we understand this, we will not be surprised and adapt and change as needed. Indeed, God’s Word can be a guide for us when we do navigate through our life. Push on, enjoy your journey, and be blessed with each day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119%3A105andversion=NLT (Psalm 119:105)
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1633 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1633 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Beautiful Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1633 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Nishan Panwar, and it is: A beautiful life does not just happen, it is built daily by prayer, hard work, sacrifice, and love.
A Beautiful Life
There is somewhat of a universal standard of a person considered beautiful from an external standard in general terms. Let me ask you, have you ever met a person, who externally thought was beautiful, but once you became acquainted with them, your perspective of their beauty changed significantly? I am positive that each of us has had that same experience. While certain physical features lend themselves to external beauty of face and body, a beautiful life has little to do with outward beauty. A beautiful life does not happen by accident. It is intentionally formed by the decisions a person makes on how they will live their life. Just like the law of planting and harvesting is true and unchangeable, a beautiful life is a result of cultivating daily prayer, hard work, sacrifice, and love. In other words, when we follow the precepts found in God’s Word. Regardless of whether you are considered outwardly beautiful, which is ever fleeting, inward beauty is what we should pursue through our lives. The following passage gives us the pattern for a beautiful life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203%3A11%2D13andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:11-13)
In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1632 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1632 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMonetary Slavery – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1631 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Bob Hope, and it is: A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.
Monetary Slavery
Bob Hope was a comedian, so we understand that his quote was supposed to be a joke, but as with many jokes, it is based on truth. Banks are only in the business of making loans where there is little or no question on whether that loan will be paid off promptly. To qualify for a loan, you must have tangible assets that significantly exceed the loan’s value. Other than the federal and many state governments, we as individuals are not permitted to spend beyond our capacity to pay back the borrowed money.
For so many people, we live in an age, especially in the western world, where we are unwilling to wait to accumulate the monies needed to purchase non-essential things. This is not wise. The fact is that most things that we buy are non-essential. We allow our short-term desires to have material goods to delude us into thinking that it is ok to borrow to obtain something. It has become such an epidemic that we then have to pay for storage buildings to store all of this stuff that we rarely use. What a pathetic and disgusting cycle. We then have to work extra to pay our bills, which harms our family and other relationships. How does any of this make sense? Plain and simple, it makes no sense. When we borrow to purchase non-essential things, we become a slave to the lender and ultimately to the items we have unwisely purchased. As a general rule, unless it is an absolute necessity, never borrow money to buy assets that depreciate. About the only item that is left is your home. When purchasing a home, only purchase one that will appreciate in value and one that you can genuinely afford. You can get by with a lot less than you imagine. I grew up in an old farmhouse with three bedrooms and one bathroom for twelve persons. Yes, it was inconvenient at times, but we made it work, because we had to. None of us favor slavery, yet so many people put themselves into bondage to buy things to impress others who we don’t even like that much. This is insanity. Instead, let us be wise. Borrow only when it is essential and only for items that will appreciate over time. Even then, it is best to keep all borrowing to a minimum and set yourself free from it as quickly as possible.
The wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, tells us:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022%3A7andversion=NLT (Proverbs 22:7)
Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1631 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast...
Welcome to Day 1631 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Bad Habit – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! We are on Day 1631 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Abigail Van Buren, and it is: A bad habit never disappears miraculously; it’s an undo-it-yourself project.
A Bad Habit
We have all heard of and probably completed many DIY projects – which stands for Do-It-Yourself. If you have ever renovated a house or building, you may have actually been involved in a UDIY project or an Un-Do-It-Yourself project. So it is with the habits that we have in our lives. Good habits are created by focus, hard work, and discipline, which are the core elements of establishing good and wholesome life traits. Forming good habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Author James Clear puts it this way:
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. The same way that money multiplies through compound interest, the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day, and yet the impact they deliver over the months and years can be enormous. Only when looking back two, five, or perhaps ten years later, the value of good habits and bad ones’ cost becomes strikingly apparent.
Habits are like the atoms of our lives. Each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement. At first, these tiny routines seem insignificant, but soon they build on each other and fuel bigger wins that multiply to the degree that far outweighs the cost of their initial investment. They are both small and mighty. This is the meaning of the phrase atomic habits—a regular practice or routine that is small and easy to do and the source of incredible power; a component of the system of compound growth.
Good habits are a few simple disciplines practiced every day, while bad habits are a few simple disciplines ignored every day. Bad habits will never go away by themselves. If you desire to get rid of bad habits in your life, you will have to un-do-it-yourself. You will need to deconstruct those disciplines you are ignoring, and replace them with good disciplines that you practice every day. Just like renovating a home, it is not quick or easy. It requires that you un-do what has been put in place over years, and then re-do by installing something good and beautiful.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205%3A16%2D18andversion=NLT (Galatians 5:16-18)
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of...
Welcome to Day 1630 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Bad Disposition – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1630 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: A bad disposition has lost many a good position.
A Bad Disposition
What is your disposition, or that is to say, your character or temperament? Are you known for being a happy, kind, and encouraging person, or one that is curt, rude, and angry? The path to success in any area of life, such as family, work, ministry, or other organizations, is at least partially based on what your disposition is. Is your temperament pleasant or ugly? Do you find that others love to be around you, or do they shy away and avoid you? It isn't easy to remain pleasant all of the time, but it is possible if you choose to do so. Some people around you will just rub you the wrong way. If you desire to achieve success, you must control who you are. There is no way to change others because change is always an internal decision. Don’t ever play the victim card as an excuse to be ugly with others. You are only a victim when we choose to be. Instead, choose to have a pleasant disposition regardless of your external or internal situation. You are free to choose. Choose wisely. Your next position in life may depend on it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A31-32andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1629 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a good rating so that others will also join us in mining our nugget of wisdom.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for daily wisdom.
Welcome to Day 1629 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomInfectious Attitude – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1629 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Roger Allan Raby, and it is: A bad attitude is the worst thing that can happen to a group of people. It’s infectious.
Infectious Attitude
Attitude will make or break a family, a church, or any type of organization. If there is a person with a bad attitude, it is like cancer cells that will slowly start to invade and then destroy the organization from the inside out. It is undoubtedly the worst thing that can happen to a group of people. If a negative attitude is permitted to exist, it will spread just like cancer until it takes over that group’s focus and direction. Just like cancer, it must be cut out to avoid any further damage to the host. As with any surgery, this process can be excruciating but is required to spare the organization’s life. The treatment or surgery must be administered as soon as the bad attitude is detected. With cancer, even after it is purged from the body, continual monitoring must is required after the surgery or treatment to ensure that cancer does not return. It will be the same for attitude in any organization. As Zig Ziglar is quoted, “you need a check-up from the neck up.” Continual monitoring will ensure that the organization remains healthy. Once good health has returned to our bodies, eating well and regular exercise will help maintain good health. In an organization, a continual diet of positive attitudes and accomplishments will ensure many years of success. Good attitudes are also infectious, but positively. Like a small packet of yeast will permeate a large amount of dough, so it is with a positive attitude that it will spread through the family, church, company, or any other organization. When you purge the bad, you must replace it with good.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A33andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:33)
Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%203%3A8andversion=NLT (1 Peter 3:8)
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1628 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously...
Welcome to Day 1628 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.A Pencil And A Dream – Press Forward – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1628 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Joyce Myers, and it is: A #2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.
A Pencil And A Dream
We tend to overcomplicate our lives at times. We feel that we have to have all the details worked out and detailed plans created to accomplish our goals and objectives. We feel we need sophisticated planners or software not to miss the opportunities that may come our way. While there is nothing inherently wrong with planning and achieving all that you can, we need to be cautious. What we need to do is to pause, take a breath, and think of how we can un-complicate our lives. While software and planners may be tools that can help us, they are not a necessity. As with so many things in our lives, which we perceive as needs, they are just desires that may cause us more stress and complicate our lives. The saying, “the more you own, the more those same possessions own you,” is so true. What if we took a minimalistic view our of lives and pursued simplicity? We can do so much with so little. A #2 pencil and your dreams can be a start that can take you anywhere you desire. Just sketch it out with the mindset that an enjoyable life is lived with simplicity and freedom. Yes, use your God-given talents and abilities to do your best and bring honor to His name. As you do so, though, keep in mind that God does not desire to create stress and havoc in your life. He came to give us a rich and satisfying life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2029%3A11andversion=NLT (Jeremiah 29:11)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1627 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tommorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1627 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTake The Shot – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1627 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Wayne Gretzky, and it is: 100% of the shots you don't take don't go in.
Take The Shot
Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for four teams from 1979 to 1999.
Every superlative has been used, many strung together, to describe the otherwordly talent of Wayne Gretzky, who commonly is regarded as the greatest hockey player ever.
Based purely on statistics, there is no argument -- the man is without peer, nor will he have one in the foreseeable future. He owns many records from the ranks of peewee hockey to the NHL, sitting atop every meaningful offensive category, often miles ahead of the players ranked second.
Why did I take the time to describe Wayne Gretzky as I did? Because he knew what it takes to succeed in hockey and life. Wayne knew firsthand that if he did not take a hockey shot attempting to score, it would be 100% certain that he would not score. I am sure there were hundreds of times where it was nearly impossible to make the score, but that never stopped Wayne from attempting the shot. That is why he is the indisputable champion of professional hockey.
So it is with everything that we attempt in life. If we are afraid to try for fear we will not succeed, then it is 100% certain that we will not succeed. It is only when we take a risk, when we expose ourselves to criticism, when we are willing to try, even if there is a chance for failure, will we ever know the thrill of victory. We need to stop procrastinating. We need to break the cycle of getting ready to get ready. We need to boldly go, where no one has gone before. When we do our part to succeed based on our God-given talents and abilities, we can trust God to provide us with the wisdom needed to take the shots, even when not every attempt will result in success. You may never fully achieve the success you desire, but you will succeed by confidently moving forward as you continue trying.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.31.6andversion=NLT (Deuteronomy 31:6)
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1626 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love...
Welcome to Day 1626 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEssentials To Happiness – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1626 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Joseph Addison, and it is: “The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.”
Essentials To Happiness
Most of us struggle to be happy. Our society has ingrained into our minds that happiness comes from receiving things that are external to us. We think that if we just had a new car, or house, or job, or friend, or spouse, then we would be happy. If you are not happy with your current situation, you will not be happy if that situation changes. While happiness to a certain extent is external to us, we do not become happy by receiving something or a change in our circumstances. To have lasting happiness in your life, there are three essential elements needed. The exciting aspect of these three essential elements is they are not based on what we receive but what we are willing to give. A happy life is grounded in having a fulfilling purpose, that is to say, something worthwhile to do. That could be work, play, ministry, or serving in some other capacity. Happiness comes from when we pour ourselves into someone else's life. This could be a spouse, children, work associates, other family members, friends, or those who are less fortunate than we are. Happiness is also firmly grounded in having something to hope for. Some purpose to get up each day. Some positive impacts that you can make on your world. We all need something to look forward to. This comes when we serve others, love others, encourage others, and are kind to others. When we have something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for, we will find happiness, or to put it in a different light, it is then when happiness will find us. Happiness stems from our faith in and love for others. Happiness is found when we follow God’s commands.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119%3A35andversion=NLT (Psalm 119:35)
Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1625 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you...
Welcome to Day 1625 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Software and Reference Works – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1625 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Today will be the final two insights on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. We will finish up insights which are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Software and Reference Works· Insight Seventy-Nine: Bible Software Should Be a Tool for Bible Study, Not a Crutch
You know by now how I feel about Bible software. It’s an essential tool for Bible study. If you can navigate Facebook or check email, you can use Bible software. It’s time to rush boldly into the twenty-first century.
Think about it. We use technology for almost everything. If you’re an adult, a lot of that technology is recent. That means there was a time you didn’t have it and used something else. That, in turn, means you were able to learn it and take advantage of the benefits. If you can take pictures of yourself doing embarrassing, pointless things and upload them for millions of people you don’t know to see, then you can learn how to use Bible software.
The only real trick to Bible software is discovering what you can do with it. That works two ways. Bible software can replicate what you currently do with amazing speed and visual clarity. In other words, it can help you with all the strategies you enjoy now. But Bible software can also help you get to the information in ways you’ve never imagined. Old dogs can learn new tricks.
Logos Bible Software is my tool of choice. Not only does it help me with original language research, but it’s a library. I’ve already talked about original language tools and software. I want to focus on the library here.
We know what libraries and books are. But having a digital library in a software platform is like also having a research assistant. With one click, you can run through thousands of volumes for a topic. Yesterday’s Bible study meant flipping a book open to see if it had an index that included the topic word you’re looking for. But what if the book doesn’t have an index? In a software environment, that isn’t an issue. Your research assistant has all your books memorized. The result is discovering help you didn’t know was available.
The danger with having supercharged tools is that they become a crutch. That can happen. People will encounter the temptation to copy and paste what they find into their Bible study notes without analyzing the information. You pile on information without assessing the content. It’s like buying books that you never read. Remember: there is no substitute for thinking when it comes to Bible study—not even software.
· Insight Eighty: When Studying Biblical Words, Pay Attention to Word Distribution
Recommending that a Bible student become familiar with Bible reference works is like suggesting to a...
Welcome to Day 1624 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomIndomitable Will – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1624 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mahatma Gandhi, and it is: “Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will.”
Indomitable Will
In most of the world, and throughout recorded history, the saying, “Might Makes Right,” was the mantra for proving that you are tougher than your opponent. In reality, though, there is nothing farther from the truth. It is not the strongest that conquers but those who have the perseverance to continue when others quit. Humility is not a weakness; it is strength in the face of opposition. Through brute strength, those who try to push their way forward are overcompensating to cover their shortcomings and insecurity. As Christ-followers and fellow image-bearers of God, we must not rely on the strength that comes from physical capacity, but on the power that comes from an indomitable will to carry on for God’s kingdom. There is no reason to flaunt our physical strength, when we can do so much more with the power that comes through tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We are to put on their attributes and character traits and we were putting on the finest clothing that money can buy.
We are told in:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203%3A12andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:12)
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1623 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1623 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.Forgetting The Past - Press Forward – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1623 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: “It doesn’t matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.”
Forgetting The Past – Press Forward
While I may not completely agree with the quote for today, for the most part, it is excellent advice. We can learn from the past, which will govern our direction as we move forward on our trek of life. If we learn from our past, we will have obtained wisdom from the lessons we have experienced. One important truth that we must grasp is that our past does not need to control our future. If we are bogged down with regret, then it will hamper our advancement. If we look back, we won’t be looking forward. We must continually press on to be better tomorrow than we are today. To take the combined wisdom, insight, discernment, and knowledge that we have accumulated up to this point and exponentially advance in the future as we fulfill our God-given destiny with our God-given potential. Ultimately our goal in life is to complete God’s will and to work building His kingdom on earth.
We can accomplish this through any number of jobs or professions. It not as important in what we are doing as it is how we are doing it. We must work in an excellent manner at whatever tasks God has given us to fulfill. Our daily tasks may be wiping a child’s nose or backside. We may be serving customers at a fast-food chain. We may be building houses or engineering skyscrapers. We may be running a fortune 100 company or performing brain surgery. How we are performing is more impotant than what we are performing. If we are working diligently for God, then we are performing a sacred duty. Focus on the future, and press on.
The Apostle Paul put it this way in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%203%3A12%2D14andversion=NLT (Philippians 3:12-14)
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1622 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of
Welcome to Day 1622 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomImprove The World – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1622 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Anne Frank, and it is: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
Improve The World
What are you waiting for to improve your world? Nothing is stopping any of us from beginning today. This moment is a perfect time to begin making a positive impact on improving our world. You do not need big grandiose plans. You just need to start. Sometimes we over plan and overthink to the point where we do not make any progress at all. There is a small booklet written by Cyril Bird, who was a missionary to Central Africa, titled “Little Is Much When God Is in It.” In this book, the author discusses when we daily perform our routine tasks as if we are serving God; then we are making an impact to improve the world. It may not seem like we are making a significant impact, but even the little tasks we perform can substantially impact others. We should never underestimate our influence and impact on others. So don’t delay, wait, or procrastinate. Start improving your world today. None of us know when our work on earth will be completed, and God will take us home to be with Him. Let us make the most of every opportunity to improve our world. Let me read four different verses that will help us focus on the daily tasks we have before us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%209%3A4andversion=NLT (John 9:4)
We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%206%3A10andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:10)
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205%3A16andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:16)
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%204%3A5andversion=NLT (Colossians 4:5)
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1621 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy...
Welcome to Day 1621 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYour Lasting Heritage – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1621 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Branch Rickey, and it is: What matters most is not the honor that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind.
Your Lasting Heritage
I talk a lot on Wisdom-Trek about legacy because a living and lasting legacy are essential. Today’s quote uses a little bit of different language, but it is the same focus. Creating a living legacy, or in this case, a heritage, is not about bringing glory or honor to yourself, but having a positive impact on others’ lives both while you are living and into eternity. The heritage that you leave behind is created and fostered every day of your life. It is the daily activities of helping and encouraging others. It is the kindness you show to others. It is showing love to others, even when it is hard and those you are loving don’t deserve it.
Legacy is a similar concept to inheritance and heritage. It is something we inherit from past generations and pass to our future generations. Usually, heritage refers to material and economic inheritance, while legacy refers to immaterial and cultural inheritance. In other words, family legacy means the accomplishments, beliefs, actions, and guidance you demonstrate in your lives – that carry forward to future generations in a fashion that allows those family members to adopt and adapt them to make their lives meaningful and fruitful. It is not about ourselves with legacy or heritage, but how our lives impact others, especially close family and friends. Every day is a chance to live your legacy and create your heritage. For Granny and me, one of our daily prayers is that we will have a good and godly impact on our children and grandchildren. Our prayer is that we might encourage them to live lives that are good and godly. This is so much more important than leaving houses, land, material possession, and money. As you consider your life and the heritage that you have now and into eternity, what legacy are you creating? God has left us an abundant heritage, and we should do the same for those God allows us to impact. It is part of building God’s kingdom on earth. It prepares the world for the new Eden where heaven and earth combine and rule and reign with Jesus Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 13:22)
Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2016%3A19andversion=NLT (Jeremiah 16:19)-21
Lord, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble! Nations from around the world will come to you and say, “Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols. Can people make their own gods? These are not real gods at all!” The Lord says, “Now I will show them my power; now I will show them my might. At last, they will know and understand that I am the Lord.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for...
Welcome to Day 1620 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Word Studies and Distribution – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1620 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study –Word Studies and Distribution· Insight Seventy-Seven: Learn How to Do Word Studies
Some of my earlier Bible study suggestions included learning about the numbering system in concordances and reverse interlinears. Both assist in doing word studies. You need to know how to study biblical words in their original languages properly. Word studies are an essential strategy for penetrating your English translation to gain insights for interpretation. Today I want to introduce the concept.
Learning how to study the Hebrew and Greek words behind your English translation is essential for some simple reasons. One is that a wide range of English words in your translation might be translating the exact original language word. There is no one-for-one correspondence between the English word you read and an original language word. Many English Bible readers don’t realize this. When they do, it prompts some obvious questions: Why don’t translators use the same English word each time the original language word occurs? Shouldn’t they do that to be consistent in translation?
Another reason is the reverse of the above: a wide range of original language words might get the same English word in a translation. Like English, Hebrew and Greek words have synonyms — words whose meanings are closely related (e.g., canine, dog, hound, pooch). There’s definite overlap with those terms, but there is also nuanced meaning. So it is with Hebrew and Greek. But you’ll never discover Hebrew and Greek synonyms if you can’t do word studies. Synonyms also prompt questions: Why would the biblical writer choose one word over another? Was he trying to communicate something by the choice?
Doing word study requires (a) detecting the original language word behind the English word, (b) finding all occurrences of that word, (c) asking good interpretive questions about how biblical writers use that word, and (d) having access to tools that analyze and discuss the meaning of original language words according to their usage in the Bible.
In the following insight, I’ll discuss some of the requirements for word study. I’ll also talk about how not to study words—logical fallacies in word study that lead to false conclusions and flawed interpretation. For now, realize that you’re at the mercy of translators unless you can get beyond your translation. Word study is a key to doing that.
· Insight Seventy-Eight: When Studying Biblical Words, Pay Attention to Word Distribution
Word study involves more than just...
Welcome to Day 1619 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomRefusing To See – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1619 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Matthew Henry, and it is: There are none so blind as those that will not see.
Refusing To See
It is hard to admit, but everyone on earth is somewhat blind to their reality. Most of us think more highly of ourselves than we should. Even when our character flaws are pointed out to us, we choose not to see them. So it is with many areas of our lives our paradigms control how we view life. Let me explain what a paradigm is. A paradigm is a standard, perspective, or set of ideas. A paradigm is a way of looking at something. The word paradigm comes up a lot in the academic, scientific, and business worlds. When you change paradigms, you’re changing how you think about something. When applied to your life, you can think of a paradigm as a collection of thought patterns that produce habits, that deliver results, that may or may not be in harmony with what you would love. These paradigms dictate how we think about money, relationships, career, health, and so on. The interesting aspect of our paradigm is that even when it is proven to be false, we often hold to our viewpoint and ignore or deny that we may be wrong. We refuse to see, even when faced with the facts. We see this so clearly today in our politically charged society, across the spectrum. Even when an argument is debunked, many will still hold onto their perspective because they are so blind to the other side that they will not see the proof before them. Part of this denial is that it is challenging to understand the truth on a variety of topics. This is fueled by journalists in the traditional media who are no longer accountable for the news they broadcast. It is also driven by untold multitudes of self-proclaimed experts on social media who vomit up endless diatribes of information with little knowledge or desire to know what is true. We all need to be very careful that we do not fall prey to misinformation. We need to be very careful that we do not become so blind that we do not seek or see the truth. We need to know and understand God’s Word so that we can have our spiritual sight because we know and understand the truth in all life areas.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A1-7andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 4:1-7)
Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we...
Welcome to Day 1619 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomRefusing To See – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1619 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Matthew Henry, and it is: There are none so blind as those that will not see.
Refusing To See
It is hard to admit, but everyone on earth is somewhat blind to their reality. Most of us think more highly of ourselves than we should. Even when our character flaws are pointed out to us, we choose not to see them. So it is with many areas of our lives our paradigms control how we view life. Let me explain what a paradigm is. A paradigm is a standard, perspective, or set of ideas. A paradigm is a way of looking at something. The word paradigm comes up a lot in the academic, scientific, and business worlds. When you change paradigms, you’re changing how you think about something. When applied to your life, you can think of a paradigm as a collection of thought patterns that produce habits, that deliver results, that may or may not be in harmony with what you would love. These paradigms dictate how we think about money, relationships, career, health, and so on. The interesting aspect of our paradigm is that even when it is proven to be false, we often hold to our viewpoint and ignore or deny that we may be wrong. We refuse to see, even when faced with the facts. We see this so clearly today in our politically charged society, across the spectrum. Even when an argument is debunked, many will still hold onto their perspective because they are so blind to the other side that they will not see the proof before them. Part of this denial is that it is challenging to understand the truth on a variety of topics. This is fueled by journalists in the traditional media who are no longer accountable for the news they broadcast. It is also driven by untold multitudes of self-proclaimed experts on social media who vomit up endless diatribes of information with little knowledge or desire to know what is true. We all need to be very careful that we do not fall prey to misinformation. We need to be very careful that we do not become so blind that we do not seek or see the truth. We need to know and understand God’s Word so that we can have our spiritual sight because we know and understand the truth in all life areas.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A1-7andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 4:1-7)
Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we...
Welcome to Day 1618 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.A Flock of Egos – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1618 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget of wisdom:
Today’s quote is from Walter F. Light, and it is: Leadership is getting a flock of egos to fly in formation.
A Flock of Egos
You have probably heard it said that when trying to organize people that it is like herding cats. If you have ever tried to herd cats, you know that it is virtually impossible to do so. So it is with leadership, especially when you are a leader of leaders. It is the art and science of getting the massive egos of leaders to all head in the same general direction. Managing leaders is not an easy task to accomplish, but it is possible if the overall vision and mission are strong enough. Since you are dealing with competing egos in this situation, there has to be enough commonality in the mission to satisfy the team’s combined ego. It is somewhat similar to a flock of geese where there is a defined order within the group, all moving in the same direction, but allowing the lead person to switch out as needed to create the best possible forward motion to a destination. Yes, there will be a lot of honking and noise within the flock, but as long as each member can be part of the overall objective, it is possible to have successful leadership. It has to be clear that division within the group is not beneficial. So it is with the building of God’s kingdom on earth, we must be unified and have a clear focus on what is most important.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+3%3A23-27andversion=NLT (Mark 3:23-27)
Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1617 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow
Welcome to Day 1617 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNeed for Status – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1617 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Calvin Miller, and it is: Careers, even religious careers, may become little more than forums for our own advancement. But how are we to deal with such ambition? Our longing after Christ must exceed our need for status in the world.
Need for Status
All of us crave to be accepted by others. Most of us yearn to have a level of status among our work associates, peers, friends, and family. It appears to be a burning need in our lives. I acknowledge that I struggle with the need for status, and it probably applies to you also. No career or leadership position is exempt, even pastors, priests, missionaries, and lay leaders within the church. For all of us who are Christ-followers, how do we reconcile this need for status with our desire to image God, as the perfect imager Jesus Christ did? In the New Testament Scripture, we certainly see that Jesus’s closest companions and disciples struggled with the need for status. Think about the epic struggles and posturing between the ‘inner circle’ of the disciples, Peter, James, and John. Think about the 12 sons of Jacob in the Old Testament who were constantly in a struggle for status to the point where they were willing to sell their brother Joseph into slavery. We are not immune to the same battle. As with any area of life, the first step to overcome our intense need for status is to acknowledge that it is an issue and that we desire to become less controlled by it. As Christ-followers and fellow imagers of God, our desire to fulfill those roles must be stronger than our need for status in the world. It may not be easy, but it is possible. If we desire to serve effectively in God’s kingdom on earth, we need to be willing to serve humbly.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9%3A33-37andversion=NLT (Mark 9:33-37)
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1616 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all,...
Welcome to Day 1616 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEnable and Empower People – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1616 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Tom Ridge, and it is: As a leader, you have to enable and empower people to make decisions independent of you. As I’ve learned, each person on a team is an extension of your leadership; if they feel empowered by you, they will magnify your power to lead.
Enable And Empower PeopleNo matter what position at work or station in life you hold, you are a leader of people. It may be a small group, such as your children, or you may be an influencer and leader of millions. The fact remains, to effectively lead, you need to enable and empower those you lead to make decisions independent of you. Each person you lead is an extension of your leadership abilities. Let’s break this down to your family. If you have children or influence children in any manner, you want them to grow into adulthood with the ability to think and decide for themselves. If you do not, they will continually fail when they face the difficult decisions that are required of adults. They may not always make choices and decisions in the same manner that you would, but they should be able to make decisions independently, rather than being dependent on you. The same applies to everyone that you lead. Your objective is not to keep them subservient to you, but to allow them to flourish and grow. To become indiependent. To even excel in areas that are far beyond your capabilities. Leadership is not always easy because those you lead will need to develop through the painful learning that comes with any worthwhile endeavor. The results will be worth the effort. A student that exceeds the teacher is the most excellent result of achievement. That should be our goal of everyone that we lead. That is the formula for advancement for individuals and all of humankind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2012%3A9%2D11andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 12:9-11)
Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly. The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1615 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live...
Welcome to Day 1615 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – The NET Bible and Commentaries – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1615 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – The NET Bible and Commentaries· Insight Seventy-Five: Use the NET Bible
Are you the kind of person who likes to use things until they can no longer be fixed? Some people don’t want to upgrade until whatever their use passes the point of being inconvenient but workable to be useless, even dangerous. Admit it: we all have something that’s “good enough for what we need to do.” In those cases, if we are honest, we also have to admit that when we do upgrade, we wonder why we waited so long.
That’s how it will be when you start using the (New English Translation) NET Bible.
What’s the NET Bible? Close your eyes and think about the study Bible you’re using. Can you see the tiny footnotes scattered through your translation here and there? They direct your attention to a few words at the bottom of the page, maybe suggesting another translation or something about a manuscript. There aren’t that many, but they’re helpful. Have you got that fixed in your mind? Now give your study Bible a performance-enhancing drug, maybe a growth hormone. The NET Bible is what all other study Bibles want to be when they grow up.
I’m not kidding. The NET Bible is freely available online at netbible.org and is a translation created by dozens of scholars experienced in Bible translation. It has over 60,000 notes, most of which explain precisely why the translators did what they did or how a different manuscript reading might affect translation. The preface to the NET Bible explains why it’s distinctive:
The translator’s notes make the original languages far more accessible, allowing you to look over the translator’s shoulder at the very process of translation. This documentation level is a first for a Bible translation, making transparent the textual basis and the rationale for key renderings (including major interpretive options and alternative translations).
There’s no other tool that comes close to it for English readers who don’t know Greek and Hebrew. If you are growing in your Bible study skills, at some point, you need to breach the English translation. The NET Bible has an unparalleled focus on the biblical text and the decisions the English translators made.
· Insight Seventy-Six: Acquire a Clear, Succinct Theological Dictionary
Of the many tools for Bible study available today, commentaries are among the most familiar. A commentary might be a tool you associate with your pastor, but every serious Bible student should use them. But all commentaries are not the same.
There are...
Welcome to Day 1614 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomChange Begins With Caring – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1614 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Margaret J. Wheatley, and it is: All change, even very large and powerful change, begins when a few people start talking with one another about something they care about.
Change Begins With Caring
To start a change in your personal life and the world you impact, you must care enough to follow through with the change. Even massive changes in the world begin when just a few individuals get together and share what they care about. Through this tiny seed of care, passion, and faith, significant changes have their nucleus. It does not require a lot of resources, time, or effort to begin that change process in your life and the world you impact, just a tiny spark of desire to make the change. Just like a tiny spark can set an entire forest on fire, or the smallest flame to shine in the darkness, so it is with making changes in our world. It is the consistent small steps over time that will allow nations to rise or fall. It is the consistent small steps over time that enable great success, or failure. It is also the small, consistent steps over time that will build God’s kingdom on earth. Over the past 2,000 years, from a handful of loyal disciples, the church of Christ has grown into a body of untold millions. This growth will continue until the day when Jesus Christ will return to establish the new Eden where heaven and earth combine. That is the change that we are seeking, and it only requires that you have the faith of a mustard seed that grows into a mighty tree. It only requires that you have the faith of a small measure of yeast to impact the whole batch of dough.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013%3A33andversion=NLT (Matthew 13:33)
Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-19andversion=NLT (Luke 13:18-19)
Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1613 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love...
Welcome to Day 1613 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.A Driven Person – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1613 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget of wisdom:
Today’s quote is from Gordon McDonald, and it is: No driven person could ever say what John the Baptiser said, because driven people have to keep gaining more and more attention, more and more power, more and more material assets. The seductions of the public life would have led to a competitive posture, but the original call to commitment from within spoke louder.
A Driven Person
I hate to admit it, but this quote hit a little too close to home. While my mindset is moderating somewhat as I mature both in age and my outlook on life, I still struggle with a very driven personality. I enjoy winning. I enjoy gaining attention. I appreciate material assets. I enjoy having authority and using it. I suspect that many of you have struggled with these same issues, regardless of whether you are introverted or extroverted. While there is nothing wrong with winning, gaining attention, material assets, or authority, our mindset, and motives that underlie the pursuit of them can lead us down an evil path. Just imagine if John the Baptiser had the attitude we do, how would that have impacted his life and relationship with his cousin, Jesus Christ. John was gaining ever-increasing popularity, with thousands coming to listen to him. Many of these same people believed in him and were baptized. It would have been effortless for him to start thinking that he was something special, which in God’s eyes he was. That was not his position or calling in life. He was to be the proclaimer and forerunning of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Yet, with his growing popularity, John could have thought it was all about him. Jesus even backed this up when he said in Luke 7:28 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%207%3A28andversion=NLT (Luke 7:28) I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John.
I know if Jesus said that about me, I would think I was pretty important. Fortunately, John understood his place in the creation and redemption story. Just to make sure that other people at the time also understood, God permitted John to be executed when his ministry was complete. There could be no confusion on who was the Messiah. In the second half of the verse above, Jesus focused on how vital His kingdom was when he said. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!
So I have to ask myself, and I will ask you also, are you an imager of God reflecting Jesus Christ in your life, or do you come off as an imager of yourself? I know I have work to do in this area, how about you? John the Baptist knew his position when he proclaimed in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201%3A7andversion=NLT (Mark 1:7) John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and...
Welcome to Day 1612 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBegin Now, Today – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1612 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Louis L’Amour, and it is: Your life always restarts today. Every morning is a beginning, a fresh start, and you needn’t be hog-tied to the past. Whatever went before, your life can begin now, today.
Begin Now, Today
I understand that the consequences of past decisions will impact your future, but it does not need to control your destiny. Every new day brings new opportunities to begin again. Why should you remain tied to your past when you have the choice and ability to untie the rope that binds you. A hog is one of the most challenging animals to tie up effectively because it is hard to hold onto, and their legs are short and taper smaller the closer to the hoof. If you have ever had the experience of tieing up a hog, you will better understand the quote for today on how secure a rope must be to keep the hog tied up. So it is with our past, if we allow it to be. There is one significant difference between you and the hog. You have a sharp knife to cut the rope and free yourself from the past, but you have to choose to use the knife. If you just lay the pigpen of your past, feeling sorry for yourself, thinking that there is no hope, then you will never be free. Each new day you have to make that choice. Will you cut the ties that bind and set yourself free, or will you be content to be where you are? At the beginning of each new day, give thanks to the God of all creation. Live renewed knowing that God’s mercies are also new every day. Free yourself from the shackles of the past.
Lamentations 3:22-23
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208%3A36andversion=NLT (John 8:36)
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1611 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1611 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWorth Dying For – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1611 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is: "Even if they try to kill you, you develop the inner conviction that there are some things so precious, some things so eternally true that they are worth dying for. And if a person has not found something to die for, that person isn't fit to live!
Worth Dying For
These are pretty strong words, which were said by a man who had a firm conviction that we are all created as imagers of God. Because of his belief that every person should be treated with dignity and respect, he was willing to die for what he believed. In fact, Martin Luther King Jr. did die for his beliefs as he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. As Christ-followers, we should also have such a firm conviction for our faith that we are willing to be martyred instead of denying our believing loyalty for Jesus Christ and His kingdom. I can’t speak for you, but although I would like to think my faith is that strong, I know my own weaknesses. If my life or the life of a family member were threatened, I am not convinced in my heart, that I would be willing to die. So I will ask you, what in your life is worth dying for? Is your faith in God, your believing loyalty in God through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ strong enough that you would be willing to die? One last question, what in your life is also worth living for? Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%208%3A34%2D36andversion=NLT (Mark 8:34-36)
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1610 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for daily wisdom.
Welcome to Day 1610 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Software and Dictionaries – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1610 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Software and Dictionaries· Insight Seventy-Three: Buy Bible Software-Then Use It
I recommend that you buy (and use) Bible software. Unless you’d rather have a rotary phone, like to wash dishes and clothes by hand, or yearn for the days of the Ford Model T, you want Bible software. I realize there might be some people out there in the world that have enough time to experience the thrill of spending weeks or months on a Bible study task that my software can do in less than a second, but I’m not that guy. We still have monks and monasteries, but the monastic age is history.
There’s nothing like having Bible software when it comes to Bible study. It isn’t an issue of laziness or wanting to do Bible study as fast as possible to move on to the rest of your day. No way. Bible study still takes discipline: it isn’t a ritual act. That isn’t what lightning speed for processing searches in the Bible is about. The speed allows you to get more done, not pave the way to do less. This is what technology is all about: how to do something with greater accuracy, efficiency, and frequency. Bible software is a boon in all those respects.
In the old days (forty years ago, not the days of the apostles), scholars had a few reference works that would enable them to do tasks like look up all the occurrences of a word in the Bible. But they would have to manually navigate to each passage to make sure that the handwork responsible for that reference work was accurate. Even then, the tools to search for anything beyond a single word, or words in books besides the Bible, just didn’t exist.
All of that is a reality today. This is particularly true because of Bible software companies’ massive biblical studies libraries. You can find discussions of anything you’re looking for in thousands of books all at the same time, even in books that have no indexes of their own. Bible software also enables Bible students who don’t read Hebrew and Greek to search in those languages. The software that I use and recommend is Logos Bible Software. It contains thousands of reference materials that can be integrated and indexed for comprehensive Bible Study. There’s literally nothing like it on the planet.
· Insight Seventy-Four: Acquire a Clear, Succinct Theological Dictionary
When you’re engaged in serious Bible study, you will invariably end up running into theology. The Bible is not simply putting forth names, places, and events in artful storytelling. It’s teaching truths to believe—truths about God, us,...
Welcome to Day 1609 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNothing But Ambition – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1609 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: At least eighty percent of millionaires are self-made. That is, they started with NOTHING but ambition and energy, the same way most of us start.
Nothing But Ambition
While this quote is about financial success, the same applies to every area of our lives. Most people do not start in life with an abundance of wealth, talents, abilities, intellect, or wisdom. All of these are gained by those who are willing to start with nothing. Through perseverance, ambition, and energy, over a long period, incrementally achieving until they are successful. Those who are eager to put their blood, sweat, and tears into action are those who end up being millionaires, successful in business, excellent in academic achievement, or whatever their calling is, making a significant impact on the world for God’s kingdom. Not everyone has the same talents and abilities, but we all have some. God does not expect us to achieve in areas where He has not given us abilities. God does expect us to use the talents and skills that He has given to us thoroughly and for His glory. You may become a millionaire or excel in any number of areas of life, but that is not nearly as important as doing your very best with what God has given you. God does expect us to use what we have been given. It has been said that God does take care of the birds, but he does not throw worms in their nest. They must use the natural abilities that God has given them to find the worms. I believe a parable from Jesus, which he told just a week before being crucified, will sum up our nugget of wisdom for today. The parable is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A14-30andversion=NLT (Matthew 25:14-30)
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said,...
Welcome to Day 1608 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.The Way You Work – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1608 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Russell Simmons, and it is: Your happiness ultimately comes from the way you work, not where you work.
The Way You Work
Nearly everyone is constantly pursuing personal happiness. We don’t fully understand, or we don’t choose to acknowledge that happiness is based on happenstances, that is to say, external influences of which we may or may not have complete control over. If our happiness depends on those factors we do not have control over, we can never be truly happy. We need to focus our happiness on those situations where we have at least some control element. Let’s consider your workplace regardless of whether you work from home, an office, a factory, a construction site, or a fast-food business. Not every job or location will be ideal, and some days will be better than others. It depends more on the way you work. If you focus on the good that your work brings to the world, it will allow you to take pride in a job well done, regardless of how mundane it may appear. All work serves a purpose and has value. Your job may be doing laundry, mopping up spills, repetitive assembly work, pounding a hammer, or performing heart surgery. It all has a purpose. Instead of focusing on where you work, focus on the way you work and how it does bring value to others. In addition to the happiness that your work brings to others, it also can bring happiness to you because you know you have done your best with what you have been tasked to complete. In addition to happiness, which will be allusive at times, as Christ-followers, we need to seek peace and joy from within. You can have peace and joy regardless of the storms that may surround you. Only God can provide true peace and joy. When you find peace and joy, it is then you will also find happiness.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2015%3A13andversion=NLT (Romans 15:13)
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1607 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Welcome to Day 1607 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYou Can Change – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1607 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: You can change. You can be more than you are.
You Can Change
Change for all of us is difficult, but not impossible for any of us. Some adapt to change easier than others, but it is still a struggle. We like familiarity. We want the known. Change produces anxiety because of the unknown. The only constant in the world today is that it is constantly changing. Change in and of itself is neither good nor bad. It can be either. It is up to each of us to bend the change we experience in our lives towards good. Where we are in life is a direct result of how we have adapted to change. If you are stuck in mediocrity and don’t feel you are making any progress, it is a direct result of not capitalizing on the change coming into your life. You can change for the better. You can be a better you tomorrow than you are today. It boils down to how you are confronting and managing that change which you encounter each day. Are you guiding the winds of change, or are they guiding you? Instead of fearing change choose to face it directly and make the choices that will allow you to benefit from that change.
I am sure there are those who observe where granny and I are in life and feel that somehow we have been more fortunate than others. This is just not true. We both came from low-income families. We have been through a lot of difficulties in our lives. We have faced many changes, but we have adapted and turned them around so that we could become more than we were. We learned the challenging lessons that change brings to each of us, and by God’s grace and mercy, we have persevered. Yes, at each step in our journey, we sought wisdom from God and others to make wise choices, but we never quit or gave up. So face the change with confidence and become more than you are today.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A5-8andversion=NLT (James 1:5-8)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1606 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and...
Welcome to Day 1606 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEnable the World – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1606 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Woodrow Wilson, and it is: You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand.
Enable the World
It probably has always been the case throughout history, but it seems like we are living in a very selfish and self-centered world today. We are always looking out for #1, summed up in the famous song “My Way” sung by Frank Sinatra in 1969. “I did it My Way” seems to have become a mantra for many a self-made man or woman. This may come to shock most of us, but the universe does not circle us. Even in our work, we are not just working for our benefit or working to survive.
God did not create us to live for ourselves but so that we can enable the world to live more abundantly. As Christ-followers and image-bearers of God, we are to provide the world with hope and achievement. We are to enrich the others and prepare them for God’s kingdom. If we live only for ourselves, then we do the world a disservice and are not fulfilling our high-calling granted to us by God. It is the evil one that limits humankind’s growth and advancement. Jesus instructs us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010%3A10andversion=NLT (John 10:10) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. We make ourselves and all the world impoverished when we do not do our very best. Our best is to fulfill our God-given potential in our world. We are God’s masterpiece; to live as if we are not is to deny the very power of God. We were created to live in Eden, and through the building of God’s kingdom on earth, God will restore a new Eden where we will serve with our sibling Jesus Christ, as was His original plan. God will merge heaven and earth, which has been planned since the beginning of creation. God’s plan may have been delayed, but never canceled.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1605 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love...
Welcome to Day 1605 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Hermeneutics and Commentaries – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1605 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Hermeneutics and Commentaries· Insight Seventy-One: Read a Book – or Take a Course – on Biblical Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpretation. It should be distinguished from Bible study methods. Hermeneutics uses involved processes in interpretation, but it also includes historical and theoretical issues and problems.
When it comes to historical and theoretical issues, a hermeneutics book or course will typically discuss things like the following:
The history of biblical interpretation. The Bible has not always been interpreted with the methods we use today. For example, the ancient Jewish community and the early church fathers employed techniques that we would consider strange or even inadvisable today. The same can be said for other periods of church history.
Historical and cultural analysis. A hermeneutics course would introduce students to tools for learning about the civilizations and worldviews that surrounded the ancient Israelites. These resources include primary sources— literature produced by ancient Egyptians or Romans, for example. Serious Bible students need to know where to find primary sources and which literary works contribute to understanding what’s written in the Bible.
Applying the Bible across modern cultures. This area deals with theoretical and practical approaches for communicating the Bible to the world’s cultures. Even in our own day, we know that cultural differences interfere with accurate communication. This is even more true in regard to a book as ancient as the Bible.
In terms of methods of analyzing the biblical text, a hermeneutics book or course will introduce students to a range of procedures, including:
Proper methods of word study. The student needs to consider issues like word usage in context and how synonyms relate to each other.
Literary genre. Genre refers to a type of literature, and genre influences meaning (you wouldn’t interpret the word “court” the same way in a legal document, a sports column, and a building permit).
Greek and Hebrew grammar. Students need to understand grammatical terms that commentaries use when they interact with the original text. For instance, it matters what a Greek “aorist tense’ is and how it affects meaning.
There’s a lot to consider when you’re studying Scripture, and one of the primary goals is the proper interpretation. For that, exposure to a hermeneutics textbook or course is indispensable.
· Insight Seventy-Two: Discover Bible Commentaries
Dr. Heiser...
Welcome to Day 1604 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomUnlimited Resources – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1602 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: You are not a reservoir with a limited amount of resources; you are a channel attached to unlimited divine resources.
Unlimited Resources
There are essentially two types of mindset when it comes to resources. One is the mindset that there is a limited amount of resources globally, referred to as a scarcity mindset. The second is that there is essentially an unlimited amount of resources globally, referred to as an abundance mindset. If you have listened to Wisdom-Trek for any time, you know that I have an abundance mindset. While I understand that some resources are finite, new types of resources are continually being invented through technological improvements and advancements, replacing outdated resources. As an analogy, a scarcity mindset assumes that there is only one pie, and for more people to have a piece of the pie, each slice must be cut thinner and thinner so that everyone can share. With an abundance mindset, there are plenty of resources so everyone can have as much pie as they desire. So it is with our lives that we are not constrained by limited resources such as reservoirs or lakes, but we are rivers of resources. All of the resources that we have are designed to flow through us as blessings to others. The more we allow those resources to flow to others, the more we will receive from God almighty. We can be like the Niagra River, where every day, billions of gallons of water cascade over the falls to be enjoyed by millions of people each year, and the falls provide electricity to millions of others. God’s resources are unlimited; He is the creator of the universe. Our lives are the riverbed in which those resources flow through us and out to others. There will never be an end to the resources and blessings. This lesson is taught to us by Jesus Christ, the Word, who was with God as an active participant of creation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A38andversion=NLT (Luke 6:38)
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1603 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen...
Welcome to Day 1603 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomVisible Love – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1602 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Kahlil Gibran, and it is: Work is love made visible.
Visible Love
I am not sure when the philosophy or teaching began, but for centuries now, it has been taught either overtly or covertly that certain occupations are more honorable than others. This is especially true for someone in what has been considered “full-time Christian ministry.” Other professions which seem to be held in higher honor are medicine, teaching, emergency services. While each of these professions is important, it is a disservice to every other legal profession available today. Not only is it a disservice, but when we consider our role as Christ-followers working to build God’s kingdom, every occupation is a holy calling before God. Because your work is a holy calling, you should love the work regardless of what you do. Being a pastor is honorable, but so is being a server at a fast-food restaurant. Being a doctor is honorable, but so is being a construction worker. In most of the world, fortunately, slavery or indentured servanthood has been made illegal. During much of Biblical times and even up to recent history, slavery was not uncommon for most individuals. When it comes down to it, many occupations worldwide have a similar demand on their workers. So even if you feel oppressed or that you are in a dead-end job, you can still choose to love what you do, because it is an important duty in our quest to continually build God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church, in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A5-8andversion=NLT (Ephesians 6:5-8)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
We should love our work, because it is essential in our service to God. We should have the same attitude in our work as when Mordecai encouraged his cousin Esther who had become queen when the Jews were in exile.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther%204%3A14andversion=NLT (Esther 4:14)
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1602 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on
Welcome to Day 1602 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWaiting to Grow Up – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our trek to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! Today is Day 1602 of our Trek, and it’s time for another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Sue Monk Kidd, and it is: When you’re waiting, you’re not doing nothing. You’re doing the most important something there is. You’re allowing your soul to grow up. If you can’t be still and wait, you can’t become what God created you to be.
Waiting to Grow Up
Most of us struggle with waiting for just about anything. We don’t like waiting at stoplights, in slow traffic, or even check-out counters while shopping. We are most impatient. We want everything now, including drive-through fast food, banking, and streaming on-demand video. Even for Granny and myself, if a website or program takes too long to load, we get frustrated. I suspect most of you are the same way.
We must realize, as difficult as it is, to be patient. When we are waiting, we are not doing nothing. Which means you are doing something while waiting. You are learning that patience is a virtue, although one that is difficult to understand. You are allowing yourself to mature and grow up. Growing in patience displays that you are gaining wisdom and understanding. You are learning that delays and waiting are helpful and necessary. We do not need everything now. Those individuals who are willing to wait are the ones who will succeed in every area of life. It would be best if you put off what you desire now, for what you desire most. To fully mature as an imager of God, we need to be still and wait so that we can grow up and faithfully build God’s kingdom each day. Waiting allows us to become what God created destined us to be.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2027%3A14andversion=NLT (Psalm 27:14)
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2046%3A10andversion=NLT (Psalm 46:10)
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
As you ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1601 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you Tomorrow!
Welcome to Day 1601 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Gardener – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1601 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: When there is pruning, the gardener is nearby.
The Gardener
As mentioned in a previous podcast, I grew up on an apple practically all of my life, from kindergarten until graduating from college and getting married. It certainly wasn’t an easy life with ten kids and my parents, all living in an old farmhouse with three bedrooms and one bathroom. Although we did not have many worldly riches, we had wealth unimaginable in what counts in life. We had a love of my parents, love for each other, and learning the value of love and hard work, even when you always feel like it. There were many other valuable lessons learned about raising apples, one of which was the pruning of the apple trees. My dad was patient as he taught us the proper pruning techniques. As a young person, I did not enjoy that task, especially since it had to be done after harvest time during the winter. It was crucial that the pruning was completed while the trees were dormant, so it only left about four months during the year where we could prune. Since there were about 40 acres of trees, this took a while to complete. Just as with any type of pruning, at first, it seems counterproductive to cut off limbs that have the potential to bear fruit. As my dad taught us, the old or weaker areas of the tree must be cut away so the strong limbs could produce even better. Pruning also required knowing at what angle to cut and the most favorable place on a branch. So it is with our lives. The master gardener, God, knows how and when to prune weakness and dead spots from our lives so that we can become even more fruitful. Pruning in our lives is not always enjoyable or painless. If we do not allow God to prune our lives when needed, just like on an apple tree, the bad spots or rot will eat its way back into that which is good. We need to desire that we are pruned to productively and proactively work building God’s kingdom on earth, helping to restore a new Eden where we can rule and reign with God for all eternity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A1-4andversion=NLT (John 15:1-4)
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1600 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this...
Welcome to Day 1600 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – More Practical Tools – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1600 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – More Practical Tools· Insight Sixty-Nine: Learn About Reverse Interlinears and Their Use
In the previous insight, I introduced interlinear Bibles—specifically, those in a traditional interlinear format. An even more powerful tool is the reverse interlinear.
Like traditional interlinear, a reverse interlinear displays lines of English and the original biblical language. The traditional interlinear format has the Hebrew or Greek line on top, which means the English word order is disrupted. Unlike traditional interlinear, a reverse interlinear puts the English line on the top. Check out today’s Wisdom Journal for an example of John 3:16 using a reverse interlinear.
An obvious advantage to the reverse interlinear format is its readability. It has the correct English word order. Also, concordance numbers are included. But the benefits go beyond the aesthetic. Reverse interlinears in Bible software allow Bible students to link to many Hebrew and Greek word research tools that don’t use concordance numbers. The reason is that the creation of a reverse interlinear involves directly linking each word of the translation to the Hebrew or Greek word from which it derives.
· Insight Seventy: Use More Than One Translation in Bible Study
The wording of my advice for the day is deliberate. I could have said. “Use more than one translation for Bible study,” but I didn’t. I’m recommending that you use more than one translation in Bible study. There’s a significant difference.
The first option might lead you to think that I’m advising you to switch Bible versions from time to time when you study Scripture. That isn’t the case. Instead, I’m suggesting that you have several translations at hand while you’re studying. That’s why I chose to word my advice as I did.
Having several English Bible versions open is very useful for detecting something in a verse or passage that might deserve serious attention in your study. Let’s look at a couple of examples. The first one is Genesis 49:10.
New Living Translation
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.
King James Version
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
The two translations are quite different. If you were using more than one translation, you’d notice that easily. If you were just switching...
Welcome to Day 1599 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThree Steps of Forgiveness – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1599 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jay Adams, and it is: When a person forgives another, he is promising to do three things about the intended wrongdoing: not to use it against the wrongdoer in the future; not to talk about it to others; and not to dwell on it himself.
Three Steps of Forgiveness
For most people, forgiveness does not come easy. It is hard to let go of the hurt which we have experienced. We have to consider forgiveness from a different angle. First, forgiveness does not depend on whether the other person apologizes, is sorry, or attempts to correct the issue. We must forgive without getting permission from the person who has harmed us, it is not a requirement of forgiveness. Not forgiving someone is analogous to drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It will only be harmful to you. When you do forgive another person, three steps must be completed before forgiveness is complete. First, you must never use the offense as retaliation to the wrongdoer in the future. Second, you must not gossip or talk about the situation to others in a malicious manner. Third, you must set the incident aside and not dwell on it. While it may be impossible to forget the incident entirely, and it is wise to remember the lessons learned, you cannot allow it to control you or negatively impact your life. If you can practice the three steps of forgiveness and become a habit in your life, it will help free yourself from the shackles of an unforgiving spirit that keeps you in bondage. Regardless of whether the other person ever repents from their harmful ways, you do not have to remain in the dungeon of unforgiveness. Be free as God intended you to be.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A31-32andversion=NLT (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1593 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1598 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomUnderstanding Ourselves – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1598 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C. S. Lewis, and it is: When a man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less.
Understanding Ourselves
Humans have the innate ability to deceive themselves and rationalize anything they do as okay, which is also true of Christ-followers. The unusual phenomenon with this tendency is that we judge others most harshly for the flawed character attributes that we have within ourselves. I believe Jesus points this out in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A37andversion=NLT (Luke 6:37) “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
When we can understand what evil resides within our hearts more clearly, we will know when we are committing acts in thoughts, words, or actions that are not in harmony with God’s precepts in His Word. It is also then when we can be more understanding and compassionate with fellow humans who are struggling and may not be aware of the evil that lurks within. That is why it is imperative that we continually check our hearts and minds and daily purge the evil that crops up within. If we allow evil to corrupt our thoughts, words, and actions, it will not be long until we are no longer aware or understand it to be evil. We will be deceiving ourselves and not be aware that we are doing so. As image-bearers of God, let us each day seek to emulate the ultimate and perfect image-bearer of God, Jesus Christ. We will then be able to see our weaknesses and continue to grow in our wisdom and knowledge of God. Otherwise, we are deceiving ourselves and become insensitive to our current state of mind.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A1-5andversion=NLT (Philippians 2:1-5)
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1597 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us...
Welcome to Day 1597 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomConclusion to Supernatural – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1597 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will conclude reviewing the book by Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Conclusion To Supernatural
We’ve come to the end of our journey. But it’s probably better to say that we’ve only just begun. We’ve considered some fundamental questions: Do other gods exist? If they do, does that make much difference in how we understand the Bible? What does it mean for our faith if we presume the unseen world described in the Bible is real—not just the familiar and accepted parts, but the unusual and often-ignored parts? Once I started catching the drift of the supernatural plotline of Scripture, I realized I needed to think differently about all sorts of things. But I can sum them up in two words: identity and purpose. I hope you have been challenged in both of those areas as we have reviewed this book. First, let’s review:
Our Identity—We Have a Home in the Family of God
What this book has discussed has significant implications for how we perceive what it means to be a Christian—to be “in Christ,” as the New Testament so often puts it. Once we realize the gods of the Old Testament are genuine, then the meaning of God’s command to have no other god before Yahweh, the God of Israel, comes into focus. The command isn’t about not giving attention to money or boats or cars. It’s about God’s jealous love for his people. In other words, the command actually means what it says. The insanity of loyalty to any god other than the God of all gods is hard to miss.
The awfulness of living with the consequences of how God judged the gods and their people (the “nations”) is also pretty obvious. We were once disinherited, enslaved to the corruption and exploitation of other gods. We were, as Paul says, alienated from God and outsiders to his covenant love (Ephesians 2:12). We were lost, enslaved to darkness, enemies of God in the service to unseen overlords (Ephesians 4:18; Colossians 1:21).
Having a grasp of that situation makes doctrinal concepts like adoption and inheritance more meaningful. It gives them context. God was unwilling to void the plan of living on earth with his family, enjoying the created world that came from his own hand. Yes, at Babel, he turned his back on humanity, but in the next moment, he called Abraham to raise up a new family—and to be the conduit through which those disinherited could find their way back to him (Acts 10:26–27).
Embracing the supernatural reality of the spiritual world of the Bible is essential for understanding the Bible. It explains why, as the Old Testament moves forward, the sin of idolatry will not just be like any other sin. It will be the sin. Israel was created to be loyal to God; when she turned to other gods instead, she was sent into exile, cast off like the other nations. This is a central reason why salvation in the Bible is always described in terms of...
Welcome to Day 1596 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSecond Nature – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1596 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Cliff Richard, and it is: What’s important is that God is so much part and parcel of life that spontaneous mental chat becomes second nature.
Second Nature
God loves you unconditionally. Yet most of us don’t experience the love of Christ because it is too great to understand fully. God desires for us to yearn for and grasp the power to know His love as we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%203%3A18andversion=NLT (Ephesians 3:18)
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
God’s attributes need to be second nature to us. Since we are to be bearers of His image, He needs to be so much part and parcel of our lives that we are conscously or subconsciously communicating with Him continually. It may be somewhat challenging to grasp this concept, but we have to come to the full realization that the bodies of each Christ-follower, which means each one of us, has become God’s temple. God’s Spirit now dwells within each believer. If that is true, which it is, then His Spirit is continually communicating with our Spirit. We are united with God through Christ. We no longer have to go to the physical temple, meet with the priest and offer sacrifices. We are continuously in God’s presence. When we can grasp just a glimmer of what that means, God is so much part and parcel of life that spontaneous mental chat becomes second nature. This is why the Apostle Paul tells us to put on God’s armor so we can stand firm and then encourages us to ‘Pray at all times.’
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206%3A18andversion=NLT (Ephesians 6:18)
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1595 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1595 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Strong Numbers and Interlinear Tools – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1595 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on practical tools for Bible study. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Strong Numbers and Interlinear Tools· Insight Sixty-Seven: Learn About Strong’s Numbers and Their Use
It wasn’t until I was in college that I started to be more serious in my Bible Study. I didn’t know how to do that, but through my courses, I discovered a tool called Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. That resource took me to a new level.
Strong’s Concordance was the creation of Dr. James Strong (1822-1894), an American biblical scholar. Strong was a professor of biblical literature at Troy University in New York (1858- 1861) and Drew Theological Seminary (1868-1894) in New Jersey. He first published his now-famous Concordance in 1890.
What exactly is a concordance? In simplest terms, it is an alphabetical listing of every word in an English translation along with a verse reference for that word. In the case of Strong’s Concordance, the version he used was the King James Version. For example, you could use Strong’s Concordance to look up the English word “love” and quickly see which verses have “love” in the Bible.
Strong’s Concordance is more than a list, though. Strong, and a staff of over a hundred people who helped create the concordance, also created a numbering system for the Hebrew and Greek words behind the English translation. Using the word “love” again as our example, Strong’s numbering system informs us that the Hebrew verb most often translated love’ was assigned tire number 157. The Greek word most commonly translated as “love” received the number 26. These numbers were used to create a dictionary in the back of the Concordance. After finding the number, which appears sequentially, you will find a short definition that Strong and his assistants created for the Hebrew or Greek word corresponding to that number. Therefore, Strong’s Concordance has an index of every word of the Bible in its original language.
Strong’s numbering system has proved so popular and enduring that many biblical reference tools for helping English readers study Hebrew and Greek word meanings have adopted the system. Strong’s Concordance is still in print, as are updated systems like the GK numbers. But in today’s world of personal computers, print concordances have been superseded by digital versions and more powerful tools. Whether you use books or a computer, learning about concordance numbers can move you in a new direction for Bible study.
· Insight Sixty-Eight: Learn About Interlinear BiblesInterlinear Bibles are one category of original...
Welcome to Day 1594 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEchoes In Eternity – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1594 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Maximus, and it is: What we do in life, echoes in eternity.
Echoes In Eternity
I have emphasized this point several times on our podcast. What we do every day does matter. Not only does it matter for that day, but it ripples throughout all eternity. Think about it in this manner. If you were able to throw a one-ton boulder into a lake, it would send large ripples cascading out from the point of impact. So a huge boulder will have a huge impact. In the same manner, though, if you toss a pebble into the same lake, it too will send ripples out from the point of impact. The ripples won’t be as evident with the pebble compared to the boulder, but they will impact the lake in the same manner. So it is with our lives. Most days, our impact will be like the pebble, and it will not be as noticeable, but it will still have an impact. There will be a few times in our life, where our lives will be like the boulder, and the ripples throughout eternity will be much more noticeable. Let’s think of this analogy from a different angle. Let’s say that you picked up one pebble every hour each day of your life and put it into this huge container. If you lived until you were 90, you would have gathered up 788,400 pebbles during your life. Now let’s take the huge container the throw it into the lake. The ripples that it would send out would be huge waves that would stretch out for a very long time. The same thing happens in our lives. Just think about the impact that your grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings have had on your life. Think about the impact that you are having on your children, grandchildren, and anyone else you meet during your life. That impact both on you and from you not only has an immediate impact, but that impact truly echos throughout all of eternity. Each one of us is a bearer of God’s image. Your life is important. Important to God, and to every one that you impact throughout your entire life. Let your life be an echo for good throughout eternity.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%203%3A11andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2043%3A13andversion=NLT (Isaiah 43:13)
“From eternity to eternity, I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1593 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and
Welcome to Day 1593 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWhat Other People Think Of Me – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1593 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Cliff Richard, and it is: What other people think of me is becoming less and less important; what they think of Jesus because of me is critical.
What Other People Think Of Me
Everyone cares, at least to some extent, what other people think about them. Some people seek that approval more, but we all crave acceptance, approval, and the love of others. Why is that? It is because we seek our creator's love at its core, but since we fall short of being worthy, we seek it from our fellow humans, or for some, even from their pets. We may fail to realize that God loves us unconditionally because He accepts and loves us through His son Jesus Christ's redemption. Because of that love God has for me, I do not crave others' approval as I grow older. God completely accepts me because I accept what Christ did for me when He was willing to sacrifice himself entirely through His death, burial, and resurrection.
My focus has shifted, and I don't care as much about what others think of me. I do care what others think about Jesus Christ because of what they see in me. How I live my life as an image-bearer of God should reflect God’s perfect image-bearer. That is when God became human and lived among us. May my life be lived in such a manner as never to bring shame or disgrace on Jesus Christ. Instead, may I be a beacon of faith, hope, and love to all who I come in contact with. I have God’s Spirit dwelling in me, so my life should manifest the fruit that comes through His Spirit. I do care what others think about me from that perspective.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A34-35andversion=NLT (John 13:34-35)
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A22-23andversion=NLT (Galatians 5:22-23)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1592 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great...
Welcome to Day 1592 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomRuling Over Angels – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1592 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Ruling Over Angels
It’s crucial to our faith that we understand who we are as Christians. We are the sons and daughters of God, a re-fashioned divine council that already participates in our Father’s kingdom. But there’s more to it than that. Yes, we are God’s family council—but to what end?
While we are already in the kingdom (Colossians 1:13), we have not yet seen the full unveiling of that kingdom—we have not seen the world become Eden. This “already, but not yet” paradox runs throughout the Bible in many ways. In this chapter, I want to give you a glimpse of the “not yet” that answers the question “To what end?”
Kingdom Participation NowOur participation in God’s kingdom isn’t predetermined, in this sense: We are not mere robots performing functions programmed for us. That violates the whole idea of being God’s imager, his representative. We were created to be like him. He is free. If we do not have genuine freedom, we cannot be like him—by definition, we would not be like him. We are free to obey and worship, or rebel and indulge ourselves. We will reap what we sow. Our sowing is not programmed.
But God is greater than we are. He had a plan, and it will come to pass. Its success neither depends on nor is forced to adapt to human freedom. We cannot undermine it—nor can the divine beings who are also free to choose.
Think about the heavenly council meeting we reviewed in chapter 1 covering “Believing the Bible.” I asked whether you believed the things the Bible says, and then took you to a meeting of God and his heavenly council in 1 Kings 22. God had decreed (and so it must happen) that it was time for wicked Ahab to die. But God then let the spirit beings in his council decide how to accomplish that (1 Kings 22:19–23).
Predestination and freedom work hand-in-hand in God’s kingdom rule. His purposes will never be overturned or halted. He is able to take sin and rebellion and still accomplish—through other free representatives—what he desires. As C. S. Lewis once said of God (in the book Perelandra), “Whatever you do, He will make good of it. But not the good He had prepared for you if you had obeyed him.”
To what end, here and now, are we God’s family council? To participate with God in liberating people from darkness. To show people how to live justly and with mercy—imitating God for those who need the illustration. To defend and spread truth about the true God in a hostile world under the dominion of envious divine intelligences. To enjoy life as God intended it.
All these callings are training for the kingdom to come. As Paul asked the Corinthians, who had lost a divine perspective while bickering about the affairs of this world in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6%3A3andversion=NLT (1...
Welcome to Day 1591 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomGod's Mercy – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1591 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from David Crosby, and it is: What I have today I have because of God’s mercy. I did not earn it. I do not deserve it. I did not pay for it. I have no rights to it. I cannot keep it except for one thing — God’s mercy.
God’s Mercy
With today’s ever-increasing entitlement mentality, a quote like this is undoubtedly contrary to popular thinking and opinion. Nearly all of us feel that we earned all that we have, deserve to have it and that it is an inherent right for us to have it. Most people think that health care, education, a livable wage, firearms, worship, and even our ability to live free is an inalienable right that we deserve. While I love living in a country where we have access to all of these, the only reason that we have anything is because of God’s mercy. It is only by God’s mercy and grace that we have life. As Christ-followers we not only have life, we have abundant life. That abundant life does not include anything that I mentioned earlier. Our abundant life is only given to us through God’s mercy. We are not guaranteed anything in life. Many places in the world do not have the blessings we experience in much of the western world. The fact is, though, we do not earn, deserve, or have a right to anything in this world except for what has been provided to us through God’s mercy and grace. Because of God’s mercy and grace, we should be forever thankful and, with a heart of gratitude, thank God for all that He has provided. Great is His faithfulness.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A9-10andversion=NLT (1 Peter 2:9-10)
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
“Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1590 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1589 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Conclusions and Affirmations – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1589 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Conclusions and Affirmations· Insight Sixty-Five: Draw Both Positive and Negative Conclusions about What a Verse or Passage Teaches
Have you ever had a hard time putting precisely what you think into words? As a writer and student of the Bible, I’ve experienced that many times. It’s one thing to put the mental energy into studying Scripture. It requires digging into materials that help me try to understand a little bit about Hebrew and Greek grammar, reading background material, evaluating translation choices, that sort of thing. It is another thing altogether to be able to articulate what I’m finding. It can be frustrating.
The problem isn’t writing or speaking: it’s thinking with clarity. Here’s some of the best advice I’ve ever received about clear thinking: to think with clarity, deliberately think about things both positively and negatively. I have read that the best way to come to a clear statement of what you believe is to express yourself in affirmations (positive assertions) and denials (negative assertions).
The exercise of trying to say what you mean and following it by what you don’t mean has a way of separating the mental chaff from the wheat. For example, let’s take the statement in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A1andversion=NLT (Romans 13:1) that says: Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
You could say that you believe the verse teaches that every ruler on earth has been put there by God and should therefore be obeyed. But what exactly does that mean? Do you mean to say there are no exceptions? How could you justify one? Is the verse an assertion of God’s activity (God appoints every ruler) so that to disobey a ruler means rebelling against God’s choice? Maybe it’s just a statement of God’s sovereignty without crediting God for every last tyrant on the planet. Or perhaps Paul is merely expressing a wish (i.e., “everyone . . .”) since he knows people can t change their circumstances under the Roman Empire. If your government allows you to replace a ruler, does this verse forbid that? Why would you want to replace someone God put in charge? What is it that you believe about this verse? What don’t you believe?
An excellent way to sharpen your thinking and clarity in communicating to others is to carefully consider your Bible study results regarding what you think the text means and doesn’t mean. It may take an hour...
Welcome to Day 1588 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDetermined By Our Thoughts – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1588 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Peter Lord, and it is: We have no control over how we feel, how we act — our attitudes and actions — except as they are determined by our thoughts.
Determined By Our Thoughts
I am sure you have heard the saying ‘you are what you eat.’ I understand the meaning behind this statement, but you don’t become a hamburger when you eat one. A better saying which is far more accurate is, ‘you are what you think about.’ On most days it may not seem like we have control over how we feel, how we act, or our attitudes and actions. It is because all these elements are irrevocably tied together. The missing component in the last two sentences is that it does not consider our thought process. Since we do have control over what we think, it is possible to control our attitudes and actions completely. All thoughts can be divided into two basic categories: true and false. The thoughts that come from God are true. He is the God of all truth and has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and guide us into all truth. If I can receive God’s thoughts, I can think the truth. Therefore I will have the right attitudes and actions.
Consider a glass of water. You have heard the saying, ‘is the glass half full or half empty.’ It is neither; it is entirely full, with half water and half air. The question then becomes, ‘How do you get the air out of a glass?’ By filling it with water. The same applies to our minds. How do you get rid of wrong and untrue thoughts? By filling your mind with true and right thoughts from God. The control of our thought life, then, comes by thinking God’s thoughts with Him. Once we have our thoughts controlled by truth, then how we feel and act, our attitudes and actions will be under control. That is, controlled by God’s Spirit which dwells within us. We are God’s temple where He resides.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204%3A8andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:8)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1587 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’!...
Welcome to Day 1587 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPossess More Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1587 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harold Kushner, and it is: We do ourselves and others a disservice when we make old age something to be feared. Life is not a resource to be used up, so that the older we get, the less life we have left. Life is the accumulation of wisdom, love and experience of people encountered and obstacles overcome. The longer we live, the more life we possess.
Possess More Life
All too often, I encounter people who fear growing more aged. I have also experienced firsthand how those who tend to be fearful earlier in life experience increasing anxiety as they age. This should not be. We do not deplete ourselves as we age. The opposite is true because the overall potential that we have in life is ever-increasing as we accumulate experience, knowledge, love, and wisdom with each passing day. We gain an abundant life by the people we meet and the trials we overcome. The more we experience life when we are younger adults, the fuller our lives will be, and the less we have to fear with each passing year. We can become more valuable the longer we live and the more of life we possess. The longer we live, the more opportunity we have to impact the lives of those who cross our paths positively. So my encouragement is to stay active, continually learn when you are younger, and keep those habits as you age. I am currently experiencing my father and my mother-in-law going through the later stages of aging (both with advancing dementia). I understand why some fear that they will experience similar situations, but that is not a reason to fear the aging process. I have also experienced many elderly persons living active and productive lives well into their 90s. We need to live fully as long as possible, realizing that God has a purpose for building His kingdom until we take our final breath. The longer we live, the more life we possess, so do not fear. Carry on and enjoy your journey.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020%3A29andversion=NLT (Proverbs 20:29)
The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2041%3A10andversion=NLT (Isaiah 41:10)
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1586 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1586 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPartakers of the Divine Nature – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1586 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Partakers of the Divine Nature
Do you know who you are?
I asked the question earlier, but it’s time to raise it again. Yes, we are in the world but not of it. True, we have been saved by grace through faith in what Jesus did on the cross (Ephesians 2:8–9). But that’s just the beginning of understanding what God has been up to.
God’s original intention in Eden was to merge his human family with his divine family, the heavenly sons of God who were here before creation (Job 38:7–8). He didn’t abandon that plan at the fall. Christian, you will be made divine, like one of God’s elohim children, like Jesus himself (1 John 3:1–3).
Theologians refer to the idea by many labels. The most common is glorification. Peter referred to it as becoming “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A1andversion=NLT (1 John 3:1) puts it this way: See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. In this chapter of Supernatural, we’ll take a look at how the Bible conveys that message.
Sons of God, Seed of AbrahamWhen God turned the nations of the world over to lesser gods at Babel, he did so knowing he would start over with a new human family of his own. God called Abraham (Genesis 12:1–8) right after Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). Through Abraham and his wife Sarah, God would return to his original Edenic plan.
God’s people, the children of Abraham, the Israelites, ultimately failed to restore God’s good rule on earth. But one of those children would succeed. God would become human in Jesus, a descendant of David, Abraham, and Adam. It was through Jesus that God’s promise to one day bless the nations he had punished at Babel was fulfilled. Paul wrote about that in several places. Here are two. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A3%E2%80%936andversion=NLT (Ephesians 3:3–6):
As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit, he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A26%E2%80%9329andversion=NLT (Galatians 3:26–29)
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with...
Welcome to Day 1585 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Wonder of Life – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1585 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dag Hammerskjold, and it is: We die on the day when our lives cease to be illuminated by the steady radiance renewed daily, of a wonder, the source of which is beyond reason.
The Wonder of Life
Life is so wonderful, a gift from God. Yet, many people seem to struggle with maintaining a grateful and positive attitude for each day. We fail to see the wonders that make up each day. From every breath we take and every beat of our heart. The birds that sing, the first flower of spring, the colorful leaves of fall, and the beauty of a single snowflake. Every sunrise and sunset and the brilliant flash of lightning in a summer storm. The wonder of life surrounds us every day. Yes, I understand that some days are challenging, but the fact that we are still breathing means that God continues to have a purpose that we need to fulfill. We need to understand the constant radiance and wonder of God’s love for us. His passion for us is the source of power within us that is beyond any human comprehension. We are created to be bearers of His image. God has given us a purpose to fulfill, which is to share His love with others and teach them to become disciples of Christ. Let us not minimize the work that God has given us to complete the source of which is beyond reason. It, too, is part of the wonder of life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A10andversion=NLT (Ephesians 2:10)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1584 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1584 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Bible Concepts and Interpretations – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1584 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Bible Concepts and Interpretations· Insight Sixty-Three: Tracing Concepts Through the Bible Is More Profitable than Word Study
Have you ever watched a movie where so much is happening in a scene that you invariably miss something important to the plot? That happens to me almost every time I watch a film adaptation of a Sherlock Holmes story. There are too many things to track simultaneously to think like Sherlock. There’s never just one thing that’s important to notice in any given scene. The Bible is like that—repeatedly.
Developing skills in studying biblical words is essential. But studying individual words often means only discerning one part of a set of ideas that’s important to understanding the meaning of a passage or biblical teaching. The theology of the Bible is often driven by clusters of concepts, each of which might involve one or more words. If you only do word study instead of looking for the collections, your view of biblical theology will be fragmented.
A good illustration of this problem (and the solution) is the Old Testament concept of messiah. It may shock you, but of the nearly forty occurrences of the Hebrew term Mashiach, less than a half dozen refer to a figure who would come well after the Old Testament period. This is because Mashiach means “anointed” and is used throughout the Old Testament for Israelite kings and priests. In other words, you can’t get a theology of the Messiah from the word translated “Messiah.”
This fact notwithstanding, Jews living before the time of Jesus had a well-developed profile of what God’s Messiah would be and do when he arrived. This was possible because the profile wasn’t built on a word study of Mashiach. Instead, it was built by clustering important concepts and observing how those concepts appeared together in various passages to form patterns of usage.
The concept of messiah revolves around ideas associated with the restoration of Eden, faithfulness to God’s commands, servanthood, kingship, and a priestly lineage outside Aaron and the tribe of Levi. Words associated with these themes tend to cluster in passages scattered through the Old Testament.
Careful Bible study, therefore, requires the student to detect and trace threads. Learn to observe terms that occur with other terms. Clustering patterns are often parts of a more remarkable theological tapestry. Biblical writers didn’t write unintentionally.
· Insight Sixty-Four: The Bible Really Can Mean Exactly What It Says
Bible study can be...
Welcome to Day 1583 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTolerance Comes With Age – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1583 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and it is: Tolerance comes with age. I see no fault committed that I myself could not have committed at some time or other.
Tolerance Comes With Age
As I grow older, I do find that I have become more tolerant of others. I trust that will be true of you also. The more we experience the ebbs and flows of life, we realize that we have all committed faults and have had failures due to making unwise decisions, or responding to others in a manner that was not kind. We understand more clearly that it is best to be patient and offer grace to others that may now be in the same situation that we once were. It would not be wise to gain the moniker of being a grumpy older man or woman. Instead, we need to mellow a bit and show that we have also gained wisdom that has come through the lessons of life with our age. The longer we live, the more opportunity for a positive impact on those we interact with. Especially as Christ-followers, we need to make sure that our speech and actions are seasoned with salt and be open to sharing our wisdom with those who seek it. The kingdom of God grows one person at a time as we encourage and build others up, teaching them love and showing them tolerance and kindness in all interactions.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%202%3A1%2D3andversion=NLT (Titus 2:1-3)
As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.
Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1582 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1582 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLove What You Do – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1582 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Katharine Graham, and it is: To love what you do and feel that it matters — how could anything be more fun?
Love What You Do
It has been said that if you find work that you love, you won’t have to work another day of your life. While I understand the meaning and motivation of this quote, there are aspects of any work that you may not love. There are aspects of every area of life that you may not love naturally. The key to love what you do is strongly controlled by our choices. Those choices start early in life by the hobbies we do, and the training we participate in. Those choices begin in our minds. I grew up on an apple orchard, and while there were many aspects of the hard work of farming that I did not particularly enjoy, we had work to do and we did it. As I look back to those formative years, I can see that my work helped support our family of twelve and learned many valuable lessons in the process. During those years, I also learned that I could choose to enjoy what I do, especially when it did make a difference. Those were difficult years, but we also had a lot of fun as a family. As I grew into adulthood, I realized that I enjoyed working because the work I was doing did make a positive impact. First, it provided for Paula and our five kids, and second, it also benefited those companies we served. Even when there were difficulties in our businesses, we chose to enjoy those times and learn the valuable lessons thrusts on us. We knew that we should be grateful to God for everything we did and those who helped us achieve what we did. We learned that in all things, we are working for something that matters, which is going our very best in our service to God and others because it helps to grow God’s kingdom on earth. My appeal to you is to choose to love what you do in all aspects of life because you are making a difference in your world.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2010%3A31andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 10:31)
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206%3A7andversion=NLT (Ephesians 6:7)
Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1581 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...
Welcome to Day 1581 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNot of This World – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1581 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Not of This World
In Jesus’ well-known prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested for trial, he said of his followers in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A16andversion=NLT (John 17:16), They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Believers were certainly in the world, specially tasked by God to carry the gospel to every nation (Matthew 28:19–20), but they were not of the world. This paradox—being in the world but not of it—was telegraphed to early Christians in several memorable ways.
Sacred Space, Holy Ground, and God’s PresenceIn chapter 8 of Supernatural, we talked about the concept of sacred space. For Old Testament Israelites, God was utterly other. The space his presence occupied was set apart from all other space. That wasn’t a denial that God was omnipresent—in all places at all times. Instead, it was a way of marking the territory on which he chose to meet with his people. That was one of the purposes for having the tabernacle and the temple. The concept of sacred space was not only the rationale for many of Israel’s laws and rituals, but it also reinforced the idea of cosmic geography—how the world was divided among the lesser gods and the Most High God, the God of Israel.
The notion of sacred space gets brought into the New Testament in a dramatic way. All we need to ask is, “Where is the presence of God right now?” While God is everywhere, he dwells explicitly within each believer. Believe it or not, you are sacred space. Paul very clearly wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6%3A19andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 6:19) Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?
The same is true of the ground where believers gather as a group. Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul told them collectively in 1 Corinthians 3:16, Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? He told the Ephesian believers they were “members of the household of God … a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19, 21–22).
The implications are startling. Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ statement in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A20andversion=NLT (Matthew 18:20), “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” But viewed in the context of the Old Testament idea of sacred space, that statement means that wherever believers gather, the spiritual ground they occupy is sanctified amid the powers of darkness.
Yahweh’s final chosen dwelling place in the Old Testament was Israel—the temple in Jerusalem. Israel became holy ground
Welcome to Day 1580 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Power of God – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1580 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from E. Ray Jones, and it is: To falter before the forces of life when the power of God is available is unfortunate and above all unnecessary.
The Power of God
I hate to admit it for myself, but I suspect that many of you also falter when the smallest of storms face our lives. We immediately cry unfair and wish the trial was over. To falter when facing the disruptions of life is unfortunate and unnecessary. As Christ-followers, we have the power that created all things available to strengthen us and help us when we face the forces of life. So instead of faltering, let us draw upon the power of God that is freely and readily available to us. All we need to do to have the wisdom necessary to navigate the storms of life is to ask, and our generous God will provide us a waterfall of wisdom that will cascade over us and through us. We waste so much of our strength and time in anxiety over situations with little control to change those situations. Instead, we need to pray that the harrowing events of life will change and mature us so that we can be better equipped to fulfill God’s will for our lives as we are used in building His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-8andversion=NLT (James 2:2-8)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1579 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1579 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Possible Interpretations – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1579 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Possible Interpretations· Insight Sixty-One: It’s Okay When Bible Study Produces More than One Possible Interpretation
Most people do not like movies that seem to end ambiguously intentionally. Love it or hate it, we want closure. We don’t feel empowered by a director who lets me decide what their film meant. That just leaves us wondering why his or her mind was so clouded. Note to the director: the way to convince us you’re brilliant isn’t to show us that you’re incapable of precise thinking when it matters the most.
I’ve known people that approach Bible study the same way. They simply can’t tolerate the idea that there might genuinely be more than one interpretive option for a passage. The notion that alternatives exist disturbs them. The fact that those alternatives might be equally viable makes them break out in a cold sweat (or a rage, based on experience). I’ve never said it out loud, but I’ve thought it: ‘Please put your Strong’s Concordance down and calmly walk away from that verse.’
This sort of over-reaction telegraphs an emotional need for certainty. The thought that one’s tradition, pastor, or parents might have been incorrect about something in the Bible produces a sense of vulnerability. That’s unnecessary and, frankly, well beyond how God looks at the goals of Bible study.
Bible study shouldn’t be fear-based. God does not expect omniscience on the part of Bible students. He expects effort, humility, and a spirit of obedience to his will. Even if we don’t (and we cannot) know with certainty what the Bible teaches in every passage, we can still apply what we’re able to grasp (or think we’ve grasped) to our lives. Scripture is quite clear on fundamental virtues and vices, what pleases God and what offends him.
Another way to look at this has to do with the nature of Scripture. However small, resistance to uncertainty implies that there’s nothing in Scripture that could realistically transcend our intellectual ability to comprehend with certainty. It’s hard to consider that as anything but arrogance. As a long-time student of the Bible, I can tell you that the more I see in Scripture, the more I realize I don’t see. A Bible that’s been all figured out would lose its intrigue—and importance. Thankfully, that isn’t something we need to worry about.
· Insight Sixty-Two: Pay Attention to How Biblical Writers Interpret Other Biblical Writers
Biblical writers didn’t always produce original material. They used a variety of sources. This was especially true of
Welcome to Day 1578 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Only Thing That Matters – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1578 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from James Montgomery Boice, and it is: To be a Christian is no light thing. It is the hardest thing anyone can do. Yet anyone can do it, and in the end, it is the only thing that matters.
The Only Thing That Matters
There are a few significant life-changing decisions that we make in our lives. Those decisions are:
whether to go to college and where
whether to marry and to whom
whether to buy a house
whether to have children and how many
and the most important is whether to become a disciple of Christ by accepting Him as your savior through believing loyalty
It is the last one that will not only change your life radically here on earth but also through all eternity. It is no light or easy decision. To live faithfully as a disciple of Christ is no easy task, but it is the most crucial decision that can be made. It is not always easy to live daily in a manner that reflects our determination to be an image-bearer of God. The great thing is that anyone can choose to make this decision. Once you decide to become a Christ-follower, you are not only impacting how you live each day while living; it will determine your eternal dwelling place. So while you will have other important decisions to make throughout your life, none are as important as your decision to become a Christ-follower. If you have never made that choice, I encourage you to do so today. Life won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it. We don’t have to walk the life of a Christ-follower alone, we have each other, and we have Jesus Christ to strengthen and guide us along each day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30andversion=NLT (Matthew 11:28-30)
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1577 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1577 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Value of Time – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1577 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Theophrastus, and it is: Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.
The Value of Time
Humanly speaking, there is only one genuinely finite item, and that is time. It is the only equalizer of all persons. If we do not die today, we will only have 24 hours, just like every other living person on earth. Short of death, there is no way to change this fact. If we consider time as something precious, then the question is, how will you spend today? I want to rephrase the quote from today in the way I think about time. Time should not be something that we spend or consume; but instead, we invest time. You can invest each day in poor investments and waste today, or you can invest each day in matters that will impact eternity. Let’s use the analogy of food and fitness. We can each junk food and not get the proper exercise, which seems pleasurable for a while, or we can eat healthy food and exercise, which will provide us with a much longer and higher quality of life. When we wake and begin each new day, we should ask ourselves, how will I invest the next 24 hours? Will you waste time in that which provides no intrinsic value to you or those you come in contact with, or will you invest that 24 hours into improving yourself and others? When we die, we don’t take anything from this world with us, but when we invest in others’ lives, and they pay it forward, then our impact will reverberate throughout all eternity. As Christ-followers, we need to invest each day into building God’s kingdom on earth, so when Christ returns to set up a renewed Eden where God and humans dwell together, we will see how our investment has multiplied abundantly.
Let’s invest our time wisely today, planting that which impacts eternity so that we can harvest the rich blessings that God has for each of us. Your life and your time matter; make it count.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205%3A15%2D17andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:15-17)
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+4%3A5-6andversion=NLT (Colossians 4:5-6)
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1576 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this...
Welcome to Day 1576 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Great Reversal – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1576 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
The Great Reversal
Aside from stories about Jesus in the Gospels—such as accounts of his birth, death, and Sermon on the Mount—perhaps the most familiar passage in the New Testament is Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit rushes upon the followers of Jesus at the day of Pentecost. It marks the launch of the fledgling church and the beginning of global evangelism in the name of Jesus.
As familiar as the passage is, there’s a lot more going on in it than most realize. Acts 2 is designed to telegraph the campaign to reverse the post-Babel cosmic geography of the Old Testament. The nations other than Israel were under the dominion of lesser gods. What happened at Pentecost was a battle plan for infiltrating all the nations disinherited by God at Babel with the gospel of Jesus—an ancient spiritual war strategy.
PentecostWhat Acts 2 describes as happening on the day of Pentecost was undoubtedly unusual. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A1-8andversion=NLT (Acts 2:1-8) :
On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
At that time, there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!
Some of the things that take us into the supernatural worldview of the Old Testament in that remarkable passage aren’t obvious in the English translation. The “rushing wind” associated with the arrival of the Spirit is a familiar description of the presence of God in the Old Testament (2 Kings 2:1, 11; Job 38:1; 40:6). Fire is also familiar in descriptions of God (Ezekiel 1:4; Isaiah 6:4, 6; Daniel 7:9; Exodus 3:2; 19:18; 20:18).
It’s clear from those references that God was present at the event and behind what was going on. His intention was to launch his campaign to take back the nations from the lesser gods he assigned to the nations (Deuteronomy 4:19–20; 32:8–9), but who became his enemies (Psalm. 82).
God’s tool for doing that was the words of the disciples—hence the imagery of tongues. God enabled the Jewish followers of Jesus to speak to the rest of the Jews gathered at Pentecost—who lived in all the nations under the dominion of enemy gods. When they...
Welcome to Day 1575 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Storm Within – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1575 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is: The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear. It is the storm within which endangers him, not the storm without.
The Storm Within
None of us desires to go through hardships and difficulties. Our first instinct is to cry out to God to be kept safe and be rescued from the storm. What we fail to realize, just like storms in nature have a cleansing purpose, so do the storms roll through our lives. When we are in the midst of the storm, we become fearful and wish the storm would cease. However, we need the strength to withstand the storm and peace within the storm. This is only possible when we are entirely reliant on the One who controls all storms. The most significant potential for harm from the storms of life is when we allow fear to seize us and hold us. The internal storms in which we struggle is what endangers us. Like the wind and the rain cleans the air and refreshes the soil, the wind and showers within us have a cleaning effect on our souls. So be a wise person. The next time you are in one of the many storms of life, instead of praying for safety from the dangers and effects of the storm, pray instead for deliverance from fear so you can persevere through the storm. Once the storm has passed, it is then you will see more clearly its purpose as the bright sunshine of God’s love warms your soul.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010%3A25andversion=NLT (Proverbs 10:25)
When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A38-39andversion=NLT (Romans 8:38-39)
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1574 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview...
Welcome to Day 1574 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Word Meanings and Context – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1574 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Word Meanings and Context· Insight Fifty-Nine: A Word Never Simultaneously Means All the Things It Can Mean
Words rarely mean only one thing. Most words in a given language can convey several senses.
For example, the word ‘top’ can refer to a garment worn on the upper body, the highest point of reference, or (as a verb) to cover or be superior to something. The right meaning depends on how the word is used in context.
It would be silly to suggest that the occurrence of the word ‘top’ in any given sentence has all those meanings in that sentence. For instance, in the sentence She was at the top of her field, do I mean to suggest that the woman “covered’ a field so well that she “gained superiority” over everyone else and that her job happened to be on the highest floor of her office building, which housed a business that made clothing to be worn on the upper body? Of course not. The idea is as absurd as the illustration.
Naturally, I’d agree. The whole approach is comical. And yet, I’ve seen it in Bible study notes, student papers, blog posts, and Bible-related articles submitted for publication. For some reason, people seem to believe that ‘Bible words’ have some sort of mystical quality that allows us to throw out common sense when doing word studies. Just because a book is sacred doesn’t mean its content must violate what makes a language coherent. Sanctified absurdity would still be an absurdity.
No vocabulary of a language includes all possible meanings in every instance of usage. If you tell someone your wife is fetching, you mean she’s attractive, not the obvious alternative that just popped into your head. If your kids are spoiled, you don’t mean they are no longer edible.
This feature of language doesn’t change when we come to the Bible. A biblical word with a half-dozen senses doesn’t bring them all into a verse simultaneously. Hebrew and Greek words aren’t like the heads of dandelions, waiting to release thousands of meanings into the air when held up to the wind.
The fact that God was providentially behind Scripture’s production doesn’t change what he asked the human authors to do. They produced comprehensible documents, not literary onions that only elite mystics could unpeel and decipher. If Scripture failed to communicate to the masses, the entire enterprise would be pointless.
· Insight Sixty: Genre Is Another Word for Context
Dr. Heiser shares, the first time I heard the term “literary genre” was in a high school English class. I was not too fond
Welcome to Day 1573 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomRemain Still – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1573 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Meister Eckhart, and it is: The very best and utmost of attainment in this life is to remain still and let God act and speak in thee.
Remain Still
If we are honest with ourselves, I surmise that most of us have difficulty remaining still and being at peace for more than a few moments. I know I certainly have difficulty, although as I am aging, I do find it a bit easier than I used to. Why is it that we have such a problem with remaining still? Part of it is our modern world because we have so many options available each day, even during the pandemic. Once restrictions are lifted, I suspect we will fall back into the regular pandemonium that our lives have become. When I ponder what it takes to create the habit of remaining still, I believe the root cause is much more than the availability of activities. We need to consciously and deliberately choose to allow God to act and speak through us so that we don’t feel the need to stuff our lives full of activity. Too much activity distracts us from being quiet long enough so that God can act and speak through us. We need to take more time for meditative prayer and absorbing God’s Word. When these practices become habits, then we will not be as anxious. We can remain still, even through the storms of life that rage around us. We can have the confidence that although God may not prevent the storms, he will provide shelter so that we can withstand the storms. Within that shelter, we can remain at peace with God, others, and ourselves. God is the God of all creation. The God of storms, and the God of stillness.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1572 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1572 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPure and Simple Love – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1572 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gayle Roper, and it is: The proof of who we are in Christ isn’t how many folks have come to the Lord through us. It isn’t how much we’ve contributed to the Lord’s work. It isn’t how sweetly we’ve sung his praises. It is, pure and simple, how we have loved each other.
Pure and Simple Love
All of us, in some form or fashion, love to keep score. We think it is the measure of success. As Christ-followers, we count the number of attendees in church. We like to keep track of how many people we have witnessed to, and especially those who have accepted the salvation that comes through Christ. We want to know how much money is given in the offering. We praise those who have beautiful voices when they sing. In the end, none of those statistics are of any value or proof of our walk with God. The only factor that truly matters is the love we have for each other, both those who share a common faith, and those opposed to us, and may even treat us unkind. The resulting fruit of a life cultivated with God’s Spirit are clearly listed in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A22-23andversion=NLT (Galatians 5:22-23), But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
So the next time you find yourself getting puffed up by your righteous acts, or you see someone else who is falling prey to the statistics game, Stop. Remember that Jesus Christ instructed us to follow His example, which is abundantly simple. Christ tells us that the entire law and teaching of the prophets are summed up in two acts, Love God, Love others.
As the old saying goes, ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’ Jesus tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A35andversion=NLT (John 13:35) Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
I have to ask myself continually, how can something so simple, be so difficult to practice each day? What about you? What is your proof of who you are in Christ?
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1571 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for...
Welcome to Day 1571 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Cloud Rider – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1571 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
The Cloud Rider
We closed the last chapter by noting how Jesus began to talk about his death immediately after baiting the powers of darkness at the gates of hell and Mount Hermon. The challenge set in motion a string of events that would lead to the Lord’s trial and his death on the cross. Christians have read about the trial of Jesus many times. But there’s a supernatural backdrop to it that is frequently overlooked.
To understand what finally draws the death sentence from the Jewish authorities and the transfer of Jesus to Pontius Pilate to carry it out, we have to go back to the Old Testament book of Daniel—to a meeting God holds with his heavenly host, his divine council.
The Ancient of Days and His CouncilDaniel 7 begins with a strange vision. Daniel sees four beasts coming out of the sea (Daniel 7:1–8). They’re all freakish, but the fourth beast is the worst. In the dreams interpreted in the Old Testament, both objects and living things always represent something, and in this dream, the four beasts in Daniel’s vision are four empires. We know that because his vision aligns with the themes of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2, which was about Babylon and three other empires to follow. Our focus, though, is on what Daniel describes next in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+7%3A9-10andversion=NLT (Daniel 7:9-10):
I watched as thrones were put in place
and the Ancient One sat down to judge.
His clothing was as white as snow,
his hair like purest wool.
He sat on a fiery throne
with wheels of blazing fire,
and a river of fire was pouring out,
flowing from his presence.
Millions of angels ministered to him;
many millions stood to attend him.
Then the court began its session,
and the books were opened.
We know the Ancient of Days is the God of Israel. That’s pretty easy to determine, especially if we compare his throne’s description to Ezekiel’s vision of God’s throne (Ezekiel 1). The fire, wheels, and human form on the throne in that vision are the same as Daniel’s.
But did you notice there isn’t just one throne? There are many thrones in Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7:9)—enough for the divine court, God’s council (Daniel 7:10). The heavenly court meets to decide the fate of the beasts—the empires—in the vision.
It is decided that the fourth beast must be killed and the other beasts rendered powerless (Daniel 7:11–12). Another king and kingdom will displace them. And that’s where things get even more interesting.
The Son of Man Who Comes on the Clouds
Daniel continues narrating his vision in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+7%3A13-14andversion=NLT (Daniel 7:13-14):
As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven.
Welcome to Day 1570 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLive Every Day – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1570 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Vaughan Garwood, and it is: The only way to live your last day as you would want to, is to live like that all the time.
Live Every Day
If you woke up this morning were told that it would be your last day on earth, how would that change how you live that day? That may be a bit extreme of a question, but I would say that we would change whatever plans we had for that day and focus on what is most important. Let’s stretch the time out a bit. Say you only have one month to live, or even one year, and there was nothing you could do to change that fact. Would you live differently? Most of us would certainly make sure we have our affairs in order and then focus on creating a positive impact on our world. Think about it. None of us are guaranteed another day or even an hour. We should start living each day as if our time is finite, which it is. We should be living a legacy each day that would impact others for all eternity because our lives significantly impact our world. You are special, valuable, and unique in the sight of God and humankind. That knowledge should not cause us to be puffed up, but to be grateful to God with all humility that we are created as His image-bearer. Our lives are a shining light on a hill during the darkest of night. We are a beacon to those who are in need. So each day when you rise, after thanking God for another day of life, live each day as if it were your last, and your impact on others will last through eternity. Because your life matters, both to God, and to all the world. Live like it does because you are salt to a flavorless world, and a shining light in the darkest nights.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205%3A13%2D15andversion=NLT (Matthew 5:13-15)
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1569 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for...
Welcome to Day 1569 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Worldview of the Author and Word Meanings – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1564 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Worldview of the Author and Word Meanings· Insight Fifty-Seven: You Can’t Understand the Bible Without Understanding the Worldview of the People Who Wrote It
I’ve talked before about the importance of context for interpretation. The context of the Bible involves many things. Think about the many contexts for anything we write. Our past and present experiences naturally color the way we look at the world. What enters our minds in various forms of media becomes part of how we intellectually process the world. How we were taught to express ourselves informs how we communicate. We are a product of the intellectual climate and resources that we absorb. So were the biblical writers.
Much of what we find in the Bible cannot be understood well (or even at all) unless we see what’s written through ancient eyes. We must be able to think like the ancient writer. Doing that requires sharing his worldview. Obviously, we can’t hope to accomplish that task ultimately. But we providentially live at a time where it’s more possible than ever to get inside the head of biblical writers with respect to their worldview.
The key to discovering the biblical writers’ worldview is to read material that reflects their time and culture. Archaeology has uncovered a large amount of the intellectual output of the cultures that were part of the biblical world. Numerous tablets and manuscripts have been translated into English. That makes it possible for us to think more as they did. We can not only read about what people from Egypt, Babylon, and Canaan wrote and thought, we can read that material ourselves.
Some outstanding resources help us navigate this terrain. The best starting points are two books, Ancient Texts for the Study of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies. Both volumes are guides to the background literature produced by the civilizations of the ancient biblical world. The nine-volume Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary is also a premium reference tool.
Among the many resources these titles will direct you to are anthologies—collections of ancient English translation texts. The most up-to-date scholarly set is the three-volume Context of Scripture. James Pritchard’s Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament is a one-volume anthology. Other volumes focus solely on one writer or collection, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, or Philo. Access to the thinking of the ancient biblical world has never been more widely...
Welcome to Day 1568 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEnlightenment – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1568 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Vic Braden, and it is: The moment of enlightenment is when a person's dreams of possibilities become images of probabilities.
Enlightenment
We all have dreams, hopes, and expectations for the future of what could be possible. However, dreams will never become a reality unless you are willing to move those dreams to a plan and visualize them as actual probabilities. At that point, your mind will be enlightened, and you can take the first steps towards achieving those dreams. If you never go beyond the dream stage, you will never have those dreams come true. Dreams will become probabilities, and then reality when you turn those dreams into plans and then execute those plans. So my encouragement is to dream big, but do not be satisfied with living in your dream world. After your dream is fully scoped out, create a plan to achieve your dream, and then take action to turn that dream into a reality. Have faith in yourself and your God-given talents and ability. Live fully as God’s imager by impacting your world for the building of His kingdom and His glory.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2073%3A23%2D25andversion=NLT (Psalm 73:23-25)
Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+1%3A18andversion=NLT (Ephesians 1:18)
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1567 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1567 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMoving Mountains – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1567 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from a Chinese Proverb, and it is: The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Moving Mountains
No matter how large or intimidating a project or task is, it can be completed with perseverance when it is broken down into its smallest possible component. Many people will become overwhelmed when they are confronted with decisions or choices they face. Instead of just taking each next step one after another, they become paralyzed and make no progress. It is like standing at the bottom of a very long set of stairs and wondering how they will reach the top in a single step. When viewed in that manner, it is impossible. No matter how hard or difficult a journey may seem, to get through the most challenging journey, we need to take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping. If your life is in disarray, don’t try to overhaul your life overnight. Instead, focus on making one small change at a time. Over time, those small changes will add up to a significant transformation. Just don’t give up. Just breath in and breathe out and remember that moving forward means taking one step at a time. Even the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. When are children or employees would become overwhelmed with a task, I would ask them. “How do you eat an elephant?” I would then give them the answer, which is, “one bite at a time.” Bringing the conversation back to the quote for today. Persistence is the most potent force on earth. You can move mountains one small stone at a time.
So it is with our spiritual lives. So often, we are thwarted from making progress in our lives because we do not have the faith that God can enable us to accomplish all that we are capable of. We lack faith in our God-given talents and abilities. So my encouragement to you is to have faith and take your trek of life one step at a time. Move your mountains one small stone at a time. All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed, and you can be a mountain mover.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2017%3A20andversion=NLT (Matthew 17:20)
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1561 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend...
Welcome to Day 1566 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSupernatural Intent – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1566 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Supernatural Intent
In the last chapter, we saw how the Old Testament presents the messiah by hiding him in plain sight. The key to God’s plan to restore Eden and redeem humanity was for the messiah, Jesus, to die on the cross and then rise from the dead.
Only by becoming a man could God ensure that a human king from David’s line would rule over his people without falling into sin and straying spiritually. Only if that king died in the place of his people and rose from the dead could God rightly judge sin and provide salvation all at the same time. Only by the messiah’s death and resurrection would fallen people still have a place in God’s family council, ruling in that renewed Edenic kingdom, as originally planned.
But think about all that required: Jesus had to somehow make sure the supernatural powers of darkness manipulated men to kill him—without understanding what they were doing. As Paul had said to the Corinthians (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A8andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:8)), But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.
The life and ministry of Jesus may make more sense when viewed against that backdrop. It’s easy for readers of the New Testament, for instance, to get the impression that Jesus’ ministry leading up to the cross was somewhat random. After all, the Gospels don’t always present the same episodes—for example, the birth of Jesus is found in only two of them (Matthew and Luke), and only one mentions the wise men (Matthew 2). Sometimes scenes appear in a slightly different order in different gospels. But those acts of Jesus recorded in the Gospels leading up to the crucifixion—healing the sick, preaching about the kingdom of God, forgiving sinners, confronting hypocrisy—were more than the random acts of a traveling wise man who occasionally did miraculous things. There’s more going on in the gospel stories than meets the eye. There’s an essential subtext to what Jesus was doing.
Outwitting Evil
The event that marked the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry was his baptism. It was there that God publicly identified Jesus as his Son (Mark 1:11), and there that John the Baptist identified him in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A29andversion=NLT (John 1:29) “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! When we read those words from John, we think immediately about the crucifixion. But John’s disciples weren’t thinking about that. Frankly, no one was. When, close to the end of his ministry—over three years after his baptism—Jesus began to speak of his death, his disciples rejected the idea (Matthew 17:22–23; Mark 9:30–32). The last thing they expected to hear from...
Welcome to Day 1565 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLove Your Neighbor – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1565 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from George MacDonald, and it is: The love of our neighbor is the only door out of the dungeon of self.
Love Your Neighbor
If we are honest with ourselves, we realize that most everyone is self-centered, including ourselves. This problem has been with us since the Garden of Eden when after they chose to disobey God, Adam blamed Eve, who accused the Evil One. It is not until we realize our responsibility to seek what is best for those we love will we ever be able to find the keys to the dungeon of self-absorption. We need to learn how to love those who are unlovely. We need to learn to care for others without thoughts of reciprocation. We need to understand that anyone we have the privilege of crossing paths with is our neighbor. Therefore, we need to climb out of the pit of selfishness and love them as we love ourselves. We need to do good to those who have not the ability to do good back to us. The paradox with all of this is that we cannot fully love our neighbor until we understand the love that God has for us. We also need to love ourselves as God loves us. According to our savior Jesus Christ's teaching, God has provided an easy path for us to obey Him completely. God’s precepts are summed up in Luke 10:26-28, Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this, and you will live!”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1564 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1564 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Total Objectivity And The Weird – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1564 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Total Objectivity And The Weird· Insight Fifty-Five: Total Objectivity in Bible Interpretation Is a Myth
Everybody likes to think they’re objective. We all want to believe we can render opinions or judgments wholly divorced from any external influence or personal bias. We don’t like the suspicion that we’ve failed to weigh all possibilities about what a passage might mean before landing somewhere. That would make it seem like our position on some interpretation point is somehow premature, careless, or unfair. We can cherish the thought, but it’s a delusion.
Absolute objectivity about anything we enjoy thinking about or are forced to consider is an impossible standard. We can’t hope to jettison altogether every past sight, conversation, or experience from our minds that might nudge our opinions in a particular direction. Even if we’re thinking about something or someone with which we have no prior experience, we have our own presuppositions. We weren’t born with those. They are the cumulative result of all our life experiences, primarily how we were raised as children.
Scholars aren’t immune to this struggle. Dr. Heiser recalls one day in graduate school; his professor lapsed into a mini-lecture on what it meant to be a scholar. One of his points was that “real” scholars approach the Bible with no biases or presumptions. Specifically, they bring no prior belief about the Bible to their analysis of the biblical text. Ideas like inspiration and anything else “confessional” had to be eliminated for the real scholarship to occur.
I appreciated the spirit of the advice. We ought not to filter what we see in the text through any theological grid. But I also had to shake my head. The absence of any religious or theological thought about the Bible is impossible but is a theological statement. The intellectual denial of the idea of inspiration (however defined) will indeed influence how we process the data we glean from the text.
The honest thing to do is to acknowledge the beliefs we have. Every Bible student needs to own up to the fact that they might “believe” something only because the thought was handed down to them. Being upfront with that possibility and letting people know we’re trying hard not to filter the Bible through our beliefs fosters accountability. We shouldn’t pretend we are immune from the experience we’ve acquired through past study or our interaction with others interested in the Bible. That’s a façade.
· Insight Fifty-Six: If It’s Weird, It’s...
Welcome to Day 1563 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFacing Fear – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1563 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gramps, and it is: The function of fear is to warn us of danger, not to make us afraid to face it.
Facing Fear
It seems to me that so many people are fearful today. Maybe it has always been that way. Like so much of our news and information, the evidence of fear is exploding through social media. Even much of the division and anger we see on display is rooted in fear. A proper level of fear is required for our safety, but only when the evidence supports that fear, which is rare. We have become so used to fear, if we are faced with an event where we should be fearful, we do not know how to face that fear properly. Most media outlets and online social sites feed on people's fear because it drives eyeballs and revenue to their platform. This happens on all sides of the political spectrum. It is not reserved just for one ideology. Most of what we experience as fear today is False Evidence Appearing Real.
We cannot allow ourselves to succumb to fear. When we do face real fear, we need to face it head-on. Now, if there is imminent danger to our lives or the lives of those we love, then the response should be to remove yourself from that situation as quickly as possible. Otherwise, we need to conquer what is causing fear in our lives. Unfounded fear of success in any aspect of our life is an idea-crippling, experience-crushing, success-stalling inhibitor inflicted only by yourself. We must have the courage to carry on and fulfill our God-given destiny for our life. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. As Christ-followers, we need to come to the understanding that the opposite of faith is fear. Let us have faith that God is in control of our lives and all events throughout the world. God’s love will keep us in His arms, and nothing can separate us from His love.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208%3A38andversion=NLT (Romans 8:38)
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%201%3A7andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 1:7)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1562 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1562 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Father's Gift – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1562 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C. Neil Strait, and it is: The best gift a father can give to his child is the gift of himself — his time. For material things mean little, if there is not someone to share them with.
A Father’s Gift
There is one item in life that is not renewable, and that is time. We all have 168 hours each week to invest in any manner that you choose. If we have decided to have children, then they are one thing where we should invest our time in abundance. When your children are grown, they will remember very few of the material things you provide them, but investing time with them will reap an abundant harvest of blessings, both for them, but also for you. I understand that we do need to provide our children with food, clothing, and shelter. That requires working and investing time away from them. But are you allowing work to consume you, where you have very little time left to invest in your spouse and children? What your children need most is you, not fancy trinkets that are soon forgotten. If they have all the riches the world affords, but don’t have a dad to share his love with, then all is in vain. Invest wisely, and you are sure to reap a harvest of blessings. Learn to give the good and perfect gift of yourself to those you love.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A17andversion=NLT (James 1:17)
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1561 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1561 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHidden in Plain Sight – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1561 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Hidden in Plain Sight
Since the fall, God had been trying to revive his original goal for Eden: to live with both his divine and human family on earth. God had told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, thereby spreading God’s good rule over the rest of the planet. God wanted the whole earth to be a place where heaven and earth met, where humanity could enjoy the divine, and where the divine could enjoy earth and humanity. We know how that went.
A History of FailureHumanity sinned and was expelled from God’s presence. Eden was shut down. The divine enemy, the Serpent, was banished—cast or cut down—from God’s presence to earth, the place where death reigns, where life is not everlasting. He became lord of the dead, and therefore had a claim to every human being who would ever live—because they sin, and sin’s wages is death (Romans 6:23).
After the flood, God had repeated the goal of Eden to Noah and his family: be fruitful and multiply. It was a do-over. Instead, humanity rebelled. Rather than obey God and spread the knowledge and rule of God everywhere, they would build a tower where God could come to them.
Failure again. God wouldn’t go for it. He mixed up the nations’ languages and turned the nations over to his divine council to rule. Then he decided to start over with a new human family—through Abraham and Sarah. He would get back to the other nations—through Abraham’s descendants—once his kingdom rule was revived (Genesis 12:3).
Abraham and Sarah, too, were a failure. So was the next attempt, bringing Israel out of Egypt, then to Sinai, and then finally to the Promised Land. Israel failed. Eventually, God raised up David, and then Solomon. But after Solomon died, Israel followed other gods and the Israelites turned on each other. God had to expel them from the Promised Land in exile.
The human story, apart from God’s presence, is the story of failure. This is because humanity is lost since the fall. All humans are imperfect and estranged from God. No human leader could be trusted with starting and maintaining God’s kingdom. They would resist loyalty to God alone. They would go their own way. Humans would sin, fail, and join the lord of the dead, God’s great enemy. But God’s vision of sharing the blessing of being steward-kings over a new Eden couldn’t happen without humans. The only way humans would ever be able to hold up their end of God’s plan would be for them to be made new again. The curse of the fall must be lifted. And for that, God had a plan.
The Solution—and a Problem
God needed a man who was more than man—someone who could resist temptation, who would always obey, who was fit for kingship, who could reverse the curse of death by dying and then rising again by his own power. All of that could...
Welcome to Day 1560 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAging Gracefully – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1560 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michel de Montaigne, and it is: Take care that old age does not wrinkle your spirit even more than your face.
Aging Gracefully
Even with today’s technological advances, every person on earth is aging a bit more each day. There is no way to completely stop or reverse the aging process completely, but if we take care of ourselves physically, we may slow it somewhat. Lifespans are certainly being extended, but there is no fountain of youth. We may not be able to stop the wrinkles and other physical signs of aging, but with those wrinkles and white hair, we should be growing in wisdom. As we grow in wisdom, there is a more critical aspect to aging that we do have some control over, which is the aging of our spirit. We don’t have to let the aging process destroy our spirit. We can remain youthful in our souls based on the wisdom we gain with our age. Each day our spirit can be re-energized and renewed. We can allow the experiences in our lives and the lessons that we have learned from them to smooth out our internal wrinkles. With age comes maturity; at least that should be a by-product of age. Maturity does not have to dampen our spirit but can energize us to make a more significant impact on our world, no matter how large or small our world is. Few people understand the impact their lives have on their world. The more we age, the more significant impact we will have on eternity. One movie that portrays this concept so well is my favorite Christmas movie, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ Jimmy Stewart, who plays George Bailey, gets to experience how his life impacted the entire town of Bedford Falls. He was just an ordinary person whose impact was immense and the lives of many others. As I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I am reminded daily how my legacy will impact my world. Both physically and within my spirit, I still see myself as forever young. While I pray that God will grant me at least another 65 years to impact eternity, I have to live each day with the realization of what I do today is important. May God grant you a wrinkle-free spirit and me.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2012%3A12andversion=NLT (Job 12:12)
Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+92%3A12-15andversion=NLT (Psalm 92:12-15)
But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age, they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green.
They will declare, “The Lord is just!
He is my rock!
There is no evil in him!”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1559 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be
Welcome to Day 1559 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Nonliterial Real Interpretations – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1559 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Nonliterial Real Interpretations· Insight Fifty-Three: Nonliteral Doesn’t Mean “Not Real.”
I talked earlier about how “literal interpretation” isn’t easy to define. The whole idea of what “literal” interpretation means needs interpretation. The frequent insistence on thinking only in literal terms (whatever that means) has led to the caricature of other kinds of interpretation. Nonliteral interpretation, many are told, is just a strategy to avoid what the Bible clearly says. When something in the Bible threatens people (e.g., makes them draw a different conclusion than the one they favor), those panicked souls resort to “allegorizing” or “spiritualizing” the text. That’s nonsense.
I do not deny that people do come up with weird interpretations to avoid something they don’t like in Scripture. I deny that this is an acceptable portrayal of nonliteral interpretation. It had better be, since New Testament writers do at times take their Old Testament nonliterally.
The myth is that “nonliteral” somehow means “not real” or “I don’t want what I’m reading to be real.” The kind of nonliteral interpretation the New Testament writers sometimes engage in is hardly the result of wishing something in the Bible isn’t true.
The idea behind the kind of nonliteral interpretation you’ll find in the Bible is that sometimes the text’s meaning transcends what we would expect the passage to “literally” mean. The text means more than what immediately pops into our head. Nonliteral interpretation presumes that what God means by a statement might go beyond what humans presume. Since the spiritual realm is just as real as our physical, embodied existence, we have no right to make such presumptions. Nonliteral doesn’t mean not real. It often means more real than you imagined.
For example, there is a considerable debate over the nature of the Antichrist figure in the New Testament. Some say the Antichrist will be a man, perhaps the Devil incarnate. Others say that Antichrist is a symbol of evil. In both perspectives, believers’ suffering that ensues from the appearance of this man/evil is real. It would be dishonest for the “literal man” perspective to argue that the “symbol of evil” side wants to escape what the text says. Whatever the text means, the evil will be a clear and present danger.
Don’t embrace caricatures of interpretive approaches you don’t like or have little experience with. Find out what an approach really says.
· Insight Fifty-Four: Be Open to Nonliteral...
Welcome to Day 1558 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSmall Opportunities – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1558 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Demosthenes, a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens during the 4th century BC. It is: Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
Small Opportunities
As with anything that turns out great, it starts with something small. Even in nature, this is true. The great and mighty oak trees that grow to be 50 or 100 feet in height and up to 10 feet in diameter begin with a single tiny acorn that can be crushed underfoot. A large, successful business enterprise begins with a germ of thought, then to a small tangible business, and then continues to grow and excel as it is nurtured. A successful marriage starts with nothing but love, hopes, and dreams but can then grow and flourish to bring a life full of happiness and contentment. So it is with the kingdom of God. It started with one man, Jesus Christ, who was also God in the flesh. He began with a handful of faithful disciples, and the Christian movement has spread throughout the entire world to every tribe and nation. We have yet to see what the kingdom of God will fully become, but it continues to increase and flourish, even under intense persecution in some parts of the world. Jesus used an example of the smallest of seeds and a pinch of yeast on how such a small item can impact its world to a great measure. So let me ask you, what small opportunities are you taking advantage of in all areas of life to significantly impact your world? Be a mustard seed or a pinch of yeast.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13%3A31-33andversion=NLT (Matthew 13:31-33)
Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1557 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1557 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Day of Rest – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1557 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert Schoen, and it is: Setting aside a day of rest is difficult. We are surrounded by too many things to do, too many places to go, and far too many distractions. What would it be like if we could ignore these distractions and spend an entire day every week with our family and friends, and our spiritual thoughts? An answer to this hypothetical question appears in the Talmud, which tells us that the world would be redeemed if everyone observed only two consecutive Sabbaths.
A Day of Rest
This quote does convict me, as I am sure it does for many of you. I do struggle to set aside an entire day per week to rest and relax. Even Sunday, when we do set aside time for worship and fellowship, the remainder of the day is usually filled with chores around the house, or work-related duties I am trying to catch up on. I understand in my heart that life would go on, and I would complete all that is needed in the other six days of the week. Still, my mind and inner drive seems to automatically take control to distract me from a day to rest, relax, and recharge my body, mind, and soul. Habits are difficult to break, even when they are socially acceptable as noble habits. Will you join me during this year to make a more conscious effort to set one day aside each week for rest? If we don’t purposely do so, then we will continue to fall into the routines in which we are comfortable. God set the example at creation in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202%3A2andversion=NLT (Genesis 2:2). On the seventh day, God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.
Fortunately, we are not under the strict laws that God set for the Israelite nation in the first five books of the Old Testament referred to as the Talmud. The penalty for not observing the sabbath was severe. Even for the nation of Israel, the Sabbath rest found in the Law was pointing to both the rest, which would be found within the Promised Land, and our future rest in God. Today, our rest is to be found in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The book of Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 has the best description of the rest. Let me read Hebrews 4:6-11. So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts.”[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A6-11andversion=NLT#fen-NLT-29982a (a)]
Now, if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
Until we are able to experience this full rest when we reign with God in the new Eden, let us...
Welcome to Day 1556 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHoly War – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1556 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Holy War
The Bible is a controversial book. People who don’t see it as the Word of God often object to what it says. But some parts of the Bible make even Christians uncomfortable. Israel’s war to conquer the Promised Land is a case in point. Why? Mostly because of the killing. It seems indiscriminate and far too thorough. Why was it necessary to kill entire populations in some cities—men, women, children, and even livestock? Why not let the inhabitants surrender? Wouldn’t it be better to exile them than to slaughter them?
There’s an answer to those objections—but I’ve discovered that the answer seems to make Christians as uncomfortable as the problem. You can only understand the rationale and motive of the conquest accounts when you see them through the supernatural worldview of an Israelite.
Israel’s Supernatural LogicThe battles for the Promised Land were framed by two factors, both deeply rooted in Israel’s understanding of their world as not only the abode of humankind but also the prize in an unseen spiritual war. We’ve talked about both of them already, but let’s review.
One factor is the fallout from the events at the Tower of Babel, when God decided, after the nations rebelled against him, that he no longer wanted a direct relationship with the people of those nations. Instead, he assigned members of his divine council, the sons of God, to govern them (Deuteronomy 4:19–20; 32:8–9). Afterward, he called Abraham and enabled him and his wife Sarah to have a child (Isaac), from whom the people of Israel would come.
We learned in Psalm 82 that these lesser gods became corrupt. They allowed injustice. People came to worship them instead of the Most High God. Thus, they became enemies of God and his people, Israel. Since some of those nations were within the land of Canaan, which God purposed to give to his nation Israel after the exodus, Moses and the Israelites believed the people who occupied those lands were their mortal enemies and their gods would do all they could to destroy Israel.
The second factor was even more frightening for the Israelites. It’s best explained by what happened when the Israelites arrived at the border of Canaan, the Promised Land.
Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan to report on the land and its inhabitants. The spies came back with evidence that the land itself was wonderful—it flows “with milk and honey”—just as God had told them (Numbers 13:27). But then ten of the spies dropped a bombshell in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+13%3A32-33andversion=NLT (Numbers 13:32-33): “So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw...
Welcome to Day 1555 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBegin Again Every Day – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1555 of our Trek, and it's time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C. S. Lewis, and it is: Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.
Begin Again Every Day
Our reliance on God is so fleeting. Some days when we have nowhere else to turn, we are forced to turn to God and rely on Him. On other days, we feel so self-reliant that we dismiss God entirely from our lives. In our hearts, we think that we are self-made when, in reality, we must come to the recognition that each breath that we take is a gift from God. Just like God’s mercies to us are afresh each day, so must our reliance on God be. As we rise each day, we must acknowledge that in view of eternity, our life is like the morning fog; it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. Until we have that type of mindset and reliance on God, we will continually struggle with each day of life with its ebbs and flows like the ocean tide. So let us today, and every day, rely solely on God, who by His divine power has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A3-9andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:3-9)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1554 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you
Welcome to Day 1554 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Communication and Word Meanings – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1554 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Communication and Word Meanings· Insight Fifty-One: Most Passages in the Bible Don’t Have Three Points to Communicate
Here is what Dr. Heiser has to say about this insight. I’ll admit it. I’m taking a swipe at contemporary preaching. I’m in a grumpy mood. But it’s not just for personal satisfaction. It’ll illustrate something important for Bible study. Honest.
As a Bible college student, I can recall marveling at the preacher’s ability to produce three points from any biblical passage. It didn’t matter how short or long the passage was: three points. You could throw Zephaniah or Obadiah at them: three points. I’ve heard three-point sermons on one verse. In my freshman year of college, we were taught in a sermon prep class; every sermon must have three points and a poem.
As a young pastoral intern, we were required to preach for the pastors each week. I can recall casting aside passages in my Bible that I thought was fascinating or spiritually challenging because I wasn’t clever enough to break it down into three points. I didn’t see the inspired symmetry. Now I can see how ridiculous this was.
It dawned on me one day that the problem wasn’t me. It was the artificial nature of what I was trying to do. The goal of Bible study should be to grasp the meaning of the text. Serious study of the Bible should produce people who can trace the text’s argument or follow a theological breadcrumb trail through a book or section of the Bible. Working in a text means discerning its literary structure, intelligently created by the original authors to communicate to an audience that would have seen what they were doing.
If that sounds like work, it is. If you don’t think Bible study is work, you aren’t doing it. Serious Bible study requires spending time in the original text and learning the art of reading the Scripture as literature, because that’s what it is. Biblical writers did not work without agendas or strategies. Their work isn’t random. They were careful and deliberate about what they were writing. Inspiration isn’t a synonym for amateur hour.
If the goal of Bible study is grasping the meaning of the text, the goal of preaching ought to be communicating that meaning. All too often, what happens in the pulpit isn’t preaching the text— it’s talking about the text. Any Bible student who has occasion to communicate their discoveries to someone else needs to know those enterprises are not the same. One is teaching the text. The other is transmitting your thoughts—in three...
Welcome to Day 1553 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPatience With Ourselves – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1553 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Evelyn Underhill, and it is: Patience with ourselves is a duty for Christians and the only humility. For it means patience with a growing creature whom God has taken in hand and whose completion he will effect in his own time and way.
Patience With Ourselves
It happens so often; we become impatient and frustrated with others, because we are impatient and frustrated with ourselves. We need to realize that we are still imperfect in our current earthly state as an imager of God. We need to show patience with ourselves and others because we are a growing creature whom God has taken in His hands, and if we follow His Word and the precepts found therein, we will become more and more like Jesus Christ, who was a perfect imager of God. God is perfecting us in His own time and way, not according to our schedule. In this new year, we need to resolve to accept our shortcomings and the shortcomings of everyone we meet and interact with. God’s timing is perfect, and he is willing to accept our imperfections because He sees us as we are in Christ. When we do stumble and fail, which we will, we can still go boldly before God’s throne and receive mercy and find grace to help us when we need it most. Consider this also when you are frustrated and impatient with others.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%204%3A14%2D16andversion=NLT (Hebrews 4:14-16)
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1552 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!
Welcome to Day 1552 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThings That Matter – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1552 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is: Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Things That Matter
Let me ask you, what things matter to you? Are you silent about the things that truly matter? With today’s social media frenzy and 24-hour news cycles, we see many people get very excited about whatever the current hot button for the day is, but do most of those things really matter? Can you even remember what the headlines of the day were a year ago, five years ago, or ten years ago? Probably not, and yet they seemed to be so crucial at the time. The things that truly matter are those things that endure over the decades and centuries. They are love, justice, and compassion for fellow humans throughout the world, not only in our little corner of the world. What matters is not empire building, but the continual establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. These are the things that we cannot remain silent. God’s kingdom, and our love for humankind, are of utmost importance, and these are not tied to any particular country or ethnic group but all humanity. It is such a simple concept, yet we seem to fall short of putting it into practice. The prophet Micah summed it up in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%206%3A8andversion=NLT (Micah 6:8)
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
We try to complicate the issues, we get riled up, protest, and treat our fellow humans horribly about so many things that don’t matter for eternity, and yet we remain silent on the fundamental principles found in God’s Word. Jesus Christ taught us that all laws are summed up in two principles which are found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A36-39andversion=NLT (Matthew 22:36-39): “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses? Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Let us not remain silent on things that matter.
As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1551 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with...
Welcome to Day 1551 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSacred Space – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1551 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Sacred Space
The Israelites spent over a year at Mount Sinai. Why so long? They had already entered into a covenant with God and received the Ten Commandments. But they still had a lot to learn. It was one thing to promise to believe in and be loyal to the God of their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was another to know what God expected and what he was like.
The Concept of HolinessMany of the Old Testament’s strange laws and practices are grounded in the need to teach people that God is unlike everything else. He is unique in his nature and character; he is entirely other than humanity and anything else. For Israel, that was a truth that had to be reinforced at all times. Otherwise, God might be thought of as ordinary.
The biblical word for the idea of God’s unique otherness is holiness. It means “to be set apart” or “to be distinct.” The concept isn’t necessarily about moral conduct—about the idea that we should behave a certain way to reflect God’s distinct moral standards—though that is included (Leviticus 19:2).
God wasn’t content to simply give Israelites an intellectual explanation of holiness. He wanted the concept of his otherness to permeate life in ancient Israel. The Bible tells us this was accomplished through rituals (symbolic acts) and by rules for approaching sacred areas.
How Is God “Other”?The short answer to this question is “in every way,” but that’s too abstract. The Bible is much more down-to-earth, and the rituals and rules for Israelite community living reflect that.
For example, the Bible teaches us that God was not only the source of Israel’s life—he was life. God is not of this earth, a place where there is death, disease, and imperfection. His realm is supernatural. Our realm is terrestrial. The earthly space he occupies is made sacred and otherworldly by his presence. The space we occupy is ordinary. God is the polar opposite of ordinary.
In ancient Israel, these ideas were conveyed by the fact that people had to be invited and purified to occupy the same space as God. Many laws in the Old Testament regulate this purifying.
Israelites could be disqualified (made “unclean”) from sacred space by various activities and conditions. Having sex, losing blood, certain physical handicaps, and touching a dead body (human or animal) all rendered an Israelite unclean. Israelites were forbidden from eating certain birds of prey that ate from dead animals (e.g., vultures, hawks; Leviticus 11:13–19) or animals that might be found on or inside a carcass (e.g., lizards, mice; Leviticus 11:24–40).
In these instances, uncleanness was not about morality but rather about association with loss of life and the incompatibility of that with God’s perfection. Even though...
Welcome to Day 1550 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomReasons for Thankfulness – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1550 of our Trek, and it's time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from J. Robert Maskin, and it is: One of life's gifts is that each of us, no matter how tired and downtrodden, finds reasons for thankfulness.
Reasons for Thankfulness
As we approach the end of a year, which has been difficult for most of the world, I find that many have expressed how tired and downtrodden they feel. Even though Granny and my daily routine has not changed that much this year, we have become weary of it all. This year has been full of uncertainty, unrest, contested elections, illness of loved ones, aging parents in decline, and negative financial impact for many. So what should our mindset be at times like this? No matter how tired and downtrodden you may feel, the gift of life given to us by an all-loving God helps us find reasons for thankfulness each day. Yes, life is difficult, and many days it feels like we are building on shifting unstable sand. Regardless of the daily uncertainties, we can have confidence that beneath that shifting sand is a solid bedrock that is our foundation. God is our foundation, and He does not change like shifting shadows from day to day. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
Even though you may be going through a challenging year and looking forward to next year, realize that even in the most challenging situation, even when you are tired and downtrodden, you can and should always find reasons for thankfulness.
When we are tired we need rest. Rest in the following three verses.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A48andversion=NLT (Luke 6:48)
It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A8andversion=NLT (Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A17andversion=NLT (James 1:17)
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1549 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great...
Welcome to Day 1549 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – The Details and Context of Bible Interpretation – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1549 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – The Details and Context of Bible Interpretation· Insight Forty-Nine: “Level of Detail” Is Not a Key to Bible Interpretation
I’ll have to explain this one. It’s a pet peeve of mine.
The ‘level of detail approach to interpretation is something that careless Bible teachers and even scholars use to justify certain “literal” interpretations of prophecy, whatever “literal” means. The more detailed an Old Testament prophecy (so we are told), the more it demands a literal fulfillment in the “end times.”
Really? Let’s think about that logic.
More detail in a prophecy = literal interpretation. If so, what does that mean for prophecies that have less detail? Should we presume their fulfillment is nonliteral? The truth is that the amount of words or the length of a prophecy is no indication of how it should be interpreted.
For example, the prophet Ezekiel uses nine chapters (40-48) to envision a future, idealized temple that would replace the recently destroyed Jerusalem temple. The densely detailed description is often used to justify the interpretation that the vision requires a literal fulfillment— that Ezekiel’s vision is the blueprint for a structure that will someday be built in Jerusalem. Other interpreters point out that the level of detail omits items that are crucial to a functioning temple. The prophecy is almost entirely devoid of height dimensions, an odd omission if these were building plans. Essential furnishings found in the earlier temple and the tabernacle, such as the ark of the covenant and the golden lampstand, are missing from Ezekiel’s description. There are no lavers for priests to wash themselves. There is no wall around the inner court and no roof to any part of the envisioned temple, which are both essential to preserve the sanctity of the sacred space. While nine chapters offer a significant amount of detail, these omissions would produce an incomplete, nonfunctional building. Detail alone cannot justify literal interpretation.
Alternatively, prophecies of little more than one line were certainly envisioning a literal event. But that often didn’t matter. They were still difficult. Even after the resurrection, the disciples had trouble processing what had just happened and what it meant (Luke 24:36-49). The risen Jesus had to ‘‘open their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). The Gospels were written in hindsight, and only in hindsight could the disciples discern the importance of prophecies like Zechariah 9:9 (“your...
Welcome to Day 1548 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLoving Those Who Annoy Us – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1547 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Hannah Whitall Smith, and it is: Nothing else but seeing God in everything can make us loving and patient with those who annoy us. When we realize that they are only the instruments for accomplishing His purpose in our lives, we will actually be able to thank them [inwardly] for the blessings they bring us.
Loving Those Who Annoy Us
Are there people in your life that just tend to annoy you and rub you the wrong way? I know this has been true in my life at times. How should we deal with those people? We need to understand a couple of fundamental truths. First and foremost, we must realize that every person is an imager of God. If we are also to image God, then we must practice God's attributes, which show love and patience to all persons, even if they are annoying, and don’t reciprocate love and patience to us. I realize that fully imaging God requires that a person accepts through believing loyalty God's salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not up to us to make that determination. Just as God accepted us ‘while we were still sinners,’ so must we accept others. The second truth that we need to grasp is that God may use those very persons who annoy us to refine and perfect us. We must show love and patience to all, those who are easy to love and those who are not easy to love. Although we may not express it verbally to those who annoy us, we should internally thank them and God for their blessings, allowing us to show love and patience even when we may not feel like it.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A5-8andversion=NLT (2 Peter 1:5-8)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1547 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See
Welcome to Day 1547 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMoney is Useful and Useless – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1547 of our Trek, and it's time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rick Warren, and it is: Money is a useful servant but a useless god. If you don’t manage money, it manages you.
Money Is Useful And Useless
Money, we all desire it, but how much is enough? This question has been our dilemma since the beginning of commerce. In and of itself, money is neither good nor bad. Yes, for all practical purposes, it is a necessity to live in today's world, but it does not bring happiness, peace, or contentment. We work so hard to obtain it, but would give it all up in an instant for one more breath of life for ourselves or our loved ones. It all boils down to whether you manage your money effectively, or if you allow it to manage you. Many times we will enable it to control us. We buy things that we don’t need. The more that you own, the more those very things own you. Some examples of this are buying a home, land, a car, or a boat, that we cannot comfortably afford. We then have to work more just to maintain that lifestyle.
Money can be a useful servant that will enable us to further God’s kingdom here on earth, but it makes a useless god if it controls us. We have to understand that God owns and retains all that we have. At best, we are caretakers of the things that He has allowed us to manage. Once we die, we take nothing with us, and it passes onto someone else to be the caretaker. This understanding is more of a reality for Granny and me, as we own the generational home and land everyone in the family refers to as ‘The Big House’ which my great-grandparents built in 1903. We realize that while we are responsible for maintaining the home and having the privilege of living in it, we are but caretakers for the family and God. So it should be with all that we have. When you have this mindset, then money no longer controls us, but we are responsible for managing all that God has given us to care for.
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%206%3A17andversion=NLT (1 Timothy 6:17)
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1546 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving...
Welcome to Day 1546 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomRules of Engagement – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1545 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Rules of Engagement
So far, we have covered the first six chapters and Supernatural. Here is what we covered during the past six Worldview Wednesdays: God cast aside the nations and their peoples at Babel. The lesser gods assigned to them took dominion (Deuteronomy 32:8–9). When God started over with Abraham, it was clear that he planned to one day reclaim the nations through the influence of Israel (Genesis 12:3). But the gods of the nations would have to be forced to surrender their power and worship (Psalm 82:6–8). That meant conflict—in both the seen and unseen realms. As soon as there was an Israel, she was in the crosshairs of the lesser gods.
Who Is Yahweh?It doesn’t take long in the biblical story for Israel to wind up in a precarious position. The story of Joseph (Genesis 37–50) explains why Israel went to Egypt. God’s providence turned the harm intended Joseph by his brothers to the salvation of Israel from famine (Genesis 46:3–4; 50:20). That God didn’t tell Israel to leave Egypt right away was also intentional. God knew the Pharaoh who honored Joseph would die and be replaced by an enemy (Exodus 1). He had foreseen that Egypt would put the Israelites into forced labor (Genesis 15:13–16). He also knew he would rescue Israel when the time was right (Genesis 46:4).
But why wait? God always has a good reason for suffering. We just can’t always see it. In this case, though, Scripture makes it clear. After Moses had fled Egypt and taken up residence in the wilderness, God called him at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1–14) to send him back to Egypt. His orders were simple: tell Pharaoh, “Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1). Pharaoh had other ideas. He was god in the flesh in Egypt, the emblem of all its glory and power. He wasn’t going to let some invisible God of Hebrew shepherds tell him what to do. He didn’t even know whether the God of Moses was real. He mockingly replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?” (Exodus 5:2).
He was about to get an answer—one that would hurt. God had set him up. God had told Moses, “I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21). God had a fight to pick. After they had oppressed the Israelites for centuries, it was time for Egypt and its gods to be punished. Pharaoh’s hardening was part of that plot. The Bible tells us the plagues were aimed at Egypt’s gods—especially the last one, the death of the firstborn. (Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4), This final plague turned out to be a direct assault on Pharaoh’s house. Here is the description in Exodus 12:29, “At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the...
Welcome to Day 1545 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLosers Yearn While Winners Learn – Wisdom UnpluggedWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps, thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1545 of our Trek, and it's time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: Losers yearn for the past and get stuck in it. Winners learn from the past and let go of it.
Losers Yearn While Winners Learn
We all have a past, but we cannot live there. It is your choice to determine if you look back on your past, thinking that they are the ‘good old days’ that you wish to return to, or if you will learn the lessons from the past. The past can teach us many things, but you cannot continue to live there, it is gone. We must learn the lessons, both the good experiences and those which were devastating. If you don’t learn from the past lessons but continue to yearn for that time, there is no way to move forward. You will be forever quagmired in a time which will never return. In that situation, you are losing twice. You have not learned from the past, and you are paralyzed because you are not moving forward. Instead of always looking back and wishing, learn the lessons that those experiences have taught you and look forward with hope and expectancy to a much better and brighter future. So today, make your choice, are you going to yearn or learn? It is your choice.
The wisest person who ever lived, King Solomon, taught us this lesson,
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2019%3A25andversion=NLT (Proverbs 19:25)
If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.
In the later years of his life, he also tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%207%3A10andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 7:10)
Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1544 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1544 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – "Literal" Interpretations and "Meanings" of Original Language – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1544 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – “Literal” Interpretation and “Meaning” of Original Language· Insight Forty-Seven: What is meant by “Literal” Interpretation of the Bible Needs Interpretation
Many readers have heard the old argument in defense of literal Bible interpretation: “When the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense. It’s pithy. If you don’t overthink it, it might even sound like it makes sense. It’s not very helpful.
Consider the word “water. What does it “literally” mean? What exactly is its “plain sense”? Here are a few possibilities:
Noun:
H20 (chemical compound)
Body of water (“Look at all that water.”)
Ocean
Sea
Lake
Pond
River
Stream
Creek
Inlet
Liquid drink (“I’d like some water.”)
Hydration supply (“They turned off the water.”)
Verb:
Irrigate (“Water the fields.”)
Provide hydration (“He watered the cattle.”)
Saliva (“My mouth watered.”)
Tearing up (“His eyes watered.”)
Which one of these is the plainest of the plain? That’s the point. They’re all plain. What distinguishes them is context. Things get even more interesting when you move into metaphorical meanings for water, which can be exactly what context requires. “Water” can speak of a life source, purification, transformation, motion, or danger. The metaphors work because of the “literal’ characteristics of water.
Biblical writers used words loaded with symbolic, abstract meanings that were well known in their culture. We miss all that when we insist words must mean what pops into our heads in our time and culture. We ought to be trying to discern what the biblical writers and their original readers were thinking, not what we’re thinking. What the “plain sense” is to us may not have been at all plain to them.
· Insight Forty-Eight: The Meaning of an Original Language Word Is Not Determined by the Sound of That Word in a Different Language
I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering how in the world anyone could believe that the title of this section could be true. I agree; the idea is genuinely bizarre. That’s why it’s so disturbing when you encounter people who think they’re “digging into the Word’’ by interpreting Scripture that way.
I’ll start with a typical example many readers will (sadly) have heard. Ezekiel 38:2-3 refer to a figure known as “Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. The Hebrew behind “chief prince” is pronounced nesi rosh. Some well-meaning Bible teachers want to translate
Welcome to Day 1543 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Robots Are Coming – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1543 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is - “Hey Gramps, there has been robotics used in factories for years helping to streamline manufacturing. How soon will robotics be a major impact in the retail sector?”
The Robots Are Coming!
For our episode today, I am using some information from Peter Diamandis’s blog and newly released book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
The robots are coming! On our sidewalks, in our skies, in our every store… Over the next decade, robots will enter the mainstream of retail. The numbers back it up: in the last eight years, the global retail robotics market is projected to grow by order of magnitude, from $4.78 billion in 2018 to $41.67 billion in 2026.
As countless robots work behind the scenes to stock shelves, serve customers, and deliver products to our doorstep, the speed of retail will continue to increase. These changes were already underway, and the pandemic has accelerated them.
Let’s dive in...
Robot DeliveryOn August 3rd, 2016, Domino’s Pizza introduced the Domino’s Robotic Unit, or “DRU” for short. The first home delivery pizza robot, the DRU looks like a cross between R2-D2 and an oversized microwave.
LIDAR and GPS sensors help it navigate, while temperature sensors keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Now called “DOM” (which is also the name of Domino’s chatbot for placing orders), the robot has been undergoing trial runs in ten countries, including New Zealand, France, and Germany. The August 2016 debut was critical, as it was the first time we’d seen robotic home delivery. It won’t be the last. A dozen or so different delivery bots are fast entering the market.
Starship Technologies, for instance, a startup created by Skype founders Janus Friis and Ahti Heinla, has a general-purpose home delivery robot. Right now, the system is an array of cameras and GPS sensors. Still, upcoming models will include microphones, speakers, and even the ability to communicate with customers via AI-driven natural language processing. Since 2016, Starship has already carried out 500,000 deliveries across more than 20 countries.
Along similar lines, Nuro—co-founded by Jiajun Zhu, one of the engineers who helped develop Google’s self-driving car—has a miniature self-driving car of its own. Half the sedan’s size, the Nuro looks like a toaster on wheels, except with a mission. This toaster was designed to carry cargo—originally about 12 bags of groceries — which it has been doing for select Kroger stores since 2018. Two years later, the company has a new...
Welcome to Day 1542 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Smart Sisters – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1542 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Smart Sisters
John and his wife Susan purchased the old family home in Northern New York State from John’s two elderly sisters who had lived there for the past 40 years. John and Susan moved in during July and enjoyed a wonderful summer and fall in the house. The leaves during the fall were beautiful, but the nights were starting to turn cold. With winter approaching, Susan expressed her concern about the house’s lack of insulation.
John thought about that for a moment, then confidently said, “If my two older sisters, who are 10 and 12 years older than us could live here all those years, so can we!”
During an early November night, the temperature plunged to below zero, and John and Susan woke up to find the interior walls covered with frost. They couldn’t believe that the older sisters could stand living there for so many years with it being so cold.
To solve this mystery, John decided to call his sisters to ask how they had kept warm in the winter.
After a relatively brief conversation, John hung up. “For the past 35 years,” John muttered, “they’ve spent the winter in Florida.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A15-17andversion=NLT (James 2:15-17)
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1541 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you
Welcome to Day 1541 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Word, The Name, and The Angel – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1541 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
The Word, the Name, and the AngelIn the last chapter, we learned about the cosmic geography of the Bible. In response to human rebellion at the Tower of Babel, God forsook the nations. He assigned them to members of his heavenly council, the sons of God (Deuteronomy 32:8–9). To replace the now-forsaken nations, he would create a new people, a nation of his own. They would be his agents to renew his kingdom on earth. That task would prove to be an awful struggle, as the other gods and the people of their domains would become fierce enemies of Israel and God. God’s new people would begin with a man named Abram, whose name he would later change to Abraham. Soon after the judgment at Babel, God visited him.
Abraham Meets the Word
Most Christians are familiar with God’s visit to Abraham in Genesis 12. God tells Abraham to leave his home and go to a place he’s never seen. God promises to guide him. He tells Abraham he will be his God and gives him special covenant promises. He’ll enable Abraham and Sarah to have a son, though they are both elderly. From that son will come multitudes of people—people who will form the new earthly family of God. Through them, the nations will be blessed.
We tend to think Abraham’s encounters with God were a voice from heaven or in Abraham’s head. Or perhaps God came in a dream. The Bible is clear that God did that sort of thing with the prophets and other people. That isn’t what happened with Abraham. God did something more dramatic. He came as a man and talked with Abraham face-to-face.
We get a hint of this in Genesis 12:6–7. The Bible says God appeared to Abraham. Three chapters later, God appears again (Genesis 15:1–6). This time God comes to Abraham as “the word of the Lord” in a vision. This vision wasn’t a voice in the head, since the “word” brought Abraham outside and showed him the stars to make the point that his offspring would be uncountable (Genesis 15:5).
God appeared to Abraham as a man on other occasions (Genesis 18). He did the same to Isaac (Genesis 26:1–5), the son God had promised, and Jacob, the son of Isaac (Genesis 28:10–22; 31:11–12; 32:24–30).
The “word” or voice of God as a way of expressing God in human form shows up in unexpected places. One of my favorite instances is found in 1 Samuel 3. The boy Samuel kept hearing a voice calling him at night while he was trying to sleep. Eventually, Eli, the priest with whom Samuel lived and for whom he worked, figured out it was God. In https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+3%3A10andversion=LEB (1 Samuel 3:10), God came back to Samuel: Then Yahweh came and stood there and called out as before,...
Welcome to Day 1540 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPouring Out Joy – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1540/ (Day 1540) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Henry Ward Beecher, and it is, "Live to shed joys on others."
Pouring Out Joy
In the quote today we understand the word shed here is living in a deliberate and chosen manner in which you are pouring joy out of yourselves so that it will cascade from you and envelope others, bathing them in joy. As we have noted in the past, your joy is not dependent on how pleasant and unencumbered your life is, but on that internal intrinsic knowledge that God is in control of your life. And you can peacefully rest in that fact.
When you have real joy, then you can pour that joy on others any time you have the opportunity to do so. We need to live in such a way that our lives continually are bubbling over with joy. When that joy is splashing from our lives continuously, it will naturally pour out to others. We should never become weary sharing our joy because our lives are full of joy at all times, regardless of what we may be experiencing on any given day.
As an example of this, the Apostle Paul had this to say about the church in Macedonia in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%208%3A2andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 8:2.)
They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
He later wrote these encouraging words to the church in Galatia in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%206%3A9andversion=NLT (Galatians 6:9.)
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1539 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1539 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Words, Correlation, and Causation – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1539 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Words, Correlation, and Causation· Insight Forty-Five: Words Don’t Mean Anything By Themselves
We all know from experience that the words we use can be understood and intended in different ways. No word means the exact same thing every time it’s used. I love my wife, and I love pizza. The pizza really isn’t giving my wife competition for my attention. My emotional attachment to my wife is of a different nature and intensity than my desire for pizza. I can use the word “love” for both.
What helps us so easily parse a difference here? Real-life. Our experiences provide context. Words don’t mean anything in isolation. They can’t mean anything until they are put in context. Context determines word meaning: nothing else does.
For some reason, this obvious truth gets lost for some Bible students who are doing word studies. The process goes something like this: Research tools help us identify the original language word behind an English word that draws our interest in a particular verse. Then we look up that word in a word study dictionary. So far, so good. Here’s where many Bible students go off the tracks. Students often use these dictionaries to discover what a Greek or Hebrew word can mean, latch on to an interesting option, and mine for verses where the word has the meaning we’re looking for. The fact that the word can have a given meaning, and does in other verses, justifies (in their minds) assigning that meaning to the word in the verse under scrutiny.
That isn’t word study. That’s cherry-picking a meaning from a list of possibilities and considering other contexts (other verses) in place of the word’s context in your passage. Seeing that clearly should remind us that a word’s meaning in one instance may be different in another.
Real word studies take time. There is no substitute for discerning the contexts that come to bear on the word you want to study and then, one by one, testing whether other meanings are possible in that same setting. Context makes that determination, not a list of possible meanings in a dictionary.
· Insight Forty-Six: Don’t Confuse Correlation with Causation
Have you ever seen those commercials that string a series of disastrous events together, leading to how buying their product will save you from all the disasters? They’re funny because they exploit connections between seemingly random, unrelated events just to steer you toward a conclusion. As if not...
Welcome to Day 1538 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCreating A Moonshot Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1538 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, we have explored having a futuristic, exponential, gratitude, and purpose-driven mindset, but next, you mentioned a Moonshot mindset. I am not sure what you mean by a moonshot mindset. What is a Moonshot Mindset, and why do I need one?
Creating A Moonshot Mindset
As an entrepreneur, or even in your personal life, what if you could achieve 10X growth while your competitors or associates achieve 10% growth? With a Moonshot Mindset, your growth is 10X bigger or better when everyone else pursues incremental change.
I am using some of the information in today’s episode mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
If we use a business setting as an example, we see that most companies ask questions such as, “How do we reduce costs by 10%?” or “How can we increase profits by 10%?” Having a Moonshot Mindset means applying 10X thinking (or 1,000%) to all of your efforts and challenges. So, why should you aim for 10X growth instead of 10%?
I’ll give you three reasons:
Astro Teller, Google-Alphabet’s, referred to as “Captain of Moonshots” says that when you try to do 10% better, you’re putting yourself in direct competition with everyone else in your industry. It’s a competition that you’re likely to lose.
When you shoot for 10X improvement and try to do something radically hard, you approach the problem you’re solving in a completely different
When you attack a problem (any problem) as though it were solvable, you’ll be shocked at what you come up with even if you don’t know how to solve it.
In our world, change is the only constant, and the rate of change is increasing.
You either disrupt yourself, or someone else will.
Today, I’m going to discuss what a Moonshot Mindset is and how to develop one.
Let’s dive in…
With a Moonshot Mindset…
(1) You understand that “the day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea.” Your Moonshot Mindset permits you to tackle crazy ideas.
(2) You are willing to take the risks necessary to transform industries and society for the better. You recognize that those with a Moonshot Mindset are the innovators making the world a better place, moving humanity forward, and charting the future.
(3) You understand that a Moonshot within the realm of your Massively Transformative Purpose (MTP) can be the adventure of a lifetime, giving you joy and purpose-driven life.
(4) You are willing to aim at billion-person challenges. You recognize that the world’s...
Welcome to Day 1537 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Drill Instructor – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1537 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Drill Instructor
Sergeant Schultz was fresh out of officers training and was appointed drill instructor for an incoming class of recruits for the Marines. The veteran drill instructors were responsible for training the rookie sergeant. They took the Sergent aside and reviewed the drill plans with him. The first rule was that after every command, the recruits must shout back the command and add on “Drill Sergeant” at the end of the command. They also informed the rookie drill sergeant that his recruits must understand the rules for the mess hall. The recruits only have 15 minutes to eat, so they need to shut up, eat up, and then get up.
Sergeant Schultz wanted to impress his fellow drill instructors, so he took his training very seriously. On the first day with his new recruits after the morning revelry, Sergeant Shultz marched his 60 privates into the mess hall for breakfast. Wanting to display his authority, he had them stand in a line and at attention. He then shouted at them this command: “You only have fifteen minutes, so there are three rules in this mess hall: Shut up! Eat up! Get up!”
Checking to see that he had everyone’s attention, he then shouted, “What is the first rule?”
Much to the amusement of the other instructors, 60 privates yelled in unison, “Shut up, Drill Sergeant!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Don’t worry about being physically fit for the Marines. The drill sergeant has a plan for that.”
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+5%3A13-14andversion=NLT (Joshua 5:13-14)
When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?”
“Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.”
At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1536 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this...
Welcome to Day 1536 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDivine Rebellions – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1536 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Cosmic Geography
The divine transgressions we looked at in the previous chapter had something in common. They were both supernatural rebellions aimed at co-opting God’s plan for humanity and the restoration of his rule. In this chapter review, we’ll look at another rebellion, one that originated with people.
This rebellion produced a predicament that we’re all still part of, and that predicament involves supernatural beings. The titanic struggle for God’s restoration strategy took a turn for the worse that only the return of Jesus will finally resolve.
The Tower of BabelThe story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9) is simultaneously one of the best-known and least-understood accounts in the Bible. Children learn about it in Sunday school as the time when God confused earth’s human languages.
After the flood, God repeated the command he’d given to Adam and Eve to cover the earth. He was trying to kick-start the spread of his ruling influence through humanity. Once again, it didn’t work. People refused. Rebellion in their hearts, they had a better idea, or so they thought. They decided to build a tower to avoid being scattered (Genesis 11:4). The logic seems odd. Sure, an amazing tower would make them famous (Genesis 11:4), but how would that prevent scattering across the earth?
The answer lies in the tower. Bible scholars and archaeologists know ancient Babylon, and cities around it built towers called ziggurats. The purpose of the ziggurats was to provide places where people could meet the gods. They were part of temple zones. Rather than make the world like Eden—to spread the knowledge and rule of God everywhere—the people wanted to bring God down at one spot.
That wasn’t God’s plan, and he was displeased. Hence his statement—again to his council members in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+11%3A7andversion=NLT (Genesis 11:7) “Come, let us go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.” God did so, and humanity was separated and scattered. The incident explains how the nations listed a chapter earlier in Genesis 10 came to be. That’s the story most Christians know. Now for the one they don’t.
The Gods and Their NationsGenesis 11 isn’t the only passage that describes what happened at the Tower of Babel. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+32%3A8-9andversion=ESV (Deuteronomy 32:8–9) describes it this way:
When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+32%3A8-9andversion=ESV#fen-ESV-5767a (a)] of...
Welcome to Day 1535 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Attributes of Love - Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1535 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dwight L. Moody, and it is: Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; patience is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; humility is love in school; restraint is love in training.
The Attributes of Love
We hear so much about love, but few understand the actual attributes which create true love. Love is not a feeling, although it may cause us to have certain feelings. Love is not something that we fall into, nor out of. Love is a choice, and a choice that must be made every day. How can you know if you are exuding love? Check your life to see if it contains the attributes that makeup love. The quote from today list those attributes. Joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility, and restraint. These are closely aligned with the fruit of God’s Spirit dwelling within us. If you have God’s Spirit, then you should also understand how to love. Here is a test to know just how passionately you love another person. These are Jesus’s words found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015%3A13andversion=NLT (John 15:13)
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Are you willing to give up your way for someone else? How about your life? Let us work at refining the attributes of love in our lives. As we allow God’s Spirit to control every aspect of our lives, we can see the fruit of His Spirit manifested in our lives.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A22-23andversion=NLT (Galatians 5:22-23)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1534 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1534 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Context Is King, Not Impressions – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1534 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Context Is King, Not Impressions· Insight Forty-Three: Context Is King
We spend a lot of time talking about interpreting the Bible in context. The Bible is often interpreted out of context in some way. I’m not exaggerating. When you know what’s meant by “context,” it’s hard to think otherwise.
When most Bible-believers hear someone insist the Bible be interpreted in context, they usually presume the point is that whatever verse or verses they’re reading or the pastor is preaching about needs to be interpreted in light of the verses that precede and follow. While that’s true, the verses before and after are just one context that needs consideration. Every biblical passage has multiple contexts. There is never only one context for interpreting the Bible.
The worldview of the biblical writers is a fundamentally important context in which the Bible must be interpreted if it is to be accurately understood. The proper worldview context for interpreting the Bible is not evangelicalism, Catholicism, the Protestant Reformation, the Puritans, or even the modern world.
The proper context for interpreting the Bible is the context in which it was written—that of the ancient biblical writers. Every other worldview is foreign to the Bible. In context means we must do our best to think as the writers thought.
Another context for interpretation is a literary context or genre. A genre is a type of literature. Frankly, without knowing the genre, an accurate interpretation of word meaning is impossible. For example, if we saw the word “descent” in a document, it would matter a lot if that document were a genealogy, a landscape architect’s plan, a flight instructor’s manual, or a doctor’s note about a grave illness. Those are all genres—kinds of writing. It’s easy to see how they dictate meaning. Just as today, there were many different genres used in the Bible by the writers.
Lastly, every word has its own context in relation to other words. If you look it up in a dictionary, the word “run” has dozens of meanings. It can be a verb or a noun. We only know what part of speech it is when we see the other words around it in a sentence. That knowledge, along with different contexts, helps us comprehend the intended meaning.
All of the above and more is why I like to say we need to interpret the Bible in contexts. There’s more than one, and, collectively, context is king.
· Insight Forty-Four: Impressions Are
Welcome to Day 1533 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Benefits of a Purpose-Driven Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1533 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, we have explored having a futuristic, exponential, and gratitude mindset, but you also mentioned a Purpose-Driven mindset. What is a Purpose-Driven Mindset, and why is it essential to have one?
The Benefits of a Purpose-Driven Mindset
Do you know the benefits of a Purpose-Driven Mindset? What is it, and how can you craft one? I am using some of the information in today’s episode mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Making a dent in your universe or solving your world’s biggest problems requires a significant amount of hard work.
It also involves numerous risks, setbacks, and restarts.
Many of my successes have been “overnight successes, after about 20 years of hard work.”
While it appears that some people are lucky, most success stories require recovering one more time, facing the challenge, and beginning again. Over and over.
So how do you fuel that persistence?
It involves clarifying your purpose. As Peter Diamandis puts it, “Massively Transformative Purpose” (or MTP), and it must include the emotional energy that powers it.
In today’s episode, I’m going to discuss what it means to have a Purpose-Driven Mindset and how you can develop one.
I believe that a single person, driven by their Massively Transformative Purpose, can change the world, or at least their world.
So, what’s your purpose?
Let’s dive in...
The Importance of Having an MTPA Massively Transformative Purpose is central to a Purpose-Driven Mindset.
Here are the attributes of an effective MTP:
It’s uniquely yours…
It feels true for you (you are proud of it)…
It’s driven by emotional energy (Wonder, Awe, Excitement, Pain…) that fuels your drive to pursue big dreams…
You are willing to commit your life to it, or at least a season of life.
As an individual, your MTP is what wakes you up in the morning and gets you excited.
For example, my MTP is in the introduction for every episode:
My mission is to help others create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before
Do you have an MTP? Are you currently living it?
The objective of a Purpose-Driven Mindset (an MTP) is perhaps best summed up by a quote from Tom Bilyeu: “Find something you would die for, and live for it.”
Six Steps in Crafting a Purpose-Driven Mindset(1) You seek to find, refine, or update your Massively Transformative Purpose (MTP). You know that your impact can...
Welcome to Day 1532 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Farm Inspection – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1532 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Farm Inspection
You know how regulations seem to be increasing every day; many times, the officers’ power will go to their heads. Agent Smith, a DEA officer, stopped at the Jones farm yesterday and said to farmer Jones, “I need to inspect your farm for illegal growing drugs.” Farmer Jones cocked his head a bit and said, “Okay, but don’t go in that field over yonder.”
DEA Agent Jones DEA verbally exploded, saying, “Mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!”
Reaching into his rear pants pocket, arrogant Agent Smith removed his badge and shoved it in my face. “See this badge?! This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish - on ANY land! No questions asked or answers given! Have I made myself clear?”
Farmer Smith slowly nodded politely, apologized, and went about his chores. A short time later, Farmer Smith heard loud screams, looked up, and saw the DEA Agent Smith running for his life, being chased by Farmer Smith’s big old mean bull in the field. With every step, the bull was gaining ground on the officer. Agent Smith was clearly terrified.
Farmer Jones threw down my tools, ran to the fence, and yelled at the top of my lungs, “Your badge, show him your BADGE!!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “The cow is nothing but a machine which makes grass fit for us people to eat.
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010%3A3%2D5andversion=NLT (Hebrews 10:3-5)
But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1531 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1531 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDivine Rebellions – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1531 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Divine Rebellions
I ended week’s Worldview Wednesday episode with the thought that free will in the hands of imperfect beings, whether divine or human, can have disastrous results. That’s an understatement. Some catastrophes in the early chapters of the Bible, all of them involving both humans and supernatural beings, illustrate the point.
Recall that God decided to share his authority with both divine beings in the supernatural realm and human beings on earth. That was the backdrop to God’s statement in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A26andversion=NLT (Genesis 1:26), “Let us make humankind in our image,” and the fact that God then created humans in His image. Spiritual beings and humans are imagers of God. We share his authority and represent him as co-rulers.
On the one hand, that was an excellent decision. Free will is part of being like God. We couldn’t be like him if we didn’t have it. Without free will, concepts like love and self-sacrifice die. If you are merely programmed to “love,” there is no decision in it. It isn’t real. Scripted words and acts aren’t genuine. Thinking about this takes me back to the last of the original Star Wars movies, The Return of the Jedi. The spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke his father, Darth Vader, “is more machine now than man.” Yet, in the end, we find that isn’t true. Vader saves Luke from the emperor at the cost of his own life. Vadar wasn’t just a programmed machine; his decision came from the heart, his humanity—his own free will.
But there’s a dark side to God’s decision. Granting intelligent beings freedom means they can and will make wrong choices or intentionally rebel. That’s guaranteed to happen, since the only truly perfect being is God. He’s the only one he can trust. Free will is why things could, and did, go wrong in Eden.
Trouble in Paradise
Think about the setting in Eden. Adam and Eve aren’t alone. God is there with his council. Eden is the divine/human headquarters for “subduing” the rest of the earth, as instructed in Genesis 1:26–28. Humans were to spread the life of Eden to the rest of the planet. We learn that at least one member of the council isn’t happy with God’s plans.
Just as we saw in Genesis 1, there are hints in Genesis 3 that Eden is home to other divine beings. In https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A22andversion=NLT (Genesis 3:22), after Adam and Eve have sinned, God says: “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.” That phrase is the same sort of signpost we saw in Genesis 1:26 (“our image”).
We know the main character of Genesis 3, the Serpent, was not a snake. He...
Welcome to Day 1530 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomJoy Is Not Dependent On Things – Wisdom Unplugged Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1530 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from A. P. Gouthey, and it is: Joy is a deep spiritual union with the unchanging God. A man’s life, said Jesus Christ, is not fulfilled, nor is it filled full of, nor by, the abundance of things which he possesses. Here is one of the most important statements ever given to a bewildered, heart-hungry world. Joy, then, is a living spring hidden deep in the inner life that is no more dependent upon things than the sunrise is dependent upon a cock’s crowing.
Joy Is Not Dependent On Things
Everyone seeks joy, but we often look for it in the wrong places. We think that riches, pleasant circumstances, a life void of crises, and getting what we desire will bring us joy. Joy is not dependent on what happens to us. Joy is not dependent on our relationships with our spouse, children, friends, or associates. Joy can only be found in one relationship that supersedes all other relationships. Pure joy can only be obtained through a deep spiritual union with the unchanging God. God, the creator of all things, including creating each one of us to be His imagers, is the only one that can provide unending joy to our lives, regardless of our situation or circumstance.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205%3A2andversion=NLT (Romans 5:2)
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1529 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1529 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Serious Study As Adults Using Footnotes – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1529 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Serious Study As Adults Using Footnotes· Insight Forty-One: Lots of Things in the Bible Can’t Be Understood by Children
I rarely watch television. It’s not because I have some pseudo pious objection to it. For me, it’s a time issue, except when it comes to sitcoms. If I were confined to a bed, I wouldn’t watch a sitcom. I used to love them as a teenager, probably for the same reasons I tend to dislike them now as a parent.
One of my irritations with the sitcom genre is how every adult is portrayed as a half-wit while the kids are endless sources of wisdom and clear-headed thinking. The only skills that mom and dad seem to have are getting into trouble and being smart enough to let their kids extricate them from their problems.
Maybe this is why one of my pet peeves is the notion that the Bible is so simple even a child can understand it. Don’t get the wrong idea—I know’ that the gospel story of Jesus really can be understood at a young age. I’m talking about more than the gospel. As someone who has taught a lot in the local church and through online forums, I’ve heard the expression stated as a duty to avoid thinking. It is implied by many who say, “I just want to love Jesus. Why are you complicating things?” I want to love Jesus too. So I might ask, “Why are you being lazy about knowing God’s Word?”
Serious Bible study takes work. It can be tedious at times. It doesn’t always provide an immediate payoff to address a spiritual struggle or answer a knotty question. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty... I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” I can relate to this quote. I’ve never wanted to emulate anyone who halted their study of Scripture with what their kids knew. I’ve sought to be like those who put real effort and sacrifice into the enterprise.
As Art Linkletter used to remind television audiences, “Kids say the darnedest things.” They sure do, but I’m not expecting to hear one explain why God told Samuel to deceive Saul’s men (I Samuel 16:1-5), or what Paul thought when he talked about baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29), or a long list of other things in the Bible. Discovering those answers is for adults.
· Insight Forty-Two: Don’t Ignore Footnotes
Do you remember learning to...
Welcome to Day 1528 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Advantages of a Gratitude Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1528 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, we have explored having a futuristic and exponential mindset, but you also mentioned a gratitude mindset. With all that is going on in the world today, what are the advantages of a Gratitude Mindset?
The Advantages of a Gratitude Mindset
Do you know the advantages of a Gratitude Mindset? What might be holding you back? I am using some of the information in today’s episode mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
One of the significant challenges we all have today is a pervasive sense of being “overwhelmed.” An increasing abundance of opportunities and a dizzying technological progress rate can often blind us to many of the simple joys in our lives. What was once a miracle we now take for granted.
In part, this is because technology allows us to do so much more, faster, cheaper, and easier. But it wasn’t always this way.
It was not uncommon during most of history to work 80+ hours a week just to survive. This amount of work was a necessity to get access to basic food, water, and shelter. All of our technological advancements are giving many of us a vacation from basic survival.
Being grateful means feeling and expressing thankfulness and appreciation for just how far we’ve come and for what we have. God’s providential grace has allowed us to live in a time of abundance never before experienced.
From a basic “standard of living” standpoint, each of us now has access to more fresh food, clean water, educational content, and medicines than kings and queens had just a century ago.
From an entrepreneurial standpoint, each of us has access to more communication capability, more knowledge, and more computational power than the heads of Fortune-100 companies had just a couple of decades ago.
From an impact and Purpose-Driven standpoint, each of us now has the privilege to work on some of the world’s biggest problems, a capability previously only addressable by heads of governments or the preeminent philanthropists.
Problem-solving itself has been democratized, and we’re all better off because of it. We should be grateful for every day of life.
A Gratitude Mindset involves regularly making the shift from expectation to appreciation and thankfulness.
A Gratitude Mindset means always recognizing that we’re living in the most extraordinary time ever in history. Today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better still.
I believe that a Gratitude Mindset is essential for...
Welcome to Day 1527 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Twelve Prayers of Thanksgiving – Praise UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1527 of our Trek, and today is a special day of thanksgiving. Consider this your vitamin supplement of thanksgiving for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s praise which is titled:
The Twelve Prayers of Thanksgiving
In celebration of Thanksgiving Day in the United States, I will bring you twelve Old Testament verses of thanksgiving. Listen and praise God for His Goodness to us each day.
Ezra 3:11
With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord:
“He is good;
his love toward Israel endures forever.”
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 9:1
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 35:18
I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
Psalm 69:30
I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 95:1-3
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
Psalm 100:4-5
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Psalm 107:21-22
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Psalm 118:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Psalm 147:7
Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
make music to our God on the harp.
Daniel 2:23
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the King.
I hope that brought praise and thanksgiving to your lips today. If it did, share that praise and thanksgiving with others this Thanksgiving Day.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of praise, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1526 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1526 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOnce and Future Kings – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1526 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend one or both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Once and Future Kings
We’ve had a brief introduction to God’s heavenly council—his unseen family and task force. There’s a lot more to all that—we need to look, especially, at how major players like Jesus and Satan fit into the picture. But before we return to what goes on in the unseen world, we need to think in a fresh way about ourselves. God’s rule in the unseen spiritual world through his council is a template for his rule on earth—what theologians call the kingdom of God. All of that began in Genesis, in the garden of Eden.
Eden—God’s Home OfficeWhat’s the first thing you think of when you hear “garden of Eden”? Most people I’ve talked to think of Adam and Eve. Eden was their home. That’s where God put them (Genesis 2:15–25).
But Eden was also God’s home. Ezekiel refers to Eden as “the garden of God” (Ezekiel 28:13; 31:8–9). No surprise. What might be surprising is that, right after calling Eden “the garden of God,” Ezekiel calls it “the holy mountain of God” (v. 28:14). In many ancient religions, luxurious gardens and inaccessible mountains were considered the home of the gods. The Bible uses both descriptions for Eden. Eden was God’s home and, therefore, where he conducted business. It was his headquarters, or home office. And where God is, his council is with him.
God’s ImagersOne of the most important verses in the Bible tips us off that both God and his council were in Eden. In https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A26andversion=NLT (Genesis 1:26), God says, “Let us make humankind in our image” (LEB, emphasis added). God announces his intention to a group. Who’s he talking to? His heavenly host—his council. He’s not talking to the other members of the Trinity, because God can’t know something they don’t! Here the group he’s addressing learns what God has decided to do.
The announcement is easy to understand. It would be like me saying to some friends, “Let’s get pizza!” Let’s do this! Clear enough. But there’s something else we don’t want to miss. God doesn’t include the group in bringing about his decision.
Unlike other divine council sessions we’ve seen, God’s council members don’t participate in this decision. When humankind is created in the next verse (Genesis 1:27), God is the only one creating humankind. The creation of humanity is something God handled himself. Going back to my pizza analogy, if I followed my announcement by driving everyone to the pizza place and insisted on paying, I would be the one doing all the work. That’s what we see going on here.
It makes sense that God would be the only one creating humans. The divine beings of his council don’t have that kind
Welcome to Day 1525 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCheck Your Attitude – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1525 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William James, and it is: It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
Check Your Attitude
Everyone wants to know the secret of success in all areas of life, and it would be great if, indeed, there was a secret to being successful. Let me state an irrefutable truth; there is no secret to success. Yes, there are occasional fortunate circumstances that can expedite your success, but only if you are prepared to take advantage of those opportunities. One way to prepare for success is to check your attitude at the beginning of a difficult task. When you have a positive attitude, you train your mind to take advantage of the opportunities before you, regardless of their difficulties. Your attitude in life is probably the most critical single factor to ensure success. Yes, you need to prepare and gain the skills needed for success, but your success chances will certainly be limited if you do not have a positive attitude. So the recipe for success is this: check your attitude, be prepared, seek opportunities, then mix all of that with a healthy dose of hard work and perseverance.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%201%3A7andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:7)
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1524 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1524 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – By Design You Are Not Omniscient – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1524 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – By Design You Are Not Omniscient· Insight Thirty-Nine: By Design – Some things in the Bible Are Clearer than Others
The Bible is an uneven book. If you think about the range of subjects it covers, some things get a lot more attention than others. For example, the Bible has a lot more to say about Moses and the exodus from Egypt than what Moses did in Midian for forty years after fleeing from Pharaoh (Acts 7:29-30). Most of what the New Testament tells us about Jesus covers the final three and a half years of his life. We know nothing about Jesus from the time he was twelve (Luke 2:41-52) to the beginning of his ministry when he was around thirty (Luke 3:23).
The Bible’s presentation of doctrine is the same way. We’re told a great deal about the nature of salvation, the meaning of what Jesus did on the cross, the relationship of faith and works, and the work of the Holy Spirit. We’re told next to nothing about where angels and demons come from or the origin of the soul.
The imbalance is deliberate. The biblical writers had agendas concerning what they wrote. Their books come out of specific circumstances and target specific events or questions. It was God who prompted them to write when they did and do so from their sociocultural contexts. God chose specific men and specific times and places to write for spiritual posterity. God’s choices are intelligent and deliberate. The very’ nature of the enterprise of inspiration means that the product— the Bible—will be selective.
Let’s think about what this means and doesn’t mean. I’m not suggesting that items to which the Bible devotes little space are unimportant. Everything the Bible comments on is essential. Every passage in Scripture has some communicative purpose. What I’m saying is that frequency and repetition indicate emphasis. If we are mindful of inspiration as the providential process it was, frequency telegraphs that certain truths are more central to the overall biblical message.
The situation is sort of like a website. Most of your attention is drawn to big pictures or prose text. That’s what holds your interest, by design. Tiny links are scattered here and there amid the prose, in the margins, across the top. They don’t communicate much by themselves. Following them can illumine the whole point of the website. Both are indispensable.
· Insight Forty: Don’t Be Shaken by Your Lack of Omniscience
Dr. Heiser shares this insight....
Welcome to Day 1523 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomExponential Mindset - Proof of Growth – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1523 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, last week you explained what a futuristic exponential mindset is, but do you have evidence to support why we should craft a futuristic exponential mindset?
Exponential Mindset – Proof of GrowthLast week we explained how to craft a Futuristic Abundance Mindset. This week we will explore the exponential growth that is now evident. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Exponential growth is happening all around us, but it can be hard to see.
Given our linear thinking minds’ restrictions, it’s difficult for us to grasp how something that starts deceptively small can…
Double 10 times, resulting in 1,000x growth, and
Double 30 times and get you to nearly a 1,000,000,000x
Part of overcoming this embedded bias is actively developing an Exponential Mindset, as we discussed in last week’s episode. Today, I’m going to share and explore the overwhelming “proof of exponentials.” Proof ranging from accelerating computing power and internet access, to the digitization of retail and the rapidly falling costs of sequencing the human genome. If you would like to view the charts that correspond to this data, please check the Wisdom Journal for today on Wisdom-Trek.com. Those charts are proof that offers all of us “data-driven optimism.”
Let’s dive in…
Moore’s Law Continues...Almost all of our exponential tech trends discussed in this episode are being built on top of ever-increasing computational power. For the past ~70+ years, Moore’s Law, which predicts that computing power will double every two years, computing power’s exponential growth has continued non-stop. The chart in today’s Wisdom Journal, plotted on a log-scale, demonstrates this trend.
Computers are also becoming much more efficient. Processing efficiency is measured as the watts’ number is needed per million instructions per second (watts per MIPS).
As you can see in the next chart in today’s Wisdom Journal, processing efficiency has increased by a factor of 100,000 since 1990.
With continued advances in quantum computing, we’ll see an explosion of information-processing capability.
By 2023, IBM expects to reach 1,121 qubits with their processor codenamed Condor. As you can see in the next chart in today’s Wisdom Journal, this would be a 17-fold increase from today. IBM sees 2023 as the inflection point for the commercialization of quantum technology.
One critical effect of...
Welcome to Day 1522 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Frog's Tale – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1522 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Frog’s Tale
Mr. Frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patty Whack.
“Miss Whack, I’d like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday.”
Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says, “my name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and it’s okay to borrow that amount of money because John Smith, the bank manager, and I are good friends.”
Patty explains, “Well, Mr. Frog, we will need to secure the loan with some collateral.”
Mr. Frog says, “Sure, I understand; I have this delicate, scarce tiny porcelain elephant, as you can see, is about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed.”
Very confused, Patty explains, “I will have to consult with Mr. Smith, the bank manager,” and then she disappears into a back office.
She finds Mr. Smith and says, “There’s a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral.” She holds up the tiny pink elephant. “I mean, what in the world is this?”
Mr. Smith looks at the tiny elephant and hands it back to Patty, and says, “It’s a knick-knack, Patty Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man’s a Rolling Stone.”
(Come on and admit it, you sang it, didn’t you? Yeah, I know you did.)
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “A knick-knack is a thing that sits on top of a whatnot.”
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A19-20&version=NLT (Matthew 6:19-20)
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1521 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Welcome to Day 1521 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Unseen Realm: God and the gods – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1521 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work as we continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend one or both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
The Unseen Realm: God and the Gods
People are fascinated by the supernatural and the superhuman. Just think about the entertainment industry in recent years. Thousands of books, television shows, and movies have been about angels, aliens, monsters, demons, ghosts, witches, magic, vampires, werewolves, and superheroes in the past decade. Many of Hollywood’s blockbuster franchises feature the supernatural: the X-Men, the Avengers, the Harry Potter series, Superman, and the Twilight saga. Television shows like Fringe and, of course, Supernatural and X-Files have dedicated followings even long after filming new episodes end. Haven’t these things always been popular—in tales, in books, in art? Why?
One answer is that they’re an escape from the ordinary. They offer us a world that’s more interesting and exciting than our own. There’s something about good versus evil, magnified on a cosmic scale, that thrills us. The epic struggle by the heroes of Middle Earth (Gandalf, Frodo, and company) against the Dark Lord Sauron in The Lord of the Rings trilogy has captivated readers (and now movie-goers) for over a half-century now. The more otherworldly the villain, the more spectacular the triumph.
On another level, people are drawn to other worlds because, as the book of https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+3%3A11&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 3:11) puts it, Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. There’s something about the human condition that longs for something beyond human experience—something divine. The apostle Paul wrote about this yearning too. He taught that it comes from just being alive in the world God has made. The creation bears witness to a creator, and therefore to a realm beyond our own (Roman 1:18–23). In verse 18, Paul said the impulse to know more about God was so powerful that the wicked willfully suppressed that knowledge.
Yet we don’t seem to think of the epic story of the Bible in the same way we think of our own tales of the supernatural in books, movies, and legend. There are reasons for that, and they go beyond the lack of special effects. For some, the Bible’s characters are too ordinary or grandfatherly. They don’t feel dynamic or heroic. After all, these are the same people and the same stories we’ve heard since Sunday school as kids. Then there’s the cultural barrier. It’s hard for us to identify with what seems like an endless parade of ancient shepherds and men
Welcome to Day 1520 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNo Darkness, Loneliness, or Abandonment – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1520 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles Kingsley, and it is: It is not darkness you are going to, for God is light. It is not lonely, for Christ is with you. It is not an unknown country, for Christ is there.
No Darkness, Loneliness, or Abandonment
During times like we face throughout the entire world with the pandemic, unrest, and polarization between people, we may feel that we are shrouded in darkness, in loneliness, and that the world is a bit unstable. From a purely humanistic perspective, there is some truth to this. As a Christ-follower, we have no reason to feel in this manner. First, we are part of God’s kingdom which will last forever. We do not need to depend on earthly government structures for our security. We are sojourners in this world, as citizens of an eternal dwelling. We do not need to feel lonely, because we are one with Christ who promises never to leave us or forsake us. We don’t need to be shrouded in this world's darkness because God has created all the lights of heaven, illuminating our hearts.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A17&version=NLT (James 1:17)
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A5&version=NLT (Hebrews 13:5)
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A14&version=NLT (Hebrews 13:14)
For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1519 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1519 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Prayer and Plausible Interpretation – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1519 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Prayer and Plausible Interpretation· Insight Thirty-Seven: Prayer Doesn’t Guarantee Your Interpretation Is Accurate
God is not a vending machine. He is not the genie of all genies, in covenant with his people to grant their every wish. No mature Christian, of course, would ever think of God in such terms. We know that God does not always give us what we ask for in prayer. We trust that God has good reasons for such denials. Paul asked the Lord to rid him of the mysterious “thorn in the flesh” three times, but the answer was no (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Even Jesus was refused when he asked God to deliver him from death on the cross if it was God’s will.
Upon reflection, this pill isn’t so hard to swallow. Perhaps the thing we so desperately want wouldn’t be good for us. Perhaps our motives aren’t entirely upright. Even if they are, maybe God has something better planned. These reasons are hard to fathom, though, when we ask God to illuminate our mind to understand Scripture. Why wouldn’t God want that?
Of course, God wants us to understand the Bible rightly. He desires our understanding as he expects us to kindly treat our spouse, tell someone the gospel, or meet someone’s emotional or financial need when it’s in our power to do so (Proverbs 3:27). But all of these spiritual endeavors depend in part upon our own will, discernment, and ability. Bible study is no exception.
This is transparently obvious when you think about it. We know from their writings that Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, and Wesley prayed that they would adequately understand Scripture and believed God had answered that prayer. Yet these famous theologians came to dramatically different conclusions on many topics and in many passages. For example, John Calvin is renowned for his insistence that the salvation of individual believers was predestinated, an idea Wesley rejected. Luther’s judgment that James’s book didn’t belong in the New Testament would have drawn objections from the rest of these theologians. While it’s certainly appropriate to ask God to guide our study, it’s our responsibility to develop skill and experience in studying Scripture. Prayer is no cover for either meager effort or failure to address our own inadequacies as students. Most Bible students accept that until they’re in the heat of a theological joust or feel the urge...
Welcome to Day 1518 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCrafting a Futuristic Exponential Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1518 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way to becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, another type of mindset you mentioned a couple of weeks ago is an exponential mindset. What is an exponential mindset, and how can I craft an exponential mindset?
Crafting a Futuristic Exponential Mindset
Last week I explored some data that will back up why we should have a Futuristic Abundance Mindset. This week we will look at how to have an exponential mindset. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Do you have an Exponential Mindset? What is an Exponential Mindset?
That’s our conversation today…
We’ll discuss the advantages of having an Exponential Mindset and how it can benefit your business and life.
Our brains, the 100 billion neurons, and 100 trillion synaptic connections that shape everything we think and do. God created us as His masterpiece. As we read in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20139%3A14&version=NLT (Psalm 139:14), Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
For all of civilization, we are primarily “local and linear.” That is to say, we think locally and linearly. We are linear thinkers.
So, here’s an experiment. I will ask you a question, and then you can try with your kids or grandkids.
Choose between the following:
Option #1: I give you $1 per day for the next 30 days;
Or
Option #2: I give you a penny on the first day, two cents on the second day, four cents on the third day, eight cents on the fourth day, and continue to double it each day for 30 days.
Ok – within 10 seconds, choose.
Obviously, option #1 nets you $30… easy to predict, the definition of linear.
But option #2, where we are doubling - that is to say, growing exponentially, goes from deceptive to disruptive.
After the first five days (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 cents) net you just 31 cents -- it’s deceptively dismal.
But after 30 doublings, the situation gets disruptive… now we’ve increased the payout that will quickly reach a billionfold…
So if you, your kids, or grandkids choose option #2, they would end up with a payout of $10,737,418.24 in 30 days and $171,798,691.84 in 34 days!
That’s the promise and power of exponential growth!
One of our biggest challenges as entrepreneurs is to train our brains to think exponentially.
This isn’t easy to do. But it’s...
Welcome to Day 1517 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomChurch Conflict – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1517 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Church ConflictWhile conflict in the church is no laughing matter, and I really appreciate those who pastor our churches, sometimes we have to sit back, relax, and enjoy a humorous story.
There was a conflict brewing at the Wayside Community Church over several months between Pastor Frank and Dorothy, the song leader. Each week it was becoming evident to many in the congregation that they may not be getting along. As weeks grew into months, this conflict began to spill over into the worship service.
The first week Pastor Frank preached on commitment and how we all should dedicate ourselves to the service of God. At the end of the service, Dorothy led the congregation in the song “I Shall not be Moved.”
The second week Pastor Frank preached on tithing and how we all should gladly give to the work of the Lord. At the end of the service, Dorothy led the congregation in the song “Jesus Paid it All.”
In the third week, Pastor Frank preached on gossiping and how we should all watch our tongues. At the end of the service, Dorothy led the congregation in the song “I Love to Tell the Story.”
Pastor Frank’s frustration continued to grow each week. With all this going on, Pastor Frank became very disgusted over the situation, and the following Sunday, he told the congregation that he was considering resigning. At the end of the service, Dorothy led the congregation in the song, “Oh Why Not Tonight?”
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. On the fifth Sunday, after Pastor Frank preached, he solemnly said that it was Jesus who led him to the church, and it was Jesus that was taking him away, and he officially resigned. After Pastor Frank sat down, the song leader, Dorothy, led the congregation in the song “What a friend we have in Jesus!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “God didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes and roaches come close.”
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010%3A25&version=NLT (Hebrews 10:25)
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1516 treks or read
Welcome to Day 1516 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBelieving The Bible – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1516 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will expand on the past course work and begin another book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend one or both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.
Believing the Bible
Do you really believe what the Bible says?
To some, that may seem like an odd question to ask about a book likely to be read mostly by Christians. I don’t think it’s so strange. The Bible has some pretty weird, hard to believe things in it, especially in the modern world.
I’m not talking about the big stuff, such as whether Jesus was God come to earth, who then died on the cross and rose from the dead. I’m not even thinking of miracle stories like the exodus, when God rescued Israel from Egypt by making a way for them through the Red Sea. Most Christians would say they believe those things. After all, if you don’t believe in God and Jesus, or that they could do miraculous things, what’s the point of saying you’re a Christian?
I’m talking about the little-known supernatural stuff you occasionally encounter when reading the Bible, but rarely hear about in church.
Here’s an example. In 1 Kings 22, there’s a story about a wicked king of Israel, Ahab. He wants to join forces with Judah’s king to attack an enemy at a place called Ramoth-Gilead. Judah’s king wants a glimpse into the future—he wants to know what will happen if they attack. So the two kings ask Ahab’s prophets and get thumbs up all around. But those prophets are just telling Ahab what he wants to hear, and both kings know it. So they decide to ask God’s prophet, a fellow named Micaiah. What he says isn’t good news for Ahab. This story is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+22%3A19-23&version=NLT (1 Kings 22:19-23):
Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; and the Lord said, “Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?” And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, “I will entice him.” And the Lord said to him, “By what means?” And he said, “I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” And he said, “You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.” Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.
Did you catch what the Bible’s asking you to believe? That God meets with a group of spirit beings to decide what happens on earth? Is that for real?
Here’s another example, courtesy of https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1%3A6&version=NLT (Jude 1:6):
And the angels who did not stay within their own position of...
Welcome to Day 1515 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomReality – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1515 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Simon Tugwell, and it is, "It is God's will that is the proper measure of reality, and that is expressed in Christ, who is His will."
Reality
In today’s pandemic driven, politically charged world where you see conspiracy theories, questionable news sources on all sides, and the unhinging of society as we perceived it, what we thought was reality seems to be slipping away. I have to admit; I also have to be very careful that I do not get sucked down the cesspool that drives much of the world’s agenda today.
It seems like many across the world are sliding down a slippery slope toward insanity. It is times like these in which we need a steady stream of reality for our lives. Reality can only come through a Biblical worldview. That is to say, all of that we see, hear, taste, touch, and experience must be filtered through God’s Word and the precepts of truth that are found therein. We must learn to stop the fire-hydrant of false narrative and information which threatens to drown us.
Through God’s will, which is located in God’s Word, we can maintain a firm grip on reality and not be swayed by every wind of false doctrine. God’s will was expressed in human form through Jesus Christ in whom we should ground our reality.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A14-16&version=NLT (Ephesians 4:14-16)
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1514 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1514 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Formatting Text and Font Styles – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1514 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on what the Bible is. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Formatting Text and Fonts Styles· Insight Thirty-Five: Pay Attention to the Formatting of Your Bible Translation
No, I’m not recommending that you need a degree in book design for productive Bible study. I am suggesting that you pay attention to how the biblical text is presented in your translation. Believe it or not, Bible publishers use specific formatting conventions to draw the reader’s eye to the text features that do indeed assist in Bible study.
Let’s start with something every English Bible reader has seen but likely not considered: line breaks and indenting. Look at Psalm 1:1-2 in the ESV:
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked.
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law, he meditates day and night.
If you read this in today’s Wisdom Journal, notice how the formatting breaks the poem into stanzas, clearly showing which thoughts are in parallel to each other. Proper formatting is crucial for drawing attention to how Hebrew poetry works. Now look at the same passage in the 1769 edition of the King James Version:
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
There is no formatting, no line breaks, and indentation, to bring out the parallelisms. The text is presented as simple prose like a historical narrative would be. The symmetry of the lines is completely lost.
Here’s another example. Modern translations segment chapters into pericopes, sections of prose that the grammar of the original text marks off as thought units. Observing the pericope divisions helps Bible students discern the immediate context of a verse within that unit.
So, yes, formatting matters. Don’t just read your Bible. Observe it.
· Insight Thirty-Six: Font Styles MattersWhat difference could font style mean in your Bible study? You’d be surprised.
Let’s talk about italics. Did you know that some English translations use italics to indicate words in the translation that have been supplied for the sake of English but for which no word in the original language exists? For example, Genesis 1:2 reads as follows in many editions...
Welcome to Day 1513 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomProof Of A Futuristic Abundance Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1513 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps; last week, you challenged us to craft a futuristic abundance mindset. What type of data or proof do you have that will provide evidence of a futuristic abundance mindset?
Proof Of An Futuristic Abundance MindsetLast week we drilled down on a futuristic abundance mindset. This week I will explore some data that will back up that mindset. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
The world is getting better on many critical fronts. Many of us can’t see this good news because we are constantly bombarded by negative information online, on TV, and in newspapers.
So why are we fed “Negative/Crisis News” 24/7 on every device we own? Since the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden, our minds have been impacted negatively. Many mindsets view life as if we are surrounded by a world of severe and immediate danger.
To deal with this constant negative presence, our mindset becomes programmed to view much of life as scary and dangerous. It puts us on red alert. Because of our worldview, we pay 10x more attention to negative news than to positive information.
Because of this strange phenomenon, nearly every news source puts out 10x more negative stories than positive. It’s purely a matter of marketing for news sources. If they can capture our attention, it increases their advertising revenue.
“If it bleeds, it leads” is the saying. Since every TV news show’s job is to deliver your eyes to their advertisers, negative stories reign. Because of our mindset, we remain glued to the programming.
Do this experiment: Pick up your newspaper or go to any online news outlet and compare the ratio of negative to positive stories. It’s at least 10-to-1.
Last week, I discussed the benefits of a Futuristic Abundance Mindset. Today, we’re going to look at the data-driven optimism that comes from the overwhelming evidence as exponential technologies will improve access to well-care, cleaner, and renewable energy, reduce childhood mortality, and reduce global poverty, and many more items.
You may receive pushback from friends, family, even fellow Christ-followers as you talk about a hopeful and abundant future. That’s okay; show them the data below.
My mission is to inspire you, and to provide you with a hopeful, compelling, and abundant
Welcome to Day 1512 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPayback is Rough – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1512 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Payback is Rough
Early one evening, Joe scuttled out to his garage and pulled the lawn furniture out onto the driveway. Shortly after followed the lawnmower, a few gardening tools, and a bicycle.
Jim, his curious neighbor, wandered over and asked as he approached the garage entrance, Hey Joe, what are you dragging all of this stuff into your driveway? Are you going to have a garage sale tomorrow? Joe stopped and stretched his back and replied, "No, Jim, you know my son John just bought his first car, and right now he is inside right now getting ready for a big date. You know how he is always running late, and He'll be taking the car out soon to pick up the girl."
Jim cocked his head slightly, scratched his head, and stared at all the stuff in the driveway, then asked, So what's with all the stuff?"
"Well, Jim, after years of moving tricycles, toys, lawn chairs, and sports equipment out of the way every time I came home from work, I wanted to make sure the driveway was ready for John."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “When someone does you wrong, and you do wrong to them as a revenge. It does not make you right, but it makes both of you wrong. Doing wrong is wrong, no matter how you can justify it.”
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A19&version=NLT (Romans 12:19)
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1506 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’...
Welcome to Day 1511 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Family of Imagers Part 3 – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1511 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will finish our study based on a course I completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser on our Worldview Wednesday episode. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we have demonstrated that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study showed that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addressed issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and Yahweh’s uniqueness. This study applies insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
A Family of Imagers· Segment 30: Believers as Family, Participants - 3
Introduction
Hebrews 2 is a bit more of an obtuse example of the kinds of things we’re talking about because Hebrews’ language tends to be kind of complicated, but it’s a pretty powerful one. So I wanted to include it because this section of Hebrews is, I think, especially telling when it comes to these family relationships and bringing things full circle, being presented to God as the fulfillment of the original plan.
Family Members in the Divine CouncilWe read in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+2%3A10-12&version=NLT (Hebrews 2:10-12), God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now, Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.”
Family Members Sharing the Same StatusNow, look at the language here. We have a scene where the writer is talking about Jesus. God is in the picture, and we have this “son” language; we have sibling language here (“brothers and sisters”). The scene is amazing because here we have Jesus introducing God, as it were: “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” What’re the assembled people? Among your assembled people?; It is in the throne room of God; it is in the presence of all who have gone before. The whole cloud of witnesses’ idea is something that Dr. Heiser mentioned in the Unseen Realm. The notion of a “cloud of witnesses” goes back to divine council language by ratifying treaties and agreements and covenants and guarantees.
So we have believers who have gone before members of the council now; they have become grafted in. As normal human beings, fallen but redeemed, and
Welcome to Day 1510 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife Becomes Rich – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1510 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and it is: In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others.
Life Becomes Rich
Personal satisfaction with your life is primarily based on your perspective of life. When we realize that we receive so much more than we ever give to others during the regular course of our ordinary life, we start to realize the blessing we have in life. Based on those blessings, we should have gratitude, and we will recognize that we do have a rich and satisfying life. Just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so are the bountiful riches we have in life. It is so easy to have the mindset that what we do and how we live is so important, and with this, we overestimate our importance compared to others. The blessings and riches we have each day may seem miniscule and unimportant. Still, when they are viewed over the course of our lives, we can genuinely understand that life is wonderful, and we should have hearts filled with gratitude to God and other people that God has allowed to enrich our lives. We can live a rich and satisfying life each day if we choose to view life from the lens of gratitude.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A3-7&version=NLT (2 Peter 1:3-7)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1509 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you...
Welcome to Day 1509 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Translation and Study Bibles – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1509 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on what the Bible is. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Translations and Study Bibles· Insight Thirty-Three: Learn Something About Philosophies of Bible Translation
Bible translation is both an art and a science. It’s not just a matter of knowing English equivalents to words in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. If you are bilingual or have a friend who speaks another language, you know there’s more to understanding what is communicated in any language than using a dictionary.
The difficulty is easy to illustrate in English. Understanding what is meant by phrases liked ‘She copped a plea” or ‘He’s piling up yards” requires cultural knowledge—in these cases, the slang of crime dramas and the nuances of football. We could translate those phrases word-for-word into another language, but without the appropriate cultural intuition, they’d be meaningless.
Bible translators struggle with these sorts of problems frequently. There are also issues unique to the Bible that present difficulties. The doctrine of inspiration is one such complication. Since inspiration can be defined as “verbal,” where each word of the original compositions is ultimately the result of a process guided by Providence, should translation of those compositions take the form of a “word-for-word” rendering? If not, are words of God being lost?
This “word-for-word” approach to translation is called formal equivalence by translators. This translation philosophy aims to account for each word in the original language with an English word wherever that is possible. The result is typically a rigidly literal rendering that may sound awkward. Each word must be accounted for. Some Bible translations lean in this direction. Another approach is called “dynamic equivalence” or “functional equivalence.” This approach looks at the material to be translated and assesses what the original material meant to its original audience. Once that is discerned, the “meaning” is put into English using whatever words are best suited toward that end. There is no emphasis on accounting for each word of the original since meaning is the focus. Again, specific translations favor this approach.
Some translations fall in between. Still, others are paraphrased. Paraphrases start with an English translation and then reword the English. No actual translation work occurs.
I like to say the best Bible translation is the one you’ll read. It’s good to know the...
Welcome to Day 1508 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Futuristic Abundance Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1508 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps; you explained how to craft a futuristic mindset last week. One of the mindsets that you mentioned was abundance. Can you go into more detail on how to craft a futuristic abundance mindset?
A Futuristic Abundance Mindset
Last week we learned how to craft a futuristic mindset. This week we will drill down on one aspect, which is a futuristic abundance mindset. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Do you have an abundance mindset? What is an abundance mindset? What’s the advantage of having an abundance mindset? That’s our conversation today.
In the middle of a pandemic, it’s hard to think about abundance. You can understand this, especially when people are losing their jobs or wondering if and when they will get access to a vaccine.
Nonetheless, the world is heading rapidly towards abundance, and understanding this could transform your life and your business. Exponential technology like computation, Artificial Intelligence, 3-D printing, robotics, and Virtual Reality are rapidly dematerializing, demonetizing, and democratizing products and services. What used only to be available to the wealthiest and most elite, is now available to almost anyone on the planet. A child in the middle of Zimbabwe can Google any information or video conference for free with someone on the other side of the world. Many things we paid millions of dollars for just two decades ago are now available for free on your smartphone.
The challenge is that our minds were probably shaped with a mindset of scarcity, and most people are trapped in an unhealthy “Scarcity Mindset.” In a world of scarcity, there is a limited pie. If your neighbor gets a slice, that means you get a smaller slice. It’s a world of limited resources and fierce competition.
With an Abundance Mindset, rather than slicing the pie into thinner and thinner pieces, we bake more pies… millions of more pies. Abundance is the future that exponential technology enables. Abundance is growing across almost every sector of society and economy, whether people see it or recognize it yet.
Think about this statement and allow it to permeate your mind. Creating a world of abundance isn’t about creating a world of luxury; it’s about creating a world of possibility.
Next week, I’ll focus on what
Welcome to Day 1507 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTemperance – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1507 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Temperance
Pastor Jeremiah, an old-time country preacher, was disturbed by the increasing amount of drinking in his county and even within the church. Pastor Jeremiah thought it was well past time to address it in a sermon. One bright and sunny Sunday morning, he was all prepared. He had all of his points lined up and backed up with Scripture. Pastor Jeremiah went through all of his points, and after about 30 minutes, he was really getting wound up about his temperance sermon with great enthusiasm. As he was getting close to the end, he wanted to drive his point home. He pointed to the congregation and shouted:
“If I had all the beer in the world, I’d take it and throw it into the river.”
The congregation cried, “Amen!”
“And if I had all the wine in the world, I’d take it and throw it in the river.”
The congregation cried, “Amen!”
“And if I had all the whiskey and the rum in the world, I’d take it all and throw it in the river.”
And the congregation cried, “Amen!”
After the sermon, pastor Jeremiah sat down, exhausted, sweating, and panting.
Next, Deacon Jones stood up and said: “For our closing hymn,” let us turn to page 126 and sing together, ‘Shall We Gather at the River.’”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is from Ernest Hemmingway, “Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”
Here is our verse for today:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205%3A18&version=NLT (Ephesians 5:18)
Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1506 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen...
Welcome to Day 1506 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Family of Imagers – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1506 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and Yahweh’s uniqueness. This study will apply insights to the New Testament texts and show how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
A Family of Imagers· Segment 28: Believers as Family, Participants - 2
Introduction 1 John 3https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A1-2&version=NLT (1 John 3:1-2) is perhaps the key passage to tying these ideas together, and I’ve alluded to it several times already. John writes, See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
Grafted Back into the FamilyNow, in one sense, every human being is a child of God. Paul alludes to that in his sermon in Acts 17. God is our common creator. We understand that, but John is talking about something different here, especially post-fall.
Family Means ParticipationWe have to be grafted back into the family, and the family, of course, includes this idea of participation, being in concert with God’s will, and helping God carry out His will. It’s a different kind of relationship, but I think the kind of things we’ve been talking about here helps us understand John’s language instead of what Paul says in Acts 17 a little bit. Because unless you’re a believer, you’re not going to be able to be working in concert with God—again carrying out His will, participating in His program. That was the original intent. It wasn’t just to have humans there on earth back in Genesis 1. As soon as God created us, the idea was to be with Him. We were to be united with Him and His blended family. His divine family that already existed, and together with His earthly family to be in this place where heaven had come to earth. Heaven intersects with the earth in Eden to overspread even across the planet to be working as one, one unit, one business—whatever metaphor helps here—to be working together toward a common goal.
Jesus Restores...
Welcome to Day 1505 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBe Polished – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1505 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rumi, and it is: If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?
Be PolishedHardship, issues, and friction are a part of life. You can’t breathe, move, or function without some conflict. I am sure many of you can relate to one of my childhood experiences. When I was young, my siblings and I were given a rock tumbler. It was so exciting to put in a rough rock, and within a few days, you have a beautiful smooth, shiny gem. It was like magic! The truth of the matter is that in order to obtain the jewels, the rough stones had to go through 4 stages of friction. The rocks also had to be entirely submerged in water. With each of the four steps, the sand and grit that slowly chips off the rough edges started with a course mix and became more refined. So it is with life. If we desire to become precious gemstones, we have to go through the process of life slowly chipping off our rough parts until we become smoother and more mature. With each stage of conflict, we will be shaped and molded more and more until we become who God destined us to be. While it may not be enjoyable going through the rock tumbler of life, if we do not, then we will never be a polished mirror reflect God as His imager. James, the half brother of Christ, summed it up well in his letter to the early Christ-followers.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NLT (James 1:2-4)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1505 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1504 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Book Order and Hebrew Text – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1504 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on what the Bible is. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Book Order and Hebrew Text· Insight Thirty-One: The Books in Your Bible Are Not in Chronological OrderHave you ever wondered how historians know when things in the ancient world happened? How can we say with great confidence that some event occurred 1,000 years before Christ (BC)? How- do we know with precision when the events of the life of Jesus and the early Church transpired?
Ancient chronology is a fascinating subject. It’s also amazingly complex since it deals with ancient lists of the reigns of kings that have survived from antiquity and with ancient astronomical observations and their recording. You don’t need to devote yourself to understanding how all these things are known to study the Bible. But it’s pretty important you know the when.
The books in your Bible were not chronologically arranged. Ezekiel was not written after Jeremiah. Paul’s epistles were not written in the order they’re listed in the New Testament. Even books like 1-2 Samuel can be chronologically misleading. Samuel was the last of Israel’s judges, right before the first king, Saul, came along.Consequently, 1-2 Samuel’s content overlaps Samuel’s life and a time that followed the Torah, Joshua, and Judges’ events. But the content of a book doesn’t tell us when a book was written. The fact that 1-2 Samuel never claims to have been written by Samuel adds to the chronological uncertainty.
Scholars have done their best to determine when the books of the Bible were written, but there’s a lot of disagreement. Yet the effort is worth it because knowing when a book was written is essential for developing theological ideas.
For example, what Paul says about faith and works in Galatians (perhaps his earliest epistle) sounds a bit different than it does in Romans. Paul’s comments are specific to events in Galatians, whereas Romans reflects a fuller treatment of the issue, one that benefits from years of preaching and addressing the issue in churches.
Another reason to know when a book was written is that it provides a glimpse of the writer’s world. Knowing that the Egyptians wrote about the invasion of the Sea Peoples (from whom the Philistines derive) along the Canaan coast helps us put certain references to the Philistines in the Old Testament in context.
Fortunately, this sort of information is available in reference works and good commentaries. Taking time to get your...
Welcome to Day 1503 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCrafting A Futuristic Mindset – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1503 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, how can I create and maintain a mindset that is future-oriented while staying focused on what is essential for today?
Crafting a Futuristic Mindset
Last week we focused on turning Sick Care into Well Care. This week let us look at what it takes to be future-oriented while maintaining a focus on what is essential today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
While business and material success is not the most important determining factor of overall success, it is an indicator of a focused life. So let me ask you a question. What made Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk succeed? Was it their technology or their mindset?
Personally, I think mindset is an entrepreneur’s most critical asset. Yet few of us ever take the time to craft it -- to purposefully select and sharpen the mindset(s) we desire.
Your mindset is the filter through which you see the world. It determines how you spend your time, what decisions you make, and where you invest your resources.
I’ve been asked whether I’ve always had an Abundance mindset and an Exponential mindset over the years. The answer is yes, and no. They are both mindsets that are part of my personality, but I’ve crafted and honed my mindset progressively over the past 40+ years.
So how do you craft and reinforce a mindset? Which mindsets are the most exciting for me? These are the questions we will explore today.
Let’s dive in…
HOW MINDSETS WORK...
Before choosing which mindset(s) to focus on, it helps to understand how mindsets work.
Here’s an analogy: if you’ve been following Artificial Intelligence developments, you know that we can train neural nets to do image recognition. The challenge with these neural nets is that they’re only as good as the data you feed them.
For example, if you show the neural nets thousands of pictures of cats and show them a picture of a dog, the algorithm will tell you that the dog is actually a cat. It doesn’t know any better.
The same is true for our brains, which are also a type of neural net. If you continuously feed your mind with negative perspectives, your outlook will be negative. You won’t know any better. So my question to you is, how are you training your neural net?
Most of us don’t realize that we’re doing this training. It operates in the background. For example, you train your mind constantly...
Welcome to Day 1502 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Dirty Diner – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1502 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Dirty DinerGeorge and Bill were on a road trip out west, and the towns were few and far between. It was getting rather late in the day, and they both were feeling a bit tired, so they decided to stop at a diner for a cup of coffee. As they entered ‘The Last Chance Diner,’ they couldn’t help but notice that it was a greasy spoon of a place. They saw a booth towards the back of the diner and proceeded towards it. Before they slid into a booth, George had to brush the crumbs off the seat, and Bill took a napkin from the holder and swiped at a spill on the table. Sally, the waitress, came over, chewing loudly on gum, and asked if they wanted some menus.
“No, thanks,” said George. “I'll just have a cup of black coffee."
"I'll have black coffee too," replied Bill. "And please make sure the cup is clean."
Sally shot Bill a nasty look. She turned and marched off into the kitchen.
About five minutes later, Sally was back with a tray with cups on it. "Two cups of black coffee," Sally announced. "Which one of you wanted the clean cup?"I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “When you go to a restaurant, the less you know about what happens in the kitchen, the more you enjoy your meal.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015%3A17&version=NLT)
A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1501 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1501 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Family of Imagers – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1501 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and Yahweh’s uniqueness. This study will apply insights to the New Testament texts and show how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
A Family of Imagers· Segment 28: Believers as Family, Participants - 1
Introduction
There are several statements about Jesus in the New Testament. There are also several references about us as His sibling, because of the incarnation. These references build on the family language of the Old Testament “sons of God,” the divine family idea, specifically as it relates to representing God, that is to say, imaging God.
Christ as “Image of God” Intentionally Links to Genesis
For instance, in 2 Corinthians 4:4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A4&version=NLT), we read that “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” Now, we know from the Old Testament that we are spoken of in the same language. If you were a person reading this or hearing this from Paul or the mouth of some other apostle, you would immediately think back to the concept (that scene in Genesis 1) where humanity is created in God’s image or, as we’ve suggested, as God’s imager.
Here, you have Christ called “the image of God.” He is, think about it, the ultimate human. He becomes man. He is incarnate as a human being, and He is here to do many things, but one of them is to show us what God is like—to be God in the Father’s stead, as it were. Of course, Jesus alludes to this several times in His own ministry, but this language, again, is intentional. As we fix our minds on the fact that Jesus is the ultimate imager, the ultimate example of this, the ultimate template, when the language shifts to believers, that’s going to make sense; it’s going to take our minds back to Genesis and help us to process these things because they have a long history that goes all the way back to the beginning.
Conforming to Christ
In Colossians 1:15 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A15&version=NLT), it says, “Christ is the visible
Welcome to Day 1500 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBe Humble – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1500 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mother Teresa, and it is: If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.
Be HumbleHumility is such a difficult character trait for everyone. I certainly know it is for me. Pride stems back to the original creation, where Adam and Eve followed the evil one's advice, whom himself turned from God because of his pride. True humility before God and our fellow humans is the purest of all character traits. It is the realization that we are dependent and thankful for our creator's grace towards us. It will allow us to excel and succeed where otherwise we would not be able to. Nothing will be able to touch us at our core—neither praise, not disgrace. When we are humble, we can move through life with full confidence of who and what we are before God and others. We can know that we have the best interest of others in our hearts and mind. We will be genuine and pure in all that we do. Humility acknowledges all that we have and ever hope to be is because of God’s overflowing grace through our lives. The Apostle Peter, one of Jesus’s closest disciples, also had an issue with pride, but later in life, he understood how destructive pride could be. He learned humility through many difficult lessons in life. It is wise that we take Peter’s advice.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%205%3A6&version=NLT)
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time, he will lift you up in honor.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1499 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1499 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Use of Common Language – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1499 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on what the Bible is. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Use of Common Language· Insight Twenty-Nine: There Is No Such Thing as “Holy Ghost Greek”The New Testament was originally written in Greek. Like every language. Greek changes over time in script, word meanings, and grammar. Contemporary spoken and written English has significant differences from English of prior eras. This is most easily seen in vocabulary. Fifty years ago, words like “blog.” “‘Facebook,’ and “chatroom’ didn’t exist in English. There are also differences, for example, between British and American English. So it should come as no surprise that the Greek of the New Testament is different than Greek of other periods.
These differences, along with the nature of the New Testament, led many people, including scholars, to suppose that the New Testament’s Greek was unique, perhaps even created by divine providence specifically to communicate the truth of the gospel. People took this idea seriously into the late 1800s. Today, it’s known to be a complete falsehood.
This belief’s mythical nature was exposed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by archaeological discoveries of previously unknown Greek manuscripts. For example, toward the end of the nineteenth century, thousands of papyrus fragments written in Greek were discovered in Egypt in garbage dumps. Greek scholars quickly discerned that the Greek of these fragments was the same type of Greek found in the New Testament and the early church fathers, a stage of the language known as “common Greek, or koinë Greek (pronounced, koinay).”
Koine Greek is a byproduct of Alexander the Great’s conquest. Although Alexander’s soldiers were Greeks, they spoke different versions of the Greek language. There were numerous dialects. A common form of the language was created and spread to communicate with each other effectively. As Alexander’s armies swept east across the Mediterranean, Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Mesopotamia, and India, this common Greek spread throughout his empire. This common (koine) Greek is the language of the New Testament.
There is no such thing as “Holy Ghost Greek.” We ought not to assign any special status to it when we’re doing word studies in our study of Scripture. Doing so leads to a flawed interpretation. Fortunately, the Greek of the New Testament wasn’t unique. It was the Greek spoken and read throughout the known world. Consequently, the message of
Welcome to Day 1498 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTransforming Sick Care Into Well Care – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1498 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, last week you shared about slowing the aging process, but many people are getting sick and dying due to poor life choices. How can this be resolved?
Transforming Sick Care Into Well Care
Last week we explored how pre-mature aging was actually a pandemic that could be prevented with new technologies. This week, I want to focus on turning sick care into healthcare. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
The U.S. healthcare industry is in for significant disruption in the decade ahead. It is so broken that it’s horrifying. As can be seen with the current global pandemic, we need to start focusing on our health, not just caring for the sick.
U.S. healthcare spending hit a total of $3.6 trillion in 2019. During 2020 with the additional burden of Covid-19 and its related illnesses, last year will pale in comparison.
Fear of liability prompts U.S. doctors to spend $210 billion per year on procedures patients don’t need. Of every 5,000 new drugs introduced, 5 make it to human testing, and only one is ultimately approved. Yet even then, the average pharmaceutical product takes 12 YEARS to get from lab to patient, costing upwards of $2.5 billion. While the rush to market for a Covid-19 vaccine will accelerate this somewhat, we have to ask, at what cost?
There is hope on the horizon. A new generation of AI-enabled, data-driven companies, will transform what is today “sick care” into healthcare.
Today we’ll look at a new generation of diagnostics that enable you to become the CEO of your own health. You are responsible for your own health; it is not the medical practitioner’s responsibility. Let’s explore how you can catch diseases at “stage-0” before it becomes life-threatening.
Continuous DIY Diagnostics
Let us look at one plausible future scenario. On a wintery Wednesday in January 2026, you’re being watched, carefully watched. Technically, you’re asleep in your bed, but Google’s home assistant knows your schedule. Thanks to your Oura ring, it also knows you’ve just completed a REM cycle and are now entering Stage 1 sleep—making it the perfect time to wake you up.A gentle increase in the room’s lighting simulates the sunrise, while optimized light wavelengths maximize wakefulness and improve your mood. Once you are fully awake, you...
Welcome to Day 1497 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA New Calf – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1497 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A New Calf
Little six-year-old Danny was so excited that he was going to the farm to spend the weekend with his granddad, who he called PaPa. He loved being with PaPa and really loved being at the farm so he could be PaPa’s big helper. PaPa and Danny worked at completing their chores as they invested all day together on Saturday. As usual, when Danny visited PaPa, they were up bright and early on Sunday morning to milk the ten milk cows before heading off to church. As PaPa was milking the cows, Danny wandered through the barn as he so loved to do. He came across one cow in a pen all by itself, and she looked enormous. Danny said, hey PaPa, what is this one cow doing all by itself, and why it is so fat. PaPa chuckled a bit and said, that’s old daisy; she is due any day now. Danny wasn’t sure what that all meant, but he was really concerned that Daisy wasn’t doing very well. They headed off to church, but it was hard for Danny to sit still as he kept thinking of poor old Daisy.
When they arrive back at the farm after church, Danny jumped out of the truck and headed to the barn. He soon came running back out with wide eyes and shouted, hey PaPa, it looks like Daisy is not doing well; she is lying down and keeps mooing. PaPa said, well, let’s get out of our Sunday go-to-meeting clothes and put on our work close, then we can check on Daisy. When they finally got back to the barn, PaPa could see that indeed, Daisy was having trouble calving. He didn’t know how little Danny would take in the whole process, but had no option but to get on with the job of assisting the birth.
PaPa got in the pen with Daisy and proceeded to stick his hand and arm in to assist as he pulled the calf free from the birth canal. Danny stood there, watching with eye ready to pop out of his head. Soon Daisy was happily cleaning it up. PaPa turned to Danny and said, well, “Danny, do you have any questions about what you just saw?”
At first, Danny was speechless and seemed overwhelmed by the experience, but finally asked, “Just how fast was that calf going when it hit the Daisy’s behind?”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, As a calf follows its mother among a thousand cows, so the good or bad deeds of a man follow him.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2011%3A6&version=NLT)
In that day, the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage...
Welcome to Day 1496 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomImaging After The Fall and New Testament Application – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1496 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and Yahweh’s uniqueness. This study will apply insights to the New Testament texts and show how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Imaging After The Fall and New Testament Application· Segment 26: Imaging After the Fall
Image Remains After The Fall
If the image of God is about us being representatives of God, the fall, the entrance of evil into the world, is certainly a factor in our understanding. Our understanding is that we continue with our purpose. I’ve met Christians that believe that after the fall, the imaging idea was totally lost. Those Christians surmise the only people who image God now are Christians or believers because they’ve been brought back to a relationship with God through redemption. I don’t believe that. I think that’s an inferior understanding of the text and leads to some dangerous theology.
For instance, in Genesis 9:6-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9%3A6-7&version=NLT), which, of course, is after the fall, it’s after the flood—we read this, If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image. Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth.” This is an obvious reference to Eden with the Edenic commands repeated. The commands that were originally given to Adam and Eve, the original imagers. The idea here is that the death penalty, taking the life of a person, is legitimized somehow, and we’re going to find out in the rest of the Torah when that situation might be the case. That idea is legitimized because God cannot tolerate the unlawful, unwarranted taking of any human life. After all, those humans are created in His own image. When you kill a person, it’s like killing God in effigy.
If the image were linked only to Christians or only believers, then this verse would, in effect, be saying, “Well, it’s only a crime if you kill someone who’s a Christian. You can kill other people, and God is not going to care about it, but only if you kill His children, then we’re in trouble.” That’s an absurdity, but this is where some thinking goes. We don’t want to go there. We want...
Welcome to Day 1495 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDon't Be Lame – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1495 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Latin Proverb, and it is: If you always live with those who are lame, you will yourself learn to limp.
Don’t Be Lame
This proverb is so true, and makes me think of so many other sayings and proverbs. One that I remember mom telling us when we were teenagers was, “If you lie down with dogs, don’t be surprised that you will rise up with fleas.” Who we invest our time with will strongly influence who we become. If you want to be successful, then you need to invest your time with successful people. If you desire to learn and show love and compassion then invest more time with those who already show those traits. Jim Rohm was credited with saying that “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This is so true, and I see examples of this fact nearly every day, both good, and bad. If you desire to be wise then you must invest your time with the wise. Once again the irrefutable law of planting and harvesting applies here. When you plant corn, you will harvest corn. If you plant wheat, you will harvest wheat. If you plant weeds or thornbushes, that is what you will harvest. There is no changing this universal law of God. Don’t invest time with those who are lame in spirit, or you will limp through life not being able to fulfill your God-given talents and abilities.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A33&version=NLT)
Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1494 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1494 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Understand What Your Bible Is – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1494 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on what the Bible is. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Understand What Your Bible Is· Insight Twenty-Seven: The Old Testament Came before the New Testament
I know what you’re thinking. How profound. Talk about having a firm grasp on the obvious. Fair enough. But some of the essential keys for Bible study are hidden in plain sight. This thought is utterly crucial, and one most Bible students miss despite its transparency. There are few things more critical for biblical theology than having this fact invade your mind and establish a permanent beachhead.
Even someone who’s never read the Bible can discover that the Old Testament came before the New Testament. That is the purpose of the Table of Contents. Yet even seasoned Christians read and study the Bible as if that observation is more a trivia point than a vital clue to competent Bible study. I know of preachers who don’t consider the Old Testament worthy of pulpit time. I’ve had many sincere Christians tell me they can’t recall the last time their pastor went through an Old Testament book. The average person in the church has been conditioned to equate the word “Bible” with “Jesus” or “the Gospels” or “the book of Revelation.” Don’t believe me? Ask a dozen people in your church this question, and see what answers you get: “What’s the Bible about?” Most answers will sound like you asked what the New Testament was about.
Ignorance of the Old Testament is a severe issue. I’d call it a hermeneutical crime. Since it came before the New Testament, it was the Bible of Jesus, the apostles, and the first Christians. The Old Testament is three-quarters of your Bible. The New Testament books quote from it for a simple reason: New Testament theology is tethered to Old Testament theology. Since it came first, it has “coherence priority’’—it is essential for understanding what follows. There isn’t a page of the New Testament that doesn’t reference the Old Testament somehow. Every New Testament doctrine has its roots in the Old Testament.
We like to say that Scripture must be interpreted in context. The Old Testament is the primary context for the New Testament. Without a grasp of the Old Testament’s purpose and theology, any commitment to context forfeits its authenticity.
· Insight Twenty-Eight: Read the Preface to Your Bible Translation
Most nonfiction books have a preface. Whoever wrote that did so intending to...
Welcome to Day 1493 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Other Pandemic - Aging – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1493 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, I understand that Covid-19 has impacted nearly every country in the world and has become a politically charged subject, but how does it compare to other diseases?
The Other Pandemic - Aging
Last week we learned how Artificial Intelligence would change our shopping experiences. This week, I want to focus on a pandemic that is not considered a pandemic, aging. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
As the world continues to face the ravages of COVID-19, there is a second pandemic killing everyone… it’s called aging. You may think to yourself, Gramps, that’s silly. Everyone ages, and everyone will eventually die. While I understand that, ask yourself, can what we consider a typical lifespan be increased significantly? For the first time in history, scientists and entrepreneurs think there’s a way to slow aging in its tracks, and perhaps even reverse it.
In today’s podcast, we’ll do a quick review of the cutting-edge technology that gives me tremendous hope that we can add a healthy 20 or 30 years onto our healthspan, ultimately making 100 years old the “new 60.”
COVID-19 Comparison: As of today, over 36 million confirmed COVID-19 cases have been recorded globally, and those are only the ones that have been tested. Since its initial outbreak, over 1 million deaths globally have been in patients who have tested positive with COVID-19. I realize that some individuals may have died of other causes during this period, but it is still significant. Not to minimize this number at all, because all life is precious. As a point of reference, globally, cardiovascular disease kills over 18 million per year and cancer over 10 million. Some of the Covid patients would have been in these numbers.
To put this in context, approximately 7.8 billion people are alive today, roughly 9 percent of them over the age of 65 and suffering from the deadliest disease on Earth: Aging.
Without competition, aging is the #1 correlated variable for deaths due to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, respiratory disease, and dementia. In effect, 9 percent of the population equates to 720 million confirmed cases of aging. Even then, this is an extraordinarily conservative estimate as many people begin experiencing the effects of aging in their 50s.
Despite these...
Welcome to Day 1492 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMy Job Resume – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1492 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
My Job Resume
Little Joey was over at his favorite Uncle Louey’s apartment visiting for an afternoon, and they were chatting as they often did. Now, Uncle Louey wasn’t noted for being able to hold down a job very long, and he always had some story to tell. That is probably why little Joey liked visiting him so often. As Joey and Louey were chatting about adventures and going fishing, Joey looked at him and said, “my mama says you can never keep a job. Uncle Loey, why is that?” Uncle Louey agreed and stared off into the air for a bit and then said, “well, let me explain the reasons.”
My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned... couldn’t concentrate.
Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn’t hack it, so they gave me the ax.
After that, I tried to be a tailor, but I just wasn’t suited for it...mainly because it was a so-so job.
Next, I tried working in a muffler factory, but that was too exhausting.
I tried to be a barber, but I just couldn’t cut it.
Then I tried to be a chef -- figured it would add a little spice to my life, but I just didn’t have the thyme.
I attempted to be a deli worker, but any way I sliced it, I couldn’t cut the mustard.
My best job was being a musician, but eventually, I found I wasn’t noteworthy.
I studied for a long time to become a doctor, but I didn’t have any patience.
Next was a job in a shoe factory - I tried, but I just didn’t fit in.
I became a professional fisherman but discovered that I couldn’t live on my net income.
I managed to get a good job working for a pool maintenance company, but the work was just too draining.
I got a job at a zoo feeding giraffes, but I was fired because I wasn’t up to it.
So then I got a job in a workout center, but they said I wasn’t fit for the job.
After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a historian until I realized there was no future in it.
My last job was working at Starbucks, but I had to quit because it was always the same old grind.
So, then I retired...and found out I was perfect for the job!
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they never quit.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A11&version=NLT)
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If...
Welcome to Day 1491 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomImager - A God-Breathed United Council – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1491 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and Yahweh's uniqueness. This study will apply insights to the New Testament texts and show how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Imager – A God-Breathed United Council· Segment 24: Humans Animated by the Breath of God
Introduction
Last week we left off talking about the one outlier in our list of candidates for what the ‘image of God’ idea might be: the possession of a soul, soul/spirit. People use different terminology; we’re not worried about parsing the terms necessarily here, and you’ll quickly see why.
Animals Like Humans
If we’re going to go with biblical language, the idea of having a “soul” is having a nephesh. In Genesis 2:7—this is when God breathes into the man, into Adam, and he becomes a living soul—the Hebrew there is the nephesh chayyah. That’s biblical language. It turns out, though, that if you go back to Genesis 1:21, we read this: “So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves. [the term there is ‘every nephesh hachayyah’]” So animals and humans are described with the same terminology with respect to the “soulishness” of each of them. What it refers to—the nephesh chayyah in both passages—is a reference to this sort of animate life that we sort of know and experience.
I can look at my dog and know that my dog is an animate life form. It looks at me. Something is going on up there in the head. It moves around; it makes decisions, so on and so forth. It decides to go into that room or this room. That’s what animate life is.
Animals and humans are both described with the same vocabulary in the Hebrew Bible. Animals also have a ruach. So for those who want to say, “Well, the nephesh is different than the ruach; the soul is different than the spirit,” we have a problem there too. Ecclesiastes 3:21 has animals possessing a ruach; it’s the same word for “spirit” used of humans.
Nephesh and Ruach Interchangeable
The problem becomes even more than that. If you studied the terms, you would discover that ‘nephesh’ is often translated “soul” in English Bibles, and “spirit” comes from the Hebrew ‘ruach.’
If you studied both of those Hebrew terms, you would learn very quickly that they are used...
Welcome to Day 1490 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCatch Excellence – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1490 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Vince Lombardi, and it is: If we chase perfection — we can catch excellence.
Catch ExcellenceCertainly, we know that no human is perfect. That is plainly evident each day of our lives. While perfection is not attainable, achieving a level of excellence in a particular area of life is possible. Becoming excellent requires focusing on the fundamental steps in the area we desire to become perfect. There is an old saying that ‘practice makes perfect.’ While that may sound logical, a more accurate statement is ‘perfect practices makes perfect.’ As stated, we cannot achieve perfection; we can chase perfection, which will allow us to become excellent in any number of life areas where we choose to succeed. So on your path to excellence, invest the time, talent, and treasures in chasing perfection; you will then catch excellence. If we have this philosophy in life, we can agree with the Apostle Paul when he wrote Philippians 3:12-14 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A12-14&version=NLT) I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1489 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1489 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Start Now And Follow The Trail – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1489 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Start Now And Follow The Trail· Insight Twenty-Five: It’s Never Too Late To Start Studying the Bible
I’ve met people over the years who want to get serious about Bible study but think it’s too late. Some are new to the faith and “past their prime’ as they’d put it. Others have been Christians for decades but have never invested time to get into Scripture in a way that moves beyond occasionally reading the Bible. Most of the time, when people say those things. I know they aren’t making up an excuse. They do believe it’s too late. If that’s you, take this in the right spirit: that’s nonsense.
Studying the Bible is as easy as moving beyond reading in simple ways: looking up cross-references, using the concordance in the back of your Bible, reading through notes in a study Bible, thinking critically about what you see, and probing it with questions.
Experts like to say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in something. That’s nonsense too, unless you want to be a sports Hall of Famer, perform surgery, practice law, or be a lead chef at a five-star restaurant. I’m not talking about getting a Ph.D. in biblical studies. That isn’t a requirement for being a serious Bible student. I’m talking about becoming proficient at using specific techniques and tools and then being tenacious in their use. Five minutes a day, every day, will achieve that. I know because I’ve done it.
Proficiency in Bible study is about perseverance, not intellect or intuition. Most of the things we’d consider ourselves good at are like that. Sure, you can read about a kid who has a photographic memory and became a chess grandmaster before he was ten, but 99.9 percent of chess experts aren’t that kid. They got to their proficiency through repetition.
Age is no obstacle to this, either. An eighty-year-old who devotes time every day to Bible study has a year’s worth of experience (and knowledge) by their next birthday, precisely the same as if a thirty-year-old did it. What matters is doing it. The mind has an amazing ability to store information and recognize patterns. It just has to be trained through repetition.
So don’t put off getting into Scripture. Everyone you know will be a year older at this time next year, but only those who engage in Bible study will know Scripture any better....
Welcome to Day 1488 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomArtificial Intelligence and Shopping – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1488 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, Covid-19 has accelerated the drive to online shopping, but what type of changes in retail shopping and customer service can we expect during this next decade?
Artificial Intelligence and Shopping
Last week our focus will be on the 3-D printing revolution. This week we will learn how Artificial Intelligence will change our shopping experiences. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
AI and 5G broadband are radically changing retail shopping as we know it. During 2019, there were over 25 major retail bankruptcies. In 2020, especially with the on-going impact of Covid-19, the retail apocalypse is only accelerating.
What’s coming next is astounding. Why drive to a store when you can speak? Revenue from products purchased via voice commands is expected to quadruple from today’s $2 billion to $8 billion by 2023.
Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and 3D Printing are converging with AI, drones, and 5G to transform shopping on every dimension. As a result, shopping is becoming dematerialized, demonetized, democratized, and delocalized in a top-to-bottom transformation of the retail world.
A Day in the Life of 2030Let’s time travel together to October 2, 2030, a sunny day in Dallas. You have an important speech to give at a luncheon tomorrow, but nothing to wear. The last thing you want to do is drive through congested traffic and spend several hours at the mall.
That is no longer a requirement. Your body image data is still current, as you were scanned only a week ago. Put on your VR headset and have a conversation with your AI.
“It’s time to buy a suit for tomorrow’s luncheon speech,” is all you have to say.
In a moment, you’re teleported to a virtual clothing store. Zero travel time. No freeway traffic, parking hassles, or angry hordes wielding baby strollers.
Instead, you’ve entered your own personal clothing store. Everything is in your exact size. I mean everything. The store has access to nearly every designer and style on the planet.
Ask your AI to show you what’s hot in Paris, France, and presto, you have an instant fashion show. Every model you see looks exactly like you, only dressed in Paris’s latest design.
When you’re done selecting an outfit, your AI pays the bill. As your new clothes are being 3D-printed at a warehouse—before speeding your way via drone...
Welcome to Day 1482 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Unusual Pet – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1487 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Unusual Pet
Joe finally moved out of his parent’s house and got an apartment for himself. He figured with being thirty now; it was about time to make the leap. His parent readily agreed with him. At first, Joe was ok, but after a few days, he was not only missing his mom’s cooking, but he found that it was quite lonely living by himself. He was sitting by himself one evening after work thinking about how lonely he was, so Joe decided that he needed to accept more responsibility in his life and figured it would be more fun if he had a pet. The next day was Saturday, so in the morning, Joe went to the pet store and told Bob, the owner, that he wanted to buy an unusual pet.
After some discussion with Bob, Joe decided on a foot-long centipede, which came in a little white box to use for its house. Joe decided that he would name his new pet ‘Millie.’ Joe took Millie home, found a good location for the box home, and then decided he would start off his new friendship by taking Millie to a restaurant to have dinner.
He peered in the window of the box at Millie and said, “Would you like to go to McDonald’s with me to have dinner?” There was no answer from Millie, and this bothered Joe a bit. He waited a few minutes and then asked Millie again, “How about going to McDonald’s with me?” But again, there was no answer from his new friend Millie.
Joe was getting impatient and frustrated with the lack of response. Joe waited a few minutes more, thinking about the situation. He decided to ask him one more time. This time, putting his face up against the window of Millie’s house, Joe shouted, “Hey, in there! Would you like to go to McDonald’s with me to have dinner?”
A little voice came out of the box: “Hey Joe, hang loose, I heard you the first time! I’m putting on my shoes!!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “What goes click ninety-nine times and clack once? A centipede with a clubfoot.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201%3A28&version=NLT)
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1486 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on...
Welcome to Day 1486 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBeing An Imager Of God – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1486 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Being An Imager Of God· Segment 22: Plurality Language
IntroductionThe question before us is: How does the plural language of Genesis 1:26 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A26&version=NLT) link God and humankind and the members of the heavenly host, the members of God’s council, as it were, together? Let me read that verse again as we begin today. Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” This is going to take a bit of abstract thinking for us. The plurality is important. To understand why it’s important, though, we need to understand specifically the concept of the image of God, or as you’ll hear me say, “the concept of imaging God.”
RepresentationI will front-load a little bit of the perspective that we’ll be getting into here. It’s going to have something to do with representing God. We represent God in a specific way in our realm, the earthly realm, and spiritual beings represent God in their realm in whatever way God wants them to as well.
So upfront, let’s try to keep the idea of representation in mind, and that’s going to be integral to this whole concept of the image of God. When we think about this and, typically, when people are taught about the image of God, several things are overlooked or assumed, and we’re going to be careful not to do that.
Characteristics of the Image of GodThe image of God in and of itself has certain characteristics in biblical thinking, biblical texts, biblical theology. That is that men and women possess it equally. It is the thing (whatever it is) that distinguishes humankind from all other earthly creatures. It is somehow linked to God in some way—the person, the character, the nature of God in some way. It’s also, and this is a little less easy to spot, the image of God is also either possessed or not. That is, there is no hint in the text that you...
Welcome to Day 1485 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTrust Is Earned – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1485 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: If people like you they'll listen to you, but if they trust you they'll do business with you.
Trust is Earned
If you desire for people to like you, then you need to be likable. In other words, you need to practice the golden rule Luke 6:31 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%206%3A31&version=NLT) Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Once you do that, you will have their confidence to listen to what you have to say. That in itself is good, because if what you have to say is worthwhile, then a person will like you. Gaining someone's trust goes much deeper. If you wish to partner with someone, or do transact any business, you must be trustworthy. Trust cannot be demanded and should not be initially expected. Trust is earned over time, by keeping your word, your commitments, and loyalty. Trust must be earned over time, but can be lost in an instant if you prove yourself untrustworthy. So make sure all of your interactions with others are built on integrity, honesty, and truth. So like others and treat them right, and over time you will be considered trustworthy.
Here is a passage of what type of a person a church leader needs to be, but it also applies to all areas of life.
1 Timothy 3:1-5 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A1-5&version=NLT)
This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1484 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn...
Welcome to Day 1484 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Five Minutes and A Sermon – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1484 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Five Minutes and A Sermon· Insight Twenty-Three: Five Minutes Is A Long Time
Let’s start this segment with another story from Dr. Heiser that focuses on how important it is to invest in each moment we have. Here is his story: Growing up, no one taught me the Bible. My first exposure to the Bible that I can remember happened when I was about ten years old. My best friend’s mom had a devotional time with her kids. If I was there, I was invited to stay. I was amazed that kids my age and younger knew the names of Bible characters and stories. About all I knew was Adam, Eve, and Jesus (at least the names).
There were times I’d sit in that little Bible study feeling like the dumbest person in the room. I guess I was when it came to the Bible. I wanted to know more, but it felt like an impossible task. Today, I’m a Bible scholar with advanced degrees who studies Scripture in the original languages. I’m light-years from where I started.
Trust me; it didn’t happen overnight. What I know now is the cumulative result of thousands of incremental sessions of studying Scripture and hundreds of resources related to it. It had to be that way, since I worked full time through fifteen years of graduate school, and most of my time in college before that.
One of the most helpful things I’ve ever heard was something a professor told us during freshman orientation at college. One of our orientation sessions was about time management. The professor looked out over the auditorium and then changed my life when she said five minutes is a long time. If you’ve ever had to wait five minutes for something (a favorite show, an appointment, the bathroom!), you know it’s true.
I took her advice to heart. If I had five minutes to read or review something, I took it. It’s incredible how much data can pile up in your brain in small bits. I got through college and graduate school and did well. I still can’t stand to be idle. I’m always trying to learn about something.
I understand what it means to be pressed for time. Making time for Bible study is a legitimate challenge, especially if you’re an adult with a job, kids, and a string of responsibilities. If you only have five minutes for careful Bible study, take it. It will add up. I’m living proof that it works.
· Insight Twenty-Four: Listening to a Sermon Is...
Welcome to Day 1483 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom3-D Printing – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1483 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, I hear a fair bit about 3-D printing today. Can you explain why it will be so crucial for our future?
3-D Printing
Last week we learned how superfast transportation and avatars would change how we work with others. This week our focus will be on the 3-D printing revolution. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
3D printing is about to transform manufacturing as we know it, decimating waste, multiplying speed to market, and harnessing never-before-used materials.
It has already hit $15.8 billion in value in 2020. 3-D printing as manufacturing of products and services is projected to more than double to $35.6 billion by 2025—just five years from today.
Not only will 3D printing turn supply chains on their head here on Earth, shifting how and who manufactures our products, but it will also be a vital catalyst for making space colonies (and their infrastructure) possible.
Welcome to the 2030 era of tailor-made, rapid-fire, ultra-cheap, and zero-waste product creation on our planet and far beyond.
3D printing on the ISSToday, the most expensive supply chain in the known universe extends only 241 miles. Jutting straight up from mission control down here on Earth, this resupply network extends directly to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (or the ISS).
Yet the supply chain’s hefty expense is due almost entirely to weight. Why? It costs $10,000 per pound to get an object out of the Earth’s gravity well. Because it takes months for that object to reach the Space Station, the storage of replacement parts takes up a significant portion of the ISS’s precious real estate.
In other words, the most expensive supply chain in history leads to the most exotic junkyard in the cosmos. The first-ever company seeking to solve these problems, ‘Made in Space,’ had the ambitious goal to build a 3D printer that works in zero gravity. A few years later, Made in Space is now in space. For this reason, on a 2018 ISS mission, when an astronaut broke his finger, the team no longer needed to order a splint from Earth and wait months for its arrival. Instead, they flipped on their 3D printer, loaded in some feedstock, found “splint” in their blueprint archive, and created what they needed, when they needed it. Successes like that of Made in Space represent a level of...
Welcome to Day 1482 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomI Do – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1482 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
I Do
Suzy and John got all dressed up for Ann’s Wedding, and they were so excited to take their four-year-old Emily with them to attend her first wedding. Ann was Suzy’s best friend and college roommate, and they adored Jim, her soon to be husband. They arrived in plenty of time and Emily was very well behaved. The wedding went off without a hitch. The bride was radiant, and the groom looked impeccable. The church was decorated elegantly, and little Emily was in awe of the entire ceremony. Afterward, they attended the reception, which was a grand event. Little Emily didn’t eat much at the reception and seemed quieter than her usual self. John and Suzy thought she just must be tied from all of the excitement. On their drive home, little Emily remained sort of solemn as she stared out the window. Suzy turned to her and said, is something wrong Emily? Emily thought for a bit and finally spoke. “Why did the lady who was supposed to get married changed her mind?.” Suzy asked, “What do you mean, Emily.” Looking sad, Emily replied, “Well, she went down the aisle with one man and came back with another one.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, with the same person.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A22&version=NLT)
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1481 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1481 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFamily Terminology and Heavenly Host – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1481 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Family Terminology and Heavenly Host· Segment 20: Family Terminology Is Intentional
Introduction
We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the sons of God in the Old Testament. We had telegraphed at the beginning of the course that we are paying attention to this family terminology because it’s going to provide a useful, intentional template for us to understand how God looks at His human family, His human sons, and His human daughters. They’re going to provide the sons of God, the supernatural ones, sort of a framework for us to think well theologically about ourselves.
We have already talked about the family terminology; we’ve talked about that there is a functional or a participatory idea with these supernatural sons of God in the Old Testament, and they participate with God in carrying out His will. So we’ve already learned things about their identity, their purpose. So we’re going to learn something about our identity and our purpose, our calling, and finally, our destiny. We will understand how we realize these things, how our status will lead somewhere ultimately, and how we fulfill our calling. Lastly, how we will fulfill the purpose for which we have been made in the future. Think back about the references to the sons of God in the Old Testament. We must think of them as a family and as coworkers to completely understand this point.
Yahweh Decides to Add Humans to His Family
Let’s go back to Genesis, because if we have these concepts in our mind when we read some key passages beginning in the garden of Eden, our relationship to them starts to come into focus. This concept will be part of the foundation for later as sons and daughters, children of God-language in the New Testament. Back in Genesis 1, in the very famous passage about human creation Genesis 1:26–28 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A26%E2%80%9328&version=NLT), we read this:
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds...
Welcome to Day 1480 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYou Can Do It – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1480 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Charles G. Finney, and it is: If God commands something, that is the highest evidence that we can do it.
You Can Do ItIt is so easy to make excuses for actions not taken, or decisions not made. It is easy to make excuses or blame someone else for failures in our lives. In most cases though, our excuses are quite pathetic and flimsy. In many cases, excuses are made for not completing something we can achieve; therefore, we are not fulfilling our God-given abilities. Achievement is especially true of God’s precepts for living. These precepts are already written in God’s Word. My next statement may sound controversial at first, but it is Biblically based. There are many situations or circumstances in life that you don’t need to pray about. Most guidelines for living for God are already told to us in the pages of His Word. God has already given us everything we need to live a Godly life. You don’t have to pray about them. That being said, ask yourself, why am I making excuses? If God commands us, he also equips us. Free yourself and your mindset from making excuses. Instead, speak words of affirmation which are based on God’s Word. Based on the wisdom and truths available to us, I have something to tell you. Are you listening? Will you believe it when I tell you? Here is the secret: You Can Do It!
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%201%3A3&version=NLT)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1479 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1479 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – God Desires Us To Learn and Understand – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1479 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – God Desires Us To Learn and Understand
· Insight Twenty-One: Believe That God Will Help YouGod wants us to understand Scripture. It stands to reason, then, that he’s perfectly willing to help us do that. I’m not talking about including a formulaic prayer for assistance when you begin your Bible study. I’m not recommending a specific prayer at all, though that’s appropriate. I’m suggesting that you go into Bible study expecting God to help you with something he already wants you to do.
This is how Dr. Heiser explains it. “I learned this lesson in some startling ways in graduate school. I chose a controversial topic for my dissertation. Granted, every dissertation is supposed to blaze a new path, but mine had an element of risk. I was bucking consensus opinions because I thought I’d noticed something unaddressed in centuries (really, millennia) of scholarship about the Hebrew Bible. In grad school, it isn’t enough to say; I don’t think the way everyone else does. You have to offer something coherent and defend it adequately to please a room full of top-tier scholars.
One day I walked into the library absorbed with a particularly vexing problem that I couldn’t unravel in my mind. I was there because I’d come across a reference to an essay in a book that sounded like it might be useful. I went to the stacks to get the volume, and, inexplicably, it wasn’t there. The computer catalog said it had not been checked out, but all I saw on the shelf was a rectangular hole. I had to get to work, so I turned around to leave. My eye fell on a random book whose title I’d never seen. Something told me to open it. I did. To my astonishment, there was an essay in the Table of Contents on precisely what I was struggling with.
I hadn’t prayed before that first incident, but I knew God was looking out for me. I’d do my research and go to the library and tell God I needed direction. I was honest. There were times I felt lost with my topic.
God helped me. The experience I described above was repeated a half-dozen times while writing my dissertation. It got to the point where I wouldn’t leave the library without checking the books on either side of one I’d come for. I always check the shelf behind me, too
· Insight Twenty-Two: Believing What the Bible Says In Not Bible Study
Not all
Welcome to Day 1478 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFaster Transportation – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1478 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. This week’s question is, Hey Gramps, In addition to autonomous and flying vehicles, what are some other modes of transportation that will be part of our future?
Faster TransporationLast week we learned how AI, Robots, and Drones could assist during natural or human-made disasters. This week our focus will be on super-fast transportation. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
What’s faster than autonomous vehicles and flying cars?
Try Hyperloop, rocket travel, and robotic avatars.
Hyperloop is currently working towards 670 mph (1080 kph)passenger pods, capable of zipping us from Los Angeles to downtown Las Vegas in under 30 minutes.
Low Orbit Rocket Travel (think SpaceX’s Starship) promises to deliver you almost anywhere on the planet in under an hour. Think New York to Shanghai in 39 minutes.
But wait, it gets even better…
As 5G connectivity, hyper-realistic VR, and next-gen robotics continue their exponential progress, the emergence of “Robotic Avatars” will all but nullify the concept of distance, replacing human travel with immediate remote telepresence.
Let’s dive in.
Hyperloop One: Los Angeles to San Francisco in 35 Minutes
Did you know that Hyperloop was the brainchild of Elon Musk? It is just one in a series of transportation innovations from a man determined to leave his mark on the industry.
In 2013, in an attempt to shorten the long commute between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the California state legislature proposed a $68 billion budget allocation for what appeared to be the slowest and most expensive bullet train in history.
Musk was outraged. The cost was too high, the train too sluggish. Teaming up with a group of engineers from Tesla and SpaceX, he published a 58-page concept paper for “The Hyperloop,” a high-speed transportation network that used magnetic levitation to propel passenger pods down vacuum tubes at speeds of up to 670 mph.
If successful, it would zip you across California in 35 minutes—just enough time to watch your favorite sitcom. In January 2013, venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar, with Musk’s blessing, started Hyperloop One with Peter Diamandis, Jim Messina (former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Obama), and tech entrepreneurs Joe Lonsdale and David Sacks, as founding board members.
A couple of years after that, the Virgin Group invested in this idea,...
Welcome to Day 1477 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWatch What You Say – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1477 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Watch What You Say
Miss Jones, the first-grade teacher at Walnut Hill Elementary School was so excited for the start of her first year of teaching. On the first day of class, she stood proudly by her classroom door and greeted each child. As each of the children passed her, she stooped down, introduced herself, and ask them their name. Once all the children were seated she asked them all to turn to lesson one in their math book. From the back of the room, she overhead little Johnny let out a string of bad words. Not quite sure that she believed what she heard, she said, “Johnny, what did you just say?” So Johnny piped up and proudly repeated it. Miss Jones was astonished that any first grader would use such language. She sternly said, “Little Johnny, don’t you ever use language like that again, not near me, not ever! Where on earth did you learn that?” Looking a bit bewildered, Johnny replied, “I learned it from my dad, Miss Jones.” Indignant, Miss Jones said, “Well, your daddy should be ashamed. I hope you don’t know what all that even means?” Johnny shrugged his shoulders and said, “Oh, but I do; it means the car won’t start.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Children seldom misquote. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you should not have said”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015%3A28&version=NLT)
The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1476 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1476 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNone Beside Me, and The Only Begotten Son – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1476 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
None Beside Me, and The Only Begotten Son· Segment 18: “None Beside Me” (Part 3) Incomparability Claim of Cities
As we continue on the topic of “None Beside Me,” there is one last thing I want to say about the so-called denial statements. There are other places in the Hebrew Bible where these are used. That is the same statements in situations or contexts that make it very obvious that denial of existence cannot be in the picture. For instance, in Isaiah 47:1, 8, 10, and Zepheniah 2:13, 15, in these passages respectively, the city of Babylon in the Isaiah reference and the city of Nineveh in the Zephaniah reference both claim, both say, “There is none beside me.”
Now, are we really going to believe that Babylon and Nineveh respectively actually thought, or wanted us to think, or the writer wanted us to think, that there was no other city than Babylon in existence, there was no other city but Nineveh in existence at the time of Zephaniah? Well, of course not. That would be absurd. There are hundreds and thousands of other cities in existence.
The point of the phrase “there is none beside me” is very clearly a claim of incomparability. Babylon is boasting, “There is nobody as good as me. There is nobody like me. No city measures up.” For the Assyrians, that’s how they thought about Nineveh: “Nineveh is the best. Nineveh is incomparable.”
Summary
So we have the same phrases used in contexts where, very obviously, a denial of existence just cannot work in any coherent way. That’s how we need to think about the denial phrases. When they are used in passages that seem to, on the one hand, deny the existence of the other elohim, but then you have all these other passages and sometimes even the same passage saying, “No, the elohim are real, and they are dangerous; they need to be dealt with. They are hostile to God. God is greater than them.” We can’t, on the one hand, affirm that they don’t exist and then have these other ideas (God’s incomparability to them, God’s greatness) mean...
Welcome to Day 1475 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNot Ashamed – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1475 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from B. H. Streeter, and it is: If Christ Himself needed to retire from time to time to the mountain-top to pray, lesser men need not be ashamed to acknowledge that necessity.
Not AshamedMy personality is such, where I have difficulty taking time to rest, relax, and renew. There always seems to be so much that needs to be completed. The workload from clients seems to be constant, and more than I can reasonable achieve in any given week. I have my daily podcast to write, record, edit, and publish. There is also an endless list of repair and upkeep activities in and around The Big House. I feel a sense of self-imposed guilt whenever I take time to rest, knowing that the other tasks are continuing to pile up. As I grow older, and hopefully wiser, I know that I need to force myself to unplug and to retire from time to time for some solitude and prayer. I don’t know if it will ever be easy for me to do so without feeling ashamed, but I do understand how important it is. I have to understand and recognize that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, had constant demands on His time and the weight of all humankind on His shoulders and yet He often withdrew into the wilderness to renew Himself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If Christ himself needed to retire from time to time to the wilderness to pray, I, being so much lesser than He is, should never be ashamed to acknowledge my necessity to do the same.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%205%3A16&version=NLT)
But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1474 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1474 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Discover The Meaning – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1474 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Discover The Meaning· Insight Nineteen: Bible Study Is About Discovering the Meaning of the Text, Not Deciding How to Apply the TextDr. Heiser shares this personal story to help understand this insight. I spent two summers during college as a pastoral intern. I enjoyed it, though the experience contributed to the realization that I wasn’t cut out for pastoral ministry. I knew my calling was different. Something I did during that time also taught me a lot about what Bible study wasn’t—or at least shouldn’t be.
One of the periodic tasks of pastoral interns was, unsurprisingly, preaching. We were allowed to pick pretty much any passage for a sermon and were given a generous amount of time to prepare. I had a couple of years of Bible college coursework under my belt, so I wasn’t new to Bible study. The only instruction that was given to me was that preaching wasn’t teaching. I understood the intent of the instruction: don’t turn the sermon into a classroom session. That’s good advice for several reasons. But it made the task incredibly difficult. I finally concluded that all I needed to do was go through the passage, make an observation here and there, and apply those observations to people’s spiritual lives—to our aspirations, failures, God’s forgiveness, and the need for consistency as followers of Jesus.
The formula worked wonderfully. I got a lot of positive affirmation from the pastoral staff and people in the pew. A couple of days later, though, I had an epiphany that soured the experience but was just what I needed. I realized that I had preached a well-structured outline, not the text. Instead of really grappling with the meaning of the text, conveying that to people, and then drawing out lessons rooted in the text, I had used the Bible to make people feel a certain way. They’d been challenged spiritually but hadn’t learned a thing about the passage. I had manipulated my audience when my job was to help them understand Scripture and respond to it in their walk with God.
Bible study shouldn’t be an exercise in being clever. When we look into Scripture only to jog our minds about what we’re doing right or wrong, or how someone else is pleasing God or not, we aren’t doing Bible study. Bible study should be about understanding what Scripture says and teaches. The Spirit will take the fruit of that labor and challenge...
Welcome to Day 1473 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAI, Robots, and Drones – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1473 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, how will some of these new technologies help us in search and rescue during a natural disaster or other crisis?
AI, Robots, and DronesLast week we focused on transportation, flying cars, and the rise of ridesharing. This week we will learn how AI, Robots, and Drones can assist during natural or human-made disasters. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Between 2005 and 2020, natural disasters have claimed the lives of over 750,000 people and resulted in total damage of more than $2 trillion. During the past 50 years, the frequency of recorded natural disasters has surged nearly five-fold. Now I realize that this is somewhat attributed to enhanced global communication and better reporting, but it appears to be increasing rapidly
As wildfires grow increasingly untamable, wreaking havoc across regions like the Amazon and California, the need for rapid response and smart prevention is higher than ever.
We will be exploring how converging exponential technologies (AI, Robotics, Drones, Sensors, Networks) are transforming the future of disaster relief. — We can prevent a catastrophe in the first place and get help to victims during that first golden hour; wherein immediate relief can save lives.
AI, predictive mapping, and the power of the crowd
Next-gen robotics and swarm solutions
Aerial drones and immediate aid supply
Artificial Intelligence and Predictive MappingWhen it comes to immediate and high-precision emergency response, data is gold. Already, the meteoric rise of space-based networks, stratosphere-hovering balloons, and 5G telecommunications infrastructure is in the process of connecting every individual on the planet.
Aside from democratizing the world’s information, however, this upsurge in connectivity will soon grant anyone the ability to broadcast detailed geotagged data, particularly those most vulnerable to natural disasters.
Armed with the power of data broadcasting and the force of crowd sharing, disaster victims now play a vital role in emergency response, turning a historically one-way blind rescue operation into a two-way dialogue between connected crowds and smart response systems.
With a skyrocketing abundance of data, however, comes a new paradigm: one in which we no longer face a scarcity of answers. Instead, it will be the quality of...
Welcome to Day 1472 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOne Big Pill – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1472 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
One Big Pill
Charles was working hard outside building a new sidewalk with large cement paver bricks. He was making good headway but was growing very weary as he goes back to his pickup truck to carry the final 100-pound paver to put in in place. As Charles picks up the paver from the bed of the truck is slips from his hands and falls on his right foot. He was sure that it was probably broken, and as he took his shoe off, he noticed that his foot was swelling up quickly. Sally, his wife, was not home at the time, so Charles hobbles to the driver seat of his pickup truck and heads to the Emergency Room. After waiting for 30 minutes, the pain was almost more than Charles could stand. Finally, he was called back to a room where Doctor Smith carefully examines Charles’s foot and then took an Xray. Dr. Smith checks the Xray, and there were no broken bones. Dr. Smith came back and said, well Charles, the good news is that the foot is not broken, but there is damage to some muscles and ligaments. Dr. Smith hands Charles a pill big enough to choke a horse. He turned to Charles and said, “I’ll send the nurse in with some water.”
Charles waited another 30 minutes with his foot hurting more all the time. He finally loses patience. Charles hobbles out to a nearby drinking fountain, forces the pill down his throat, and slurps down an abundance of water until the pill clears his throat. He hobbles back into the examining room.
Just then, the nurse comes in with a large bucket of warm water, she looks at Charles and says, “Okay, after the tablet dissolves, soak that foot for about 20 minutes.”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “I tripped over a box of Kleenex this morning and thought I had broken my ankle. Thankfully, it was just soft tissue damage.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010%3A15&version=NLT)
And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1471 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I...
Welcome to Day 1471 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomGod Declares, "There Is None Like Me" – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1471 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
God Declares, “There Is None Like Me”· Segment 16: “None Beside Me” (Part 1)IntroductionI think that we’ve established just by our previous week’s study of elohim that having more than one elohim is not polytheism. We still need to entertain one other question: What about verses that say there is none besides the Lord or where God Himself says, “There is none like me,” “There is none besides me,” “Besides me, there is no other,” something like that?
Not Statements of Denial but IncomparabilityThese phrases are typically taken as denial statements—in other words, statements that deny the existence of the other elohim. Now, we’ve seen that this is wrongheaded, because if you strip out the reality of these other entities, then God is ruling over nothing. He is comparatively greater than nothing. Again, it’s entirely foreign to the biblical writer’s mindset. The biblical writer is trying to make the point that these other entities do exist, and they are inherently inferior to the God of Israel; He judges them. They are not just contrived, made-up cartoon characters.
What we have here, in these statements about there being “none besides me,” is they are not statements that deny the existence of other elohim. They are statements about the incomparability of Yahweh, His uniqueness.
Deuteronomy as ExampleNow, by way of example here, I’m going to take us through a little bit of an exercise in the theology of Deuteronomy because Deuteronomy establishes this point that this is about incomparability, not denying existence. There are passages in Deuteronomy that have these so-called denial statements that also, in the same passage, affirm other elohim.
You can’t have those two things without a contradiction. What I’m saying is there is no contradiction because it’s just about being incomparable, not that one entity exists, and the others don’t.
God Fights SomeoneLet’s take a look at Deuteronomy 4:34-35 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+4%3A34-35&version=LEB); we read this,...
Welcome to Day 1470 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHard Work – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1470 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Helena Rubinstein, and it is: I believe in hard work. It keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.
Hard WorkAs I have mentioned in previous episodes, I grew up on an apple orchard and small farm. There were 12 of us living in an old farmhouse with one bathroom. We didn’t have much materially and would be considered poor by most modern standards. In spite of that, for the most part, we grew up happy and did not realize that we were poor. My parents taught my nine siblings and me how to love each other, even when you don’t feel like it. We learned how to love others, even when they did not deserve it. We also learned how to work hard in order to survive. You know what? I am so happy that I was able to experience all of that growing up. I do believe in working hard, and not being a victim in life. I never use my childhood as an excuse not to do my very best. As Helena said in our quote for today, hard work has and continues to keep me young. Hard work, indeed, does keep the wrinkles out of my mind and spirit. It allows me to be young of mind and spirit to continue on when others choose to quit. So work hard. Choose to enjoy what you do and be satisfied with the results. Hard work rarely, if ever, causes you harm, or will kill you. Enjoy the journey. The book of Proverbs has several lessons on hard work. Here is one of them.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A5&version=NLT)
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
We are also encouraged in:
Romans 12:11 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A11&version=NLT)
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1469 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for...
Welcome to Day 1469 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Attention To Detail – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1469 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Attention to Detail· Insight Seventeen: The Guidance of the Spirit Is Neither a Remedy nor an Excuse for Lackluster Bible StudyIf you’ve watched a baseball or football game on television at some point this century, there’s no doubt you’ve seen players either ask God for success or thank him for it. Athletes today regularly do things like point to the heavens after crossing home plate or finding themselves in the end zone. Some will bow in a short prayer. It’s a nice sentiment and, for many, a testimony that transcends a token gesture.
Let’s be honest. Unless that football player gets in shape and memorizes the playbook, all the pointing to heaven in the world isn’t going to lead to success. You can say a short prayer on the mound or in the batter’s box, but unless you can hit the strike zone or a curveball, you’re going to fail. Pretty badly, in fact.
It’s the same in Bible study. All too often, people who sincerely want the feeling of knowing Scripture aren’t willing to put in the time it takes to get there. Instead, they’ll take short cuts and then expect the Spirit to take up the slack. The assumption seems to be that the promise of the Spirit to guide us into truth means the third person of the Trinity will excuse a lack of effort and give us the answers we need. The analogy that comes to my mind when I hear that is a little disturbing. The Spirit isn’t the kid sitting next to you in high school that lets you cheat off their exam. You must do your own work.
Setting aside for the moment the fact that passages like John 16:13 really aren’t about personal Bible study, the truth is that God expects effort in the pursuit of truth. The Spirit of God works in our hearts and minds, which are the terms Scripture uses for our intellectual faculties (i.e., our brains). He generally makes use of the content you’ve put there (in your mind) in your pursuit of the truths of Scripture. There’s no mental download from heaven coming. Rather than substitute the Spirit for personal effort, my advice is this: as you do the hard work of Bible study, ask the Spirit for insight to expose flawed thinking (your own or whoever you’re reading) and for the right questions to ask about the biblical text. The more of God’s Word you’ve devoted attention to, the more the Spirit can help you recall for understanding....
Welcome to Day 1468 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFlying Cars and Aerial Ridesharing – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1468 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, as I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, I have been dreaming about flying cars since the Jetson’s cartoon was released in 1962. It was supposedly set in the year 2062. Do you think we will have flying cars by then, and how will that change car ownership?
Flying Cars And Aerial RidesharingLast week we focused on how Virtual Reality will change everyday life and work. This week we jump into transportation and explore flying cars. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
In 2019, for the seventh straight year, Los Angeles earned the dubious honor of being the most gridlocked metropolis in the world, where the average driver spends 2.5 working weeks per year trapped in traffic.
Countless cities are close behind. For the average driver, dreams of being elevated above jammed freeways and flying—uninterrupted—to one’s destination seem well out of reach. Yet these visions will soon become realities.
The era of the internal combustion engine car will gradually end. From here on out, the focus will be on electric vehicles, autonomous ridesharing, and flying fleets. The implications for society and the automotive industry are HUGE.
Death of Car OwnershipDuring this decade, we will reach a peak for the manufacturing of internal combustion engines. That may sound somewhat premature, but oil demand for transportation is predicted to peak as early as 2025, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and some experts suggest it may have already peaked.
Currently, electric vehicles or EVs displace the need for 350,000 barrels of oil each day. Long term, EVs are projected to disrupt demand of over 58,000,000 barrels of oil per day by the end of the decade, a figure steadily on the rise as EV costs plummet.
Speeding to first place in today’s transit race, EVs are set to win by sheer economic advantage, fast becoming the foundation for autonomous ridesharing fleets of the future. As that happens, it will soon become un-economical and socially unacceptable for you to hold on to that old gas-guzzling car, at least in major metropolitan areas. Next, we will see electric vehicles migrating to the skies in the form of flying vehicles. By mid-2018, over $1 billion had been invested by startups, VCs, and aerospace giants in at least twenty-five different flying car companies. A dozen vehicles are being test-flown,
Welcome to Day 1467 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomExhausted! – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1467 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Exhausted!Frank, a CPA, was well known throughout the city for his detailed accounting and auditing skills. He had won several awards and accommodations for his stellar work. Knowing that he had a full workload for the upcoming week, we went to bed extra early on Sunday. As it turned out, he did not sleep well that night. He finally got out of bed at 6:00 am, got a shower and dressed, and headed down to the kitchen. His wife Jane was busily cooking a nutritious breakfast for him when he sleepily shuffled in and plopped down at the kitchen table. Jane looked at him with a lovingly look and said, “Frank, you look exhausted, but I know you went to bed extra early last night. What is the problem?” Frank looked at Jane through half-opened eyes and complained, “I don’t think I slept a wink last night.”
Jane looked at Frank curiously and replied, "Why didn't you count sheep?"
Frank replied, “I did, and that's what got me into trouble. I made a mistake the first hour, and it took until morning to correct it.”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “ (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/105824?ref=forgive-your-enemies)”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%205%3A12&version=NLT)
People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1466 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1466 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomElohim In The Council – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1466 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course, we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Elohim In The Divine Council· Segment 14: Who Is/Are Elohim? (Part 1)
Refers to God of Israel, but Also Other Gods
So, how do biblical writers use the term elohim? Well, the most apparent referent would be the God of Israel. You’ll recall in Psalm 82; the word elohim occurred twice; the first one was undoubtedly singular and, of course, pointing to the God of Israel, later called “the Most High” in verse 6. But in Psalm 82:1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+82%3A1&version=NLT), we also had the plural elohim of Yahweh’s council. God takes His stand in the divine assembly, in the midst of the gods, and in the midst of the elohim, He passes judgment. So, the God of Israel, the gods of the divine council, elohim, is also used to refer to the gods of various nations.
For instance, in 1 Kings 11:33 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+11%3A33&version=NLT), we have the names Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom (foreign deities), and they are all referred to with the term elohim. Now, if elohim meant to bring with it a unique set of attributes, this verse right here (1 Kings 11:33) would sort of explode that idea all by itself. Here, you have three different foreign deities. Very obviously, they are not going to have a specific set of unique attributes that we would attribute to the God of Israel. So attributes aren’t wrapped up in the term elohim.
Elohim Connected to Territorial Spirits
Further, elohim is used in Deuteronomy 32:17 in juxtaposition with the term shedim, which most English Bibles have translated “demons.” So these are other entities that are referred to as elohim. Specifically, in that verse, the problem is that Israelites were not sacrificing properly to God but had rendered sacrifice to these other elohim who are shedim (“demons”). The term actually means territorial spirits, territorial entities.
But the point is, of course, that we are not talking about the God of Israel when we refer to elohim here, and we are not assigning a specific set of unique attributes
Welcome to Day 1465 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomI Believe – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1465 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jewish refugee, World War II, Poland, and it is: I believe in the sun, even when it isn’t shining. I believe in love, even when I am alone. I believe in God, even when He is silent.
I BelieveIn order to function and remain sane in a world of ever-increasing chaos requires that we are grounded in a belief system that is grounded in something, or someone that has complete control over every situation we face in life. When you wake up in the morning, and it is cloudy or stormy out, do you think that the sun has completely vanished? Do you believe that you will never see the sun again? Of course not, you know that it is only a temporary and needed situation for life to be sustained on earth. You have faith that someday in the not too distant future that the sun will shine brightly once again. When you are alone or lonely, do you believe that you will never be loved again in your lifetime? The first principle of love is that you must love yourself properly before you can love others properly. When you love others, then, in turn, they will love you. Even when you are alone, you believe that, indeed, you will feel the love of others soon. When it appears that God is silent in your life, and not providing peace and guidance, you must believe that He has a purpose for this season of silence. It may be that you are holding onto that which cannot provide safety and security in your life. We are told in Hebrews 13:5 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A5&version=NLT). Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
When you cannot see the sun, or feel the love of others, or when God is silent, you must turn to God in faith. It is then that our vision becomes clear, and we can be at peace and understand those difficult times in life.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2011%3A1%2D3&version=NLT)
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith, we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1464 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for...
Welcome to Day 1464 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – A Variety of Methods – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1464 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – A Variety of Methods· Insight Fifteen: Use a Variety of Methods in Bible StudyVariety is the spice of life, so the saying goes. It’s good advice for Bible study. The principle is obvious. While there’s security in routine, it’s nice to mix things up once in a while or try something new. Change invites our problem-solving intelligence to kick in and, consequently, to stimulate our brain.
There are a lot of approaches to Bible study. You might want to try as many as you can discover, or master just a few.
Since most people graduate to Bible study from Bible reading, the verse-by-verse method is often where people start. The technique involves moving through a paragraph or passage looking up cross-references, picking words to study, and figuring out what every sentence means within the larger unit.
Topical Bible study is an entirely different method. Topical Bible study is just what it sounds like—discovering what the Bible says about a given topic. This method would require tools that can get you started in sketching out a topic, like Bible dictionaries. You need to know upfront what the keywords are that relate to a given topic. For example, if you wanted to study Old Testament sacrifices, you wouldn’t just use a concordance to look up the word “sacrifice.” You’d also want to look up words like “offering,” “blood, “sprinkle,” and “atone. Once you have a range of keywords, you’ll discover the key passages.Another method is doing character sketches, also known as biographical Bible study. This approach focuses on a single Bible character, searching for every passage where he or she appears.
In this method, you need to be on the alert for where the character’s name doesn’t appear, too. Sometimes a character is just named by a pronoun (“he” or “she” did this or that). The goal is to build a profile of what that person was like. How did your character react in given circumstances? What can the episodes of his or her life tell you about their personal strengths and weaknesses? How did they relate to God? Sometimes unnamed characters can be the focus of this kind of study. A Bible study on women in the Gospels, named or unnamed, could be quite interesting.
Even this handful of methods can keep you engaged for a long time. Be on the lookout for others, and try something new!
· Insight Sixteen:...
Welcome to Day 1463 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomVirtual Reality - What We Can Expect – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1463 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, I hear a lot about Virtual Reality recently. Can you share your insight about where the Virtual Reality market is today, and what we can expect over this next decade?
Virtual Reality – What We Can ExpectLast week we focused on the second part of how exponential technologies are impacting food production. This week we are switching our focus to Virtual Reality and the road from deceptive to disruptive. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
In 2016, venture investments in Virtual Reality exceeded $800 million, while Augmented Reality, which is also referred to as Mixed Reality, received a total of $450 million. Just a year later, investments in AR/MR and VR startups doubled to $3.6 billion.
Today, major players are bringing VR headsets to market that have the power to revolutionize the industry, as well as countless others. Already, VR headset sales volumes are expected to reach 98.4 million by 2023, according to Futuresource Consulting. Beyond headsets themselves, Facebook’s $399 Oculus Quest brought in $5 million in content sales within the first two weeks post-release in the spring of 2019.
With companies like Niantic ($4B valuation), Improbable ($2B valuation), and Unity ($6B valuation) all exceeding a valuation exceeding $1 billion in recent years, the VR space is massively heating up.
Today we will dive into a brief history of VR, recent investment surges, and the future of this revolutionary technology.
· Brief History of VRFor all of history, our lives have been limited by the laws of physics and mitigated by the five senses, but Virtual Reality is rewriting those rules. It’s letting us digitize experiences and teleport our senses into a computer-generated world where the limits of imagination become the only brake on reality. Considering all of recorded history, it has taken a while to get here.
Much like Artificial Intelligence, the concept of VR has been around since the 60s. The 1980s saw the first releases of VR when the earliest “consumer-facing” systems began to show up. In 1989, if you had a spare $250,000, you could purchase the EyePhone before the iPhone, a VR system built by Jaron Lanier’s company VPL. It was actually Jaron Lanier who coined the term ‘virtual reality.’
Unfortunately, the computer that...
Welcome to Day 1462 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomForgive Your Enemies – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1462 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Forgive Your EnemiesIn his Sunday sermon, Pastor Sam prepared a fiery sermon, “Forgive Your Enemies,” as his subject. As he was finishing up his sermon, he pleaded with the congregation and asked, “how many are you willing to forgive your enemies?” To Pastor Sam’s amazement, only about half of the congregation held up their hands.
Not satisfied with the response, Pastor Sam went back into his sermon and harangued the congregation for another twenty minutes and repeated his question, “how many are you willing to forgive your enemies?.” The response was better, but still, only eighty percent of the hands were raised. The lack of response lit a fire in Pastor Sam’s belly, and he started back in for fifteen more minutes and repeated his question, “how many are you willing to forgive your enemies?.” Thinking that they may be there all day, everyone raised their hand except for old Mr. Jones in the back pew.
“Mr. Jones, are you not willing to forgive your enemies?”
“I don’t have any enemies, Pastor.”
In a bit of a pompous tone, Pastor Same asked, “Mr. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?”
“One hundred and one.” Mr. Jones replied.
Still not being convinced, Pastor Sam said, “Mr. Jones, please come down in front and tell the congregation how a man can live to be one hundred and one and not have an enemy in the world.”
The old man teetered down the aisle, slowly turned to face the congregation, smiled, and said, “I outlived every one of them!”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “ (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/105824?ref=forgive-your-enemies)”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203%3A13&version=NLT)
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1461 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead...
Welcome to Day 1461 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomArguments for a Divine Council – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1461 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Arguments for a Divine Council· Segment 12: Polytheism: Are The Gods Real?
Denying the Reality of the elohim as gods mocks God
Now, aside from trajectories that sort of try to blunt or strip away the supernatural element of the plural elohim, the plural sons of God in the Old Testament, by making them idols or making them people, when we dispense with that, that brings us to a certain set of issues that we have to address. If it’s not those other things, then it must be divine beings. Then typically, what’s asked is, well, maybe this is just sort of imaginative. Perhaps the gods, these other elohim just aren’t real at all.
Biblical Writers Had a Supernatural Worldview
How do we handle that? Because these are biblical writers writing things about these other elohim. Now, we as modern people, we sort of reflexively go to this question, and we sort of assign unreality to these beings. A biblical writer would not do this. A biblical writer is predisposed to supernaturalism. That’s why the Unseen Realm has its subtitle: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible.
Then you might say, “Well, if you are going to say that these gods are real (and I do because the biblical writers do), isn’t that polytheism? Then what about these phrases about ‘there is no other God besides Yahweh of Israel,’ ‘besides Him there is no other,’ these sorts of phrases?”
Denying Reality of the Elohim Mocks GodSo this is the territory that we need to cover now. What we’ve already established has God’s members of His council as spirit beings. There are other ways to discern that and discern God’s relationship to them. I would suggest this. We’ll start here: that if you are going to deny that the other elohim, the members of God’s council, if you’re going to say they are not real, then doing that actually mocks God because God is going to be described as being above these other elohim, as being the elohim of elohim, the God of gods.
If those beings don’t really exist, there is no glory for God to be had there. In fact, it...
Welcome to Day 1460 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAll In! – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1460 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Vincent van Gogh, and it is: I am seeking, I am striving, I am in with all my heart.
All In!
How committed are you in the various segments of your life. How committed are you to your family and preserving a loving relationship? How committed are you to physical fitness and living a healthy lifestyle? How committed are you to improving yourself mentally and intellectually? How committed are you to maintaining healthy personal and social life with others? How committed are you to be prudent and wise in your financial dealings, and staying out of debt? How committed are you to your work and career, so you are successful in whatever job you do? Finally, how committed are you to maintaining a healthy, growing, and vibrant spiritual life where loving God and loving others is your highest calling? In all seven areas of life, to live to fulfill your God-given potential, you need to be continually seeking, to be continually striving, to be all in with all of your heart. It is then you can reflect and know that you are ALL IN! So continue on, because God is not finished with you until He calls you home to be with Him.
Philippians 1:6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201%3A6&version=NLT)
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2010%3A31&version=NLT)
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1459 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1459 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study – Its Aim Is Not Ignorance – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1459 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Its Aim Is Not Ignorance· Insight Thirteen: The Aim of Bible Study is the Meaning of the Text, Not a Defense of Your ViewThe Bible is God’s Word—a repository of truths and information that, through human authors, God wanted to be preserved for posterity. Since the Bible is one of God’s means to transform our lives and direct our behavior, those who hold it in esteem have an emotional investment in it. They believe that it’s the expression of God’s will, not only for faith but also practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Given all that’s riding on Bible study, it’s not hard to see why people who engage in it seriously sometimes argue about the results. Disagreements aren’t about an intellectual victory. Right and wrong are at stake; at least that’s the ideal. Sometimes that’s accurate. Other times it’s exaggerated.
Knowing precisely what the Bible means at every turn would require omniscience. Several passages are ambiguous. God knows omniscience isn’t an attribute we possess. Consequently, assigning a point of morality to every interpretive decision is unwise. It may sound sacrilegious, but a lot of the Bible—and hence, Bible study—doesn’t have a moral issue in view.I’ve met many Christians who are so desperate to make sure their behavior is right and not wrong that they end up becoming better at arguing for what their family or tradition tells them a verse means than actually studying the matter for themselves. I’ve seen relationships destroyed over conflicting Bible interpretations where no core doctrinal teaching was at stake. I’ve seen believers driven to despair when friends or family members make an interpretation a litmus test for good standing before them, and even before God.
The goal of Bible study shouldn’t be about finding ammunition to make someone guilty, or shaming someone on the other side of a disagreement. It isn’t about finding ways to crush opposition or force a spiritual submission. You aren’t the Holy Spirit. It’s often better to kindly share what you believe and its basis in Scripture and then privately take your concerns to the Lord.
· Insight Fourteen: Ignorance is Not a Gift of the SpiritIn this era of social media, we’ve all been exposed to people who have a knack for irritating and offending people they’ve never met. If you peruse comments on blogs or online forums to...
Welcome to Day 1458 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Future of Food – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1458 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, technological advances are moving so quickly. With the world population growing briskly, how will technology impact food in the future?
The Future of Food (Part 2)Last week we focused on the first part of how exponential technologies are impacting food production. This week we will continue exploring how food production is changing rapidly. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Could a hamburger grown in a lab from Kobe beef stem cells be cheaper, better tasting, and healthier for you?
Can you imagine a future where millions of square miles of pastoral land are reclaimed by nature, creating new forests and revitalizing the Earth’s vital oxygen making?
Last week, we discussed the hyper-efficient food production systems of 2030. This week, we continue that discussion, but from a different perspective—because by the end of the next decade, we may witness the end of industrial animal agriculture as we know it.
Through the convergence of biotechnology and AgTech, we will witness the birth of the most ethical, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable food system ever devised by humankind.
Let’s dive in.
· Cultured MeatMeat production is often problematic. A quarter of the planet’s available landmass is currently used to keep 20 billion chickens, 1.5 billion cattle, and 1 billion sheep alive—that is, until we can kill them and eat them. We also have to deal with all of the waste and by-products associated with the butchering of animals.
Here are some statistics that will open your eyes. One out of seven Americans will go to bed hungry tonight, yet farm animals consume 30 percent of the world’s food crops. It is much more exaggerated in most developing countries. Worse is the water involved. Meat production accounts for 70 percent of global water use. Compared to 1,500 liters required to produce a kilogram of wheat, it takes 15,000 liters to produce a kilogram of beef, meaning there’s enough water in an adult steer to float a U.S. Navy destroyer. While this next statistic may be debatable, it is projected that meat production is also responsible for 14.5 percent of all greenhouse gases and a considerable portion of our deforestation problem as land is cleared for pastures.
So what is the solution as meat consumption continues to rise throughout the world? One...
Welcome to Day 1457 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomI Can't Believe It! – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1457 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
I Can’t Believe It!Sam seemed to be late for just about everything. As was his habit, Sam was running a little behind schedule when he arrives at the movie theater to watch a movie that he was really looking forward to it. Although Sam was late, he figured maybe the previews were still playing, so he goes in to watch the movie that has already started. He sat there for several minutes, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness and immediately became engrossed in the movie. After a few minutes, he was surprised to see a dog sitting beside its master in the row ahead of him. Sam noticed that the dog was actually intently watching the movie.
The dog even seemed to be enjoying the movie: he was wagging its tail in the happy parts of the movie, drooping its ears at the sad parts, and hiding his eyes with its paws at the scary parts. Sam was so intrigued that it was getting hard to pay attention to the movie.
After the movie, Sam approached the dog's owner and exclaimed, “Wow, your dog really seemed to enjoy the movie. I'm amazed!”
The owner looked at Sam with a proud look on his face and said, “Yes, I can't believe it myself. He hated the book.”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2026%3A11&version=NLT)
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1456 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1456 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAdditional Objections To The Heavenly Council – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1456 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Additional Objections To The Heavenly Council· Segment 10: Are References Just People or Specifically Jews?Who Comprises the Heavenly Council?
In previous weeks we explored if the council of God referred to the trinity or idols. Neither of those options were logical or based on Scripture. One of the other options when people raise the following questions, “Well, maybe these plural elohim aren’t really divine beings; they’re not really gods.” “Maybe they are something else. Maybe they are people.” “Maybe Psalm 82 has God talking to a council of leaders, Jewish leaders, elders, Israelites, you know, some human beings here.”
Coming from the Spiritual World
Now, we’ve already seen specific arguments in addressing other questions that are going to make this option very troublesome. Frankly, making this option impossible. In Psalm 89, the council of God, the council of His sons. In Psalm 82:6, the sons of God, the sons of the Most High. Those two psalms using sonship language very plainly—this council of God’s children in Psalm 89 is in the skies; it’s in the heavenly realms, the spiritual realm.
First Kings 22: Micaiah is looking into the throne room of God. Micaiah sees a vision of the spiritual world. It’s the same thing with Daniel 4 and Daniel 7. In these passages, these beings come from the spiritual world, not earth. That alone would rule out the trajectory that God is really talking to people here.
Dominant View: Humans
You can read your Bible from cover to cover, and you’re never going to come up with a group of Jewish people ruling with God in the skies. It just doesn’t make any sense. There is a reason behind why I am bringing this up because this is actually, believe it or not—even though after the little bit we have discussed here, it sounds a bit absurd—this is actually kind of a dominant view in commentaries and other sources for Psalm 82.
Again, it’s because people are troubled by having multiple elohim in the spiritual world. You might be listening to that and...
Welcome to Day 1455 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOur Past Creates Our Future – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1455 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C. S. Lewis, and it is: Humanity does not pass through phases as a train passes through a station: being alive, it has the privilege of always moving yet never leaving anything behind. Whatever we have been, in some sort, we are still.
Our Past Creates Our FutureThree primary mindsets influence a person's outlook on life. Some people are past-oriented, and most decisions made are influenced strongly by what happened in the past. Some people are present-oriented, and current circumstances strongly influence most decisions, that is what is happening now. The remainder of the people are future-oriented, and most decisions are made from the perspective of what could be in the future. I tend to be very future-oriented, and do not allow what happened in the past, or my current situation to hinder what I think is a future possibility. Regardless of what perspective is dominant in your decision making, all of us are bound by our past. We cannot deny being strongly influenced by circumstances and experiences that make us who we are today. Our history is both positive and negative. The negative aspects of our past need to be our tutors which help us to make wise decisions in the future. The positive aspects of our history need to be our sage advisers allowing us to build on that strong foundation, which will enable us to excel and impact others as we build God’s kingdom here on earth. Regardless of your primary outlook on life and decision making, know that whatever baggage we bring with us from the past, whether it be good or ill, we can learn from it to be better tomorrow than we are today. Life is a trek, and each day that we live is another opportunity to be who God destined us to be.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012%3A1&version=NLT)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1454 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life...
Welcome to Day 1454 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study - Getting it Right Through Action – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1454 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study – Getting it Right Through Action· Insight Eleven: Bible Study Is Not Like MarriageEvery reader who is married knows that marriage is an adjustment. Although Paula and I have had very few issues in our marriage, the honeymoon phase does indeed end. Couples may love each other, but conflict eventually surfaces. One piece of sage advice for handling conflicts that I have read at various times is offered in the form of a question: Do you want to be happy, or do you want to be right? I suspect that you catch the meaning. Winning a debate and making your spouse happy aren’t interchangeable ideas.
While this advice works well for marital bliss, it doesn’t work for Bible study. When it comes to interpreting Scripture, you want to be right. Flawed analysis and poorly formed conclusions about what the Bible says aren’t going to produce Bible study bliss. In the long run of our spiritual lives, getting warm and fuzzy feelings from a misunderstood passage is far less desirable than grasping the text accurately without a wave of emotion sweeping over us.
The same can be said about having your own theological comfort zone as your goal for Bible study. If we believe the text is inspired, we need to be subservient to what it says, even when our efforts produce results that conflict with what we’ve been taught to believe. If we’re teaching others, our goal cannot be keeping people happy with what we discover are flawed beliefs and interpretations. Bible study is meaningless if we aren’t striving to understand God’s Word correctly.
So remember that you aren’t practicing marital diplomacy when you study Scripture. Think critically. Be tenacious. Demand clarity. Giving in isn’t going to make God happy. He wants you to wrestle with his Word and get it right.
· Insight Twelve: “Study” is a VerbDr. Heiser shares that before he decided to go to graduate school, he spent some time in seminary. One of his professors was known for his memorable phrases. One of his off-the-cuff quips has stuck with Dr. Heiser for decades: “If you don’t think the ministry is hard work, you aren’t in it.” As with most professional careers, they are hard work. While I never went into the pastorate, this phrase rings through the corridors of my mind whenever I think about Bible study. It lends itself to a suitable...
Welcome to Day 1453 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Future of Food – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1453 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, technological advances are moving so quickly. With the world population growing briskly, how will technology impact food in the future?
The Future of Food (Part 1)Last week we focused on the implication and opportunity of AR. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. One area we see rapid change is in our food production, which is our focus for this week and next. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Food… What we eat and how we grow it will be fundamentally transformed in the next decade. Already, vertical farming is projected to exceed a US$12 billion industry by mid-decade, surging at an astonishing 25 percent annual growth rate. Meanwhile, the food 3D printing industry is expected to grow at an even higher rate, averaging nearly 40 percent annual growth.
Converging exponential technologies—from materials science to AI-driven digital agriculture—are not slowing down. Today’s breakthroughs will soon allow our planet to boost its food production by nearly 70 percent, using a fraction of the real estate and resources, to feed 9 billion by mid-century.
What you consume, how it was grown, and how it will end up in your stomach will all ride the wave of converging exponentials, revolutionizing the most basic of human needs.
· Printing Food3D printing has already had a profound impact on the manufacturing sector. We are now able to print in hundreds of different materials, making anything from toys to houses to organs. However, we finally see the emergence of 3D printers that can print food itself.
A company called Redefine Meat, an Israeli startup, wants to tackle industrial meat production using 3D printers that can generate meat, no animals required. The printer takes in fat, water, and three different plant protein sources, using these ingredients to print a meat fiber matrix with trapped fat and water, thus mimicking the texture and flavor of real meat. Slated for release in 2020, at the cost of $100,000, their machines are rapidly demonetizing and will begin by targeting clients in industrial-scale meat production.
Another company, Anrich3D, aims to take this process a step further, 3D-printing meals that are customized to your medical...
Welcome to Day 1452 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLooking Good! – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1452 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Looking Good!John and Susan decided to go out for a fancy dinner for their 60th wedding anniversary. Eating out was a special time for them, but a bit unusual, because both of them were quite frugal and preferred to eat at home. As with most couples in their 80s, John and Susan’s eyes and hearing were both starting to fail a bit. After a lovely dinner, they decided to head home and watch a movie on TV. John made some popcorn, and poured them each a large glass of prune juice while Susan selected a romantic movie for them to watch.
As they start watching the movie, John scoots near Susan and starts cuddling with her. John removed his glasses and snuggles even closer. Susan turned to John, flush, and with a big smile on her face. Susan whispered into John’s ear and said, "Sweetie, without your glasses, you still look like that handsome young man I married 60 years ago." John smiles and replies, "Well, Honey, without my glasses, you still look pretty good too!"I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “A Good Marriage is not something you find, it’s something you make, and you have to keep on making it each day.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018%3A22&version=NLT)
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1451 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 1451 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomShared Rule With The Heavenly Council – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1451 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Shared Rule With The Heavenly Council· Segment 8: Participation with God’s Government 1 Participation Not Artificial
I bring up the issue of predestination really for one reason. That is, I want to make the point that participation in God’s council, participation in carrying out God’s will isn’t artificial. That is, God uses the members of His family to carry out His decrees, and He allows them freedom, creativity, input—however, we want to think about this—in carrying out His will, in getting done the thing, He wants to get done.
Participation is going to be a part of a template for understanding our role in God’s program. Even though it’s sort of a bit of a sidebar, sort of a little bit abstract, it’s essential to include this in our thinking, because when we talk about “participation,” this term is going to come back later in our course when we talk about imaging. The whole concept of being created as God’s imager really matters because God (as we’re going to see) is going to lend us His attributes, one of which is freedom, and He allows us to use those attributes to be who we are in carrying out His decisions. Not Predetermined
Let us consider an example or two of that in the Old Testament, where God and the decisions He makes does not have everything in a predetermined. This mindset is going to matter how we process what we do as God’s servants, as God’s children in His family business, His family bureaucracy. So the question before us is: Isn’t everything predestined? I have already said, tipped my hand here last week, the answer is still no.
Do we have scriptural evidence for that? I’m going to take us on a short detour through 1 Samuel 23 to obtain a needed perspective. This perspective is going to be an ingredient in understanding the importance of actually working with God, being co-laborers in what He wants us to do. It’s not artificial. It’s meaningful; it actually counts. So let’s take a look at 1 Samuel 23.
· Segment 9:...
Welcome to Day 1450 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHow Simple – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1450 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gerald Jompolsky, and it is: How simple it is to see all the worry in the world cannot control the future. How simple it is to see that we can only be happy now and that there will never be a time when it is not now.
How SimpleWorry is so self-destructive since no amount of worry will result in a positive change in any situation. Worry in no way will control the future, except for the possibility of allowing circumstances to slide in a downward spiral. Only action can affect change, which will enable you to control the outcome of the future. Tied closely to worry is the impact that it will have on your happiness of your current situation in life. We only can be happy now, because there is never a time which is not the present. We can look forward to the possibility of a future time, but if worry steals from us the ability to be happy now, then there is little chance we will be happy when the future is now. So we must choose today not to worry, and we must choose today to be happy. That does not mean we don’t take action today to change our current circumstances if they need to be changed, but while we are taking action, we must choose not to worry and chose to be happy. To do so is really quite simple. The choice is up to you, and it a choice that you must make each day.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2019%3A7&version=NLT)
The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
Proverbs 8:5 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%208%3A5&version=NLT)
You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1449 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1449 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomJournal Articles and Cross-References for Bible Study – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1449 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Journal Articles and Cross-References for Bible Study· Insight Nine: Read Journal ArticlesWhen people see the word “journal,” they think of a diary or travelogue. Those aren’t what I’m talking about in this situation. Instead, think academic research journals. I understand that academic journals make for challenging reading. Scholars write them for scholars and their students (pastors, seminarians, or graduate students). That being said, they are an excellent tool for biblical research. Since they are published a few times every year, they are more up-to-date than commentaries and Bible dictionaries. They are the cutting edge.
Academic journals are like magazines. They usually have between five and ten articles covering a hundred or so pages. They are not magazines. There are crucial differences.
Journal content is peer-reviewed. Articles that appear in a magazine like TIME are not submitted to a panel of field experts. They are written by journalists who may or may not have academic exposure to the field of their article. For example, there is a clear difference in tone and quality between an article on Alzheimer’s that appears in the Journal of the American Medical Society (JAMA) and TIME magazine. An article in TIME will be written for nonspecialists and have a strictly imposed word count. It’s a diluted summary of the topic. You get the basics.However, an article in a journal may run thirty pages, use technical vocabulary, and will have undergone peer review. It’s scientific research discussed by experts. You get all the hard data.
You ought to know about scholarly journals in biblical studies and read them from time to time. Major news magazines seem to annually produce hit pieces on the historicity of Jesus and the Gospels every Christmas and Easter. What readers get in those articles is the work of a journalist, not a scholar. That journalist might interview a handful of scholars for a half-dozen quotations. Those are sound bites. You’re getting crumbs that a nonexpert with no expert supervision decides you need to read.
As a serious Bible student, you should know that anything you’d ever read in a popular magazine about the Bible is selective in content and guided by an editorial agenda. Academic journals will show you what experts in the field, of all theological persuasions, including those with a high view of
Welcome to Day 1448 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAugmented Reality – Implications and Opportunity – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1448 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, what are some of the implications and opportunities of Augmented Reality and its impact on the world.
Augmented Reality – Implications and OpportunityLast week on Futuristic Friday, we explored how Augmented Reality is and will impact significant sectors of industry. Today, we will focus on the implication and opportunity of AR. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
If you could choose, how do you want to see the world? As an on-going game? A constant shopping extravaganza? A classroom that spans the planet and never stops teaching? How the Earth appeared 100 years ago? Augmented Reality (AR) will allow everyone to view the ultra-dynamic and highly immersive digital world of their choice.
Turn on Game mode, and when you’re walking down the street, everything you look at becomes part of a game… Star Wars, Star Trek, Pokémon, or Harry Potter. Entertainment information layers permeate all physical environments.In Shopping mode, online merges with offline environments. Every storefront is only showing you things you desire; your AI knows precisely what you’re shopping for, what you need, what colors and fabrics you prefer. Specifications from price, color, and brand, are preferentially displayed by your AR headset. Your AI filters even the advertisements you see (or lack thereof).
Turn on Education mode, and wherever you look, your AI-enabled AR headset can deliver to you physics lessons, historical rundowns, or linguistics courses. Virtual educators appear on demand, answering nearly any question you could possibly think of. (Every action, from an arching football to an ocean wave, can teach you about physics.) Every moment is filled with constant learning and growth.
Or switch on Tourism mode: Explore any location with a personalized, expert guide. See a site as it appeared during any time-period—rewind 600 years or 6,000. Don’t miss any of the most renowned local food spots, particularly those your AI knows best match your palate.
· The AR CloudAs AR hardware advances within its deceptive growth phase, the business opportunity for AR content creators is now—whether building virtual universes or digitizing our physical one.
To...
Welcome to Day 1447 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomGo Forth and Multiply – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1447 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Go Forth and MultiplyAfter the great flood, Noah was so anxious to rid the Ark of all the animals, and move onto a normal life. After investing 100 years building the Ark and then being quarantined for over a year with a bunch of smelly animals, Noah opens up the Ark and let all the animals out. Follow God’s commands, Noah stands at the door and tells every pair of animals to “Go forth and multiply!” This feat alone took over a week before all the animals were out of the Ark. After he thought all of the animals we out, he went back in to sweep the Ark clean and to make sure no animals or creatures were left behind. Noah thought he was all finished, but did one last walk through with his family checking every corner. As Noah was closing the great doors of the Ark, he hears something move in a dark corner. When checks closer, he notices that two snakes are sitting in a dark corner.
Noah being very disturbed that the snakes were not off of the Ark. So Noah says to them, “Didn't you hear me? You can go now. Go forth and multiply."
The snakes looked a bit embarrassed and replied, "We can't; we are adders."I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “ (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/478622?ref=snakes)”
Here is our verse for today:
Genesis 9:1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9%3A1&version=NLT)
Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1446 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Futuristic Friday!
Welcome to Day 14416 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDivine Council - Overcoming Objections – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1446 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Divine Council - Overcoming Objections· Segment 7: Idols Part 2
Elohim and the Divine Council Does Not Refer to IdolsWe are talking about the language of divine plurality in Psalm 82 (the plural elohim), and whether we should understand that language as referring to idols. To be honest, at this point, you’re probably wondering how this question is even relevant, how it makes any sense.
Fear of Polytheism
Well, a lot of people gravitate toward this option because they don’t want plural elohim to be real because of the fear of polytheism. We’re going to see later that that is an unsubstantial fear. Biblical theology does not teach polytheism, but we need to continue with this question because Bible teachers and even some scholars raise it.
Additional Support For a Divine Council in Daniel 7
We already saw last week in 1 Kings 22 that we have in God’s council a heavenly host of spirit beings. That makes perfect sense; they are the ones who carry out God’s decrees. In that example, it was God’s decree that Ahab was going to die. In Daniel 7, we pick up another passage. Again, keep in mind, idols don’t work for God. God does have an entourage; He does have a heavenly host; He does have a council, but we are not talking about idols here. So, in Daniel 7:9-10 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+7%3A9-10&version=NLT), we read this, Daniel says,
As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took His seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
What we have here is a divine council meeting. We have thrones (plural) set up to render a judgment. We have a court, a council sitting, books are opened because God and His council, His entourage, His assembly, are going to render a...
Welcome to Day 1445 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomStay Focused – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1445 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from German Proverb, and it is: He who begins too much accomplishes little.
Stay FocusedIt is so easy in today’s busy and hectic world to get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to accomplish too much. We start too many projects, we volunteer for too many commitments, and we get involved in too many obligations. The result of this, we end up not accomplishing much at all. We have dozens of projects left undone. We disappoint others who are counting on our assistance. We end up feeling like a failure. A wise person will know their limitations and only commit to obligations that they are sure they can finish. It is much better not to start a project or decline an invitation than to over-commit ourselves. Many times failure comes when we are not solely focused on a limited number of obligations. In fact, it is better to begin a few projects, and successfully finish them than to be involved with many and never finish them. We can accomplish more when we focus on one task now with all of our attention. Once we achieve that one task, then we can move onto the next. We can only focus on one thing at a time. Do that well, and then move on. Don’t fall into the miserable trap of over-commitment, which leads to the cycle of failure. Begin a task with all your focus, finish that task, and then move on. It is then you will see an abundance of continual success cascade over you.
Philippians 3:12-14 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%203%3A12%2D14&version=NLT)
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1444 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Welcome to Day 1444 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNo Excuse Bible Study – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1444 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing a new series this week on Meditation Monday, which will focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
No Excuse Bible Study· Insight Seven: Deuteronomy 29:29 Is No Excuse for Intellectual Laziness in Bible StudyNo one likes to hear excuses. Whether it be your kids, your parents, your coworkers, or your friends, it’s downright annoying when people try to avoid problems and then make excuses for not doing what they know needs to be done. It’s something we all have to watch for in ourselves too—and in our Bible study.
Deuteronomy 29:29 has, unfortunately, become the go-to verse for quitting when thinking gets hard in Bible study. It’s the verse that says: “The Lord, our God, has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.
Most people only know the first few words: “The Lord, our God, has secrets known to no one.” Dr. Heiser shares that as a professor and a Bible teacher in the church, he has heard those words often enough to be able to paraphrase their meaning whenever students of all varieties and circumstances use them. Here are some excuses:
“No one really knows what that verse means, so can we move on to something more practical?”
“I want my Bible to be simple. You’re making my head hurt.”
“Are you going to ask us to explain that passage on an exam?”
The irony here is that Deuteronomy 29:29 doesn’t mean that there are things in the Bible that are hard to figure out. Deuteronomy 29 is part of the conclusion of a long sermon by Moses about blessings or curses from God for obedience or disobedience. After talking about the need to obey God and how to avoid offending him, Moses punctuates his point with this verse. The point is not that God says things that are difficult to understand. It’s that concealed acts of sin are still known to God. He will punish them since He knows them. The revealed violations were the Israelites’ responsibility to punish.
For our purposes, the point should be clear: Deuteronomy 29:29 is not about waving the white flag of surrender in Bible study. No one understands everything in the Bible, but a lot of hard passages do have coherent explanations. It’s our job to find them, not evade the work involved.
· Insight Eight: When You Read About a Place in the Bible, Look Up What Happened...
Welcome to Day 1443 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAugmented Reality – Industry Impact – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1443 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is: Hey Gramps, I understand that Augmented Reality will have a significant impact on our lives, but can you share how it may impact specific industries?
Augmented Reality – Industry ImpactLast week on Futuristic Friday, we explored hardware and apps that are used as instruments for Augmented Reality (AR). Today, we will focus on a few specific industries which will be most impacted with AR. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Augmented Reality (AR) has already exceeded over 2,000 AR apps on over 1.4 billion active iOS devices. Even if on a rudimentary level, the technology is now permeating the consumer products space.
And in just the next four years, the International Data Corporation (IDC) forecasts AR headset production will surge 141 percent each year, reaching a whopping 32 million units by 2023.
AR will soon serve as a surgeon’s assistant, a sales agent, and an educator, personalized to your kids’ learning patterns and interests.
I’m doing a deep dive into AR’s most exciting industry applications, poised to hit the market in the next 5-10 years.
Let’s dive in.
Healthcare(1) Surgeons and physicians:
Whether through detailed and dynamic anatomical annotations or visualized patient-specific guidance, AR will soon augment every human medical practitioner.
To start, AR is already being used as a diagnosis tool. SyncThink, recently hired by Magic Leap, has developed eye-tracking technology to diagnose concussions and balance disorders. Yet another startup, XRHealth, launched its ARHealth platform on Magic Leap to aid in rehabilitation, pain distraction, and psychological assessment.
Moreover, surgeons at the Imperial College London have used Microsoft’s HoloLens 1 in pre-operative reconstructive and plastic surgery procedures, which typically involves using CT scans to map blood vessels that supply vital nutrients during surgery.
As explained by the project’s senior researcher, Dr. Philip Pratt, “With the HoloLens, we’re now doing the same kind of [scan] and then processing the data captured to make it suitable to look at. That means we end up with a silhouette of a limb, the location of the injury, and the course of the vessels
Welcome to Day 1442 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSpank Him Again – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1442 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Spank Him AgainJohn was out of town on a business trip, which he was due to return from in a couple of days. This was the last trip he was planning until after their soon to arrive 2nd child was born, which wasn’t due for at least another week. As fate would have it, the baby had not received the message and decided to arrive early. That night at about 3:00 A.M., John’s wife Heidi woke up with labor pains, and her water broke soon after that. If that wasn’t concern enough, as she was trying to figure out what to do, the power in the city went off. Heidi woke their 3-year-old daughter, Katelyn, and tried to explain that her new little brother was going to arrive soon, and that she needed her to help out in any manner possible. Knowing It was late at night, and being home was home only with Katelyn, Heidi decided to call 911. Due to a power outage in the city at the time, only one paramedic was able to respond to the call.
Heidi unlocked the front door and decided that she best stay in her bed after that, since the labor pains were very intense. When the paramedic arrived, she let herself in as the dispatch instructed him. The house was very, very dark, so the paramedic asked little Katelyn to hold a flashlight high over her mommy so she could see while she helped deliver the baby. Very diligently, Katelyn did as she was asked.
Heidi pushed and pushed, and after a little while, Connor was born. The paramedic lifted him by his feet, and spanked him on his bottom. Connor began to cry. The paramedic wrapped Connor snuggly in a blanket and handed him to Heidi.
The paramedic then thanked Katelyn for her help, and asked the wide-eyed 3-year-old Katelyn what she thought about what she had just witnessed.
Katelyn quickly responded, “He shouldn’t have crawled in there in the first place. Spank him again.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Parenthood is the scariest “hood” you will ever be in.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20139%3A14&version=NLT)
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1441 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Welcome to Day 1441 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomObjections – The Trinity and Idols are not God’s Divine Council – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1441 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Objections Part 1· Segment 5: TrinityImpossibility of Elohim as Trinity in Psalm 82
Now, as we go through these questions, I think we’ll see that none of them are really very complicated, although some are easier to see the answer than others. Let’s take the question about the Trinity first. Are the plural elohim references of Psalm 82, for instance, references to the Trinity?
Well, if we are talking about Psalm 82 and its council, which, of course, is drawn on by Psalm 89 and other passages that we’ll see as we go on, Psalm 82 actually forbids the idea that this could be speaking of the Trinity. Let’s take a look at the psalm itself and just read through it. Verse 1:
God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods, he holds judgment:
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!
That’s the entire psalm, and what’s the point? Well, the plural elohim from verse 1 that God is addressing in this council are really getting a reprimand from God because they are wicked, and they are corrupt.
Divine Rebellion
We get a little sense of what the point is by the last line, “Arise O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!” Now, it would take a whole other course to explain divine rebellion in the history of the Old Testament and Old Testament theology. Still, one of those rebellions has to do with what happened at the Tower of Babel.
Welcome to Day 1440 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOvercoming Frustration – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1440 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: He overcomes the frustration of the times whose plans and purposes belong to God.
Overcoming FrustrationToday’s highly charged and polarized political and societal daily events seem to be a mark of our modern times. If you listen to most of the news media or focus much time on social media, it is easy to become frustrated with the times we live in today. There seems to be a lack of love and compassion for anyone who does not align with our thoughts or beliefs. When we have this mindset, it is because we do not understand or accept God’s plans and purposes for our lives. God’s ways are so much better and higher than our thoughts and opinions. As Christ-followers, It is time for God’s church to rise above this frustration and show love and compassion even if we don’t agree with others. When we align our plans and purpose for life with God’s plan for continuing to build His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, then our frustrations will subside, and we will better understand our purpose. We must never lose sight that every human is created by God to be bearers of His image. We do realize that many choose not to allow God to shine through them, but we must show them love and compassion regardless, just as God does to each of us. We will never understand God’s ways fully, but with Christ as our example and substitute, we can endeavor to be bearers of God’s image. Do so, and your frustrations will subside.
Isaiah 55:9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2055%3A9&version=NLT)
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1439 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to caWisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow...
Welcome to Day 1439 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Goals of Bible Study – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1439 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are continuing a new series this week on Meditation Monday, which will focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
The Goal of Bible Study· Insight Five: Insist on Being a Slave to the Text – Let it be Your MasterDr. Heiser has been in academia for almost thirty years, both as a graduate student and a professor. He has spent time in both Christian and secular institutions. His Christian experience taught him the fundamentally important lesson of having a high view of Scripture. Treat it as God’s Word. Dr. Heiser’s secular years taught him a lesson just as valuable, and one that he didn't find consistently in a Christian context: be a slave to the text.
In his secular experience, being a slave to the text meant that you shouldn't bring prior commitments to the biblical text you’re studying. Theological ideas about how the text came about or how it might be understood to achieve a theological outcome should be left behind. The text is all that matters. Theological commitments are irrelevant and, in fact, impediments to understanding.
This is, of course, what one would expect in a secular institution. They aren’t seminaries. However, there’s a bit of a flaw in this understanding. Objectivity is a myth. No one can jettison all preconceptions about something, no matter what the context. The secular scholar has presupposition of his or her own that crouch in the mind, ready to influence interpretation. We all should be aware of that, so take that part with a grain of salt. But don’t lose the lesson here. The text is all that matters, so we must let the text take us wherever it leads.
Ironically, despite the pervading belief in inspiration, I don’t see this principle consistently practiced in Christian academia. True, any given seminary has, and needs to have, certain theological commitments, but those theological commitments should not be the basis of judging scholarship or handing out grades. Rather, professors should be forthright. They should have well- informed exegetical arguments for their positions (presumably those of the school) but should be honest with the text. They should admit that, given other interpretations about the Hebrew or Greek grammar and word usage here and there, the conclusions drawn from a passage could be different. To hide those possibilities or manipulate the text to your “obvious” conclusions is dishonest.
So it should be with personal Bible study. The text is what is inspired, and nothing else. Loyalty to...
Welcome to Day 1438 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAugmented Reality – Hardware and Apps – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1438 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is: Hey Gramps, last week you shared how Augmented Reality will impact our world. What are some of the hardware and apps which will allow AR to become a reality in everyday life?
Augmented Reality – Hardware And Apps
Last week on Futuristic Friday, we explored how Augmented Reality (AR) will impact our world. Today we will drill down and look at the hardware and apps which may drive this impact. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Today, adults in the U.S. spend over nine hours a day looking at screens. That counts for more than a third of our livelihoods. We may be allocating even more screen time during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yet even though they serve as a portal to 90 percent of our media consumption, screens continue to define and constrain how and where we consume content, and displays, as we think of them today, may very soon become obsolete.
Riding new advancements in hardware and connectivity, augmented reality (AR) is set to replace these 2D interfaces and allow us to see through a digital information layer. Ultimately, AR headsets will immerse us in compelling stories, learn-everywhere education, and even gamified work tasks. As an example,
If you want to play AR Star Wars, you could be battling the Empire on your way to work, in your cubicle, cafeteria, bathroom, and beyond.
We got our first taste of AR’s real-world gamification in 2016 when Nintendo released Pokemon Go. Thus began the greatest cartoon character turkey shoot in history. With 5 million daily users, 65 million monthly users, and over $2 billion in revenue, the virtual-overlaid experience remains one for the books.
In the years since, similar AR apps have exploded. Once thick and bulky, AR glasses are becoming increasingly lightweight, stylish, and unobtrusive. And over the next 15 years, AR portals will become almost unnoticeable, as hardware rapidly dematerializes.
Companies like Mojo Vision are even rumored to be developing AR contact lenses, slated to offer us heads-up display capabilities — no glasses required.
In this second installation of our five-part AR episode series, we are doing a deep dive into the various apps,...
Welcome to Day 1437 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYou Can't Take It With You – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1437 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
You Can’t Take It With YouOld snarling Sam, was a grumpy miserly man, had no friends. He did live a long life and was quite successful financially. Sam was known for rarely spending his wealth, and since he did not trust banks, he kept most of it in his home. After Sam turned 90, his health rapidly turned for the worst. Just before he died, he asked Dave his doctor, Lew his lawyer, and Mike, his minister, to gather around his bedside.
Through a frail voice, Sam said, “I have always heard you can’t take it with you, but I am going to prove you can, I have $300,000 in cash under my mattress. It’s in three envelopes of $100,000 each. I want each of you to take one envelope now, and just before they throw the dirt on me, you throw the envelopes in.”
A week later, Sam died, and his funeral soon followed. Dave, Lew, and Mike attended the funeral promised, and each threw his envelope into the grave.
On the way back from the cemetery, the Mike, the minister said, “I don’t feel exactly right. I’m going to confess. I needed $50,000 badly for a new church we’re building, so I took out $50,000 and threw only $50,000 in the grave.”
Dave, the doctor, hung his head in shame and said, “I, too, must confess. I am building a hospital and took $75,000 and threw in only $25,000.”
Lew, the lawyer, said in a proud tone, “Gentlemen, I’m surprised, shocked, and ashamed of you. I don’t see how you could hold out that money. I deposited the $100,000 into my personal bank account threw in my personal check for the full amount.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “A miser grows rich by seeming poor; an extravagant man grows poor by seeming rich.
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016%3A26&version=NLT)
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1436 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly...
Welcome to Day 1436 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBiblical Foundations – Elohim and the Supernatural Worldview – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1436 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with a new study, based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Biblical Foundations· Segment 3: Crucial PassagesGetting Comfortable with a Supernatural Worldview
Now, if we’re honest, we have to admit we aren’t used to thinking about our own identity and our calling and our destiny against the backdrop of the heavenly host, God’s divine family. Some of that is due to sort of neglect of the patterns. Even though the patterns are there, a lot of people are never discovering them, or never taught them, but they are actually important, and I think we will be able to see that in the course of our course using this trajectory.
Sometimes there is a fear of the supernatural Worldview. There are some passages that we’re going to look at that are controversial, where people actually try to explain the supernatural elements away. That’s a mistake; it’s a mistake to demythologize passages that actually help us think as the ancient writers think and, in this case, actually help us discover a template that helps us discern what God wanted to do with humanity from the very beginning in terms of family relationships and calling and destiny.
Elohim in Psalm 82
Let’s start with Psalm 82. In the very first verse, we read, “God [and that’s the Hebrew word elohim] has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.” That second word, “gods” with an s on the end of it, is also the word elohim. We have elohim occurring two times in the same verse, and because of reasons of Hebrew grammar, the first one is singular, and the second one is plural.
Now, we know that the second one is plural as well from verse 6 in the same psalm. God is speaking to the members of His divine council, this heavenly host, and He says, “I said, ‘You are gods [the word elohim again], sons [plural] of the Most High, all of you.’ ” Now “sons of the Most High” is obviously plural. That means the elohim of Psa 82:6, which refers back to Psa 82:1, is also plural. Sons of God are derivative from members of lesser beings in God’s...
Welcome to Day 1430 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife of Anticipation – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1435 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John R. W. Stott, and it is: Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues.
Grace Is…Complete and sufficient grace can only come from God. This does not mean that humankind is incapable of at least a measure of grace to all others. Since God created us to be bearers of His image, we can show and extend grace, even to those who may not deserve it, and to those who do not show mercy to us. God shows us grace because of His love for us, not because of our love for Him. It is because God loves us so much that He stooped down to earth and became a human so that we could be rescued through the sacrifice of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. As God’s image-bearers, we must show our love to others even when they are unlovely. This love can be shown by stooping down to tangibly rescues others that are in need. We are all created by God, and none of us should ever think we are better than others. We need to understand it is only by God’s grace that we can live in such a manner that we can help others.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205%3A8&version=NLT)
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+5%3A21&version=NLT)
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[ (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+5%3A21&version=NLT#fen-NLT-28859a) ] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1434 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to caWisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1434 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBible Study Requires Discipline – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1434 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are going to begin a new series this week on Meditation Monday, which will focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Dr. Michael Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Bible Study Requires Discipline· Insight Three: Bible Reading is not Bible StudyYou should read your Bible. That’s obvious for Christians, and I’d dispense that piece of advice to anyone. But reading the Bible is not where our engagement with the Bible ends. It’s where it begins. You need to go beyond reading the Bible to a serious study of the Bible. The first step is to realize there’s a significant difference between reading and studying.
Reading is casual, something done for pleasure. The motivation is personal gratification or enrichment, not mastery of the content. Bible reading has as its aim private delight or personal application for our lives and relationship with God. Bible reading is inherently devotional and low maintenance.
Bible study, on the other hand, involves concentration and exertion. We have an intuitive sense that study requires some sort of method or technique and probably certain types of tools or aids. When we study the Bible, we’re asking questions, thinking about context, forming judgments, and looking for more information.
It’s not hard to illustrate the difference. Almost anyone can make a cup of coffee, but they’re not baristas. We know instinctively that both perform the same basic task, but what distinguishes the barista is a lot of time, effort, research, and experience in learned technique. It’s the same with Bible study.
Let’s try another coffee illustration. Let’s say you and your friend were from the moon and didn’t know what coffee was. You’re only mildly interested in the topic, so you decide to look it up in a dictionary. You read that coffee is ‘a popular beverage made from the roasted and pulverized seeds of a coffee plant. Good enough. You learned something. Your friend wants to know more —a lot more. How is coffee made? What’s the process? Is there more than one process? If so, why would there be different processes? Is there more than one kind of coffee bean? Where are the beans grown? Does that make any difference in color, aroma, or flavor? Is climate a consideration? How is coffee different than tea? If it’s a popular beverage, how much is consumed? Does consumption vary by country? State? Gender? Age? Whoa. She’s way over the top. And we know why. Her intensity of interest and willingness to expend effort tells us her aim is studying, not just reading. There’s a big...
Welcome to Day 1433 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAugmented Reality - How Will It Impact Our World – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1433 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is: Hey Gramps, what is Augmented Reality, and how will it impact our world in the future?
Augmented Reality – How It Will Impact Our World
Last week on Futuristic Friday, we explored how Sensors and the Internet of Things (referred to as IoT) will track and measure all types of information in every aspect of our lives. Augmented Reality (or AR) will be one of the connections or sensors which will provide information to and from our world. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Augmented Reality is about to add a digital intelligence layer to our every surrounding, transforming retail, manufacturing, education, tourism, real estate, and almost every major industry that holds up our economy today.
Apple’s Tim Cook has remarked, “I regard [AR] as a big idea like the smartphone. The smartphone is for everyone. We don’t have to think the iPhone is about a certain demographic, or country, or vertical market. It’s for everyone. I think AR is that big; it’s huge.”
Apple, Microsoft, Google Alphabet, Amazon, and numerous other players are entering this AR market, so we are on the cusp of witnessing a newly augmented world.
In one of the most significant technological revolutions of this century, smartphones have dematerialized cameras, stereos, video game consoles, TVs, GPS systems, calculators, paper, and even matchmaking as we knew it.
AR glasses will soon perpetuate this, ultimately dematerializing the smartphone itself. We will no longer gaze into tiny, two-dimensional screens but rather see through a fully immersive, 3D interface.
· Introducing the Augmented WorldWhile already beginning to permeate mobile applications, AR will soon migrate to headsets, and eventually reach us through contact lenses — replacing over 3 billion smartphones in use today.
AR superimposes digital worlds onto physical environments (by contrast to VR, which completely immerses users in digital realities). In this way, AR allows users to remain engaged with their physical surroundings, serving as a visual enhancement rather than replacement.
As AR hardware costs continue to plummet — and advancements in connectivity begin...
Welcome to Day 1432 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomShipwrecked! – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1432 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Shipwrecked!Captain Biltmore, an experienced seaman, decided to set sail on a solo journey from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands. It was a very long and somewhat dangerous journey. The Captain departed in late summer for what he anticipated would be a two-week journey. His sailboat was well stocked, and with over 20 years of maritime experience, and five years as a captain, he yearned for the challenge. It was smooth sailing during the first few days, but then he received word that the weather may turn violent within two days. He checked his compass and maps and decided that he could make it to a set of little known islands about three days to his south. It was slightly off course, and more into the direction of the coming storm, but it was his only alternative. Captain Biltmore battled high waves and rough seas, but forge onward to his destination. After two days, his sail was ripped to pieces, and he started throwing cargo overboard to lighten the load. On day three, as he was approaching an uninhabited island, which was still about 40 knots away, his sailboat broke into pieces. Clinging to a large plank of wood which he used as a raft, he grabbed another board to be his paddle. He rowed and rowed for about a day, and finally reached the shore of this small island in complete darkness. Captain Biltmore was so exhausted that he crawled about 100 yards from the coast and collapsed in a deep sleep. When Captain finally woke the next morning, he could not believe what he saw. The sand is dark red. He mumbled, “I can’t believe it.” He then looked up into the sky, which was also dark red. Captain Biltmore continued to walk around a bit and sees that dark red grass, dark red birds, and dark red fruit on the dark red trees. He’s shocked when he finds that his skin is starting to turn dark red, too.
Captain Biltmore screamed at the top of his lungs, “Oh no!! I’ve been marooned!!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, Someone asked me if you were stranded on a desert island, what book would I bring... ‘How to Build a Boat.’Here is our verse for today:
Hebrews 13:5 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A5&version=NLT)
Your lifestyle must be free from the love of money, being content with what you have. For he himself has said, “I will never desert you, and I will never abandon you.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1431 treks or...
Welcome to Day 1431 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBiblical Foundations - God's Divine Family – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1431 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will begin a new study, based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.
Biblical Foundations· Segment 1: God Has a Divine FamilyGod’s Divine Family in the Old Testament
The place to begin our journey is first to recognize that God has a divine family, and really, God had a divine family before He had a human family. The family terminology that we’re going to talk about in the Old Testament is very intentional. It’s going to communicate certain ideas about our identity: who we are, our calling, our purpose, and our destiny; how we’ll realize both the fullness of our status, our identity, and fulfill our purpose in this life and accomplish God’s will on earth.
In other words, the divine family is actually going to turn out to be a template for understanding the creation and purpose of the human family, and that’s why we’re going to start and spend a reasonable amount of time on this idea of God’s divine family in the Old Testament.
Familiar New Testament language about our membership in God’s family came from somewhere; it has deep Old Testament roots. God’s family didn’t begin with humans. Humans had to be grafted into it. Its beginning was divine. So for that reason, we need to start with that particular supernatural divine family. We are going to talk about the nature of that family (who is in there? what kind of beings are we talking about?) and then its function. As we talk about the nature and function of the divine family, we’re going to be laying a foundation for how all that material is repurposed in the New Testament and applied to believers.
· Segment 2: The Divine Family Was Present Before HumanityDivine Family in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+38%3A4%E2%80%937&version=LEB)
Now, I mentioned that the Old Testament presents this idea that God had a divine family that was present before humanity. The primary passage for that is Job 38:4-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+38%3A4%E2%80%937&version=LEB) , and this is the passage where God asks Job, beginning...
Welcome to Day 1430 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife of Anticipation – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1430 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Colin Urquhart, and it is: God wants us to approach life, full of expectancy that God is going to be at work in every situation as we release our faith in Him.
Life of AnticipationHow do you approach life? With positive expectancy, or fear? God uniquely created us to be bearers of His image. To show forth to a world that is seeking, what God is truly like. It is more than just reflecting His image, it is allowing His image to shine through us. That is what being an image-bearer means. Because of this we can and must grasp the truth that God is going to be at work in every situation as we release our faith in Him. Did you catch that last phrase? Grasp God’s truth by releasing our faith to the only One who can give us a life full of expectancy and hope. A rich and satisfying life. We can live such a life each day as we trust in God. This can be summed up in a few sentences that the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians 3:14-21 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1429 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living...
Welcome to Day 1429 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThinking While Studying The Bible – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1429 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are going to begin a new series this week on Meditation Monday, which will focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Dr. Michael Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:
Thinking While Studying The Bible· Insight One: Read the Bible with a Critical Eye –It Can Take ItChristians revere the Bible. That’s understandable. After all, it’s God’s Word, the authoritative source for truths we affirm, errors we deny, and the sort of character we strive to develop. Consequently, its sacred status might cause us to flinch at the suggestion that we should question what it says and scrutinize its contents. It feels a little like we’re judging a book that ought to be judging us. Is our hesitation biblical? Dare I ask, is it rational? Frankly, the answer is “no” in both cases.
The Bible has been fulfilling the roles described above for millennia despite repeated and relentless attempts to destroy it, undermine it, ridicule it, and marginalize it. After all of that, it’s still here. In fact, today, there are more Bibles in circulation in more languages than at any time in world history. How could we possibly harm it by asking it to make sense and then pursuing that goal?
The response that subjecting the Bible to critical analysis hurts us is equally incoherent, primarily because the Bible itself encourages its own scrutiny. Ezra is esteemed for his commitment to study (Ezra 7:10). Luke regards the close examination of the Scriptures as a virtue (Acts 17:11). Biblical writers not only quote Scripture but take care to observe minute details like the specific form of words (Galatians 3:16). We are God’s imager-bearers. God is the most rational being there can be. We share in his attribute. We are not commanded, nor does the Bible ever suggest, that we read Scripture irrationally or without the intellectual abilities for rational thought that God shares with us. Have you ever tried to read anything irrationally? It sort of defeats the purpose of written communication. Critical thinking is akin to any other human ability—speech, strength, creativity, resourcefulness—and it’s ours to employ in loyal service to the true God. Approaching Scripture with a passive, anesthetized mind will not protect Scripture from criticism. It needs no protection. Intellectual laziness in search of truth is no virtue.
· Insight Two: Thinking Is Better Than MemorizingDr. Heiser shares that when he was a freshman in Bible college, one of my professors was something of a zealot for Bible memorization. During...
Welcome to Day 1428 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSensors and The Internet of Things – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1428 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.
To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is: Hey Gramps, I am starting to hear about sensors and the Internet of Things. What does this refer to, and how will it change our future?
Sensors and the Internet of ThingsLast week on Futuristic Friday, we explored Smart Cities and how life, especially in cities, will be changing radically over the next couple of decades. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”, as a starting point.
Sensor ProliferationSensors will not only transform healthcare and diagnostics. Any electronic device that measures a physical, quantitative value—light, acceleration, temperature, then sends that information to other devices on a network, qualifies as a sensor. Sensors add intelligence to our appliances. But more importantly, they add hours to our lives.
Consider that in less than a decade, when you run out of coffee, your kitchen cabinet will detect a shortage (cross-referencing sensor data with your coffee-drinking habits) and order more. A blockchain-enabled smart contract will subsequently place an order, triggering an Amazon drone delivery directly to your doorstep.
If we extend this scenario further, let’s imagine that you have your very own Butler-bot who could soon transport these freshly ground beans from delivery box to cabinet, sparing you the trouble.
If advances in computing power, AI, and high-speed global networks represent the center mass of the digital revolution, then today’s sensor uprising is the outer edge of that revolt.
If we consider the first part of tomorrow’s smart environment information-processing pipeline, sensors are the data-gathering apparatus that provide our computers with the information they need to act.
Connected Devices and IoTWe are in the middle of a sensor revolution. The street name for this uprising is the “Internet of Things,” the vast mesh network of interconnected smart devices that will soon span the globe. Let’s back up a little because it’s worth tracing the evolution of this revolution to understand how far we’ve come.
Just 31 years ago, in 1989, John Romkey, one of the inventors of the transmission control protocol (TCP/IP), connected a Sunbeam toaster to the Internet, making it the very first IoT device.
Ten years later,...
Welcome to Day 1427 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Judge – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1427 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The JudgeAll was finally quiet at the Governor’s mansion after a hectic and stressful day. About 11:00 pm, Governor Smith told Jim, his chief of staff, that is was going to retire for the evening as he was exhausted and knew that the next day would be equally as busy. Jim wished him a good night, and said that he had a few more things to do before heading home himself. Just as Jim was about to leave, shortly after midnight, the phone rang in the Governor’s office. Jim considered not answering it, but with everything that was going on recently, he figured that anyone calling at this hour it must be important. As he answered, one of the top attorneys for the state, Don Donaldson, frantically blurted out, “I need to talk to the governor -- it’s an emergency!” Jim explained that Governor Smith had gone to bed over an hour ago, and asked if it could wait until morning. Attorney Donaldson responded, “absolutely not.” After some more cajoling, Jim agreed to wake him up.
After a few minutes, Governor Smith, sounding somewhat tired, said, “Don, what’s so blame important that it can’t wait until morning?” Sounding very anxious, Don excitedly said, “Chief Justice Pierson just died, and I want to take his place. I thought I better get my name in.”
Governor Smith, not believing that he was woken from deep sleep to be asked such this ridiculous question, started to fume. After a few moments of silence, trying to clear his mind and gain some composure, the Governor finally replied, “Well, it’s okay with me if it’s okay with the funeral home.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Take a deep breath and give yourself permission to step back from everything that is making you feel anxious.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+127:2&version=NLT)
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1426 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and...
Welcome to Day 1426 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Figurative Interpretation and Biblical Symbols – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1426 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the past 39 weeks on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Today we will conclude this book study with the final two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Figurative Interpretation and Biblical SymbolsInsight Seventy-Nine: Figurative Interpretation Takes the Book of Revelation as Seriously as Literal InterpretationDr. Heiser shares that during his teaching career is that one of the biggest misconceptions he has encountered about Bible interpretation is the idea that interpreting what the Bible says with symbols or metaphors equates to concluding that what you’re reading isn’t real. This is deeply flawed thinking. But it’s nevertheless understandable.
Bible teachers and preachers are fond of saying that the Bible needs to be interpreted literally for it to be taken seriously. Taking something “literally” means you’re ruling out any type of figurative language. That only makes sense if the biblical authors wanted to be taken that way. Sometimes they didn’t. Since they were human, much of what they wrote could have meaning on more than one level. Insisting only on literalism stifles communication.
We use words every day in ways that would be comical or offensive if taken literally, yet we never expect what we say to be denigrated or considered phony. When you say on a hot day, “I was roasting out there today, were you?” When you say you’re madly in love with your wife, should I presume you’re insane for being attracted to her? If your boss is hard-hearted, have you just diagnosed arteriosclerosis? When you tell your neighbor his new car is a sweet ride, will he ask you not to lick it again? We can laugh at these absurdities, but all of these statements are meant to be taken seriously. They all have meaning that corresponds to reality.
Biblical writers didn’t live in an alternate universe where people never used figurative language, metaphors, or symbolic references. All of those things are stock elements of the way language works. Pitting “literalism” and ‘‘figurative” against each other in some sort of semantic death match demonstrates poor thinking.
The reason we can understand when to take a statement figuratively or literally is that the world we’ve experienced informs us how to interpret it. In other words, the cumulative effect of our upbringing, our cultural setting, our experiences, and our Worldview wires us in such a way that we intuitively know what is meant. To reject symbolic interpretations of the Bible is to deny the biblical writers their humanity. Instead of letting them be the authority for understanding what they wrote, we assume we know better.
Instead of bending the book of Revelation to our own will in the name
Welcome to Day 1420 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomGod Provides Happiness and Peace– Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1425 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Colin Urquhart, and it is: God is the God of promise. He keeps His word, even when that seems impossible; even when the circumstances seem to point to the opposite.
God of PromiseGod is the creator and essence of truth. Since all truth comes from God, there is no truth outside of God. Within God’s Word, He has shared with us His completed revelation to humankind. This revelation contains many promises, some conditional, many unconditional. It is impossible for God to break the promises that He has given to us. If a promise is conditional, then we choose whether we desire to follow those conditions, so it is we who break the covenant. If His promise is unconditional, there is nothing we can do that would permit God to reverse that promise. God cannot go against His Word. We can cling to His promises, even when they seem impossible. We can rest in His promises, even when all the circumstances which surround us seem contrary to that promise. So regardless of your current situation, circumstance, or lot in life, God’s promises will remain true. Even when we are in the midst of chaos and hardship, none of God’s promises are compromised. Even during the most difficult of circumstances, we can cling to God’s Word as we are reminded in James 1:12-18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A12-18&version=NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1424 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve...
Welcome to Day 1424 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWhat Are You Known For? – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1424 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Today let us meditate on:
What Are You Known For?I read a story where a Buddhist was asked, “What do Christians do that makes them stand out in a crowd?” The answer was short and straightforward, “They argue.” I know, it sounds unfair, but it’s an honest perspective from an outside observer. And, it’s worth a little discussion.
I do sense an over-abundance of argument in our culture. In this season of heated political debate, and experts from everywhere sharing their views about the pandemic, arguments seem to be everywhere.
The impact of negative ads, half-truth accusations, character assassination, and name-calling is pervasive. The people who jump to conclusions and speak judgment and condemnation get too much media attention, and the aftermath lacks apologies or corrections. The goal is to win the argument, not telling the truth. If you believe the news media, we have become a dismantling culture. We have taken intolerance, adult bullying, and name-calling to a whole new level. Every few minutes, the sound bites and headlines sow divisiveness and discord on every side. You soon realize that every segment is to continue the argument. It’s all about being right or being loud. I no longer watch any of the news services, nor do I invest much time on social media for the same reason.
It isn’t easy to find news or shows that explores values, listens to ideas, accepts differences in opinion, challenges me to think outside the box, and validates people in the process. If your conversations were a newscast or talk show, what would it be like? You can have all the right answers and still be wrong. I’m tired of news segments programmed for argument. I want something more. I need something more.
As a Christ-follower, I want my identity to be based on something different than anger. I want to read books, visit websites, listen to music, and engage in media that leaves me a better person. I’m a Christian, and I want to be known for the way I treat people, the way I listen and learn and dig deep into life. I want to find the good in people I talk with, even if I disagree with them. I want to be like Jesus, who could change the subject and heal the soul.
It’s time for Christians in the USA, and throughout the world, to write a new story, to change the public narrative. It’s time to bury the argumentative identification and raise a new one. It’s time to be known as listeners, as followers, as healers, and peacemakers. It’s time to invade the impossible.We need to tell those skeptics of Christianity “I want to change your perception of Christians. Please, I want to show you something different. Will you let me?”
Jesus predicted that their
Welcome to Day 1423 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSmart Cities – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1423 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades. To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is: Hey Gramps, what will the cities of the future be like?
Smart CitiesLast week on Futuristic Friday, we explored High-Speed Global Connectivity, which is the delivery method for so many of the technological advances we will investigate. With the global pandemic still impacting the world, and when unrest seems to be nearly everywhere, you must understand that none of these issues will be long-lasting in the grand scheme of the world. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”, as a starting point.
We will do a deeper dive into some technologies, such as transportation separately. This week we will focus on the cities themselves. Each week alone, an estimated 1.3 million people move into cities, driving urbanization on an unstoppable scale. Advancement may slow somewhat due to the pandemic, but not long term.
By 2040, about two-thirds of the world’s population will be concentrated in urban centers. Over the decades ahead, 90 percent of this urban population growth is predicted to flourish across Asia and Africa. As discussed last week, many of these areas are just starting to adopt high-speed global connectivity. Already, 1,000 smart city pilots are under construction or in their final urban planning stages across the globe, driving forward countless visions of the future.
As data becomes the gold or currency of the 21st century, centralized databases and hyper-connected infrastructures will enable everything from sentient cities that respond to data inputs in real-time, to smart public services that revolutionize modern governance. I currently work for a company that is providing integral pieces of the software that will drive this revolution.
Connecting countless industries such as real estate, energy, sensors and networks, transportation, among others — tomorrow’s cities pose no end of creative possibilities and stand to transform the human experience completely.
Today’s podcast is a little longer since we’ll be taking a high-level tour of today’s cutting-edge urban enterprises involved in these three areas:
Hyperconnected urban ecosystems that respond to your data
Smart infrastructure and construction
Self-charging green cities
Let’s dive in!
Smart
Welcome to Day 1422 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Shepherd – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1422 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The ShepherdAll week long Pastor Frank dutifully prepared for what he felt was going to be an essential message. He has taken countless hours studying the various passages about shepherds and their sheep. He was careful to include some poignant stories and illustrations. Pastor Frank practiced the message throughout the week. On Sunday, Pastor Frank gave his all as he preached what he felt was an excellent message about shepherds and his sheep. Pastor Frank explained that sheep need lots of guidance, and that a shepherd’s job is to stay close to the sheep, protect them from wild animals, and keep them from wandering off. He reinforced his point about how the shepherd knows his sheep, and they recognize his voice with John 10:3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10:3&version=NLT) . The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.Pastor Frank went on to reinforce the concept of the closeness between the shepherd and his sheep. He said that the people of the church were God’s sheep. As he was coming to the close of his message, he asked, “If you are the sheep, who is the shepherd?” It was pretty obvious he was indicating that he was the shepherd of his flock.
After a few seconds of silence, little Johnny shouted: “Jesus! Jesus is the shepherd.”
Pastor Frank was caught by surprise with that response and asked Johnny, “Well then Johnny, who am I?”
Johnny furrowed his brow and thought for a few moments and then spoke up, “Well, I guess you must be a sheepdog.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “There are quite enough sheep already - be a shepherd: be somebody who’s bold and who leads.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10:16&version=NLT)
I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1421 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through...
Welcome to Day 1421 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Revelation's Date and Connections to the Old Testament – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1421 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Revelation’s Date and Connections To The Old TestamentInsight Seventy-Seven: The Date of the Writing of Revelation Is Important for Its InterpretationMost of the books of the New Testament can be dated with reasonable certainty. We know when Peter and Paul lived and died, for example, and their lives can be crosschecked with events in the book of Acts, which in turn can be aligned with Roman history to a large degree. The case of John and Revelation is harder, and the interpretive stakes are higher.
The key question for the date of Revelation is whether it was written before or after AD 70, the year the Jewish temple was destroyed. If Revelation was written before that date, much of the content of the book could be interpreted as leading to that cataclysmic event. That would mean most (some would say all) of the prophecies in the book have already been fulfilled. If it was written after AD 70, then the book really can’t be viewed that way—the prophecies would be still awaiting fulfillment. That’s a substantial interpretive gap.
There is no explicit reference to the temple being destroyed within the book itself. That suggests that the event had not happened—which would favor a pre-AD 70 date for the book. The other view—that the book was written after AD 70 - objects that this is an argument from silence. The debate opens with those fundamental differences. Then Revelation 11:1-2 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelations+11%3A1-2&version=NLT) comes into play:
Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months.
Do John’s words indicate that Jerusalem and its temple were literally still standing and under attack? If that’s the case, then the city was destroyed in three and one-half years, and the book was written before AD 70. And that, in turn, is a serious reason to think it is not pointing to a future beyond our time.Ironically, the view that sees the prophecies as ‘‘literally” future-oriented must still interpret this passage symbolically—that Revelation 11:1-2 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelations+11%3A1-2&version=NLT) wasn’t about the actual temple a few years before AD 70. That view makes its argument by appealing to other items in the book. For example, it is argued that “Babylon” in the later chapters of the book actually...
Welcome to Day 1415 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomGod Be In My… – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1420 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from C. S. Lewis, and it is: God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.
God Provides Happiness and PeaceSo many people are desperately seeking happiness and peace, which will provide meaning and a sense of purpose for their lives. There is so much unrest and turmoil in our world today, but this is not anything new. We have seen these types of situations ebb and flow throughout all of history. It stems from the fact that we seek happiness and peace outside of the precepts that God has outlined in His Word. God has clearly described in His Word what is required to have lasting peace, enduring joy, and true happiness in our lives, regardless of the circumstances which surround us. Even in the most severe persecution and hardship, as Christ-followers, we can be at peace, maintain our joy, and also find happiness in all that God has provided for us. John 14:26-28 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A26-28&version=NLT) But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1419 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1419 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFive Spiritual Disciplines – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1419 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic continues to be on our minds, and discussed daily on the major news programs, I think for most of us, we are moving onto a new season of life. We are all trying to determine what our new normal may be for the remainder of this year, at least. Recently in my morning devotional time, I came across five spiritual disciplines that we all should put in our lives and make them a habit. Today let us meditate on:
Five Spiritual DisciplinesLet us start today to practice these five spiritual habits that will change the way we live. Let us make God the one thing we pursue above anything else. As a new season begins, here are five spiritual disciplines you can practice to make time with God a daily habit.
Give thanks – Psalms 75:1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+75%3A1&version=NLT)
We thank you, O God!
We give thanks because you are near.
People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.
Have you experienced healing? Answered prayers? Breakthrough in the life of someone you love? Salvation? As you seek God’s heart for this new season, take a moment to thank Him for what He’s already done.
Spend 5 minutes in silence - John 15:4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A4&version=NLT)
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Abiding in Jesus starts with stillness. Pause, take a deep breath, and give anything concerning you over to God. Spend 5 minutes centering your heart on the One who matters most.
Remember Whose you are - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6%3A19-20&version=NLT)
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
God loves you. (Let that sink in.) The price He paid for you cost Him everything. Remind yourself of Whose you are, and then confidently dream big with God for this new season.
Meditate on God’s Word - Psalms 119:97 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+119%3A97&version=NLT)
Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long.
How does Jesus want you to live? One of the best ways to find out is to spend time in Scripture. As you do, ask God to speak to you through His Words about what your next right step should be.
Focus on what is excellent -...
Welcome to Day 1418 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHigh-Speed Global Connectivity – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1418 of our Trek, and after many months, we are changing our focus on Fridays to become Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements that will radically change our perspective of life. The topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality in the next couple of decades. To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is: Hey Gramps, is there one technology that is driving the rapid changes in the world, which will be the catalyst for all other changes?
High-Speed Global ConnectivityWith the global pandemic still impacting the world, and when unrest seems to be nearly everywhere, you have to realize that none of these issues will be long-lasting in the grand scheme of the world. Many of these issues will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s book, which I mentioned in previous episodes, “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”
Global gigabit connectivity will connect everyone and everything, everywhere, at ultra-low-cost: The deployment of both licensed and unlicensed 5G, plus the launch of a multitude of global satellite networks (OneWeb, Starlink, etc.), allow for ubiquitous, low-cost communications for everyone, everywhere–– not to mention the connection of trillions of devices. Today’s skyrocketing connectivity is bringing online an additional 3 billion individuals, driving tens of trillions of dollars into the global economy. Global gigabit technology is driven by the convergence of: low-cost space launches, hardware advancements, 5G networks, artificial intelligence, materials science, and surging computing power. We’re about to connect 8 billion people on the planet, everywhere, all the time, at near-zero cost. This is a future of gigabit connection speeds at the top of Mt. Everest or in the Gobi desert. Currently, the fastest standard wired internet for most homes is 1-GB speed, which will soon jump to 10-GB over the next few years. 10-GB is the broadband technology platform of the future that will deliver residential internet speeds of 10 gigabits per second – 10 times faster than today’s networks. With the power and capacity to change the way we live, learn, work and play, the 10-GB platform will enable creators and innovators to fulfill their dreams while providing the reliability and security that consumers can trust. Imagine downloading a feature-length movie in less time than it takes to read this sentence.
In the decade ahead, the convergence of 5G, satellite constellations, and stratospheric balloons will take us into warp drive, birthing a new age of hyperconnectivity. This technology is under deployment today, and what will be possible tomorrow.
When researchers talk about...
Welcome to Day 1417 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Missing Money – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1417 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Missing MoneyAndy and Sally, an elderly couple, were celebrating their sixtieth anniversary. The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and had recently moved back to their old neighborhood after they retired.
Holding hands, as they always did, they walked back to their old grade school. It was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk they’d shared, where Andy had carved “I love you, Sally.” It was such a cherished memory as those days came rushing back to both of them. They were truly blessed.
On their way back home, they took some side roads they used to walk along when they were young. Suddenly, an armored car went speeding by, and a bag of money popped out of the back door, which was not securely fastened, and fell on the road practically landing at their feet. Sally quickly picked it up, but not sure what to do with it; they took it home. There, she counted the money and found out that it contained fifty-thousand dollars in new $20.00 bills!
Andy was beside himself, as he had never seen so much money at one time. He exclaimed, “We’ve got to give it back.”
Sally wasn’t so sure as she said, “Finders keepers – losers weepers, besides that, we don’t even know the name of the company whose truck it fell from.” Sally put the money back in the bag and hid it in their attic.
The next day, two FBI agents were canvassing house to house in the neighborhood looking for the money. They came up to Sally and Andy’s home and knocked on the door. “Pardon me, but did either of you find a bag that fell out of an armored car yesterday?”Sally said, “No, we don’t know anything about it.”
Andy could not keep quiet and said, “She’s lying. She hid it up in the attic.”
Sally said, “Oh, officers, don’t believe him; poor Andy is getting senile.”
The agents turned to Andy and began to question him.
The lead agent says: “Tell us the story from the beginning.”
Andy said, “Well, you see officer, it all started when Sally and I were walking home from grade school hand in hand just yesterday...”
The other FBI agent turns to her partner and says, “We’re outta here.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “We will always be friends until we are old and senile…then we can be new friends.”
Here is our verse for today:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12%3A13-14&version=NLT)
That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
Just as you...
Welcome to Day 1416 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Intolerant Apostles and Cryptic Revelations – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1416 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Intolerant Apostles and Cryptic RevelationsInsight Seventy-Five: The Apostles Didn’t Tolerate Aberrant Teaching about the GospelBoth testaments of the Bible bear witness to the problem of competing religious ideas that were contrary to biblical faith and theology. In the Old Testament period, the polytheistic religious systems of the surrounding nations were a persistent threat to Israel’s exclusive loyalty to Yahweh as the true God. That loyalty was the core of Israel’s faith and the basis for salvation in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6:4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+6%3A4&version=NLT) Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
In the New Testament period, idolatry and the danger of worshipping a lesser god was still a target of apostolic teaching and writing. Paul admonished the Corinthians to be careful about eating meat sacrificed to idols, warning them that, in doing so, they were at risk of committing idolatry and fellowshipping with demons (1 Corinthians 10:14-22). Since Paul elsewhere permits eating such meat (1 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9), advising believers not to make a fuss about offerings that were sold in the marketplace (1 Corinthians 10:25), the issue for Paul must have been avoiding any sort of activity that either was participation in the ritual or could be construed that way.
The more significant problem of false teaching, however, seems to involve teachers that professed to follow Jesus but whose teachings altered the simplicity of the Gospel— that salvation was only by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and was available to Jews and gentiles alike.Paul and the other apostles repeatedly had to deal with “Judaizers,” who argued that gentiles had to conform to specific points of the Mosaic law to be in right standing before God. Paul referred to those who taught such things as “the circumcision party” and famously confronted Peter for his failure to oppose their teaching (Galatians 2:11-14). Peter knew better but was afraid to speak against Judaizing at Antioch. Paul referred to his behavior as “hypocrisy” that was “out of step with the gospel” (Galatians 2:13-14). The Judaizing seems to have been focused on circumcision (and therefore Jewish identity) since Paul later accuses the Judaizers themselves of being lawbreakers (Galatians 6:13). The point is that they had focused on outward conformity to Jewish identity and not the heart. They presumed that being Jewish meant superior status with God.
Peter himself would later have a
Welcome to Day 1415 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomGod Be In My... – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1415 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Old Sarum Primer, and it is: God be in my head, And in my understanding; God be in my eyes, And in my looking; God be in my mouth, And in my speaking; God be in my heart, And in my thinking; God be at my end, And at my departing.
God Be In My…In what areas of your life do you allow God to permeate? Are you shutting God out of certain areas? God is to be integrated into every aspect of our lives. Jesus Christ reiterated the Old Testament command from God when He declared that the entire teachings of the law and prophets were summed up in these two principles found in Luke 10:27 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10:27&version=NLT) The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” No part of our life is exempt from God’s control and influence. God is to permeate our head through our understanding of Him. God is in what we gaze upon. God is to be in our speech; that is every word that proceeds from our mouths. God is to be in our hearts, which controls how we think. God is to part of every aspect of our life as we both begin and end each day. Ask yourself, has God infiltrated all of my life?
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1414 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1414of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomUnity During Social Unrest – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1414 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Today’s world seems to be so unsettled. The vocal minority desire to do destroy, do away or ignore the past. Most of us do seek justice in our own lives and the lives of others. We seek peace and unity in the future. Today let us meditate on:
Unity During Social UnrestThe apostle Paul spoke the truth about God, the Father, Son, and Spirit. Paul wrote about God’s desire for a new covenant people where we are all equal and united in God. Acts 4:32-35 (http://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Acts4.32-35) .
Rather than denying the accusation of prejudice or ignoring this charge of discrimination, The apostles acted very wisely. Notice what they did:
Openness
The apostles brought all the community of disciples together to discuss this issue — no secret meetings and no sweeping the problem under the rug!
Calling
The apostles pointed out that their primary calling was to proclaim the message they had received from God.
Involvement
The apostles called on the church family to be involved in the solution to this problem — more than just being open with the communication, the apostles were asking for help in selecting men to find a solution.
Direction
The apostles gave clear criteria for selecting those who would be part of the ministry team to the Grecian widows and asked the whole congregation to put forward leaders who fit this description.
Participation
The congregation of believers selected seven men who fit the criteria of being full of the Spirit and wisdom.
Empathy
The congregation recognized the need for those who could understand both the language of the Grecian widows and also their plight as hungry foreigners in the homeland of their ancestors. As a result, they chose men who had Greek names — one was even a non-Jewish proselyte — and who would be familiar with the Greek language these widows spoke.
Appointment
The apostles publicly commissioned or ordained these men for service and publicly prayed for their ministry.
Growth
The problem was overcome, the message continued to spread, and many came to faith in Christ.
Equipping
Some of these men selected to serve the widows later became essential leaders in other ways.
Focus
The apostles devoted themselves to their calling — prayer and sharing the message of Christ. They also encouraged and equipped others to engage in ministry.
Meditate on these ten principles of great leadership and congregational problem-solving that are listed above. These are great principles to put into practice among Christians today. All of society would benefit from them. Every problem has the potential for disaster or...
Welcome to Day 1413 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife After Covid-19 Part 6 - 20 MetaTrends – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1413 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
Last month, we addressed a question that is too broad to answer in one episode. The answer today is the sixth and in a series on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episodes of how Covid-19 is impacting the long term economic effects in the United States. Please make sure that you download our Friday podcast sessions to follow the complete analysis. Better yet, subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so you can gain a bit of wisdom five days a week. So here is the question:
“Hey, Gramps, I realize that after this whole Covid-19 pandemic is under control, life will take on some sort of normalcy for most people. I can’t get my mind around how life will change with so many people out of work and many businesses not being able to survive. What is your take on how life will be after Covid-19?
Life After Covid-19 Part 6Our analysis so far has been overall Jobs in Manufacturing, Brick-and-Mortar Retail, Restaurant Industry/Future Dining, Commercial Real Estate/Offices, and Education. As I mentioned in the past five weeks, I do not have a crystal ball nor a prophetic message about life after Covid-19. That being said, I do have over 40 years of business and nearly 64 years of life experience, which helps me to see what others may not.
The core of the content today comes from a book and companion blog written by Peter Diamandis. His book, ‘The Future is Faster Than You Think,’ was published in January of this year before Covid-19. Peter has recently also stated that Covid-19 would accelerate his predictions significantly. I recommend his book.
Let me once again offer some perspective. It has been said that crises don’t so much alter the course of history as accelerate changes that are already underway. Exponential technology has been disrupting traditional industries at an ever-increasing pace. The pandemic has put these changes into hyperspeed. Never have we had the opportunity to rewrite entire sectors, redefine the problems they address, and reinvent their solutions. This is a scary and also exciting time to be alive! Any time we have a disaster such as this, there is also unlimited opportunity.
Today’s episode will be considerably longer as we capstone this analysis with 20 MetaTrends for the roaring 20s. Many of these predictions will come towards the end of this decade, but we are trending there even today. The Covid19 pandemic will be a catalyst to...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1412 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Missing Gas Cap – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1412 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Missing Gas CapOur friends John and Suzy headed out early one morning for a road trip. The first couple of days went off without a hitch. The weather was great, and they were making good time. On the third day towards evening, John pulls into a gas station to fill up the car for the next day. He paid for the gas and headed on down the road. About 30 minutes later he smacked himself on the forehead and told Suzy; I think I forgot to put the gas cap back on. So John pulls off the side of the road, and sure enough, the gas cap was missing. John pondered for a few minutes then said to himself, “other people must have done the same thing, and that it was worth going back to look by the side of the road since even if he couldn't find his own gas cap, he might be able to find one that fits. John walked about 50 yards up the road, and sure enough, after only a short time of searching, John found a gas cap. He carefully wiped it off and slipped it into place with a satisfying click.
As he was getting back into the car, he wipes his hands on his jeans and proudly proclaims: "Great news Suzy! I may have lost my gas cap, but I found another one that fits, and it's even a better cap than the one I had - it locks!..."I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “The bad news: There is no key to happiness. The Good News: It isn’t locked!”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+18:19&version=NLT)
An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1411 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy...
Welcome to Day 1411 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Truth from the Epistles and the Apostles – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1411 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Truth From The Epistles and ApostlesInsight Seventy-Three: The Epistles At the Antidote to the Idea That the Righteous Invariably ProsperPerhaps the notion will be foreign to you, but I have met Christians who presume that material wealth and personal success are proof of God’s blessing. There are whole ministries that play on people’s emotions that support this unbiblical philosophy. It doesn’t take much thought to realize how unbiblical that proposition is. Many unbelievers are financially prosperous and quite successful. Conversely, many believers have next to nothing. They aren’t poor or persecuted because they don’t have enough faith or because they haven’t sent money to a ‘television ministry.’ They are poor for a plethora of reasons, some of them quite complex and systemic to their political and cultural situation. But if they are faithful, they are also blessed.
Frankly, the poor and persecuted believers across the world resemble the early church more than believers in the American church. The Epistles don’t portray early believers and their fledgling congregations as unusually prosperous, influential, and relatively carefree. It’s precisely the opposite.
It is hard to miss the early believer’s social status if one invests any time reading the New Testament. Paul started numerous churches. Poverty and personal need was not unusual in them (2 Corinthians 8:1-2: Romans 16:2; Philippians 4:19; Titus 3:14). Paul and the apostles themselves were poor (2 Corinthians 6:10; Philippians 4:11-12). James’s words indicate that poverty was prevalent (James 2:2-6). The church at Jerusalem—surely loved deeply by God—was notoriously poor, so much so that Paul collected offerings for Jerusalem almost everywhere he went (Acts 2:42-47; 3:6; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Galatians 2:7-10; cf. Rom. 15:26-28; Acts 24:17).
First-century believers also suffered severe persecution. The New Testament is filled with such descriptions. Despite the claims of modern religious hucksters, the apostles suffered, even though they were the very people one might suppose to be the most prosperous if God’s blessing leads to a life without hardship. The apostles were beaten (Acts 5:27-42), and the godly were martyred (Acts 7:54-60). Paul suffered with almost unbelievable regularity (Philippians 3:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21-29). Most of Peter’s first epistle is about enduring suffering for faith in Jesus (1 Peter 2:19-23; 3:14-18; 4:1-19:5:9-10). Perhaps the most poignant contradiction to the notion that wealth and prosperity defines the...
Welcome to Day 1410 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCalled To Action – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1410 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Theodore Roosevelt, and it is: For us is the life of action, of strenuous performance of duty; let us live in the harness, striving mightily; let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.
Called to ActionEveryone is called to action in life. God did not create us to sit around and have no impact on the lives of others. We are bearers of God’s image, that means our lives should be a representative of God and show His attributes to those who don’t know him. That being said, while we are all called to action, we are not all called to the same action. Some may have a more visible and leading role, while others are to be more supportive. God calls some to visible action, while others may not be noticed or stand out. One is not more important than the other, just different. Some may have more strenuous tasks of duty, while others are more leisure. Some may feel the weight of being yoked in the harness, which requires them to strive mightly, while others may have burdens that are easier to bear. In either case, we are to continue on with our call to action until God calls us home to be with Him. The key is, we are not to stop. We are to wear out due to use, opposed to rusting out due to idleness. Keep moving forward with to action to which you have been called. Ephesians 6:7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6:7&version=NLT)
Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1409 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1409 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOur World Is Shaken – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1409 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
I am on my 64th revolution around the sun on this oasis of paradise that we call earth. On this earth, from the beginning of creation, there have been problems. I must admit though the first six months of 2020 has been what we would call a humdinger, and not in a good way. I think we are all a bit shaken at the moment. Today let us meditate on:
Our World is ShakenThere have been many twists and turns in my life. There have been many unexpected ups and downs. I am sure you have experienced the same. We would like to make sense of it all, because we desire to be in control, which we are not. We desire to have meaning in what has and is happening, but that is not always the case. The older I get, the more I can relate to wise King Solomon in his old age. He wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:2 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1&version=NLT) , “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
We have heard thousands of times in the past few months that we are living in unprecedented times. We want to think that there has never been a time like we are currently facing. There is an ongoing worldwide pandemic that has claimed over 500,000 lives, and maybe many more. Now we have global unrest about injustices and prejudices, which are resulting in peaceful protest, and very unpeaceful rioting causing additional loss of life and destruction of property. We want to think that nothing like this has ever happened, that this is all new. Once again, wise King Solomon buts it this way in Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1%3A9-11&version=NLT) History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually, it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.
In addition to global devastation, many individuals are also experiencing life-altering situations, many of which are personally devastating. These situations shake us to our very core. We feel like we are reeling out of control. We need a place to pause and regain our center.
So did the Christians at the end of the first century. Rome was trying to wipe out Christ-followers from the face of the earth. Their worlds were shaken to the core. The old apostle John writes to help them regain their center. Every day their world was spun wildly out of control by the ever-present threat of persecution. Their numbers were small as they gathered for...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1408 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife After Covid-19 Part 5 – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1408 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
Earlier last month, we addressed a question that is too broad to answer in one episode. The answer today is the fifth in a series that will continue this week and next on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episodes and how it is impacting the long term economic effects of the pandemic. Please make sure that you download our Friday podcast sessions to follow the complete analysis. Better yet, subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so you can gain a bit of wisdom five days a week. So here is the question:
“Hey, Gramps, I realize that after this whole Covid-19 pandemic is under control, life will take on some sort of normalcy for most people. I can’t get my mind around how life will change with so many people out of work and many businesses not being able to survive. What is your take on how life will be after Covid-19?
Life After Covid-19 Part 5Our analysis so far has been overall Jobs in Manufacturing, Brick-and-Mortar Retail, Restaurant Industry/Future Dining, and Commercial Real Estate/Offices. As I mentioned in the past three weeks, I do not have a crystal ball nor a prophetic message about life after Covid-19. That being said, I do have over 40 years of business and nearly 64 years of life experience, which helps me to see what others may not.
The core of the content today and in subsequent weeks comes from a book and companion blog written by Peter Diamandis. His book, ‘The Future is Faster Than You Think,’ was published in January of this year before Covid-19. Peter has recently also stated that Covid-19 would accelerate his predictions significantly. I recommend his book.
Let me once again offer some perspective. It has been said that crises don’t so much alter the course of history as accelerate changes that are already underway. Exponential technology has been disrupting traditional industries at an ever-increasing pace. The pandemic has put these changes into hyperspeed. Never have we had the opportunity to rewrite entire sectors, redefine the problems they address, and reinvent their solutions. This is a scary and also exciting time to be alive! Any time we have a disaster such as this, there is also unlimited opportunity. The next economic sector we will explore Education: Impact: Perhaps the most dramatically notable effects of the pandemic have been on our schools. Practically overnight, millions of students became experts...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1407 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Ravens and a Frog – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1407 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Ravens and a Frog
Two big ravens were tired of the cold weather in Canada, so they decided to fly south for the winter. A frog was sitting next to them, overheard their conversation, and decided he wanted to go as well. The ravens squawked and laughed at the frog and said, “you’re just a frog- you can’t fly, and you certainly can’t jump there!” The frog was determined that he was going to leave, knowing that he didn’t want to stay in the cold either. So he thought and thought and thought.
“I got an idea!” the frog croaked. The frog hopped around until he found a long stick. He approached the ravens once again and said, “You two hold this stick in your claws, and I’ll hold on to the middle.”
The ravens squawked and laughed again and said, “With what?”. “Your little hands could never hold on to a stick!”
Being so proud of his idea, the frog puffed out his chest and croaked, “With my mouth.”
The ravens flapped their wings as they looked at each other. Then they put the stick in their claws. Immediately, the frog clamped on with his mouth, and they began to fly south successfully.
Everything was going supremely, and they were all very proud of themselves. A day or two later, a crowd of people walking on a cement sidewalk looked up and saw the two ravens flying about 200 feet overhead, holding a stick with a frog holding on in the middle with his mouth. Someone in the crowd exclaimed, “What a brilliant idea- I wonder who thought of that?”
The frog could not contain himself any longer and proudly croaked, “I did!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Smiles are contagious! Go forth and contaminate as many people as you can!”
Here is our verse for today:
Luke 12:24 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12:24&version=NLT)
Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1406 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As...
Welcome to Day 1401 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Israel Today and the Temple of God – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1406 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Jesus’s Return and The LawInsight Seventy-One: New Testament Writers Expected Jesus to Return in Their LifetimeMany Christians are riveted by the study of biblical prophecy. They energetically study the Bible and look at current events for possible connections. They want to discern “the signs of the times” in earnest expectation of the return of Jesus.
That thinking isn’t foreign to the New Testament itself. The apostles and early believers expected the Lord’s return to be very soon. It was an impending event that they fully expected to see in their lifetime. We know this was the case from a variety of New Testament passages. Some are easy to read over and never notice. Others are transparent.
In regard to the former, consider 1 Peter 1:20 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+1%3A20&version=NLT) God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days, he has been revealed for your sake. Peter warned his readers about the threat of self-serving scoffers “in the last days” (2 Peter 3:3). And the events at Pentecost were part of “the last days” (Acts 2:17).
Some passages are even more direct. The apostle John, writing in the book of Revelation, said, “The time is near” (Revelations 1:3; 22:10). The day of the Lord-the day of Christ’s return for New Testament believers—was “drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25). Some believers even thought they had missed it (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)!
Paul taught the Thessalonian believers what to expect leading up to the Lord’s return: they needed to be mindful of their walk and faithfulness so as not to be unprepared like unbelievers would (l Thessalonians 5). It was sage advice. If we live as though the Lord could return soon, our lives will be pleasing to God and a blessing to ourselves and others, whether it happens soon or not. Jesus himself taught that no one could know the precise day or hour (Matthew 24:36). Since the intent of biblical prophecies associated with the first coming wasn’t obvious, we ought not to expect to be able to figure things out this next time. In other words, our interest in, and expectancy of, the future shouldn’t be distracting us from living as we should in the present.
Insight Seventy-Two: Paul Had a High View of the Law, but a Higher View of Jesus
Throughout Dr. Heiser’s teaching career, he has often heard Christians talk about being “free from the law.” Usually, that referred to the idea that we can’t work our way to heaven—that salvation was by grace, through faith in Christ (Ephesians...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1405 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomSerious Faith – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1405 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Os Guinness, and it is: Find out how seriously a believer takes his doubts, and you have the index of how seriously he takes his faith.
Serious FaithDoubt and faith are opposed to each other. The greater your doubt, the less is your faith. The converse is also true, as your faith grows more substantial and more durable, the doubts and fears in your life will begin to decrease. All of us face a certain amount of fears, worries, and concerns, but to what extent do they influence and control your life? We cannot fool ourselves if we say we have strong faith but live fearfully; then we are deceitful by the very words we speak. Others can see your life and know if your faith is real and is controlling your life. So let’s take our faith seriously and practice it through minimizing the doubts and fears in our lives. Let us live a life of bold confidence in the One who has created us and is the champion of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12:1-3&version=NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1404 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1404 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Quiet Place of Rest – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1404 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
I don’t know about you, but with the issues surrounding Covid-19 and now so much civil unrest, there are days where I just feel exhausted. This is a bit odd for Paula and me since our schedules and routines have not really changed all that much. We do work with some companies that have been impacted significantly, so that may be part of it. I also attribute some of this exhaustion to the cares we have for family members, friends, and business associates who have been impacted. Plus, none of us like the unknown, and in the past three months, there have been more unknowns that face each of us personally. In addition to that, the entire world has been impacted. So it is not surprising that all of us are more prone to being exhausted. We all need some time to reflect and recharge. Today let us meditate on:
A Quiet Place of RestHow do you restore your energies after you have reached the exhaustion point? What do you do when the fatigue debt has mounted so high in every dimension of your life — physical, emotional, and spiritual — that you do not think you can do one more thing? Where do you go for renewal when plenty of sleep doesn’t relieve the bone-weariness that pulses through every fiber of your being?
These are not hypothetical questions. You probably know that from personal experience. There is a kind of tiredness that nothing seems to relieve. This kind of exhaustion comes at the end of a long spiritual battle or from being the long-term caregiver for a loved one. Maybe it stems from ministering to people repeatedly until you are completely depleted. Possibly you are battling a long and debilitating illness or from a myriad of other issues.For many of us who have found ourselves in such wearisome conditions, retreat and rest are often prescribed. They are also much desired. Yet many find such restful retreats remedy their weariness for just a short time, only to learn its return has left them feeling entirely and perpetually “burned out.”
Elijah’s example of rest and refreshment after his exhaustion is a good one. Food and rest were not enough for Elijah to be renewed ( 1 Kings 19:15-17 (https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/1%20Kings%2019.15-17) ). This was Elisha, who would eventually replace Elijah when God called him home.
It is a precious scene where Jesus called his apostles to a quiet place of rest after a season of ministry in Ezekiel 37:1-13 (https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Ezek%2037.1-13) ).
You may find that your concern for people you love has left you exhausted and depleted. There is always still plenty of things to do. If Jesus Christ saw the need for
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1403 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife After Covid-19 Part 4 – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1403 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1403/) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com) .
Earlier last month, we addressed a question that is too broad to answer in one episode. The answer today is the fourth in a series that will span several weeks, which I will address on our Ask Gramps episodes, discussing the long term economic effects of the pandemic. Please make sure that you download our Friday podcast sessions to follow the complete analysis. Better yet, subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so you can gain a bit of wisdom five days a week. So here is the question…
“Hey, Gramps, I realize that after this whole Covid-19 pandemic is under control, life will take on some sort of normalcy for most people. I can’t get my mind around how life will change with so many people out of work and many businesses not being able to survive. What is your take on how life will be after Covid-19?”
Life After Covid-19 Part 4
Our analysis so far has been overall jobs in manufacturing, brick-and-mortar retail, and the restaurant industry/future dining. As I mentioned in the past three weeks, I do not have a crystal ball nor a prophetic message about life after Covid-19. That being said, I do have over 40 years of business and nearly 64 years of life experience, which help me to see what others may not.
The core of the content today and in subsequent weeks comes from a book and companion blog written by Peter Diamandis. His book The Future Is Faster Than You Think was published in January of this year before Covid-19. Peter has recently also stated that Covid-19 would accelerate his predictions significantly. I recommend his book.
Let me once again offer some perspective. It has been said that crises don’t so much alter the course of history as accelerate changes that are already underway. Exponential technology has been disrupting traditional industries at an ever-increasing pace. The pandemic has put these changes into hyperspeed. Never have we had the opportunity to rewrite entire sectors, redefine the problems they address, and reinvent their solutions. This is a scary and also exciting time to be alive! Any time we have a disaster such as this, there is also unlimited opportunity.
The next economic sector we will explore is commercial real estate & offices.
Impact: The commercial real estate market is about to take a severe hit. And the real estate domino effect can topple adjacent financial institutions
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1402 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMy Daugther, The Doctor – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1402 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
My Daughter, The DoctorOn the way to taking her daughter Suzy to preschool one morning, Kathy, the head of gynecology at Memorial Hospital, had left her stethoscope on the rear car seat right beside little Suzy. After looking at the stethoscope for several moments, Suzy could not contain herself any longer and picked it up and began playing with it.
As Kathy watched her through the rearview mirror, she began to wonder if her little Suzy would one day be a doctor like her. Kathy could hardly contain herself as her thought ran wild. Quietly, she said to herself, be still, my heart, my daughter wants to follow in my footsteps and be a doctor!Little Suzy put the small end into her ears and then looked at the round end curiously and spoke loudly into the instrument: "Welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order?"
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “My doctor asked me if I had ever had a stress test? YES, I replied, It’s called LIFE!”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+2%3A17&version=NLT)
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1401 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Welcome to Day 1401 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Israel Today and the Temple of God – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1401 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Israel Today and the Temple of GodInsight Sixty-Nine: In the New Testament “Israel” Doesn’t Always Refer to the Nation or Its PeopleEarlier, we saw that use of the term “Israel” varied in the Old Testament. Sometimes “Israel” referred to all twelve tribes, and other times it referred to the northern kingdom of ten tribes following the fracturing of the kingdom. The variation in meaning, then, was due to politics and geography.
The New Testament also uses “Israel” in a variety of ways. Sometimes it refers to the Promised Land, the twelve tribes, or ethnic Jews. But this time, the reason is driven by theology.
The birth of the early church in the book of Acts shows us plainly that God’s people were never intended to be identified with ethnic Israel forever. Gentiles were destined for inclusion in the people of God, as was told to Abraham in Galatians 3:7-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A7-9&version=NLT) . The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.
Paul moves from this opening to a discussion of the law. He denies the law’s saving power and instead holds up faith in Christ. Israel’s Messiah, as the way of salvation. Then he closes his argument with language that would startle both the Jewish and gentile unbeliever in Galatians 3:25-29 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A25-29&version=NLT) :
And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.
Paul couldn’t be more explicit: if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. There is one people of God.
Insight Seventy: The People of God Are the Temple of GodPresuming they had access to the Scriptures, the Bible of the earliest Christians was...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1400 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomStrong Trials Strengthen Faith – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1400 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Katherine Workman, and it is: Faith is not a hothouse plant that must be shielded from wind and rain, so delicate that it has to be protected, but is like the sturdy oak which becomes stronger with every wind that blows upon it. An easy time weakens faith, while strong trials strengthen it.
Strong Trials Strengthen FaithI know for myself, and probably for most Christ-followers, we desire to have strong faith, but we would prefer to gain that faith through osmosis or a life of ease. Unfortunately, that is not how we learn strong faith. Just like the massive and sturdy oak tree, as with many other varieties of trees, they can only grow big and resilient through adverse conditions. When they have to face torrential wind and rain, it not only strengthens the very fiber of the tree, it also causes their roots to be driven deep into the soil so it can tap into the life-sustaining water supply. Contrast this to a tomato plant that may thrive in a hothouse, but when exposed to any harsh weather or natural elements, it would soon be destroyed. If you earnestly desire to have strong faith, then you must be willing to not only accept the trials of life, but look forward to them with joy. So ask yourself, do you desire to be a tomato plant which under ideal conditions may last for a short season, or do you desire to stand like a mighty oak which continues to grow to reach its branches to the heavens. The tomato will last but a few months, while the oak will last several hundreds of years. Which do you choose? If you choose the mighty oak, then you must look at the hardship and trials of life as the Apostle James did in his letter to the early church, which was driven away from Jerusalem because of the severe persecution they were experiencing. James 1:2-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. That's a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1399 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your...
Welcome to Day 1399 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Prayer for the Weary – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1399 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
So many people are weary with life. Before the pandemic, we were rushing from one activity to another. Over the past couple of months, we have become exhausted trying to adjust to a life of social distancing and coping with the ever-changing scenario. Before we know it, we will be back to a life of hustle once again. Our lifestyles are wearisome. This predicament is as old as humankind. Today let us meditate on:
A Prayer For The WearyThe wise King Solomon, after a life of phenomenal accomplishments, near the end of his life felt weary as he writes in Ecclesiastes 1:3-8 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1%3A3-8&version=NLT) What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come, and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises, and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.
How about you? Can you relate to old King Solomon? I know there are days where I feel this way. What can we do about it? Here is a prayer that I came across recently, which is fitting for us who are weary. It is based on Matthew 11:28-30 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=NLT) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Meditate on this prayer. Lord, some weary people are listening to or reading these words. Let them hear Your invitation to come to You with their burdens and their weary souls.
Let the wives who are weary of waiting for their husbands to spiritually lead their families come to You. They are weary of carrying a burden they were never intended to carry.
Let the weary single moms and the weary single dads who are weary being both mom and dad to their children. They do the best they can but never feel they have done enough, nor do they feel they have done what they do well enough.
Let the weary mothers come to You. They are weary from caring for their children, wiping noses and bottoms, taking temperatures, drying tears, and kissing away booboos.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1398 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife After Covid-19 Part 3 – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1398 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
Earlier this month, we addressed a question that is too broad to answer in one episode. The answer today is the third in a series that will span several weeks, which I will address on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episodes the long term economic effects of the pandemic. Please make sure that you download our Friday podcast sessions to follow the complete analysis. Better yet, subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so you can gain a bit of wisdom five days a week. So here is the question:
“Hey, Gramps, I realize that after this whole Covid-19 pandemic is under control, life will take on some sort of normalcy for most people. I can’t get my mind around how life will change with so many people out of work and many businesses not being able to survive. What is your take on how life will be after Covid-19?
Life After Covid-19 Part 3Our analysis so far has been overall jobs in manufacturing and Brick-and-Mortar Retail. As I mentioned the past couple of weeks, I do not have a crystal ball nor a prophetic message about life after Covid-19. That being said, I do have over 40 years of business and nearly 64 years of life experience, which helps me to see what others may not.
The core of the content today and in subsequent weeks comes from a book and companion blog written by Peter Diamandis. His book, ‘The Future is Faster Than You Think,’ was published in January of this year before Covid-19. Peter has recently also stated that Covid-19 would accelerate his predictions significantly. I recommend his book.
Let me once again offer some perspective. It has been said that crises don’t so much alter the course of history as accelerate changes that are already underway. Exponential technology has been disrupting traditional industries at an ever-increasing pace. The pandemic has put these changes into hyperspeed. Never have we had the opportunity to rewrite entire sectors, redefine the problems they address, and reinvent their solutions. This is a scary and also exciting time to be alive! Any time we have a disaster such as this, there is also unlimited opportunity.The next economic sector we will explore Restaurant Industry & Future Dining
Impact: In the same way that the 2008 economic crisis devastated housing, the pandemic of 2020 is laying waste to the restaurant industry.
As Phillip Stutts mentioned on a recent podcast with Peter Diamandis,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1397 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHoly Fish and Chips – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1397 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 17:22 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Holy Fish and ChipsSister Margaret found herself lost one a rainy night one a back road which she was not familiar with. After about an hour of anxious driving, she finally drove past what appeared to be a monastery. Hesitantly, Sister Margaret turned around and headed up the long driveway. She meekly approached the front door and pulled on the rope, which rang a large bell. She stood there in the rain for several tense moments and thought about turning around and heading back to her car. Just then, the big door slowly opened, and a young gentleman peered out into the night. Upon seeing Sister Margaret soaked by the rain, he insisted that she immediately come inside, which she was so thankful. Sub-Prior John introduced himself and offered Sister Margaret a towel to dry off a bit. Once she was a little more presentable, Sub-Prior John insisted that she stay for dinner, and told Sister Margaret that they had a room reserved for those who may require an overnight stay. Shortly after that, the chimes rang for dinner, and both of them proceeded to the dining hall where they served Sister Margaret the best fish and chips she had ever tasted.
After dinner, she asked Sub-Prior John if she could meet the chefs to express her gratitude for such a delicious meal. Sister Margaret was lead to the kitchen where she met by two of the Brothers who were the chefs for that evening. The first one says, “Hello, I am brother Michael, and this is Brother Charles.”
“I’m very pleased to meet you,” replied Sister Margaret. “I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful dinner. The fish and chips were the best I’ve ever had. Out of curiosity, who cooked what?”
Brother Charles replied, “Well, I’m the fish friar.”
She turned to the other Brother and said: “then you must be...?”
“Yes,” said Brother Michael, “I’m afraid I’m the chip monk.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “My Imagination is a monastery, and I am its monk.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1:17&version=NLT)
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1396 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite...
Welcome to Day 1396 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – New Testament Letters and Cosmic Geography – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1396 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – New Testament Letters and Cosmic GeographyInsight Sixty-Seven: Epistles are LettersThe word “epistle” comes from the Greek word epistole, which means “letter.” We typically associate that word with personal correspondence, but a “letter” might refer to all sorts of documents (commercial, legal, governmental, etc.).
The letters we see in the New Testament are both personal and formal. On the one hand, the writers have a personal attachment to the recipients. Paul, for instance, wrote letters to churches he had founded. Peter and James wrote more general letters to groups of believers who were under persecution. Given the fact that some New Testament letters were aimed at audiences scattered about and not in one location (James 1:1) or were shared with other churches (Colossians 4:16), New Testament letters also had a formal feel to them. Their content was considered essential for believers who had not been the initial addressees.
In our age of instant and scattershot communication, the art of letter writing has mostly been lost. A good letter has discernible components and structure. I can remember learning how to write a letter in grade school. My teacher taught us that letters began with a salutation (Dear…). Instead of getting right to the point, our salutation was supposed to be followed by some sort of light banter to set the right tone, hopefully. We might want to include a preview of what the letter was ultimately about. Then came the body of the letter, whose coherence was fostered or undermined by clear or confused paragraphing. When we were bringing things to a close, we were taught to leave the reader a final reminder so that the main purpose of the letter wouldn’t get lost. Then we closed with “Sincerely” if formal or “Love” if appropriate and signed our names.
New Testament letters also followed patterns. Most of Paul’s letters open with a personal salutation, greeting, and blessing or note of thanksgiving. Here is an example from I Corinthians 1:1-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+corinthians+1%3A1-4&version=NLT) :
Greetings from Paul
This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1395 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAn Element of Faith – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1395 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Paul Tillich, and it is: Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.
An Element of FaithThis quote may seem irrational or illogical, but when you really think about it, I believe it is entirely accurate. Another similar dichotomy is you cannot have courage if you have not experienced fear. For if you have never doubted, how can you know what it is to experience faith? The best definition of faith is found in God’s Word. Hebrews 12:2 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12:2&version=NLT)
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1394 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Welcome to Day 1394 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPeace or Worry – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1394 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Although we do have a choice, it sometimes is difficult for all of us to put into practice. Today let us meditate on:
Peace or WorryThere’s a verse in the New Testament 1 Peter 5:7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A7&version=NLT) that says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
I like the imagery of taking the things that I’m worried about and throwing them or cast them upon God. That’s what the word “give all” means in the original language. Peter is telling his readers to throw their worries upon God and let Him take care of them.
Here is a suggestion that I read about that may help when worries and cares start to overwhelm you. Use this mental exercise to try and deal with the stress in your life. When something comes into your mind or heart that you are worried about, try to imagine something that represents that concern. If you are worried about your health, you might think of a hospital or a bottle of pills. If it’s a financial problem, picture a stack of money. It doesn’t really matter what you choose, as long as it is something that you can visualize. Visualization can be a potent tool. Next, take that symbol of worry and imagine that you are placing it in a burlap sack. Then proceed to close the sack, whirl it a few times in my mind, then toss it to God. Visualize yourself, casting that anxiety on him.
It may sound silly, but I find that the visualization process helps me do what I need to do: stop worrying and trust that God will handle my problems. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6--7&version=NLT) : Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
If you can learn to turn your worries over to God, he will give you His peace — that divine peace that defies all logic. You must decide to give your worries and cares to God. Share your worries and cares through prayer, and thank Him for handling them. In return, He will provide you with peace. I don’t know about you, but I much prefer peace to worry!
So next time something is weighing on your mind, try the mental exercise I described. Combine that with prayer and thanksgiving. You very well may find that God takes your worry away and gives you his peace to replace it. Let us meditate on this practice today and every day.
That is a wrap for today’s Meditation, next week; we will continue our...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1393 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife After Covid-19 Part 2 – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1393 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
Last week we had a question, but this question is too broad to answer in one episode. The answer today is one of several ‘Ask Gramps’ features, which will analyze various areas of life, and how this pandemic will impact them. Please make sure that you download our Friday podcast sessions to follow the complete analysis. Better yet, subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so you can gain a bit of wisdom five days a week. So here is the question:
“Hey, Gramps, I realize that after this whole Covid-19 pandemic is under control, life will take on some sort of normalcy for most people. I can’t get my mind around how life will change with so many people out of work and many businesses not being able to survive. What is your take on how life will be after Covid-19?
Life After Covid-19 Part 2Our focus last week was overall jobs and manufacturing. As I mentioned last week, I do not have a crystal ball nor a prophetic message about life after Covid-19. That being said, I do have over 40 years of business and nearly 64 years of life experience which helps me to see what others may not.
The core of this content today and in subsequent weeks comes from a book and companion blog written by Peter Diamandis. His book, ‘The Future is Faster Than You Think,’ was published in January of this year before Covid-19. Peter has recently also stated that Covid-19 would accelerate his predictions significantly. I recommend his book.
Let me offer some perspective. It has been said that crises don’t so much alter the course of history as accelerate changes that are already underway. Exponential technology has been disrupting traditional industries at an ever-increasing pace. The pandemic has put these changes into hyperspeed. Never have we had the opportunity to rewrite entire sectors, redefine the problems they address, and reinvent their solutions. This is a scary and also exciting time to be alive! Any time we have a disaster such as this, there is also unlimited opportunity.
The next economic sector we will explore is Brick-and-Mortar Retail. The impact and losses stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic will accelerate the demise of many traditional retail businesses. Quarter 1 & Quarter 2, 2020 losses are spelling “game over” for more brick-and-mortar retail.This month alone, J. Crew, J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus, and Lord & Taylor have announced...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1392 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMy Dad is the Best – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1392 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
My Dad Is The BestJohnny, Sammy, Ronnie, and Mikey were on the playground when the subject of what their fathers do for a living came up. Of course, as most little boys do, they think their father is the best. Soon they begin to brag about their fathers.
Johnny says, "My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem and they pay him $50."
Next, Sammy speaks up and says, "That's nothing. My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper; he calls it a song; they pay him $100."
Knowing his father was a doctor, Ronnie proudly says, "I got you both beat. My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper; he calls it a prescription; they pay him $200."
Ronnie could not contain himself and says, "Is that all you got? My dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon, and it takes eight people with gold plates to collect all the money!"I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “A child, like your stomach, doesn’t need all you can afford to give it.”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+19:14&version=NLT)
Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1391 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Welcome to Day 1391 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Gentile Inclusion and All Things in Common – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1391 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1391/) of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Gentile Inclusion and All Things in CommonInsight Sixty-Five: Gentile Inclusion in the People of God Didn’t Mean Hostility Towards Jews and Jewish Customs
The book of Acts and the ministry of Paul and his companions inform us that the people of God after the cross were not a new theocracy or a revived Israel on Old Testament terms. The family of God included believers, Jew and Gentile. Entrance only required faith in what Jesus accomplished by his death and resurrection.
From antiquity to our own day; however, the non-Jewish nature of the people of God has been misread in negative ways, even to the point of anti-Semitism. It is absurd to think that the New Testament endorses the hatred of the Jewish people. Even after the conference over Gentile inclusion in Acts 15, there is no evidence in Acts that Jews were taunted or prevented from preaching the gospel. The opposite was true.
Paul, a Jew in Philippians 3, addressed this both in word and deed. The gospel, said Paul, was for the Jew first and then the Gentile (Roman 1:16-17). In every place Paul visited on his missionary travels, he went to the synagogue first. If the Jews no longer had a special status, then his pattern seems odd. But Paul longed for the salvation of his countrymen (Romans 9:1-5).
Paul also expressed appreciation and even devotion to Jewish law and customs. He knew that the law was no substitute for salvation. It couldn’t be. Salvation is an unmerited gift (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 4:3-25). Nevertheless, he “delighted” in the law in his inner (redeemed) being (Romans 7:22). Paul circumcised Timothy before taking him along on a missionary tour to avoid the young man becoming an obstacle to the Jews that Paul would preach to (Acts 16:3). Upon his return to Jerusalem, Paul visited the temple (Acts 21:26-30), having taken a Nazirite vow of purification (Acts 26:23-36). This would make little sense if Paul believed Israel had been displaced by God, especially when going to the temple was such a dangerous thing for him to do.
Rather than setting Israel aside, the New Testament language should be understood in terms of gentile inclusion. God included the Gentiles into his family; he didn’t exclude Jews. Although modern-day “replacement theology” primarily focuses on the interpretation of eschatology, it has become a trendy excuse for anti-Semitic attitudes and political disdain for modern Israel. Politics is no aid to biblical understanding and should not become a filter for Scripture....
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1390 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDo Your Best To Be Faithful – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1390 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mother Teresa, and it is: Do your best and trust that others do their best. And be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Do Your Best To Be FaithfulIn our politically correct, polarized world, especially within media outlets and social media, if we are not careful, we will harbor a spirit of distrust of nearly everyone. This is not what God intends for our life. Yes, I realize that if you open up and begin trusting others, there will be times when where your trust will be betrayed. That should not stop us from trusting others. Let me share with you a personal story when our trust was shattered. When we owned and operated our computer business, we decided to expand through acquisition. First, we acquired a small company, and about a year later, a company that was similar in size. We discovered that in both cases, the information regarding their businesses, and personal lives of the owners, was not as we were told. Through these misrepresentations of their integrity, financial health, and due to economic issues at the time, we ended up having to close our business after nearly 18 years, because we could not financially survive the downturn. Afterward, during a time of reflection, I mentioned to Paula, that “I know our trust was betrayed, but I would still rather trust with the possibility of betrayal than not trust others. A lack of trust leads to a lack of hope. A lack of hope, leads to a life of despair. That is not the kind of life that I choose to live.” Yes, part of the issue was that we did not correctly conduct adequate due diligence, and I take full responsibility for the outcome. That does not mitigate the feelings that we experienced. President Ronald Regan said it well when he said, “trust but verify.” I have adopted this concept in my life as much as possible. We must trust others to do their best. We must be faithful in the small things because that is where our real strength lies.There is One who we can trust, who will never leave us or forsake us, and He will direct our paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3%3A5-6&version=NLT) Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1389 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1389 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDealing With The Unchangeable – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1389 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Most, if all of like to be in control, and change circumstances and events that make us uncomfortable. Today let us meditate on:
Dealing With The UnchangeableDealing with the Covid-19 pandemic has been difficult for nearly everyone. One of the reasons is that, for the most part, it is out of our control, and there is little we can do to change that. We do not like situations and circumstances which we cannot change. When you really think about it, there is probably more we don’t have control over, than what we do have control over.
Many things about your life boil down to the hand you have been dealt. You can’t change the fact that you were born in that place and with certain givens for your appearance, IQ, or physical skills. Education and training can open some doors for you, but they cannot change your past, make you taller and more athletic, or alter the fact that some people are unfair in the way they treat you.
Even though most of our life circumstances are beyond our control, we are all still tempted to fret and complain about things that cannot be changed. Of course, they cause distress. They certainly put us at a disadvantage in certain contexts. They mustn’t be allowed to define or defeat us.
The people who do best with life move beyond the temptation to whine and feel sorry for themselves. They face their disappointments and move beyond them. They acknowledge life’s bad breaks and look for ways to turn them into growth moments. They work from a half-full rather than half-empty glass mindset.
These people have a different attitude than the defeatist and whiner. They have found a way to make lemonade from their lemons. There is a section in John Baillie’s “A Diary of Private Prayer” that reads...
Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.
Let me use disappointment as material for patience;
Let me use success as material for thankfulness;
Let me use suspense as material for perseverance;
Let me use danger as material for courage;
Let me use reproach as material for longsuffering;
Let me use praise as material for humility;
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance;
Let me use pains as material for endurance.
Your attitude today will make all the difference in everything that matters.
When a given day begins, countless things are headed your way over which you have no control. It may be bad weather or someone’s bad temper, a deadline that won’t budge or a client equally resistant to change. The one factor you can control...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1388 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife After Covid-19 Part 1 – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1388 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, I realize that after this whole Covid-19 pandemic is under control, life will take on some sort of normalcy for most people. I can’t get my head around how life will change with so many people out of work and many businesses not being able to survive. What is your take on how life will be after Covid-19?
Life After Covid-19 Part 1This question is certainly too broad to answer in one segment, so this will be the first of several ‘Ask Gramps’ feature which will analyze various areas of life, and how this pandemic will impact them. Please make sure that you download our Friday podcast sessions to follow the complete analysis. Better yet, subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so you can gain a bit of wisdom five days a week.
While I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, speculation that I have about life after Covid-19 is just that, speculation. Although after nearly 64 years of life and over 40 years as an entrepreneur and small business owner, I have already been through several business cycles. I am also a father of five grown children and seven grandchildren. Throughout the years, I have been very active in church ministries and other community groups. Since my primary career focus has been technology, I have been at the forefront of changes in business and society throughout the years. With that being said, I will try to add some enlightenment to your questions. One thing that sets this pandemic situation apart from all other world events, including the two world wars, is that Covid-19 has impacted all nations of the world and has brought all economies to its knees. In some ways, this may be good. While we may not all be in the same boat, we are certainly all experiencing the same violent storm. Some of the boats are sturdy and well built, and its occupants won’t be impacted significantly. Others are swept away by the raging currents either through the loss of life, or complete financial devastation, leaving them stranded alone, and they will have to start over with nothing. We who are more fortunate must be willing and ready to help those who are devastated. Especially as Christ-followers, this must be our high calling after Covid-19.
Let me offer some perspective. It has been said that crises don’t so much alter the course of history as accelerate changes that are already...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1387 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Cake Dilemma – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1387 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Cake DilemmaWith many of us sheltering in place, we have rediscovered our love for cooking and especially baking sweet treats. The temptation to eat all of these treats has also been a challenge for many. Because of this, a group of friends decided to start a weekly zoom based diet club to help keep each other accountable.
On their weekly call on Monday, the members of the diet club were chatting and encouraging one another to stay the course. When it came time for Margaret to share, she was lamenting, “I gained five pounds since last week. I made the family’s favorite cake over the weekend, and they’d loved it so much that they had eaten half of it after dinner on Saturday.” “Of course, they all raved about it and said they were looking forward to eating the remainder the next day.”
Margaret went on. “Well, the next day I kept staring at the other half until finally, I cut just a thin slice for myself. You know how it is, one slice led to another, and soon the remaining half of the cake was gone.” “I am just so frustrated with my lack of willpower, I knew that John would be as disappointed as I am.”
The other members of the group all commiserated with her, expressing their empathy until finally, Julie asked, “what did John say when he found out?” Margaret smiled and blushingly said, “He never found out. I made another cake and ate half of it!”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Oh, you want your cake and eat it too? You bet! What good is a cake if you can’t eat it?”
Here is our verse for today:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+15:20&version=NLT)
Present a cake from the first of the flour you grind, and set it aside as a sacred offering, as you do with the first grain from the threshing floor.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1386 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others...
Welcome to Day 1386 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Acts and Israelite Culture – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1386 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Acts and Israelite CultureInsight Sixty-Three: The Book of Acts is Both Prescriptive and DescriptiveOne of the most controversial questions concerning the book of Acts is whether it is prescriptive or descriptive. The two options are clear enough. The prescriptive view says that the practices of the early church in the book of Acts are normative. In other words, they should be practiced today. For some, this extends to experiences as well. They argue that believers today should be experiencing displays of power, like speaking in tongues and healing. The descriptive view argues that Acts simply describes what happened. For this view, there is, therefore, no requirement to imitate precisely what the early church experienced or did.
It isn’t hard to discern that there is truth in both positions. The difficulty is one of extent. The book of Acts very obviously prescribes things like believers meeting with regularity, prayer, meeting each other’s needs, and appointing leaders (both Jews and gentiles). But are we to presume the leadership of the church has apostolic authority? Should we meet in house churches daily (Acts 5:42)? Should we expect to perform signs and wonders, and if so, are they only to be performed by apostles and those upon whom they have laid hands (Acts 2:43; 6:8; 8:6, 13; 14:3)? In modern times, when wealth is held in ways outside tangible goods, how can we truly have all things in common (Acts 2:44)? It seems clear that these things are, at least to some extent, only descriptive.
This question is directly related to apostolic authority. While the book of Acts clearly shows the apostles appointing servant leaders in the church (Acts 6), there is no evidence that the office of apostle has continued. There were several kinds of apostles in the New Testament. The Greek word (apostolos) simply means “sent one,” so it generally refers to individuals sent to help other churches. In cases like these, modern translations at times render the term as “messenger” (2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25) One specific group of “sent ones” were the Twelve (John 20:24; Acts 6:2; 1 Cor 15:5), those who had been taught by Jesus. When choosing a new Apostle to replace Judas, this is what Acts 1:21-22 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A21-22&version=NLT) says, “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1385 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDo Not Fail One Another – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1385 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michael Baughen, and it is: Do not let us fail one another in interest, care, and practical help, but supremely we must not fail one another in prayer.
Do Not Fail One AnotherAt all times, but especially in times of crises like the Covid-19, we need to seek out those who are in desperate need. There are so many individuals and small businesses who have been financially and physically devastated. If we are going to live our faith, then we need to be willing to show it by helping those who are in need. I realize that you may not be able to help out financially yourself, but is there some other tangible way to assist? I realize that we are just starting to come out of our shelter in place guidelines, so now is the time to start planning on how you can tangibly make a difference in the lives of your family, your neighbors, your church, or social community. Yes, for a while, we may need to be inconvenienced and continue some social distancing while we are among groups of people, but that should not stop us from making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. We can learn how important this by reading James 2:14-20 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-20&version=NLT)
Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? If you are unable to assist others tangibly, or if you are part of a higher risk group, you can assist even more powerfully through effectual and fervent prayer for those in need.
James 5:13-18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5%3A13-18&version=NLT)
The Power of Prayer
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1384 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWhat Are You Planting? – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1384 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Spring is the time for planting flowers and gardens. Many of us engage in this relaxing and enjoyable past time. Today let us meditate on:
What Are You Planting?Last weekend Paula and I planted our flowers along the edge of the sunporch, in the antique planter beside the back door, in the five large pots adorning the front porch, and in the three hanging pots along the front porch. This year we planted all Impatiens since they grow well in part shade, and their flowers last all summer and into the fall. They take a while to grow out entirely, but are full and pretty most of the summer. Our peonies, which line the outer edge of the front porch, and along the old ‘fence line’ on the backside of our house, are full of buds and will be blooming soon also. In addition to the flowers, we also planted four tomato plants, four sweet red peppers, two each of cucumbers and zucchinis, and a patch of spearmint. We enjoyed it and look forward to reaping the rewards for our efforts.
Our efforts are an example of the Biblical and universal law of planting and harvesting. It is as universal as the law of gravity. This law is mentioned in Genesis 8:22 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+8:22&version=NLT) . As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.
Planting and cultivating a crop is backbreaking work. Ask any farmer who has done intense farming. It is not for the faint of heart, or those who anticipate instant results. Farmers persevere because they know the joy of the harvest. This emotional rollercoaster of farming is described in Psalm 126:5-6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+126:5-6&version=NLT) :
Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.It does require hard work with no real guarantees, but to anticipate the harvest, you must first do the work. Proverbs 20:4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+20:4&version=NLT)
Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
Another fundamental truth is that you will harvest only what you plant. We will not expect corn from our tomato plants, nor apples from our zucchini plants. We expect to harvest what we planted. The same is true for all aspects of life. This concept is described well in Galatians 6:7-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6:7-9&version=NLT)
Don’t be misled—you cannot...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1383 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomInvest Your Time Wisely – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1383 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, once life and the economy get back to some sort of normalcy after the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, what is the best way that I can make an impact on my world? I don’t think that the world will be quite the same, and I want to make sure that I can make a positive difference, how best should I approach life after this pandemic.
Invest Your Time Wisely
After the event of the past couple of months, I think that most of us would like to rush out and make a significant impact on our world. To fix everything that is broken. To help all those who are hurting or may have been devastated. I feel confident that most of us want to do some great things with our lives. But we labor under the illusion that genuinely great things are reserved for a chosen few—those who are Heroes, Martyrs, and Saints. Deep inside us, we probably don’t feel that you and I are the ones who can.
What if the most extraordinary thing is not to go out in a blaze of glory, but to honor God with a life that seeks to do his will in the little things? Not to climb the highest mountain, but to stay on the uneven course that life has marked out for you? Not dying for your faith, but staying true to it over a challenging lifetime? Think of the word I just mentioned, extraordinary. If we break that compound word down, it is extra and ordinary. What if we do the mundane, ordinary tasks of life, with just a little more passion and concern? That ordinary will become extraordinary.
Think of the 24-hour blocks of your daily life as bank-fresh bundles of 24, $100 bills. Your challenge each day is to “invest your time.” You can’t bank it. You can’t save up until you get $50,000 or $100,000. You get a fresh handful of life currency each morning, and any uninvested balance evaporates before tomorrow comes.
You invest life assets when you mentor a new employee or associate who is struggling. You invest when you listen to a friend who is upset, or volunteer to help someone who needs just that little extra assistance. You invest when you are laying down your life when you are generous with hard-earned money to help someone who has lost their job, or a family that is being drained by long-term illness, or the ministries of your church that help those less fortunate.
If you are a parent or grandparent, you have invested a considerable portion of your life in giving birth,...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1382 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Demise of the Doughboy – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1382 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Demise of the DoughboyIt seems that there is an announcement every few days of a well-known actor, musician, or sports celebrity that has died recently. Most were not Covid-19 related, and is probably just a sign of the times with so many baby boomers reaching the end of their natural life. I am afraid that I have one more to announce today. It is the death of our beloved Pillsbury Doughboy. I know that all of us morn his passing.
Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. Here is Doughboy’s obituary.
The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with enriched flour.
Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy, and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Born and bread in Minnesota, Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half- baked schemes.
Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty older man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough, and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. His elderly father, Pop Tart, also survived him.
The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.
If you smiled while reading this, please rise to the occasion and pass it on to someone having a crumby day that kneads a lift.
Our Thursday thought is, “The Pillsbury Doughboy was a perfect man. He’s cute, and he’s sweet, and best of all, he’s rolling in dough.”
Here is our verse for today is referring to false teaching:
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13:21&version=NLT)
It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1381 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for...
Welcome to Day 1381 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Paul's Letters in Context and The Tower of Babel Reversed – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1381 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Paul’s Letters in Context and The Tower of Bable ReversedInsight Sixty One: The Book of Acts Provides the Context for Many of Paul’s LettersThe book of Acts picks up the New Testament story after the resurrection of Jesus. The book opens with the resurrected Christ giving his disciples instructions on spreading the good news of the cross, and his resurrection in the familiar verse Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus promises to send the Spirit after he ascends, something that happens on the Day of Pentecost (Acts2:1-13) The events of Pentecost mark the birth of the early apostolic church in Jerusalem. The book of Acts follows the triumphs and travails of the followers of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit to advance the kingdom of God. The central characters through the first twelve chapters are Stephen, Peter, and James. That changes in Acts 13, when the Jerusalem church sends Paul and Barnabas to preach to the gentiles.
Paul’s conversion had been recorded earlier in Acts 9, but Acts 13 changes the focus of the early Jesus-movement to the journeys of Paul. While Acts includes other figures who traveled with Paul, such as Barnabas, Silas, John Mark, Luke, Timothy, Paul is the central figure of the book from that point on.
Anyone who reads through Acts will know that Paul traveled widely, preaching the gospel of Israel’s Messiah to people of all nations. Acts tells us Paul went on three “missionary journeys” to gentile nations. Acts 13:1-14:28 chronicles the first trek, during which Paul visited places like Antioch, Perga, Pisidian Antioch (which is in Phrygia), Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. His second journey is the focus of Acts 15:36-18:22. His itinerary included Philippi. Thessalonica, Berea. Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. His third and final trip, one that ended in Jerusalem with his imprisonment, is described in Acts 18:23-21:14. Paul revisited places he’d previously ventured as well as new locales; Macedonia, Philippi, Troas, Rhodes, Tyre, and Ephesus are among them. Paul spent three years in this last city.
Experts in Paul’s life and ministry have been able to determine that these missionary trips spanned roughly ten years. If we restrict ourselves to the churches named in Acts 13-21, Paul started just over a dozen churches. Chances are good he started more since he visited regions during his
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1380 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYour True North – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1380 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from J. I. Packer, and it is: Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life, blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you.
Your True NorthYou may have heard of the phrase when referring to a person or leader, that is his True North, and this is what it means.
True North is your orienting point, your fixed point in a spinning world - that helps you stay on track as a person or leader. It is derived from your most deeply held beliefs, values, and the principles you live or lead by. It is your internal compass, unique to you, representing who you are at your deepest level. Some may refer to it as your integrity. Your Worldview controls this True North. If you are a Christ-follower, then your True North must be defined by God’s Word. In our wisdom quote for today, J.I. Packer is correct. If you do not study and apply God’s Word to your life, you will be like a compass that is broken where the needle just randomly swings one way and then another. You will end up stumbling and bumbling through life. It will be the same as being blind, or at least blindfolded. You ill have no real sense of direction or understanding of what is around you. Your decision-making ability will be significantly impaired. So follow your True North that is based on God’s Word.
Psalm 119:105 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119:105&version=NLT;LEB)
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1379 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1379 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomChosen to Rule – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1379 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Most Christ-followers don’t realize or understand how great of high privilege and responsibility that God has granted us. He has crowned us to rule over His kingdom on earth. Today let us meditate on:
Chosen to RuleTo set the stage for today’s Meditation, let me first read Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
This Psalm begins and ends with the same phrase about God’s majestic name and how it encompasses or fills the entire earth. Not only that, but His glory also encompasses all of the heavens. God’s majesty and glory are so grand, yet simple enough that it can be taught to children and even infants. When God’s story is that simple, it silences even the loftiest arguments of those who oppose God.
All we need to do is to look at the night sky, and we see such grandeur, that it is impossible not to see and acknowledge God. The moon and stars are a silent witness that shouts to all creation of God’s glory and majesty.
As a mere mortal, created being, I am awestruck when I witness the entirety of God’s creation. Why would God hold us in such lofty esteem? Why would God care for us so intensely when we turn our backs on Him so often? It is because God created us for a specific purpose that fulfills His plan for all of His creation. He made humankind just a little lower than His heavenly council, who were created to fulfill their divine roles ruling over the heavens, as we were created for the specific purpose of ruling over His earthly domain. God crowned us humans with glory and honor as Kings to rule over his earthly abode. We are kings who have charge over everything He made, putting all things on earth under our authority. Our rule includes the entire earthly domain, domestic and wild animals, birds in the sky, fish in the sea, and everything that swims in the...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1378 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEssential or Non-Essential – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1378 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, “I just don’t feel like I’ve done anything significant for God. I’ve tried to live a good life, but I just don’t see how it matters. I don’t feel like I have really contributed or made much of a difference. How can I be sure that what I am doing is having an impact on God’s kingdom here on earth?
Essential or Non-Essential
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard these words or words like them. What rips my heart out is that they are often spoken by people who are precious to me and others in God’s family. They do things that are sweet, sacrificial, serving, and tender to people when they need it most. Yet because their acts of service are done quietly or don’t seem to be a big deal to them, they think they don’t matter that much to God.
One of the many positive results from the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is that most of us will never again view our workforce in the same manner. In a matter of fewer than two months, it is so evident that many of the essential contributors to our society were the unforgotten ones. Those individuals who have had little or no formal education and training. The truck drivers, the grocery store clerks, the gas station attendants, the janitors in hospitals, and those who were able to prepare meals at our favorite carryout restaurants. These are the essential workers of today, and let’s hope we continue to see them as such for many years. Yes, many others are considered professionals in the medical field that have sacrificed even their lives to save the lives of others. They will never be considered in the same light but as the heroes that they are.
Some of the most critical people in any story go unnoticed and under-appreciated. Yet these people are vital to the story unfolding in the way it does. Without them, the most important things would never happen. This is true whether the story is a movie or a novel or our own personal story. I believe that for many of you who have been on the front line during this pandemic should re-evaluate your impact on God’s kingdom, for it is excellent. This is quite often true of God’s story in the Bible.One of the most amazing stories in Scripture is the conversion of Saul. Saul is the fiercest, most passionate persecutor of the early followers of Jesus as described in the book of Acts. Of all the initial problems Jesus’ followers had to overcome, Saul was one of the dangerous and...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1377 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Race Was On! – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1377 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Race Was On
Jim was driving down the highway late one night when his mini-van broke down, so he coasted to the side of the road. He turned on his flashers and tried to call Sally his wife, but there was no cell signal. Jim wasn’t sure what he was going to do, since it was 10 miles to the nearest town. Jim decided that he would stand in the headlights, just slightly ahead of the van, and would try to get someone’s attention to help him as they drove by. He heard off in the distance what sounded like a high speed sports car, and sure enough, he soon saw a car racing towards him. Jim stood close to the road and waved his arms frantically, hoping to be seen. The driver in the car, which happened to be a Lamborghini Countach, starts to slow down and pulls up beside the mini-van and rolls down the passenger window. Jim approaches tentatively and says, “I’m Jim Snow, and my van won’t start. I hate to impose, but any chance I could get a lift into town?”
The other driver, always glad to show off his Lamborghini, said, “Nice to meet you, Jim, I am Stanley Rothchild, and I can do better than that. I’ve got a V-12 under this hood, and a tow bar in the trunk, I can tow you to the nearest town, no problem.” Jim and Stanley worked together and got the mini-van securely fastened. Stanley told Jim, “you get in the driver seat of your van to keep an eye on everything, and just honk your horn and flash your lights if I start going too fast.” At that, Stanley jump in his Lamborghini, and they were off down the road.
About halfway to town, they came to a red light and up pulls a Ferrari F40 with a V-10. Stanley looked over to see that it was his friend Jordon from the Country Club. Jordon amused by Stanley’s situation couldn’t help himself, and with a big smile on his face begins to rev his Ferrari F40 engine. He motioned to Stanley to race. Both Stanley and Jordon were very competitive, so Stanley revs his Lamborghini Countach engine just as the light turns green. With the squealing of tires, they both fly out of there, and the race was on. Little did they suspect it about a half a mile down the road they pass a speed trap with Office Taylor calmly sitting in his patrol car with his lights off, but the radar on.
Officer Taylor watches them pass at such a high speed that it startled him, and he knew that he would be very hard-pressed to catch up with them. After a few seconds, he radios to base, saying, “Base, this is Officer Taylor, you will not believe what I just saw. A Ferrari F40 and a Lamborghini Countach were driving down the road doing about 120 with a mini-van honking its horn and flashing its lights right behind them trying to pass!”I hope...
Welcome to Day 1376 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Old Testament Jesus and His Parables – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1376 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1376/) of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word.
Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Old Testament Jesus and His ParablesInsight Fifty-Nine: Gospel Writers Connect Jesus to the Old Testament in Both Transparent and Roundabout Ways
Since the New Testament begins with the Gospels, and Jesus is the focus of those first four books, we tend to think of Jesus exclusively in New Testament terms. That’s too narrow a perspective. The coming of the Messiah, the Son of God, is rooted in the Old Testament, not only in terms of prophecy but also imagery.
We’ve already talked about the most obvious way the Gospel writers associate Jesus with the Old Testament: calling him the Anointed One (“Christ”). Other transparent correlations extend from that messianic title. The Gospel writers quote specific prophecies about the birthplace of the Messiah (Matthew 2:6: John 7:42; cf. Micah 5:2) and the lineage of the Messiah (Matthew 1:1; cf. 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 132:11; Isaiah. 11:1).
Less obvious, but still familiar, connections are made between Jesus and the Old Testament in other ways. When John calls Jesus the “Word,” that label is not original to him. The God of Israel appeared to people in the Old Testament as the “Word” (John 1:1, 14: cf. Genesis 15:1-6: Jeremiah 1:1-9). And the title “Son of Man” had royal messianic meaning (Matthew 26:64; Daniel 7:13—14).
But the Gospel writers tether Jesus to the Old Testament in cleverer, less overt ways. For example, Matthew wants readers to identify Jesus with the nation of Israel. He accomplishes that in his story of Jesus’s childhood. After Joseph and Mary had to flee to Egypt to escape Herod, Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1, (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+11%3A1&version=NLT) "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt," to
recount how they returned to the Promised Land. But God’s son in Hosea 11:1 wasn’t the Messiah; it was the nation of Israel. Matthew used the analogy for several reasons, but one of them was that Jesus had appeared on the scene supernaturally, just like Israel appeared as the result of divine intervention with Abraham and Sarah. Israel would later pass through the sea and then journey into the desert where the nation would be tried and tempted (Exodus 14-15; Numbers 14:26 ff.). After Jesus was baptized, he was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Mark 1:9-13).
Jesus is also cast as a new Moses by the Gospel writers. When Moses was born, Pharaoh had all the infant boys killed (Exodus 1:22-2:10), and Jesus was likewise...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1375 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Coward or Valiant Person – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1375 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1375/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from William Shakespeare, and it is, "Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once."
A Coward or Valiant Person
Most people are familiar with William Shakespeare as one of the most famous playwrights, poets, and actors. Many of his sayings are repeated even today. You may ask, what did Shakespeare mean by this? This phrase occurs in the play Julius Caesar. In Julius Caesar, the implication is that a person "dies" a little inside each time he or she chickens out, meaning that he or she loses a little strength of character each time he or she refuses to face a challenge of life. So it is with many of us even today.
Every time we do not pursue opportunities to fulfill our God-given abilities and destiny because we are fearful of failure, or what others may think or say, then a piece of us dies within. If you are driven by fear instead of courage, you will die many times throughout your life. Fear is a prolonged, agonizing death that, like untreated cancer, may take decades to progress until you become an empty shell, with no will to carry on.
In contrast, a valiant person, that is, a person with courage may fail many more times than a fearful person will. But each time they will become stronger. Failure can be compared to what happens when you are bodybuilding. Each workout tears down the muscles so that as they reconstruct, they become larger and stronger. Each day that we choose courage over fear, we build up our resolve, and our inner spirit is strengthened.
When you are spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy, you will live a fulfilling, vibrant, and satisfying life. A person with courage may experience failures, but they always get back up to fight yet another day. A valiant person only dies when they have completed their God-given purpose, and their journey on earth has been completed.
Joshua 1:9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1:9&version=NLT)
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1374 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1373/) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1374 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Church as a Tumbleweed – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1374 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
If we are honest with ourselves, none of us like to sacrifice our comforts. Very few desire to sacrifice by hunkering down in our own ‘shelter,’ but there are many people that would love to have a few days at home. I realize that we all desire for the world’s economy to get back to work, so we can return to a schedule that is comfortable for us. Even with this temporary inconvenience, this is nothing compared to what the early church faced, and what many churches face today under repressive regimes such as China. You would think that these crazy times would snuff out the church, but the opposite is true. Today let us meditate on a strange parable called:
The Church as a TumbleweedYou are probably thinking, what a strange analogy, what possibly could the church have in common with a tumbleweed. This story came to mind after reading information about the attributes of the tumbleweed. While working with a client in Kingman, Arizona, a few years back, on windy days, I used to see tumbleweed, like in the old westerns roll by in the open plains. The wind blew there often, so it was a fairly common occurrence during the dry seasons. We also recently traveled across the entire state of Texas to spend time with our oldest son and his family last Christmas, and once again, the wind was sailing down the plains, and you could see the tumbleweed bouncing along the ground.
I recently read a story from a man who grew up in Texas, and this is what he said. “We had 70 acres on our ranch to explore, fish, make forts, and play. Anytime we had to make a fire when camping, we would find a tumbleweed, stomp it into small pieces, and use it as fire-starter for dead mesquite limbs. We learned that you NEVER put a full-sized tumbleweed on a burning fire. As it burned, the tumbleweed would pop and shower the air with red-hot embers that floated on the wind threatening to start a wildfire. The more you tried to stomp out the burning tumbleweed, the more you spread the embers on the wind.”This reminded me of a book written by the New Testament scholar, F.F. Bruce called “The Spreading Flame.” Let me read to you Acts 8:1-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Acts+8%3A1-4&version=NLT) and meditate on it to see if you can understand the analogy of the church to a tumbleweed. Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1373 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHope Beyond The Horizon – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1373 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, I am struggling with keeping my hope alive with the social-distancing restrictions in place. Even though there seems to be some possibility of slowly lifting those restrictions, what advice do you have to help me strengthen my hope?
Hope Beyond The HorizonThe entire world is still, for the most part, under shelter in place orders due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This has been such a trying and uncertain time for so many people. I see that many have lost their hope. Some have lost their jobs. Some may lose their businesses. Some have become ill, and yes, some have lost their life. It is so easy to lose hope during these times.
It appears that throughout the world, these sacrifices have prevented many from becoming ill and dying. While there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon because it seems that some business can start gradually opening back up, there is in the back of our minds, will this cause a resurgence of the virus. This certainly creates a dampening of that hope.
If we put our hope solely in government officials, disease experts, statistics, modeling, and news reports, it becomes difficult to maintain that hope. It seems like their stories change every week. As Christ-followers, our hope is not based on any of these, although they may keep us informed. We are not responsible for this virus and its restrictions, but we are responsible for how we react to our current situation. 1 Peter 3:14-15 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A14-15&version=NLT) But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.I have to admit, though, even for the most mature Christ-followers, there are days where it is difficult to maintain a reasonable level of hope. Our world, as we knew it will probably never return to what was normal. We have to make sure that we are prepared, in our minds and heart, for whatever our new normal becomes. Nobody on earth, at this point, knows what that will be. So today, I would like to offer four steps along the road of having a life with hope, meaning, and purpose, even during these days.
I believe that the first thing we must accept is that hope exists. There is hope. Before we can...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1372 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Hamster Story – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1372 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Hamster StoryThe Smith family consisted of Mom, Dad, and the six kids ranging in age from six to fourteen. The kids always wanted a pet, but their house was just not large enough for a dog, and Dad was allergic to cats. The kids got together and decided maybe a hamster would be a good alternative. They presented their case to mom and dad. At first, the parents were adamant that they did not want any pets in the house. As the weeks went by, with constant begging every night at the dinner table, mom and dad finally relented, but only after the kids promised that they would take complete care of the hamster. The next day they all went to the local pet store and fell in love with a hamster which they named Butch. The kids fawned over their new pet, and everything went fine for the first couple of weeks. They were diligent with feeding and caring for Butch. Soon the novelty of Butch wore off, and mom and dad’s primary concern started to manifest itself. They had to remind the kids of their promise continually, but that seemed to fall on to deaf ears. Soon mom found herself feeding, providing water, and cleaning the cage each week. This situation went on for about a month when one evening after changing a smelly cage, mom stormed into the kid’s bedroom, and with exasperation, in her voice, she shouted. “How many times do you think Butch would have died if I hadn’t looked after him?”
After a moment of silence, all the kids lowered their heads in shame. That is except for the youngest, little Johnny. He looked at mom, cocked his head slightly, and then replied quizzically, “Once?”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning, but the hamster was dead?”
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+3:15&version=NLT)
What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1371 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most...
Welcome to Day 1371 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Biblical Agendas and Translations – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1371 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1371/) of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Biblical Agendas and TranslationsInsight Fifty-Seven: Each Gospel Writer Had His Own Agenda
There are four Gospels for a reason. Their existence isn’t an accident. The fact that more than one was written suggests that each writer had a slightly different audience in mind. Examining their content validates that hunch.
Unlike other gospels, the Gospel of Matthew nowhere states a specific purpose or occasion for Matthew’s enterprise. Determining Matthew’s audience and objective can only be accomplished by careful reading. Matthew references the Old Testament more than the other Gospels, with a special interest in messianic themes such as establishing that Jesus was the “son of David” and how his life fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Matthew uses distinctive phrases from Jewish literature (e.g., “Father in heaven”) more than other Gospels. He includes Jewish customs and terms without explaining them to readers (23:5, 27; 15:2; compared to Mark 7:2-4). All of these things, and others indicate that Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience to convince them that Jesus was their Messiah.
One of the unusual things scholars have noticed about Mark’s Gospel is the frequent use (forty-two times) of the Greek adverb euthus (often translated “immediately”). Mark consistently presents Jesus as a man of action—getting things done with expediency. Mark omits Jesus’s birth and childhood, and there is no genealogy. These things don’t matter to Mark’s audience. He writes to people more concerned about what Jesus does than who he is, which is very different from Matthew. These features make Mark’s account conform to Roman cultural values. This is especially important because of the way Jesus died as a criminal by the heinous method of crucifixion. Mark needs to explain why the crucifixion happened to this audience, and so he blends a description of a man they can admire with a defense of the Gospel.
Luke tells us at the outset that he is writing to a Greek friend, Theophilus. Luke (Loukas) is a Greek name. Luke uses Greek terms not found in the other Gospels. He seeks to reach a Hellenized world, not Jews or Romans, with the Gospel of Jesus. His strategy is a lengthy letter—his Gospel—to Theophilus, that he “might have certainty” concerning what he’d heard about Jesus (Luke 1:1-4).
Lastly, we come to John, the Gospel with the most unique material. John’s agenda is nevertheless transparent. His Gospel devotes the most concerted effort to presenting the deity of Jesus...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1370 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWatch Your Words – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1370 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Blaise Pascal, and it is: Cold words freeze people, and hot words scorch them, and bitter words make them bitter, and wrathful words make them wrathful. Kind words also produce their image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is. They smooth, and quiet, and comfort the hearer.
Watch Your WordsIn today’s politically charged societal environment, all too many people are not at all careful about how they speak to others. This is especially true online where cowards can hide behind their computers in a shroud of anonymity and spew all sorts of cold or hot or bitter or wrathful words. These cowards show little concern that they are destroying people who are created as bearers of God’s image. Especially in these times of crisis that we find ourselves in today, it is more important than ever to watch what we say, and how we speak to others. We all are well-advised by the golden rule found in Matthew 7:12 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:12&version=NLT) Do (or say) to others whatever you would like them to do (or say) to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. How you speak to others is a clear indication of what is in your heart. It is also an indication of what you think about yourself. If you are speaking cold, hot, bitter, or wrathful words to others, it is because that is what you feel about yourself. Your self-talk stems from your mind. Your self-talk not only poisons those who you are speaking to, but also your very soul. Instead, we should only speak words of kindness, love, and compassion. Regardless of whether you agree with others, that is no reason to treat them as if they are worthless. In its place, practice words of encouragement. Especially in these uncertain and chaotic times, let us show love to one another.
Proverbs 10:20-21 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10%3A20-21&version=NLT)
The words of the godly are like sterling silver;
the heart of a fool is worthless.
The words of the godly encourage many,
but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1369 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1369 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPeace of Mind and Heart – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1369 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
None of us like uncertainty, but that seems to be all there is in the entire world at this time. We see possible, glimmers of hope being discussed, but we may have a long and slow recovery before we start feeling that we can be sure about our plans for the future. This is understandable, but during these times of uncertainty, we need to meditate on:
Peace of Mind and HeartLet’s face it; we like to be in control of our lives, and the situations that impact us. Every week that goes by, we wonder, will life ever return to some sort of normalcy? It causes us all to be on edge. Many of you may have lost your jobs, or are fearful that you will. We don’t know if it is safe to leave our homes, just to pick up a few supplies. We don’t know if we will be homeschooling the remainder of this year, or even during the summer. We just don’t know a lot of things right now. For some of us, life has not changed dramatically, but for many it has. Regardless, it is causing all of us stress that we don’t want, and wish would go away. When we stop, take a breath, relax, reflect, and are honest about our current situation, we have to admit, our lives before Covid-19 also had it share of stress. It is just different now.
Most of us realize that chronic negative stress is not good for our health. Stress can manifest itself in a myriad of symptoms such as lethargy, lack of productivity, angry outburst, sadness, and irritability. If left uncontrolled, stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. Yes, these are uncertain times, but we can change our outlook to incorporate this uncertainty as at least a temporary part of life. There is always some stress in our lives. Sometimes we need to change how we view and handle that stress. Some stress will spur us on to achieve and accomplish much good in our world. How can we deal with stress, so that it produces good, and not harm? As a Christ-follower, we need to control our minds. Controlling our thoughts is best accomplished through the washing of our minds with God’s Word. Romans 12:2 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A2&version=NLT) tells us, Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Stress is unavoidable, but not uncontrollable. You may need to work with your doctor to help in certain circumstances. There are other outlets that we can turn to on a daily basis. Physical activity, set
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1368 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomShare Some Good News – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1368 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, I have many family members, local friends, and online friends who are very concerned about their future. I am sensing that they are on the brink of desperation. What can I do to encourage them while we ride out the shelter in place orders throughout the world?
Share Some Good NewsIf you spend much time watching or reading news from the mainstream news outlets, or much of what is on social media, you need to stop now, and encourage those you know to stop. For the most part, they are talking heads, and their purpose is to sensationalize the news to attract viewers. This is not the type of communication that we need now, or ever.
There is an alternative. Let us share some good news. There’s nothing more natural than sharing good news. Good news is for sharing. Think about it, even during these times of crises for many, when we land a new job or have a new baby, we want to tell other people about it. In any different situation, when we find a restaurant we like or watch a well-made film, we want others to have the same experience. You can still do that for those food establishments who deliver or have take out. Let us make sure we treat everyone we interact with, pleasantly. Thank them for all they are doing. It’s a natural thing to share good news. It should be no different now. Now, more than ever, we need to actively promote hope and encouragement to those who may be wavering in their faith and confidence.
Far too often, we make telling others about Jesus into an unnatural exercise. Sometimes we do that by making people memorize polished presentations of the gospel. Other times, we limit evangelism to mission trips to faraway places. We forget that the story of Jesus is good news, something that should be naturally shared with people we know.
Just ponder a little bit about how great it is to live in a time where our technology is so advanced that we know on an hourly basis the status of this pandemic worldwide. We see equipment and medicines created in record time. For the most part, our grocery stores are still well-stocked, and no one is starving through the minor inconvenience of social distancing.
In addition to these physical blessings, if you are a Christ-follower, we have within us The Good News that will last for eternity. So, part of our sharing of the good news should naturally be the hope that we have...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1367 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Golf Story – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1367 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Golf StoryHank, an avid golfer, was on the golf course as usual on a beautiful, sunny, Saturday morning. Hank took golf very seriously, and considered himself a rather good duffer. He was on the first hole, which was right in from of the pro shop. Hank stepped up to the red ladies’ tee and took his stance, preparing for what he hoped to be a long drive. As he began his backstroke, a voice boomed over the public address system: “Would the man hitting his ball from the ladies tee, please move it back to the men’s tee?!”
Hank glared over his shoulder, and then he stepped back up to the tee to prepare to hit his ball.
The loudspeaker again shattered the silence, repeating, “Will the man hitting his ball from the ladies tee, please move it back to the white, men’s tee?!”
At that, Hank stepped away from the tee, threw his golf club to the ground, and faced the clubhouse. Cupping his hands to his mouth, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Will the man in the clubhouse; please be quiet so that I can take my second shot?!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots. Either way, you have to play the ball where it lies.” Matthew 5:44-45 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A44-45&version=NLT)
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1366 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’...
Welcome to Day 1366 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Biblical Genealogies and John's Gospel is Different – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1366 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights, and this week we finish up in the Old Testament and begin in the New Testament.
Mastering The Bible – Biblical Genealogies and John’s Gospel is DifferentInsight Fifty-Five: Biblical Genealogies Are at Times ArtificialMost Bible students would not regard biblical genealogies as very interesting. The assumption is that they are in the Bible to accomplish only one thing basically: give us generational lineages between people. That isn’t the case. Genealogies are not always of the same type. Some genealogies are deliberately artificial since they seek to convey some specific point of teaching.
Perhaps the best example of a deliberately artificial genealogy is the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. Scholars have long known that Matthew arranges Jesus’ genealogy in three groups of fourteen names. Many of the names come from Old Testament genealogical lists for Israelite kings and patriarchs. And that is precisely how the artificial nature of the genealogy is known.
If one compares the genealogy put forth by Matthew with the Old Testament genealogies, which contain the names in Jesus’s genealogy, it becomes obvious that the time span covered by the three sections of Matthew’s genealogy is too great for the generations Matthew lists. We know how old many of the people in Matthew’s genealogy were at death, and so the numbers don’t add up. But the most transparent result of comparing the genealogies is that Matthew omits names in the Old Testament lists. Luke, who also provides a genealogy for Jesus, does the same thing— and his names don’t always match Matthew’s.Our modern mind is quick to think that Matthew made mistakes. That isn’t the case. Matthew was telegraphing something by his three-by-fourteen structure.
Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic used letters in their alphabets for numbers. Other ancient languages do the same. Many scholars believe that the best explanation for Matthew’s structuring of Jesus’s genealogy is that the number fourteen is the numerical equivalent of the name David. In essence, the three groups of fourteen said “David, David, David” and then ended with Jesus, the son of David, the rightful heir to David’s throne. Since Matthew spends a great deal of time on validating Jesus’s claim to be the messiah in his Gospel, this playful way of pointing to David and the messianic son of David makes sense.
Not every genealogy is as interesting as this one, but they often convey important information by their omissions and selectivity. We need to be mindful that ancient writers did things differently than we do. We can’t...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1365 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Sense of Purpose – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1365 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from R. Ruth Barton, and it is: As we begin to see the package God is putting together in our lives and discover his purposes for bringing us to our world, it will provide us with the framework we need to make wise choices. In addition, we will find that a sense of purpose gives hope in the midst of tragedy and difficulty, gives meaning to the mundane aspects of our lives, and helps us to make our lives count for God.
A Sense of PurposeThere is no doubt that many of you may be dealing with tragedy and difficulty during these trying times of quarantine, self-isolation, job loss, sickness, and possibly even death. Many others are dealing with how mundane life is with staying at home apart from their usual routine. Just trying to remember what day it is has become a challenge for some, let alone having to balance work at home with homeschooling your children. As we all deal with Covid-19 issues that are unique to all of us, let us daily take time to reflect on how God is putting together in our lives a new and better purpose for why He has created us. When we take time to ponder this unprecedented time in the world, it will give us a more transparent framework that we need to make wiser choices for our lives, the lives of our families, and those who we impact in our world. It is then that we can have hope in the middle of tragedy and difficulties. It is then that we can have hope in the midst of what may appear mundane. It is then that our lives can count for God by building His kingdom and making an impact that will last into eternity. 2 Peter 1:3-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A3-7&version=NLT)
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1364 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1364 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWhere Is Your Joy? – Meditation Monday Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1364 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Covid-19 has implanted within most of us a sense of uncertainty. Your life has been completely disrupted, even if you are still gainfully employed. You may be working from home now and trying to balance a life that is unfamiliar to you. You may be homeschooling your kids or just anxiety about being separated from your family, your routine, and those whom you work and socialize. Have you lost your joy in life? Today, let us meditate on:
Where Is Your Joy?During these uncertain times, you may feel anxious instead of joyful. I can understand these feelings. Even though our work and schedules have remained pretty much the same for both Paula and me, we find ourselves feeling somewhat anxious due to the global uncertainties. As Christ-followers, we have a hope that should provide a continuous flow of joy in our hearts each day. How do we maintain that joy? Let’s explore some passages that will give a firm foundation for our joy and happiness.
Psalm 1:1-3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+1%3A1-3&version=NLT)
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
Did you catch what our lives can be like when we meditate on God’s Word? Like trees planted along a river, abounding with fruit.
Even when we are weak and at the end of our strength to carry on, God will empower us with His power and restore the joy within us. Psalm 28:6-8
Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
The Lord gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.While trials and tribulations can be the result of our lives being lived in disobedience to God’s Word, most times, it is for a much higher purpose, that may be difficult for us to understand. A worldwide pandemic is one such case. God is not punishing the world, nor is he punishing you as a person, even if it seems like your world has collapsed around you. God does have a purpose for such an event, though. Since it is impacting the world as a whole, God may be setting in motion a significant change in the hearts of humankind. It is a chance for the church to
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1363 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWorry Kills – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1363 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, there is so much worry about today, and I find myself and others having a difficult time making sense of all that we are going through. I know that worry causes stress, which is very damaging to my health, but what advice do you have for me to help overcome worry?
Worry Kills
There is a story of two young recruits that had just been drafted into the Army to fight in World War II. They were both eighteen years of age. With good reason, both of them were scared of the unknown enemy that they would most certainly face. After their lieutenant handed them their uniforms and boots, he stood before them and said, “I know you are probably frightened. If you allow that worry overtake you, you will not come back from this war alive.” He took one of the recruit’s boots and said, “let me give you a word picture that may help.” He called one of the boots ‘trust’ and the other one ‘obey.’ The lieutenant continued, “these are left and right boot of your Christian life. Walk confidently in them each day. While you may still have fear at times, but there is no other way to be walking by faith except to trust and obey that God will protect and guide you.”
Worldwide we are facing an even more insidious invisible enemy, but the same lesson applies to us today. Each day we need to put on the armor of God, starting with trusting and obeying God. He will see us through, and protect us from this enemy. Allowing worry to overtake you is not healthy, and the long-term results to your health will be even worse than Covid-19.
Do you find that you worry a lot? Are you ever “struck with fear” or “seized with alarm?” Are you ever, “anxious and troubled?” Jesus never said, “Don’t worry because there is nothing to worry about.” Instead, he called us friends and assures us that we are valuable in Luke 12:4-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A4-7&version=NLT) , and we can apply these verses to our unseen enemy today. , “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1362 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Fish Story – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1362 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Fish StoryMax was driving out the access road to a lake that was well known for its excellent fishing when a Jim the game warden stopped him. The game warden looked in the back of the pickup and noticed two ice chests full of live fish in the water.
Then Jim asked Max, “I see you have at least a dozen large fish in the chests in the back of your truck. Can I see your fishing license, please.” Max replied, “Naw, my friend, I ain’t got no license. These here are my pet fish.”
“Pet fish?” Jim exclaimed as he rolled his eyes.
Without missing a beat, Max continued, “Yep. Every night I take these fish down to the river and let em swim around for a while. Then I whistle, and they jump right back into this ice chest, and I take ’em home.”
This really made Jim, the game warden, mad knowing that was virtually impossible. Then he shouted, “That’s a bunch of bunk! Fish can’t do that!”
Max stared a the game warden for a moment and then said, “It’s the truth. I’ll show you. It really works.”
With a bit sigh and a bit of exasperation, Jim said, “Okay, I’ve GOT to see this!”
Both Max and Jim headed back to the lake, where Max poured all the fish back into the lake. After several minutes Jim, the game warden, turned to Max and said, “Well?”
“Well, what?” Max replied.
“When are you going to call them back?” Jim asked.
“Call who back?” said Max.
“The FISH!” Jim shouted.
Max looked at Jim for a spell and then shrugged his shoulders and said, “What fish?”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers,”
Matthew 4:19-20 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A19-20&version=NLT)
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1356 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1361 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Wisdom Literature and the Messiah – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1361 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights, and this week we finish up in the Old Testament and begin in the New Testament.
Mastering The Bible – Wisdom Literature and The MessiahInsight Fifty-Three: The Focus of Wisdom Literature is Character, and the Most Praiseworthy Character Comes from the Feat of the LordMost Bible readers who have spent time in the biblical wisdom material (Job. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) will not be surprised by the topic statement. So much of what one encounters in these books is oriented to personal life skills across a wide spectrum of areas and experiences. I think it’s worth mentioning, though, since we tend to think of wisdom literature like we do the advice column, Dear Abby. It’s more than that.
One of the things that distinguish biblical wisdom literature from simple advice is inspiration. God is behind what we’re reading, and God knows what leads to happiness or regret, failure or success, life, or death. Wisdom literature shows us by word and example how to cope with suffering, character flaws, and tragedy. Instead of providing situational suggestions, it tells us the truth about what is virtuous and what is not. It doesn’t try to make us feel good about ourselves. It lays out the path of the wise and the path of the fool and doesn’t flinch from making sure we know which category we’re in.
Since wisdom is a lifelong pursuit, wisdom literature often finds its context in the home. Parents must guide their children (Proverbs 13:22, 24; 22:6), and children must obey their parents (Proverbs 1:8-9; 15:5). The marriage bond must be protected from adultery (Proverbs 5:1-14; 12:4: 19:14: 31:10-31). The family unit is tasked with passing on principles of morality, virtue, and justice. Children are the beneficiaries (or not) of the cumulative wisdom insights learned from parents. Since the home produces adults with (or without) sound character, it is the foundation of society- industry, relationships, commerce, and leadership. It is a fallacy to assume that the culture of a nation will be virtuous without personal virtue. It’s not an exaggeration to say that human stability depends on wisdom.
Foundational to the home are its leaders’ relationships with God. A constant focus of wisdom literature is reverence for God, his laws, and his design. Proverbs 1:7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Proverbs+1%3A7&version=NLT) famously begins with “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
The same thought is echoed in Psalm 34:11-12
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1360 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPropose To Do Good – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1360 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1360/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Albert Schweitzer, and it is, "Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly, even if they roll a few more upon it."
Propose To Do Good
During these unusual and exceptional times, we see so many people doing good for others throughout the world, and this is great. Many are helping those who are on the front lines of this pandemic. Many of us are sacrificing for those who are most vulnerable. Most are doing this for the greater good and their love for humankind. We see so many funny and creative ways that we are filling the time, and so many are encouraging. I must say, thank you for your encouragement.
Yet, there is still a segment of people, especially in the news media and on social media, that just want to degrade and devalue others. Instead of coming up with creative ways to encourage and help, they take swipes and make bated comments to attack those who are in positions of leadership. Those deluded individuals and companies want to pick apart every decision that is made. They "roll stones" in the paths of those who have life and death decisions to make.
I think about the weight of responsibility that is on the shoulders of all the world leaders, including our President, Vice President, Governors, local officials, and their staff. Now is not the time to second guess or to play armchair quarterback. Now is a time for prayers for all workers and government officials that God may grant them wisdom and guidance in all that they do.
More than ever now is the time that we follow the wise words of John Wesley, "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." Even if you can’t do much to impact others for good tangibly, more critical is to pray for those who can help who have those life and death decisions to make each day.
Let us follow the exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along tomorrow for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1359 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1359 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNo Fear – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1359 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1359/) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
For many, the current global pandemic has come with a measure of fear. I completely understand, to an extent. Today, let us meditate on…
No Fear
Even without the current worldwide situation, fear controls the lives of many people. Why is this? Most fear stems from a feeling of lack of control. Unquestionably, our current global situation is one that we feel we have little control over. When you think about it, though, if each of us does our small part of practicing social distancing, self-containing, resisting hoarding of needed food and supplies, and keeping an eye out for neighbors in need, we can control what seems to be uncontrollable.
We need to start by talking logically and Biblically to ourselves and others, rather than listening to those fake demons and monsters, which reside in the corners of our mind. This is especially true when you find yourself being tempted to fear. Let’s face it, even before Covid-19, many of you were tempted to worry regularly. There are just so many situations that we could be afraid of, such as disease, death, failure, job loss, a lousy economy, relational breakdowns…the list goes on and on. One of our granddaughters was cleared from leukemia and was able to
“ring her bell” less than a year ago. Although she is now healthy, she is still in a very high-risk group. We all need to do our part not to threaten those in the world who are so vulnerable. To do otherwise is being selfish.
Living with fear is crippling. It shrinks our world down to what we think we can control, which is actually not that much. It eats away at our confidence and our confidence in God. It renders our faith less effective as we slip into survival mode, rather than maintaining an optimistic expectation of what God can do through us and for us.
Fear is a great enemy and often comes from The Enemy, the devil. We need to realize, though, we do not have to listen to this fear. We can prayerfully respond with faith. We can talk back to ourselves in faith-building ways, as David does in Psalm 27:1-6. Let me read that to you today. Meditate on it as I read it, and then ponder on it each day.
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1358 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDo Not Lose Heart – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1358 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, this Covid-19 virus has people in a tizzy, and there is so much uncertainty. Now that the social distancing guidelines are being extended at least through the end of April, this is a significant set back for most, and a continued disruption in life as we know it. What advice do you have that will give us hope and encouragement during these uncertain days?
Do Not Lose Heart!I doubt that anyone listening to these words would take exception to the title, “Do Not Lose Heart”! I am sure you do not mean to lose heart. You do not want to lose heart. You know that you should not lose heart. Although you may know this situation will be over eventually, you have a hard time convincing your heart. So you may find yourself: losing heart, or at least you feel like you may be losing heart.
You have so many plans and dreams for this year, and now they seem to be fading. You think about opportunities that may pass by or never come to fruition. You may see these current obstacles are too significant and too powerful to overcome. You face problems that seem to have no solution. You feel the pressure, and you are perplexed, and you feel you are being attacked on every side and all caused by an unseen foe. You are afraid that if you are knocked down one any further, you may not be able to get back up. You may feel weak, tired, and defeated.
What are you going to do?
What can you do?
Let’s start with what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A7-12&version=NLT)
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
Does that sound like you, your family, your neighbors,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1357 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDon't Want Any More – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1357 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1357/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 17:22, (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."
Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
Don’t Want Any More
Since 2020 is a census year in the US and we should all be filling them in this month on-line, this short snippet is appropriate and will hopefully bring a chuckle to your life today.
Mr. Smith cautiously approached the door of a house, stepping over all sorts of toys on the porch. He rang the doorbell and waited. After a few moments, thinking maybe the doorbell wasn’t working, he knocked loudly on the door. A bedraggled looking woman finally opened the door, with one baby on her hip and another clinging to her leg, and two others chasing each other through the hallway.
Mr. Smith showed his badge and said, “I am Mr. John Smith, and I am with the US Government Census bureau and am taking the census for this year.” He then asked, “Are you Mrs. Darla Jones?” The exasperated woman replied, “Yep, that’s me.” Mr. Smith made a checkmark on his clipboard and said, “Thank you for verifying that.” Then he asked, “How many children do you have?”
Darla, sounding a bit impatient, as the baby on her hip started to wail, replied. “You see them all – there are four.” Mr. Smith dutifully marked on his clipboard again, and then continued. “May I have their names, please?”
Stuffing a pacifier in her babies mouth so that she could hear herself, Darla finally replied, “Eenee, Meenie, Minee, and George.”
Mr. Smith wrote down the names, cocked his head to the side curiously, and asked, “Okay, that’s fine. But may I ask why you named your fourth child George?”
Mrs. Jones let out a big sigh and chuckled, “Because we didn’t want any Moe.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile on to someone else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is from William Shakespeare, and it is, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By Any Other Name would smell as sweet.”
Philippians (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+6:3&version=NLT) 2:9-11
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1356 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1356 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Understanding Hebrew Poetry – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1356 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1356/) of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering the Bible – Understanding Hebrew PoetryInsight Fifty-One: Understanding Hebrew Poetry Is Essential for Interpreting Psalms and Proverbs
When you and I encounter the word “poetry,” we immediately think of something read, sung, or listened to that rhymes. If we studied poetry academically, we’d learn that there’s a lot more to poetry as we know it, but rhyming is our most familiar experience of the concept.
Because we think of poetry this way, it’s hard for us to see why Psalms, Proverbs, and other portions of the Bible are classified as poetry. Like English, a line of Hebrew poetry is broken down into smaller units called cola. “Mary had a little lamb // its fleece was white as snow” is a complete line made up of two parts (two cola). That’s really where the similarity ends. The fundamental difference in Hebrew poetry and what we think of with respect to that term is that Hebrew poetry doesn’t rhyme in sound. It rhymes in thought.
This concept of “thought rhyming” is called parallelism. In simplest terms, a line of Hebrew poetry (e.g., Psalm 2:4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+2%3A4&version=NLT) ) can begin with a colon (“The one who rules in heaven laughs”), which is followed by another colon that expresses a similar thought (“The Lord scoffs at them”). The relationship between the two cola is the important item for interpretation. The second colon corresponds to the first in some way. The second element advances the thought of the first. There is a symmetrical relationship in the thought expressed.
This “thought rhyming” can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Sometimes colon two is virtually synonymous with colon one. Perhaps only the vocabulary varies. The example from Psalm 1:6 says (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+1%3A6&version=NLT) ,
(colon l): For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
(colon 2): but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
The two thoughts here are consistent with one another, but they are like two sides of a coin. By definition, if the wicked leads to destruction, that fate will not befall the righteous.
Grasping the range of possible ‘‘thought rhyme” strategies used in Psalms and Proverbs takes time, close reading, and careful thought. Study Bibles and other books help by providing brief introductions to the techniques with examples. Making an effort to learn about parallelism will provide insight into your reading of those books and help...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1355 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMade The World Better – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1355 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1355/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is, "Almost always, the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better."
Made the World Better
Most positive changes that impact the world are the result of those individuals who are quiet, creative, and dedicated who are not seeking the limelight. They are satisfied knowing that their contribution to society and the world is making an impact. The difference is that they care about making an impact, but do not care who gets the credit. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the world. This silent minority are those unsung heroes that continued to come up with creative ways to make the world better. Each of us needs to be like the creative, dedicated minority who do our very best in all that we do.
Romans 15:1-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A1-4&version=NLT)
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1354 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1354 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDrastic Measures – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1354 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1354/) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Let me ask you. Why is it so important that during times of crisis, we take drastic actions? Let us meditate on…
Drastic Measures
As most people in the world now know, there are times in our personal lives, and even in the world, when we must make sacrifices and take drastic measures. Within a matter of a few weeks, many people’s lives have been turned upside down. While daily life for Paula and I has not changed much because we have have been working remotely from home for many years, rarely eat out or attend a lot of external activities, I realize we are the rare exception. We do have family members, including aged parents, who are very vulnerable.
The fact remains that, although nobody likes to be forced into social distancing, most of us are willing to make the short term sacrifices now so that we do not have to suffer long term. We understand how devastating this pandemic would be to the most vulnerable in our societies, and as Christ-followers, all life is precious from those in the womb to those in nursing homes.
Covid-19 reminds me of another virus that has plagued the entire world, going back to shortly after creation…That is the plague that impacts every human being, which is falling short of God’s standards for a healthy spiritual life. In order to rid ourselves of this plague, we need a vaccine that makes us healthy once again. The vaccine is the acceptance of Jesus Christ taking our place before God as our substitute. Just as we must practice social distancing to stem the spread of Covid-19, we must distance ourselves from the sin that so effortlessly traps us. We must also protect those who are most vulnerable from coming in contact with the virus of sin. To explain this further, let me share with you, Matthew 18:1-11 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A1-11&version=NLT) .
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1353 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Importance of Family – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1353 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1353/) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com) .
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, with so many families required to stay home and attempting to homeschool their children, I understand that it is putting a real strain on relationships between spouses and also with their children. What wise tips can you share to help those families who are struggling?”
The Importance of Family
The current situation with Covid-19 came upon us so quickly, and no one worldwide was prepared for it. The uncertainty of the eventual outcome, and the prospect of the “shelter at home” policies lasting several weeks, or possibly months, has everyone on edge. The family has always been the nucleus of society since the original creation.
We now have a heightened need for everyone, including you, to understand that your family is important and that getting along is of supreme importance. Yes, this will require self-sacrificing for each family member and that should stem from your love for each other. The family must be a place that is safe and free from hurts and heartache. Just because we are family doesn’t give anyone the right to be demeaning and disrespectful. Mother Teresa said it best:
We sometimes think that poverty is only being hungry, naked, and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.
When a family sees each other as a gift from God and recognizes the uniqueness each one brings to the home, then and only then does it become a true sanctuary of peace and kindness and love and joy and laughter and patience and a bottomless bowl of grace.
One of the best places to see God’s intent for the family is found in Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians in Ephesians 5:21 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A21&version=NLT) says, "And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
You must always understand Scripture in context. In any organization, there has to be a person who is responsible to God. In the family, the husband bears that responsibility. As a wife supports her husband, the husband has a much higher responsibility before God. Ephesians 5:25-26 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A25-26&version=NLT) reveals to us, "For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1352 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Trained Carpenter – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1352 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1352/) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 17:22, (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Trained Carpenter
Sally was very busy cleaning in their old house that she and Sam had just purchased last month. She feverishly scrubbed the floors on her hands and knees, and afterward put down a new coat of wax. Sally was exhausted and sat down with a tall ice tea to rest for a while before continuing. She heard the pounding hammers driving of nails from the carpenter crew who were outside busily fixing the siding.
Just as Sally was starting to dose off, she was rudely awakened by someone who was loudly rapping on the door. Sally groggily walked to the door and opened it. Standing there was Joe, the crew foreman, with muddy boots. Joe said, “Sorry to interrupt Sally, but would it be alright if I came in and used the bathroom?”
Sally looked back and forth between her shiny floors and Joe’s muddy boots. With a hint of desperation in her voice, she hesitated a moment and said, “Just a moment, let me put down some newspapers.” Joe, not being overly bright, replied, “That’s all right, Sally, I am already potty trained.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile on to someone else, we all could use a kind smile. Our Thursday thought is “By a Carpenter, mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade.”
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+6:3&version=NLT)
Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1351 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1351 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Psalms and Proverbs – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1351 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Psalms and ProverbsInsight Forty-Nine: Proverbs Are Neither Prophecies nor PromisesBible interpretation can be a lot like rendering a verdict in a court case. A jury has to have the data, the factual material relevant to the case at hand. It then needs to frame the data in the most coherent way. The goal is to declare guilt or innocence “beyond a reasonable doubt,” which is to be convinced that any other interpretation of the evidence is unreasonable.
Jury decisions can go terribly wrong, however, when some crucial point of data is omitted or overlooked in its deliberation. The same thing is accurate for understanding the Bible. A good illustration is the nature of biblical proverbs.
Proverbs are pithy sayings, or statements that are, by and large, accurate in everyday life. The proverb is a well-known literary genre in all cultures because people in all human cultures want to live wisely and to get the most out of life. No one expects a proverb always to be true. That isn’t its nature. Likewise, biblical proverbs are not true in all cases. They are, like all other proverbs, mostly true. They are truisms.
Because a proverb is a condensed piece of wisdom, it cannot address all the contingencies that could occur with respect to the circumstance it addresses. By design, that isn’t its purpose. For example, consider Proverbs 1:33 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1%3A33&version=NLT) : “But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” It simply isn’t the case that all godly people live in peace and never have fears. Even when the righteous trust God with the outcome of an awful expectation or event (e.g., physical violence), they cannot cease being human by suppressing a fear reflex.
Put another way; proverbs do not promise guaranteed outcomes. Proverbs are not designed to tell the future. They are designed to describe the present.This is important for correctly understanding a proverb such as Proverbs 22:6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+22%3A6&version=NLT) : “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” This is a classic example of a truism. More often than not, a godly, nurturing upbringing will produce a child who wants to know God and follow him. But we all know exceptions. It isn’t a proper response to say that parenting must have gone wrong in some instances since no parent is perfect. Given that reality, there should be no godly children. The retort isn’t...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1350 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAssurance of Grace– Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1350 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Reinhold Niebuhr, and it is: All men who live with any degree of serenity live by some assurance of grace.
Assurance of GraceMore than ever today, it seems that we, as a society, lack serenity in our lives. That is a sense of tranquility, calmness, peacefulness, and stillness. Even before the on-going pandemic we are now confronted with, there was a foreboding sense of restlessness within most individual lives. Most were so busy that they never took the time to relax nor stopped long enough to smell the roses of life. Maybe now, during this time where nearly all of us are forced to take time out and reflect on life, we can relearn what it means to be at peace with ourselves and our creator. It is only by the grace of God that we live and breathe another breath. Now that we are confronted so forcefully with an unseen and relatively unknown enemy who has disrupted life as we know it, we need to stop and invest time in the more important matters of living purposefully and meeting the needs of others less fortunate. It is only by the grace of God that we can rest in Him, realizing that when life is out of control from our perspective, God is still in control. Our verse for today illuminates this grace.
Psalm 91:1-3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91:1-3&version=NLT)
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease. That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1349 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1349 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomShowing Faith Through Actions – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1349 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Let me ask you. What is more critical faith or actions? Let us meditate on…
Showing Faith through Actions
The answer to the question above may be obvious, and is a rhetorical question because according to God’s Word, we cannot correctly have one without the other. We read in James 2:14-20 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-20&version=NLT) :
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
Especially in the world today, but also every day, we have the opportunity to show others our faith in Christ through our actions. To share God’s love with others through tangible acts of worship will be a catalyst to share God’s love through His Word. Our mission as Christ-followers is to build God’s Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. The last part of Galatians 5:6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A6&version=NLT) sums it up, "What is important is faith expressing itself in love."
Think about it…As believers, we have an opportunity to unite together worldwide and tangibly show God’s love to those who need His love desperately. In doing so, we will fulfill all that is written in the law and through the prophets.
Matthew 22:37-40 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A37-40&version=NLT) says, "Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
God’s Holy Spirit indwells each of us. He comforts us. He teaches us. Above all He points us to Christ as our example for living. The Spirit empowers us to live in obedience honoring God as His image-bearers. This selfless...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1348 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomParalyzed By Fear – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1348 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I know that we are living in extraordinary times, where the entire world seems like it has been tipped upside down, and shaken to the core. We are at war with a microscopic alien that has invaded the entire world and is disrupting our lives and the global economic system. I know in my mind and heart that God is fully in control, but how can I show that to others who seem to be so full of fear? What should I do personally, and as part of the worldwide church to bring hope to the hopeless?”
Paralyzed By FearWe are living in unexpected times, which has plunged the entire world into chaos within a matter of a few weeks or months. While there is uncertainty, there has never been a better time in recent history for the worldwide church to rise up and make a massive difference in the world. It is times like these where the Spirit can take control of the hearts of humankind, regardless of their country or ethnicity.
There is growing uncertainty in the air, and it may get worse before it gets better. Even many Christ-followers are reeling with fear of the unknown, as if there is some tragedy looming on the horizon, just waiting for the most inopportune time to crush our Spirit and blind our faith.
Darkness surrounds many, just at the edge of the light, and fear clouds their vision messing with their minds. Maybe they have been paralyzed with fear and discouraged, experiencing unemployment, possible foreclosure, loneliness, or illness. It has come on so quickly and feeds their doubt, and fear, and can cause their hope to teeter near death. In their minds, the present paralyzed and the future completely unknown. Their perspective lost. Their confidence stripped naked.
You may have co-workers, friends, and family that ask, “Where is God?” “Why has HE forgotten us?” “HE must be punishing the world or angry with us.”As a Christ-follower, God gives us eyes to see past the fear into HIS next step for our future, and the building of God’s kingdom on earth. So, despite the fear, look for the signs and opportunities. Opportunities to share love, to share resources, to share the hope that lives within you. Do what you can to help in tangible ways, and banish fear in your own life. 1 Peter 3:15-16 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A15-16&version=NLT) Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1347 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Piano Tuner – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1347 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1347/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 17:22, (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Piano Tuner
Jane, the church pianist, sat down to the piano to practice after a couple of weeks of not investing the time to do so. She had forgotten, once again, just how out of tune the piano was becoming. Although Jane knew that it was time to call old John the piano tuner immediately, she once again hesitated.
Jane attempted to continue her practice cringing at some of the tones as she mumbled to herself. “John always scolds me for waiting too long between tunings.” Finally, she could stand it no longer and called to set up an appointment. John came over the next day, and began his craft of tuning the piano.
John nodded in agreement that it was way past time for a tuning and proceeded to rebuke Jane once again. “I thought we agreed the last time I was here that piano tuning should be done at least every six months if you want your piano to sound good.”
“I know, I know,” Jane sheepishly replied, and then continued, “If you sent out a postcard reminder like the dentist, I would make sure to call you for an appointment in a timely fashion.” John stopped what he was doing, cocked his head slightly and replied. “I’ll tell you what, from now on, whenever the dentist sends you a postcard, call me.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile on to someone else, we all could use a kind smile. Our Thursday thought is...“Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it.”
Psalm 98:5-6 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+98%3A5-6&version=NLT)
Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1346 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1346 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Messianic Prophecy – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1346 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Messianic ProphecyInsight Forty-Seven: The “Servant” of Isaiah Is Both an Individual and the Collective Nation of IsraelWe immediately think of the Messiah at the mention of the servant in the book of Isaiah. This is natural, since the one whom the prophet said would be led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7) and have our sins placed upon him (Isaiah 53:6) is called God’s servant twice (Isaiah 52:13; 53:11). But the servant of Isaiah is often not an individual messianic figure. In several passages, Israel is that servant.
For example, in Isaiah 41:8 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A8&version=NLT) God speaks, “But as for you, Israel, my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend” But in the very next chapter, God sends a servant to the nation of Israel (Isaiah 42:1, 18-25). Then the prophet moves back to the corporate servant of Israel in the chapters that immediately follow:
Isaiah 44:1-2 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+44%3A1-2&version=NLT)
“But now, listen to me, Jacob, my servant, Israel, my chosen one.
The Lord who made you and helps you says: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, O dear Israel, my chosen one.
Isaiah 44:21 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+44%3A21&version=NLT)
Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you.
Isaiah 45:4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+45%3A4&version=NLT)
“And why have I called you for this work? Why did I call you by name when you did not know me? It is for the sake of Jacob, my servant, Israel, my chosen one.
Isaiah 49:3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+49%3A3&version=NLT)
He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.”
Oddly enough, the final reference sets up a transition back to the individual servant whom God sends to Israel in Isaiah 49:5 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+49%3A5&version=NLT)
And now the Lord speaks, the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength.
Why the back-and-forth? Can’t Isaiah make up his mind? There is a good reason both portraits are in Isaiah. Throughout the Old Testament, the nation was represented by a single individual and by language describing a single...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1345 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAction Is Required – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1345 (https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1345/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Napoleon Bonaparte, and it is, "Act swiftly and vigorously, without 'buts' and 'ifs'..."
Action Is RequiredThere are times in life when it is best to wait, ponder, and take into consideration the long term ramifications of a decision. When that is the case, once a decision is made, don’t drag your feet or procrastinate any longer. Instead, it is now time to take decisive action. More often than not, success is not achieved because we are fearful of taking decisive action. That is to say, we instead take actions that are swift and vigorous without making any additional excuses. No more ‘buts,’ and ‘ifs,’ it is now time for accomplishment.
Fortify your resolve to move forward. Do not allow obstacles to turn you aside. Decide to move, and then proceed. Nothing will be accomplished if you accomplish nothing. Yes, if you need to, take time to plan your work, but once the planning is over, work your plan. There is no substitute for taking action. Life is short; act now to build God’s kingdom here on earth.
Job 9:25 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+9:25&version=NLT)
“My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1344 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1344 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Guardrails of Life – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1344 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
This may appear a stupid question to consider, but what are the purposes of guardrails alongside the road? Let us consider:
The Guardrails of LifeCome along with me on a road trip in your mind, and ponder for a moment the following scenario. Say we are driving along a curvy mountain road on a snowy day, and you suddenly lose control and smash into the Guardrail, which damages the front of your car and leaves a big scrape down the side, before you come to a stop. As you get out and look over the situation and assess the damage to your car, you peer over the Guardrail and see a steep 1000 foot drop on the other side with a raging river at the bottom. What would your reaction be? Would you curse the Guardrail for ruining your car? I doubt that many of us would have that thought, but instead, we would be abundantly thankful for the Guardrail, for sure, it saved your life. The car can always be fixed or replaced, which is only a temporary inconvenience in comparison to losing your life.Life serves up a lot of unexpected, and most of the time, unwanted challenges. How do we view them? Do we curse the Guardrail, or are we thankful for its salvation? In many unexpected problems, we look only to the short term inconvenience instead of the long term blessings. Just as I have experienced financial crises that impacted us significantly and severe illness of our very young granddaughter, maybe you have experienced what seems like a tragedy in your life. Perhaps for you, it was a lost job, a failed marriage, a chronic disease, bankruptcy, unfulfilled dreams, accidental death in the family, or deep betrayal of a close friend or loved one.
In those circumstances, it is easy to lash out and blame God or others. Even when it seems your world is falling apart, it is helpful to try and look at the big picture. Cursing your circumstances, or God, is like cursing the Guardrail, which saved you from something much worse. Take comfort in knowing that God loves you, and that even though circumstances can be excruciating, He will see you through the hard times. Romans 8:18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A18&version=NLT) tells us, Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. If we explore that passage further, it gives us more insight. Although Romans 8:28 is many times misquoted or taken out of context, when we take into consideration the verses that surround it, we can understand it better.
Let me read Romans 8:26-30 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A26-30&version=NLT)...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1343 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFear or Faith – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1343 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, it seems like so many people become fearful and panic over everything these days, even those things that we have little or no control over. From my observation, it appears to be true for those who are Christ-followers, and those who are not. How can I prevent myself from falling into the same trap, and also then also help others not to be fearful?”
Fear or FaithLet me ask you a question before we explore how to live without fear. What’s your worst fear? What is it that keeps you awake at night? It seems like these days there are plenty of things to choose from. It could be the most recent global pandemic or other illnesses that seem to come to our attention, only to pass without and quickly leaves our minds. Here in the United States, as with most western countries that have open elections, we become panicked over the upcoming presidential elections. In our minds, regardless of which side we are on, we just know if our candidate doesn’t win, everything is going to fall apart.
For many others, the horror of the day is the economy. Banks failing, stocks falling around the world, taxpayer money going to save financial institutions and huge corporations who seem to be pulling the political purse strings. With the proliferation of social media and the constant 24/7 talking heads on our news stations, we are lead to believe that the news seems to get bleaker by the day.
Many others are still picking up the pieces from recent natural disasters. We’ve had hurricanes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and hosts of other catastrophes. For a lot of people, tomorrow isn’t their problem; they don’t know how to get through today.
Many of us, though, have found fear in our own personal terrors. Health issues. Death of a loved one. Relationship trouble. Addictions. Legal problems. Financial ruin. Crises don’t have to appear on the national news to have a significant impact on our lives. Some of these problems are self-inflicted; others come to us through no fault of our own.
So, let me ask you again, what’s your worst fear? What robs you of peace? What clouds your view of the horizon? Whatever it is, wouldn’t it be nice to get rid of it? Wouldn’t it be nice to help others overcome their fears also? Maybe I can’t fix all of your problems, or rid you of all your worries, but I can tell you how to recover your peace and perhaps even get to where you can sleep at...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1342 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Lost Pilot – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1342 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Lost PilotHank was flying his Cessna 182 one late afternoon when he got blown off course due to a prevailing headwind. Once he was able to make the correction and get back on course for his small home airport, he realized that he was over a military base, and very low on fuel. About 8 p.m., just as it was getting dark, and as his plane started to sputter due to lack of fuel, Hank spotted a runway in the distance and headed that direction so that he could make an emergency landing. Hank tried to talk with the tower on his radio, but he received no replies. What Hank did not realize that it was at a top-secret government airforce base. As soon as he landed and brought his plane to a stop, Hank was quickly surrounded by armed military police and roughly taken inside for interrogation. The interrogation was grueling because the Air Force commander wanted to make sure it was an unplanned landing, and he was not a spy or terrorist.
The interrogation lasted all night as they tried to break Hank and get him to confess. At 6 a.m., being reasonably confident that Hank was not all that bright, and did not pose a threat, they finally refueled his plane and let him go with his promise never to return.
Wouldn’t you know it though, four hours later, he returned and landed on the same runway? Military police once again met him on the runway and surrounded his plane. This time both Hank and his wife Margaret got out of the plane with their hands in the air. The Commander strolled out to his aircraft with a stern look, and his loud voice bellowed, “Hank, why on earth did you return after we made it very clear that this was a restricted airbase.”
Sheepishly hank said as he looked towards Margaret, “I know I promised never to return, but I brought my wife Margaret, and now You have to convince her where I was all night...”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile. Our Thursday thought is: My job is so Top Secret even I don’t know what I am doing.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12:14&version=NLT)
God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1341 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1341 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Most Prophecy is Already Fulfilled – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1341 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Most Prophecy is Already FulfilledInsight Forty-Five: Old Testament Prophets Preached at Different Times and PlacesSince the books of the prophets are grouped together in English Bibles, it appears to most Bible readers that the prophets lived and ministered at roughly the same time. That isn’t the case.
The biblical prophets are divisible into two categories. First, there are the prophets who didn’t write any books we have in the Old Testament. Some famous prophets like Elijah and Elisha are in that category. They didn’t write anything as far as we know. Then there are the ‘‘writing prophets,” those who left us with material in the Old Testament. The writing prophets are typically categorized into the “major prophets” (the name given to lengthy books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and “minor prophets” (short books like Micah, Habakkuk, and Obadiah).
Regardless of the organizational groupings into which any of the prophets might fall, they lived over a span of hundreds of years. They also ministered in various parts of the promised land.
Most prophetic books contain enough information to situate a prophet chronologically. For example, prophets like Elijah and Elisha lived in the tenth and ninth centuries BC (ca. 950—850 BC). We know that because their ministries overlapped with King Ahab. Isaiah lived in the second half of the eighth century BC since his life intersected with the kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Prophets like Jeremiah, who mention the end of the line of the kings of Judah, can be safely situated just before the fall of Judah to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (ca. 586 BC).
If a prophet lived prior to 722 BC, the date of the fall of the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel, they may have ministered to either Israel or Judah. Solving this question depends in part on whether kings of the north or south are mentioned in their written material. It can also be resolved by the mention of a hostile foreign empire, like Assyria (northern kingdom enemy) or Babylon (southern kingdom enemy), or by means of a focus on Israel/Samaria or Judah.For example, Ezekiel’s prophecy opens at the river Chebar in Babylon, allowing us to know he was among the captives taken from Judah. Hosea’s book begins with the list of the same kings who reigned during Isaiah’s lifetime (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah). Hosea ministered in to the apostate northern kingdom, since he mentions the threat of Assyria (Hosea 8:8—9) and focuses on the northern kingdom of Israel. Isaiah, on the other...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1340 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCreated In Love – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1340 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Catherine of Siena, and it is: A soul cannot live without loving. It must have something to love for it was created in love.
Created In LoveOur soul, that is who we are at our very essence, was created in love. What I am referring to here is the love that can only come from God. It is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A4-7&version=NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1339 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1339 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMoving Mountains – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1339 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
How much faith is enough to live a righteous life? It may surprise you, but a very tiny amount is needed. So today, let us consider:
Moving MountainsWe all have faith in our lives, even when we do not recognize that we do. When was the last time you thought whether your favorite chair would hold you when you sat in it? When was the last time, when going to bed, that you wondered if it would collapse? Probably a very long time, if ever. How much faith do you need to sit in your chair, or lie down in your bed? I would venture to say, very little faith. Why is that? It is because you are familiar with your chair and bed, and based on many days or nights of trusting them, you are confident that they would support you.
Our faith in God should be no different. It takes practically no faith to both believe and trust in God, or to trust that Jesus Christ is our substitution for falling short of God’s righteous requirements.
Let me read to you a story about faith. This takes place immediately following what is referred to as the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John had the ultimate mountain top experience. They had just witnessed the glorified Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. Then they came back to reality. Matthew 17:14-20 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17%3A14-20&version=NLT) , At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment, the boy was well. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.
Do you have the faith to move mountains? Mountains are huge, and we are pretty small in comparison. Besides that, we are emotional and fickle creatures. Our faith ebbs and flows. Sometimes we feel strong in our faith; other times, we have next to none.
Here is the good news: It is not up to our faith to move mountains, because we have nothing to do with it. God does. Only God is in the...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1338 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomExercising Your Soul, Mind, and Body – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1338 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, during the winter months, it is difficult to remain active. It seems like my energy levels really plummet. It not only affects me physically, but also mentally, and spiritually. What tips do you have that will help to build my energy levels?
Exercising Your Soul, Mind, and BodyThis is natural, and happens to all of us at times. When we are lacking energy, we tend to put off what will actually re-energize us. Although it seems contrary, physical exercise actually will boost your energy levels. It does seem backward. You would think that exercise would make you feel more tired. For most people, however, it actually gives them more energy. Since I broke my femur bone almost three years ago, I still have pain in that leg, which I would not have had otherwise. The interesting aspect of this is that when I do not exercise, the pain actually becomes worst. Here is why physical exercise will give you more energy, not less. It does not require extensive cross-fit type training to be effective.
Any exercise or physical activity that gets the heart rate up and the blood flowing and releases endorphins is going to raise your energy level. Good cardiovascular exercises will strengthen your heart and give you more stamina. In addition to that, aerobic exercise has been shown to be among the best when it comes to helping ease symptoms of depression. So this will not only help your physical energy level, but also your renew your mind. Lower-intensity exercise, such as yoga, has also shown potential benefits when it comes to mood. Research suggests yoga may help reduce depression and anxiety. Physical activity, even if it’s not intense, routine exercise, was associated with lower levels of depression.
Which are the best energy-boosting exercises? It's really up to you and what you like to do. “It's not going to work if you don't like it. It's got to be something that's enjoyable that serves the aerobic goal.” It is also important to maintain a healthy diet, cut out the sweets, and increase protein to rebuild muscles to reap the most benefits from your workouts. As far as what type of physical activity is best for you. Pick something that you enjoy. Play a game of basketball, football, or tennis. Go jogging or walking with a friend, or go for a bike ride. Take some time for yourself and...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1337 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYour Face Tells The Story – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1337 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Your Face Tells The StoryMiss Smith gazed out her classroom window as her class of third graders played on the playground during recess. Her attention landed on Jimmy and Sammy, who in a tussle at the far end. They chased each other back and forth, so Miss Smith thought she should nip it in the bud before it got out of hand, and one of them got hurt.
As she approached them, Jimmy and Sammy saw her coming, and they sat at opposite sides of a bench and made terrible faces at each other. Miss Smith sat down between them and asked, now Jimmy and Sammy, what seems to be the problem between you two. Neither of them spoke, but just continued to make horrid faces at each other. Trying not to put more fuel on the fire, and wanting to help them to learn how to get along with each other, Miss Smith smiled sweetly at both of them and said. “Now Jimmy and Sammy, when I was a child, I was told if I made ugly faces, it would freeze, and I would stay like that.”Both Jimmy and Sammy stared at her intently for what seemed a very long time. Finally, Sammy looked at her with all seriousness and said: “Well, Miss Smith, you can't say you weren't warned.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.
James 1:22-24 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1:22-24&version=NLT)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1331 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,'...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1336 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Prophecy and Prophets – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1336 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Prophecy and ProphetsInsight Forty-Three: Most of the Material in the Prophetic Books Isn’t about Predicting the FutureAs we begin a new section in Dr. Heiser’s book, our focus now turns to the prophets of the Old Testament. In popular usage, Christian or otherwise, the word “prophet” is associated with foretelling the future. That’s understandable when it comes to the Bible, since both testaments have prophetic figures making predictive statements about what will come to pass in the future. Despite that truth, it doesn’t take long when reading the prophets to discern that most of what they do isn’t about predicting anything. More than anything else, prophets were actually preachers. Scholars like to say that a prophet spent more time “forth-telling” than “fore-telling.”
What did prophets preach about? Righteousness, mostly. To be more precise, prophets spent most of their ministry railing against the sin and idolatry of the people of Israel and Judah. They were constantly reminding the people of their covenant relationship to God—how they had been rescued from Egypt, delivered at the Red Sea, and given the Law so that they could live happy, productive lives in accord with the God who loved them.
Israel, as a nation, had publicly proclaimed at Sinai that they would obey God’s law (Exodus 24). Prophets were vocal reminders of that promise. In that respect, they were basically covenant enforcers. They demanded that the people honor their relationship to God. In essence, they were preachers.It’s because of this role that we have the modern expression about “speaking with a prophetic voice.” When you hear that phrase, it doesn’t concern predicting the future. Rather, the point is that some man or woman is bold enough to tell the truth when it’s unpopular or even dangerous. That’s what prophets did, and they paid dearly for it.
Modern Bible readers have largely lost the correct orientation for reading the prophets. Talk about the future and discerning “the signs of the times” is more titillating than having someone tell you about your sin. But that’s crucial for walking with God. Someone needs to tell the truth. Prophets didn’t do it because they enjoyed it. They knew their ministry wasn’t going to make them popular. They did it because God wanted to rescue people from judgment.
That alone is a lesson for us today. Most contemporary preaching is about making us feel good about ourselves. There is no warning. It’s more important to realize that God loves us and wants us to turn...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1335 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Grateful Thought – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1335 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and it is: A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.
A Grateful ThoughtGratefulness is important, yes, very important. What are some of the reasons we do not express our gratitude more frequently? Are we too proud? Are we too selfish? Are we so wrapped up within ourselves that it doesn’t even come to mind? Until we realize that all that we have, including the very next breath that we take, comes from God, we will not be as grateful as we should be. Psalm 50:14 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+50:14&version=NLT) Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Once we get our vertical thanksgiving correct, that is between ourselves and God, then we can turn our gratitude horizontally. We should easily, freely, and often express our gratitude to our fellow humans. This gratitude needs to be both in word and in deed.Even if some days are difficult, and it is hard to be thankful, there is always someone or something in our lives to be grateful for. Especially on those dark days, instead of seeking someone to show kindness to you, turn the tables and show kindness to someone else. In doing so, you will soon realize that the blessings are returned to you, and be thankful. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians+5:18&version=NLT)
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1334 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1334 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFix Your Thoughts – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1334 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In order to properly meditate, we must have a proper mindset or attitude. We must fix our thoughts on appropriate life attributes. So today, let us consider:
Fix Your ThoughtsTo fix something, that either implies that something is broken or it needs our undivided attention so that it does not become broken. Both of these concepts could be applied to today’s meditation. Before we can fix or focus our thoughts, we must plug into the proper mindset. This is what meditation allows us to do. Before we study this further, let me set the background by reading Philippians 4:4-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-9&version=NLT) , Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again — rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considered in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me — everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.This is a great passage to establish a mindset of meditation. First, we clear our minds of that which is detrimental, then we fill our minds with that which is beneficial.
Sometimes the trials and pressures of life make it almost impossible to be happy. But Paul did not tell his readers to be happy. He encouraged them to be full of joy in the Lord. In fact, he said it twice in verse 4. Not some of the time, but always. Not just a little joy, but full of joy. Christ is the One in whom the sphere of rejoicing was to take place. Surely there are many circumstances in which Christians cannot be happy. But they can always full of joy in the Lord and delight in Him. Paul himself was an excellent example of one who had inner joy when external circumstances—such as persecution, imprisonment, the threat of death—were against him.
In addition to joy, believers are to be considerate or gentle, which should be evident to everyone. This suggests a forbearing, non-retaliatory spirit. Joy, an inner quality in relation to circumstances, may not always be seen; but the way one reacts to others, whether in gentleness...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1333 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOvercoming Being A Coward – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1333 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, there are times when I feel like a coward. I don’t stand up for what I feel is important even when it comes to defending my faith. Do you have tips that can help me gain courage?
Overcoming Being a CowardFor most people, they struggle with fear, self-doubt, and a lack of faith that God has everything under control. Even Joshua, who was Moses's understudy for nearly 40 years, needed God’s encouragement before taking over as the leader of the nation of Israel. Joshua 1:6-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A6-9&version=NLT) “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Let me tell you about another story. John Callender was a young officer under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. He failed miserably during the Battle of Bunker Hill and was dismissed from the army for behaving as a coward. On his papers, Gen. Washington wrote this: "Cowardice a crime, of all others the most injurious, and the last to be forgiven."
To his credit, Callender allowed his shame and embarrassment to move him to try to make up for what he had done and to redeem his good name. He didn't join the Redcoats. He didn't commit suicide. Instead, he re-enlisted as a private and behaved with such obvious courage at the Battle of Long Island that Washington revoked his earlier sentence and reinstated him as a captain.
The story of John Callender has a lesson in it for all of us. Nobody goes through life without episodes of weakness, failure, and humiliation. Those with the courage to begin again are people to be respected.It isn't easy, to be honest with oneself about failure and sin. The tendency is to be defensive and proud. Scripture holds that such a spirit hinders forgiveness in James 4:6-10...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1332 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDiner Slang – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1332 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Diner SlangJoe walks into a diner, plops down at the counter, and places his order: “I want 3 flat tires, a pair of headlights and tub of motor oil.”
Sally, the waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, goes to the kitchen & asks Sam the cook, “This guy out there just ordered 3 flat tires, a pair of headlights and a tub of oil. What does he think, this is an auto parts store?!”
“No,” Sam says, “3 flat tires means 3 pancakes , a pair of headlights is 2 eggs sunny side up and a tub of oil is a thermos of strong coffee.”
“Oh,” Sally exclaimed, as the light bulb turned on in her head. She ponders it a bit more, and then she spoons up a bowl of navy beans and serves it to Joe.Joe looks at Sally with a strange look and says, “What are the beans for?”
Sally replies as she fills up his thermos with strong coffee, “I thought that, while you're waiting for the flat tires & headlights, you might want to gas up.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas.”
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+73:26&version=NLT)
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1331 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1331 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Ruth and Crucial Story-lines – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1331 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Ruth and Crucial Story-linesInsight Forty-One: Judges The Book of Ruth Takes Place During the Days of the JudgesThe period of the book of Judges was awful. The book runs through cycle after cycle of Israel’s spiritual failure, God’s punishment for their faithlessness by means of foreign oppressors, desperate cries for deliverance, and God sending a judge in response. Sin, suffer, despair, deliverance, repeat.
One of the key things to observe in the book is that the oppressors of God's people were foreigners—people to whom the land did not belong. At times God’s instrument of punishment for sin was a people group whom Israel was supposed to have driven from the land but didn’t. At other times, it was a people group from the outside. The point is this: the presence of foreigners meant bad things. They were unpopular.
This is the backdrop for the story of Ruth. The book opens with these statements from Ruth 1:1-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+1%3A1-4&version=NLT) :
In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth.
Ruth was a Moabitess—a foreigner. The Moabites were Israel’s oppressors during the judgeship of Ehud (Judges 3). Israel suffered under the thumb of Eglon, the king of the Moabites, for eighteen years (Judges 3:12—14). To many in Israel, Ruth was a symbol of an enemy.In view of this backdrop, the story of Ruth is truly remarkable. It stands to reason that no Israelite would have the slightest reason to help her. Instead, when the book’s ancient readers encountered the beginning of the book, they would have expected the people of God to make things harder for her. But Boaz was different. He was a living illustration of how Israel was to bless the foreign nations (Genesis. 12:3).
Even more astonishing, Ruth was destined to become the great-grandmother of David (Ruth 4:17-20). Out of the harshest of circumstances—poverty and prejudice and deep-seated wounds of the past—God would raise up the ideal king, whose...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1330 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Bliss of Suffering – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1330 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Leo Tolstoy, and it is: A person who lives a spiritual life cannot help but see that suffering brings him closer to God. Seen in this light, suffering loses its bitter side and becomes bliss.
The Bliss of SufferingFirst, at least as believers, we must realize that all life is spiritual life. There is no sacred and secular life, as if they were diametrically opposed. There is one life that we live which is a spiritual life. We, as humans, are created to be imagers of God in all that we do. We do have free will to choose. We can choose to be thankful for every circumstance of life, even when it entails suffering. One of the purposes of suffering and hardship in life is to purify us and bring us closer to God who created us. Because of this, our perspective of hardships and suffering will change from one of discouragement, to one of bliss and thankfulness. If suffering and hardships refine us to be a better imager of God, to build His kingdom, and to bring honor and glory to His name, then we should be blissful for being chosen for such a privileged task.One who would understand and be able to empathize with us, was also a leader in the 1st-century church. He happened to be Jesus’s brother and knew Jesus from childhood. James did not believe in Jesus until after His death, burial, and resurrection, but he wrote a letter to the early church about this subject. James 1:2-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
So I also encourage you…consider it an opportunity for great joy, which is bliss.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1329 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1329 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWhat is Biblical Meditation? – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1329 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Although we have invested many months bringing lessons that help us to reflect or meditate on what is important in order to create a living legacy, today, let us consider:
What is Biblical Meditation?In our western cultures, and probably throughout the world, we tend to associate happiness with money, sex, or power — preferably all three! While each of these is not inherently bad, in fact, they are gifts from God, portions of Scripture, the life of Jesus, and a strange lot of so-called mystics point to another source of happiness — meditation!
As with the other classical spiritual disciplines, meditation cuts against the grain of living in the material world and may seem like a waste of time. But those who are trained in meditation will reap a harvest of happiness — of peace, joy, and love — that will be a blessing to many.
What is meditation? Quite simply, meditation is an intentional act of simplicity. It's not hard to understand why this is seldom practiced. Most of us live scattered lives, pulled in numerous directions by forces of work, family, church, recreation, friends, and so on. In addition, most people — Christians included — are always thinking ... thinking ... thinking.
While thinking is a good, God-given trait, too much of it, or over-thinking, which takes the form of replaying tapes from past conversations, planning tomorrow's activities, or daydreaming about the future — often leads to a complicated and unhappy life. Thus the need for the simple act of meditation!
Meditation is not a panacea to our cultural or personal search for meaning. Meditation is certainly more than a theoretical admonition to simplicity. However, meditation is practical, easy, and, best of all, a means to happiness, a life lived with and for God.
There are numerous things to say about meditation, and Psalm 1:1-3 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalms+1%3A1-3&version=NLT) provides some practical and pertinent counsel for joy, happiness, delight, and prosperity:
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
Based on this passage, we would do well if we meditate on the Teachings of God. When it comes to meditation, it is important to remember, "less is more." In other words, you might consider easing into meditation by reading a short narrative from the...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1328 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAccomplish Great Things – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1328 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I don’t desire to be mediocre in life, but to accomplish great things that will impact the lives of those around me. What nuggets of wisdom to you have which will help me to accomplish great things?
Accomplish Great ThingsWe are an instant-results, quick-fix society. Quality gets sacrificed along the way. People are seen only as clients and consumers. Relationships that are going to require effort to create or repair are just abandoned. Corners are cut, rules are broken, and disastrous consequences follow. In the aftermath, we either wonder why we feel so empty or blame God for letting us down — or both. This is not how we accomplish great things, and make a great impact.
First, our mindset and priorities must be correct. You must ask yourself, why do you desire to accomplish great things? You mention to make an impact on the lives of others, but why? For your own honor, or to really help others. When our mindset is correct, we won’t care if we personally receive honor, but instead will desire to make an impact to build God’s kingdom here on earth, as it is in heaven, and to bring honor and glory to God.Second, instead of bringing attention to ourselves, we must reflective so our lives exude tidbits of practical wisdom as we interact with others on a daily basis. To gain that wisdom, we must read and study God’s Word daily. It is then our lives will reflect those tidbits of wisdom that come from the master teacher.
Third, don’t be foolish enough to think you can set everything right in a single day. Be wise enough to know you can do a little bit each day to reach your stated desire. Here are some examples of what I am sharing. You can't build a championship-caliber team in a day. No single play in the game plan turns losers into champions. No one sales meeting transforms a company's bottom line. No weekend marriage or parenting seminar can set right the impaired relationships of a struggling family. No one sermon or inspirational worship time defines a church to set right its troubles or lift it from the doldrums.Today is the only day that matters. Yesterday will never change. Learn from it, but you'll never change it. Tomorrow is yet to be. What can only be affected is today. Your desire is to make a small impact towards greatness each day.
So, deepen your faith, strengthen your family, focus your career path, encourage a
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1327 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Cowboy Tale – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1327 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Cowboy TaleYears ago, Tim McCoy, a cowboy from Texas, rode proudly into Albuquerque, New Mexico for the first time riding high on his sleek and beautiful black stallion. He was noticed by everyone that saw him. After a long and dusty ride, Tim was tired and thirsty, and he stopped by the saloon for a beer. Unfortunately, the locals always had the habit of picking on strangers, which he was. When he finished his drink, He strutted back outside and found his horse had been stolen.
Tim went back into the bar, handily flipped his gun into the air, caught it above his head without even looking and fired a shot into the ceiling.
“Which one of you sidewinders stole my horse?!?!?!” he yelled with surprising forcefulness.
Tim gazed around the bar, trying to catch someone's eyes that may look guilty, but everyone looked down, and no one answered.
After a lengthy pause, Tim turned his back to them, faced the bartender, and shouted once again, “Alright, I'm gonna have another beer, and if my horse ain't back outside by the time I finish, I'm gonna do what I dun in Texas! And I don't like to have to do what I dun in Texas!”
Some of the locals shifted restlessly, and he could hear the scuffling of feet behind him. Tim McCoy, true to his word, had another beer, walked outside, and his horse had been returned to the post.
He climbed into his saddled and started to ride out of town. The bartender wandered out of the bar ran after Tim and asked, “Say pardner, before you go...what happened in Texas?”
Tim McCoy turned back and said with a straight face, “Well, I had to walk home.”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “If lawyers are disbarred, and clergymen are defrocked, shouldn't it follow that cowboys would be deranged?”
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+15:2&version=NLT)
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1326 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1326 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Judges and Kings – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1326 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Judges and KingsInsight Thirty-Nine: Judges Were Not KingsThe book of Judges is largely an intentional contrast between the faithlessness of God's people and his own faithfulness. Repeatedly in Judges, we read that Israel turned against God's laws and commands, suffered under foreign oppressors as a result, and then had to be bailed out of their misery by God. Judges 2:15-16 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+2%3A15-16&version=NLT) was the resulting consequence. Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress. Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers.
When we see the word “judges,” we think of people who decide legal cases and pass out sentences to criminals. That isn’t who’s in view here. Reading through the book of Judges makes it clear that, with the exception of Deborah (who actually did listen to complaints and make decisions for people; see Judges 4:4-5, judges were military leaders that God raised up to defeat Israel’s enemies.
The period of the judges was one of lawlessness. It was chaotic and unpredictable. Twice the book tells readers in Judges 17:6; 21:25 that “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” On nearly ten occasions, the author offers the blunt assessment that “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.”
Several analogies to the judges suggest themselves. The time of the judges could be looked upon like the Wild West, when gangs of outlaws controlled towns and territories by fear, ignoring the law. That would make judges the equivalent of sheriffs or hired guns. Perhaps more familiar, we could think of Canaan at this time like the fictional Gotham. None of the judges had a cape and lived in the Batcave, but you get the idea. Judges were deliverers, the superheroes of their day.
Judges were not kings. They did not rule over all the tribes, or even any single tribe. They did not have dynasties, although Gideon and his son Abimelech tried to pull that off (Judges 6-9). Judges were a temporary solution to the problems of the time. They defeated foreign enemies and restored law and order, ushering in a time of peace until the next judge was needed. Their authority was regional. For example, sometimes, Israel's oppressors only controlled specific cities (Judges 3:12-14).
The book of Judges serves an important
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1325 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom1000 Reasons To Smile – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1325 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Patricia Brown, and it is: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile.
1000 Reasons to SmileAs mentioned in previous episodes, you must be thankful for what you already have, or you will never be thankful for what you receive in the future. Thankfulness is always a choice. To be thankful, you must foster and internal heart of gratitude. This may require creativity and innovation. This requires changing the way you think. You must think differently and of course with a positive mindset and positive outlook. Life will always have its share of hardship and heartache. That is part of life. How we frame those times will determine our outlook about life. My personality type is such that I reframe nearly every situation and circumstance into something positive. I realize that may be more difficult for you than it is for me, but regardless of your basic outlook on life, you still have a choice. So even when life is difficult, change your focus and seek out all of the good that still remains in your life. Cry when you must, but then turn that frown upside down, and focus on those 1000 reasons to smile. God’s love for you is never changing. It is unconditional. It is forever. James 1:16-18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A16-18&version=NLT)
So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1324 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1324 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHow LEGOs Teach Us About Life – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1324 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
I recently came across a short article about those infamous little building blocks called LEGOs, and I made some adaptations for us to meditate on. So today, let us consider:
How LEGOs Teach Us About LifeLife might be less complicated for all of us if we each received our own LEGO kit at birth. Yes, I realize there is a choking hazard for children under three. But when you are old enough, you can learn a lot about life from LEGOs. I have learned that:
Size doesn't matter. When stepped on in the dark, a 2X2 LEGO brick causes the same amount of pain as a 2X8 brick.
All LEGO persons are created equal (1.5625 inches tall). What they become is limited only by imagination.
There is strength in numbers. When the bricks stick together, great things can be accomplished.
Playtime is important. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you are building, as long as you're having fun.
Disaster happens. But the pieces can be put back together again.
Every brick has a purpose. Some are made for a specific spot - most can adapt almost anywhere - but everyone will fit somewhere.
Color doesn't matter. A blue brick will fit in the same space as a red brick.
No one is indispensable. If one brick is unavailable, another can take its place.
It doesn't always turn out as planned. Sometimes it turns out better. If it doesn't, you can always try again.
Out of a very common looking blocks, great masterpieces can be created when we stick together for a common outcome.
God is the designer of the universe, our lives can have become a masterpiece when we allow the designer to shape us.
We are indeed a building shaped by God's own hand.
I thought about each of these statements as it relates to your family, your church family, or any organization with a common purpose. Some of the statements apply more than others. For example, unity is a biblical concept for Christians, in all situations. When we as Christians stick together, great things can be accomplished.
It is an important biblical truth that every Christian has a purpose, this is true for a family and the local church family. As Paul describes in detail in 1 Corinthians 12 using the analogy of a human body, some of us are eyes, some are hands; still, others are feet, but we all have a purpose and a role. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A12-13&version=NLT) The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1323 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTrue Love – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1323 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, with it being around Valentine's Day, you hear a lot about giving flowers and chocolates to show love, but that isn’t what love is about. As I suppose with all ages, we hear so much about erotic love today. I know that is an aspect of showing love, but can you give me a description of all-encompassing love for someone?
True LoveThat is a great question, and one that is so appropriate as this podcast will be released on Valentine's Day. For Paula and me, this will be our 41st Valentine's Day together, and we look forward to at least another 41 years. I have to say, that Paula has been truly a blessing to me, and I am certain that Paula would echo my sentiment. To have a spouse that is so dedicated to a pure and loving marriage is a blessing beyond measure. Love for us has been fairly easy because, from the very beginning, we knew that love for each other is a choice that we make each day, and that it is will be that way until God takes us home to be with Him. That being said, our love is also based on the Biblical teachings of what true love is, and what love is not. There are two passages that come to mind when I think about Biblical love. The first one is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A4-7&version=NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
If you follow these two passages, and allow them to be integrated into the very fabric of your life, then you will love others properly, and they, in turn, will love and appreciate you.
That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Friday for another question on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday, where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of the past 1322 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1322 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomI Can't Understand You – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1322 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
I Can’t Understand YouIt was a bitterly cold winter day, but old Mr. Miller was bound and determined to do some ice fishing so he could have some fresh fish for dinner. He got up early and headed to a nearby lake. Mr. Miller walked to his usual fishing spot on the frozen lake. He set up his shelter, cut a hole in the ice, and dropped in his fishing line. He was there for almost an hour, without even a nibble. As he bundled up more trying to keep warm, he noticed little Johnny, a neighbor boy, strutting out onto the ice, pitch a little lean-to, and proceed to cut a hole in the ice not far from him. Mr. Miller thought to himself, yeah, good luck kid, I have been here for over an hour and the fish aren’t biting today. To his surprise, little Johnny dropped his fishing line, and minutes later, he hooked a Largemouth Bass.
Old Mr. Miller couldn't believe his eyes but chalked it up to plain luck. But, shortly thereafter, little Johnny pulled in another large catch.
He watched little Johnny for the next hour and the young boy kept catching fish after fish. Finally, Mr. Miller couldn't take it any longer, so he exited his hut and proceeded over to little Johnny’s lean-to. In a rather loud and irritated voice, he said, “Johnny, I've been here for nearly two hours without even a nibble. You've been here less than an hour and have caught a half dozen fish! How do you do it?”
Little Johnny responded, “Roo raf roo reep ra rums rrarm.”
Mr. Miller, knowing that he was a bit hard of hearing, said, “What was that?”
Again little Johnny responded, “Roo raf roo reep ra rums rarrm.”
“Look,” old Mr. Miller snarled, “Speak clearly, son, I can't understand a word you're saying.”
Little Johnny spat the contents of his mouth into his hand and declared, “You have to keep the worms warm!”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.”
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:27&version=NLT)
A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1321 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1321 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Excavations and Timelines – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1321 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Excavations and TimelinesInsight Thirty-Seven: Most of the Cities and Towns Mentioned in the Bible Have Not Been ExcavatedIf you asked someone where the events of the Bible took place, chances are you’d get an answer like “Israel” or “the Holy Land.” That's, of course, true, but the statement is imprecise and, to a significant extent, quite incomplete.
There are hundreds of sites mentioned in the Bible that are connected to events in the biblical saga. Some are the setting for just one event, while others are crucial focus points for many episodes in the history of Israel or the work of Jesus and the apostles.
Only a small percentage of the places mentioned in the Bible have been excavated by archaeologists. Archaeology regularly yields information that illumines the biblical world and the stories we read in Scripture. The fact that many sites in Israel have not yet been excavated, or even discovered, is important for Bible students in several respects.
First, the circumstances of biblical events are often framed by their location. Biblical places often have a long history (positive or negative), and that history creates the backdrop for why a biblical writer may have included it in the story. By way of a more modern example, Robert E. Lee’s refusal to accept President Lincoln’s offer of command over the Army of the Potomac is comprehensible when we learn Lee was from Virginia. Lee was no apologist for slavery. Given the proximity of the army offered to him to his home state, Lee could not bear the thought of invading his home state and killing fellow Virginians. Lee’s personal attachment to the geography of the situation prompted his decision. In terms of the Bible, when sites cannot be located or go unexcavated, some details of Bible interpretation remain unclear. Archaeology becomes a hermeneutical aid.Second, excavation of sites often helps clear up a Bible difficulty or perceived error in the biblical text. The history of biblical scholarship has numerous examples of how archaeology clears up an apparent dilemma or lends credibility to biblical details. For example, an inscription discovered at the Tel Dan discovered in 1993 contains what most scholars regard as a verifiable reference to the “house of David.” Seals (small pieces of pressed clay) bearing the names of biblical kings serve to validate their existence.
Archaeological work in Israel is a work in progress. When hostile critics attack the Bible on the flawed presumption that all the data that could...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1320 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAbundantly Grateful – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1320 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas à Kempis, and it is: Be thankful for the least gift, so shalt thou be ready to receive greater.
Abundantly GratefulIt is only when we are thankful and grateful for the smallest gifts in life can we then be thankful for more when we do receive it. In fact, if we are not thankful for that which is least important, we will never receive anything more. The heart is like a fertile garden. It is only when we plant the tiny seeds of thankfulness will our hearts have the capacity to accept and grow that thankfulness into abundant gratitude. So what are the small things, to which we barely recognize anymore, that you are grateful for? A brand new day? Being able to breathe? A warm place to live? The love and concern that we have from others, and can show to others? The quite moment of peace in the midst of this hectic world? There is so much that we can be abundantly grateful for, that thankfulness should gush from our lips at all times. So the next time you find yourself grumbling and complaining, stop and take a moment that you have life and the blessings to be alive so that you can positively impact others. With your mouth praise God, the giver of all gifts, and soon you will find that you are now ready to receive more for which you can be grateful. Let us be abundantly grateful at all times. Colossians 3:14-16 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3:14-16&version=NLT)
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1319 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1319 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHow Do You View Success? – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1319 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Today we are going a little different angle in our meditation to look at an Old Testament character. We will explore one aspect of Abraham’s promised son, Issac. I recently read one of my devotionals from the book “Men of the Bible” produced by Ann Spangler, which I found interesting as it considered Issac's business success. So today, let us consider:
How Do You View Success?Let me share some background information about Issac to refresh your memory.
His name means: "He Laughs" The reason for this is that his mother laughed when God’s messenger told her that she would have a son, considering she was over ninety years old.
His work: Isaac was an accomplished farmer and herdsman.
His character: The only son of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, at a young age, witnessed, through the faithfulness of his father, the meaning of obedience. He was gentle and hardworking.
His sorrow: As an old and feeble man, Isaac was victimized by the deception of his son Jacob and to his later dismay, gave him the blessing that he had intended for his older son, Esau.
His triumph: Isaac is considered one of the three great patriarchs. For millennia his progeny have revered him.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 25-27 (http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=27&ms=NjMwNDIzOTcS1&r=MjgwMDY3MDI2NzcS1&b=0&j=MTgwNDQwNjA5OQS2&mt=1&rt=0)
Now let’s continue on with the story of his business success. Ask yourself how you would respond to this scenario. When a man or woman is hugely successful in their work, everyone notices. Some of those people celebrate their prosperity; others hate them for it. What would your response be?
This is what Isaac experienced. He is one of the early farmers in the Scriptures with a remarkable green thumb. Genesis 26:12-13 When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. Isaac had a secret formula - something more powerful than a precise crop rotation strategy or specially formulated fertilizer: The Lord blessed him.Godly excellence in the marketplace and the generous compensation that often follows it has been the subject of controversy among believers for centuries. Surely Christians are supposed to aspire to serving professions like physicians, missionaries, nurses, and teachers. But is there a place for successful, competitive businesspeople in God's plan as well?
The story of Isaac and his wife Rebekah's years in the land of the Philistines illustrates the answer to these...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1318 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCreating Peace – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1318 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, life seems so busy and hectic. I don’t seem to have any time of peace from the time I get up, until I fall exhausted in my bed at night. I would like to learn how to have peace, even in the middle of chaos. What wise tips do you have to help?
Creating PeaceCome with me in your mind and picture yourself, sitting on the fishing deck of a nearby lake, immerse yourself in the peaceful and serene setting. A light breeze stirs the surface to quiet ripples as the sun creeps over the horizon. Flags on the docks of the lake-dwellers indicate an early start to the winds that will follow. An egret glides smoothly across a small inlet to fish in the shallow water. What could be more peaceful?
As you sit there in the quiet of the early morning, somewhere in the distance, there is the sound of what is to come. A motor ignites with a healthy roar and the day is on. Shortly, the lake will be filled with the noise of boats — ski boats, fishing boats and those angry little hornets called Sea-doos, the motorcycles of the waterways. This rhythm is the daily cycle, the transformation from peace to chaos and back again.
This rhythm of a day on the lake will help you to realize that life is not so different. Few of us can hold on to those peaceful moments very long without interruption. Most of us must have the promise of the return of peace.For some, however, a time of peace never seems to appear. Their lives are stressful from daybreak to dark — and often stressful through the night. Those long stretches without peace are difficult times! Most of us have experienced them for periods, but no one can withstand them forever.
Is there hope for you and others stuck in the long stretches of life without peace? Days grow into weeks, and then months, without realizing it, your life has very little peace for what seems to be years on end. Stop for a moment and realize that as with all choices and decisions that we make in life, the amount and level of peace, is, at least somewhat, dependent on you.
You have to get to the point where you create your own peace. For me, my time of peace starts at 4:45 am each morning. My time of peace must be before the world wakes up. Before, I am constantly bombarded with messages, emails, calls, and other work-related demands. This early morning peacetime is a time of quiet devotion and exercise time. A time to communion with God...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1309 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFaithful Love – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1309 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Love is often misunderstood today. True love has embedded within it faithfulness. So today, let us consider:
Faithful LoveGod loves us with a faithful love that is not based on our daily decisions and choices that we make. His love for us never waivers or ends. This is described by the prophet Jeremiah in one of the Biblical books that he authored. Lamentations 3:22-23 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A22%E2%80%9323&version=NLT)
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
Jeremiah is referred to as the weeping profit. His life was full of sorrow and difficulty. One analogy I read said that Jeremiah was as gloomy as a giraffe with a sore throat. When Jeremiah was prophesying, Jerusalem was under siege, his nation under duress. His world collapsed like a sandcastle in a typhoon. He was kept in a muddy well at times, and they would throw down a piece of bread to him each day. He faulted God for his horrible emotional distress. He also blamed God for his physical ailments. Lamentations 3:21-24 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A21-24&version=NLT)
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”We need to follow the same pattern as Jeremiah. When we are down, depressed, in pain, and agony, we need to alter our thoughts. We need to shift our attention. Just like Jeremiah, we need to turn our eyes away from this stormy world and look into the wonders of God. We can easily do this by reading or memorizing the promises that I read in Lamentations 3:22-24. To help you remember them, you can list them on the five fingers of your hand.
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness.
His mercies begin afresh each morning.
The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!
Jeremiah’s storms didn’t cease, but his discouragement did. We need to have that same attitude. Lamenting is the purifier of our souls.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week, we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy,...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1308 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomForgiveness is Freedom – Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1308 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I have been hurt deeply by those who I love, and who are supposed to love me. I wish I could say it’s forgiven and forgotten — but it isn’t. As much as I’ve tried — all I feel is the anger and the bitterness. What wise tips can you give me to help me to let go and be free of the anger and bitterness I have.
Forgiveness is FreedomI am very sorry that you are struggling with forgiveness and are angry and bitter. You have to realize though, that without forgiveness, bitterness is all that’s left!
Since you didn’t specify, I don’t know what is causing your pain, maybe it’s a very old wound. A parent abused you. A mate betrayed you, and over the years, all you have left is anger and bitterness.
Perhaps the wound is fresh. The friend who owes you money just drove by in a new car. The boss who hired you with promises of promotions has forgotten how to pronounce your name. And you’re hurt!
There’s a dual fire burning in your heart. It’s the fire of anger and bitterness. Although it can be very difficult, as with nearly every situation we face in this life, you do have a choice. Please understand that you are left with a decision. This decision is not based on the offending person asking you for forgiveness. Your decision is not dependent on whether the offending person is sorry for the hurt that they have caused in your life. The choice is yours. Do you forgive anyway and work on the healing of your soul, or do you get even and plan retribution? Are you going to allow your hurts to heal, or do you let your hurt turn into hate?
Forgiveness is not foolishness. Forgiveness, at its core, is choosing to see your offender with different eyes. How can recipients of God’s grace and forgiveness do anything less? Matthew 6:14-15 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A14-15&version=NLT) If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
This is a huge issue in Scripture because it is a huge issue to God! Jesus was tough on sinners who refused to forgive other sinners. Let me share an analogy of the damaging effects of unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the person you hate to die. Unforgiveness will eventually kill you and you fill up with anger and bitterness. Another analogy on the positive effect...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1307 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWhat Did You Say? – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1307 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
What Did You Say?Mr. Smith, an elderly gentleman, had serious hearing problems for a number of years. His family begged him to go see an audiologist, but he continued to refuse to go, thinking that his hearing wasn’t that bad. Finally, he decided maybe it was time, but he was too embarrassed to admit it to his family, so he made an appointment himself. On his appointment date, He went to Dr. Jones, the best hearing specialist in town. Dr, Jones was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed Mr. Smith to hear 100%.
About a month later, Mr. Smith went back to see Dr. Jones for a follow-up visit to have his new hearing aids checked and adjusted if needed. Dr. Jones checked him out and proudly proclaimed, “Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.”
With a bit of a smile on his face, Mr. Smith confessed, “Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “ (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/776070?ref=hearing-loss) ”
Helen Keller
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10:17&version=NLT)
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1306 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1306 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – One Long Sermon and Other Gods – Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1306 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – One Long Sermon and Other Gods Insight Thirty-One: Deuteronomy Is One Long Sermon by Moses to the IsraelitesLike Leviticus and Numbers, Deuteronomy can be confusing since it seems like nothing is happening in Israel’s journey. It often seems like just a lot of talking. That’s because that’s what it is. Deuteronomy presents its content as a lengthy speech or sermon by Moses just before the Israelites try for the second time to enter the promised land. Deuteronomy, therefore, begins with the end of the forty-year wandering in the desert—a punishment imposed by God for their failure to enter the land in faith for fear of the giant Anakim in Numbers 13.
It’s because of this unfortunate history that the sermon of Moses starts out by rehearsing Israel’s history, warts and all, from its miraculous beginning with Abraham and Sarah to its miserable failure at Kadesh-Barnea (Deuteronomy 1.) Once Israel gets that painful reminder, Deuteronomy repeats the laws given at Sinai, but with some changes that reflect life in the land (Deuteronomy 5-26). This is why this book is referred to in English Bibles as “Deuteronomy’—a title made up of two words that mean “second law'’ (deuteros + nomos). The effect of all this is that the words of Moses are taking the people spiritually and emotionally back to Sinai so they can start over again.
But Deuteronomy is far more than a repetition of a long list of laws. Part of Moses’ sermon is designed to elicit a public response from the people that this time —and for good—they will obey God in faith. Accordingly, chapters 27-30 are framed as a public covenant commitment ceremony to solidify that decision. It’s serious content, too, since two whole chapters (28-30) comprise a long list of curses that will happen to the people if they forsake the Lord as their God. Specifically, the promise of the land itself is tied to obedience to God ,36-37: (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+28%3A36-37&version=NLT)
“But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you:
Your towns and your fields
will be cursed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
will be cursed.
Your children and your crops
will be cursed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
will be cursed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
you will be cursed.
“The Lord himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do,...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1305 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomExpress Gratitude – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1305 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michael Josephson, and it is: A person of character feels and expresses gratitude freely and frequently.
Express GratitudeA person who is truly grateful for all that they have in life not only feels grateful, but also expresses gratitude, first of all, to God, and then to others who have positively impacted their lives. Another sign of a person who is truly grateful is that they frequently give thanks. Sure, it is easy to be thankful when all is going well, but what about the times of anxiety, hardship, illness, and loss? I know, it is difficult when you are overwhelmed, tired, or not feeling well to continually give thanks. When you are struggling, it is important to establish or continue habits that will help you to overcome these issues. You must invest in yourself. Get adequate sleep, exercise on a regular basis, eat nutritious, wholesome foods, read encouraging and beneficial information, minimize the negative influence in your life, and, most of all, feed your mind with what is good and Godly. Here are a couple of passages that will help you to get started on shifting your mindset if you find it difficult to be grateful for everything.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5:20&version=NLT)
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.If you need help with changing your mindset and building character – dwell on Philippians 4:4-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-9&version=NLT)
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ, Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1304 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1304 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomResistance is Futile – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1304 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In one of my devotionals this year, it discussed how each of us has good times and difficult times in our lives as if it were an either-or situation. In our meditation today, let us consider:
Resistance Is FutileChange is always coming, ready, or not. We must learn to embrace it. We must learn to accept it. Don't resist it. Change is not only a part of life; change is a necessary part of God's strategy. To use us to build His kingdom and change the world, God alters our assignments. Gideon: from farmer to general; Ester: from a young lady in exile to a queen; Mary: from peasant girl to the mother of Christ; Paul: from local rabbi to world evangelist. God transitioned Joseph from a baby brother to an Egyptian prince. He changed David from a shepherd to a king. God changed Jacob from a master of deceit to the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. Peter wanted to fish the Sea of Galilee. God called him to lead the first church. Although the path to change was very difficult for each of these individuals, and it is many times with us, God makes reassignments.
But, someone might ask, what about the tragic changes God permits? Some seasons make no sense…do such moments serve a purpose?They do if we see them from an eternal perspective. What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you in the womb. I know you don't remember this prenatal season, neither do I, so let me remind you what happened during it. Every gestation day equipped you for your earthly life. Your bones solidified, your eyes developed, the umbilical cord transported nutrients into your growing frame…for what reason? So you might remain enwombed? Quite the contrary. Womb time equipped you for earth time, suited you up for your postpartum existence.
Some prenatal features went unused before birth. You grew a nose but didn't breathe. Eyes developed, but could you see? Your tongue, toenails, and a crop of hair served no function in your mother's belly. But aren't you glad you have them now?Certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary, like nostrils on the preborn. Suffering. Loneliness. Disease. Holocausts. Martyrdom. Monsoons. If we assume this world exists just for pre-grave happiness, these atrocities disqualify it from doing so. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come? Let us not resist God changing us from who we are today who He desires us to be. Resistance is Futile, let God have His way in your life. As the Apostle Paul wrote, in 2 Corinthians 4:17,...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1303 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNew Wine and Old Skins – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1303 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, as I observe others growing older, including myself, there seems to be a resistance to change for many people, and they seem to give up on actively impacting the lives of others. As a Christ-Follower, is there a time in our lives where we have done enough, and just sit back?
New Wine and Old SkinsThere has never been a better time to be alive, regardless of your age. Life expectancy and quality of life for those who were once considered elderly are greater today than in most of all history. There is very little reason to retire in the sense that we have thought about it for several generations. While you may not continue to work or minister in the same places and in the same manner as you once did, there is no excuse to stop. The old sayings of yesteryear such as “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” or “He’s old and stuck in his ways,” or “She’s never going to change” no longer need to apply. There is so much new information to learn and put into practice, and there is a little impediment that is age-related.
There is an ingrained, all-too-often-proved-true, prejudice that when we get older, we can't, or won't, change any more. This is despite some great examples in the Bible — like Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and Caleb and that's just the first six books — and some great passages of Scripture that challenge us to keep on changing to become more like Jesus. Listen to 2 Corinthians 4:16 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A16&version=NLT) That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
God gives us freedom through the Spirit to kingdom building for Him regardless of age. Luke 2:22-38 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A22-38&version=NLT) . I wonder how many asked them, “Why can't you just act your age?” or “When are you going to be more realistic?” But they kept believing — believing in the vision and the answer to their prayers. Building God’s Kingdom here on earth has little to do with our age, and especially when you are not working full time, then there is more time to focus on helping others that may be struggling. It is a matter of the heart, not your age.
On top of the biblical examples are the modern ones. Here are some examples that I am familiar with. A man who is nearly 82 has been going on mission trips to Ghana and Central...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1302 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWar Stories – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1302 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
War StoriesOne day down at the VFW hall, four old veterans were bragging about the heroic exploits of their ancestors.
Hank started the exploits by saying, “My grandfather was in the infantry during the Battle of Cantigny, where he was engaged in hand to hand combat with Germans. This was the first sustained American offensive during World War 1. He barely escaped with his life.”
Jim followed with his story and declared proudly, “That is interesting, Hank, but my great grandfather, at age 13, was a drummer boy at Shiloh. He came out unscathed during one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in the Civil War.”Sam went next and boasted, “Those are both pretty good story, but my great-great-grandfather was a crucial general in the Battle of Saratoga during the revolutionary war, although he was injured, that battle ended up being the turning point of the entire war.”
Joe was the last one to speak. He sat leaned back in his chair deep in thought, and finally spoke up. "Well, I'm the only soldier in my family, but if my great grandfather was living today, he'd be the most famous man in the world."
Hank, Jim, and Sam all gave Joe a curious look. Finally, Sam said, "Really? What'd your grandfather do?"
Joe scratched his head and then finally said, “Nothing much, really. But he would be 165 years old by now”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “ (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/270116?ref=war-stories) ”
(https://www.azquotes.com/author/13493-William_Tecumseh_Sherman)
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+24:6&version=NLT)
So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1301 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1301 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Holy Ground and Sacrifices – Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1301 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Holy Ground and Sacrifices Insight Twenty-Nine: Biblical Writers Took the Concept of Holy Ground Seriously.To the ancient Israelite, the world was a perilous place. Not only did most people live a subsistence lifestyle, where daily bread was a literal concern, but they were surrounded by hostile supernatural forces. God’s choice of Israel was a blessing, but it came on the heels of the terrible judgment at the Tower of Babel, where all the other nations were allotted to the dominion of lesser gods as we looked at in Deuteronomy 32:8-9 in a previous week. At that point it Israel was alone against the world.
This worldview operated in tandem with an idea fundamental to biblical theology: the holiness of God. Last week we discussed how if something was set aside for God was considered holy; therefore, the things associated with him were holy or had to be made holy. Wherever the presence of God was to be found, that place was by definition holy ground. The most obvious example is the territory encompassed by the tabernacle and, later, the temple. Only priests—people who had been made holy that is, set apart or “sanctified” by ritual acts, were allowed on that holy ground.
The concept was actually broader. While the Israelites journeyed to the promised land, “holy ground” was also equated with the entire camp of Israel since the ark located within the Holy of Holies was at the center of the camp (Numbers 2—3). This is why, in the Day of Atonement ceremony, the goat that bore the sins of the nation was driven out of the camp (Leviticus 16). Sin has no place on holy ground.
Once the Israelites settled in the promised land—God’s domain—the entire land was considered holy ground. Everywhere outside Israel was unholy.
Some odd episodes in the Old Testament are understandable in light of this worldview. In 2 Kings 5, we read the story of Naaman, the Syrian captain who had leprosy. Once miraculously healed. Naaman asked the prophet, Elisha, if he could load his mule with dirt to take home with him. The request seems ridiculous, but isn’t. Naaman recognized that Yahweh of Israel was the true God, so Naaman wanted to take some holy ground back with him to Syria, which was ruled by another god, Rimmon. This is found in 2 Kings 5:15-18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+5%3A15-18&version=NLT) , Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1300 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOnly With Gratitude – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1300 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and it is: In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others.
Only With GratitudeRegardless of our personal situation or station in life, we all have so much to be grateful for. Most of us don’t take the time to ponder how blessed we really are. All of those who have gone before us, and those who are now impacting our lives have provided much to us and have contributed to who we are today. We need to be thankful for this. If we desire to be truly rich in life, it will always stem from a heart and soul of gratitude, regardless of what we have in the way of money or material possessions. So often, we become self-absorbed to the point where we think that our contribution to others is much greater than what we receive. This is usually not the case. In our lives, we receive so much from others and we need to set aside a few moments each day to consider and be grateful for all the blessings in our lives. Indeed, every breath that we take, is given to us from God. Every achievement we reach is a gift from God. Regardless of our lot in life, or our current circumstances, let us make the decision that each day we will set time aside to be thankful for all of God’s blessings that cascade through our lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians+5:18&version=NLT)
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1299 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1299 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBattles and Blessings – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1299 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In one of my devotionals this year, it discussed how each of us has good times and difficult times in our lives as if it were an either-or situation. In our meditation today, let us consider:
Battles and BlessingsSome times in the Christian life, it seems like we are on a constant roller coaster of, “battle and blessing, battle and blessing, battle and blessing…”
When we are in the battle, there are many who find it hard to believe that it will ever come to an end. When we are in a period of blessing the same thought comes to many and they expect it will go on forever. But life is not like that. There are battles and blessings.
Pastor Rick Warren says that he used to think that the Christian life was a succession of battles and blessings, whereas now he thinks of life as being on two parallel tracks. At any given moment in life, there are usually blessings but also battles to face.
He gives the example of the huge blessing that came to him through the publication of The Purpose Driven Life, which became the fastest-selling Christian book of all time. It gave him enormous influence. But at the same time, he found out that his wife, Kay, had cancer. On one track of his life, there was great blessing; on the other track, there was a massive battle to face.
Proverbs 1:1-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1%3A1-7&version=NLT) will help us to learn to steer through battles and blessings.
The purpose of the book of Proverbs is stated right from the start: in verses 1-3 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
These Proverbs tell you how life usually works. They provide pragmatic and wise advice learned from a lifetime of experience. They help you attain ‘wisdom and discipline,’ two very vital aspects of life, which do not happen overnight.
Verses 4-6 continues this thought,
These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
The purpose of the book is to enable you to gain Wisdom which is the art of steering through the battles and blessings of life and living skillfully in whatever conditions you find yourself. Wisdom is choosing to do now what you will be happy and content with...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1298 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife Happens Fast – Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1298 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com (mailto:guthrie@wisdom-trek.com)
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, life just seems to slip by faster each year. I want to live a life of purpose, but most of the time, it seems like I am just racing from one event onto another, with little time to breathe, let alone reflect on what is most important. What wise tips can you give me to help slow down and live a full life, not a fast life?
Life Happens FastI am not sure that I am the best qualified to answer this, but I doubt that few of us have the speed of life under as much control as we should. We hear the admonition to stop and smell the roses, or the coffee, but few of us really do. I love the smell of both roses and coffee, but I have to ask myself, do I invest enough time doing so? We all need to learn to, watch more closely, to pay attention, to slow down, and to invest our time wisely. For most of us, life comes at us full force from our first breath and does not slow down until our last. We think in our minds, there is no time to waste. It is time we consider and practice the art of investing our time so that it daily reaps rewards that are eternal. That can’t happen when life is a blur.
Yes, scripture informs us that life is short, but we will make it shorter if we do not invest time properly. It is eternal kingdom work that we need to focus on James 4:14-15 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4%3A14-15&version=NLT) How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
Since we do not know how our lives will impact eternity, we must invest our lives carefully with wisdom Ephesians 5:15-16 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A15-16&version=NLT) So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
When we live life on a treadmill or hamster wheel running ever faster but getting nowhere, we lose our joy and purpose for living and will have little impact on eternity. The evil one is a joy robber. John 10:10 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A10&version=NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. Jesus cares little for how fast we rush through life, but instead,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1297 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCountryside Community Church – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1297 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Countryside Community ChurchOn Sunday, Pastor Jones, the new young pastor at Countryside Community Church, arrived at church and found that the only who had shown up so far was old farmer Smith who owned a nearby small dairy farm.
After waiting a while, hoping that others would show up, pastor Jones was really disappointed. Finally, exasperated, Pastor Jones remarked to old farmer Smith, "Well, it appears no one else is coming, so we should probably cancel service today."
Farmer Smith stared at Pastor Jones for a bit, then he looked down at his clothes, knowing he was dressed in his Sunday best, he thought for a moment more then looked at the young Pastor Jones and said, "Well pastor, I don't know much 'bout preachin', but I do know something bout farmin' and if I went out in the field and found only one cow, I'd still feed 'em."
All excited, young Pastor Jones ran up to the pulpit and proceeded to preach for the next 45 minutes a fierce fire and brimstone sermon like he had never preached before. Once Pastor Jones finally wrapped up his sermon, including an invitation, he proceeded off the platform. Feeling really good about his message, he went and shook old Farmer Smith’s hand and asked the old farmer what he thought.
Farmer Smith thought a bit as he looked into the distance and then said, "Well, Pastor Jones, I don't know much bout preachin', but I do know somethin' 'bout farmin' and if I went out in the field and found only one cow, I wouldn't give 'em the whole bale of hay."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “If I ever wrote a book on preaching, it would contain three words: Preach the Word. Get rid of all the other stuff that gets you sidetracked; preach the Word.
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A2&version=NLT)
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1296 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1296 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Holiness and Theology– Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1296 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Holiness And Theology Insight Twenty-Seven: The Biblical Concept of Holiness Includes, but Is Not Limited To, Moral BehaviorHoliness is one of the more frequent characterizations of God in the Bible.
Unfortunately, what the concept actually means is frequently misunderstood. In our modern context, holiness is typically associated with moral behavior, particularly in a negative sense—avoiding certain behaviors produces or demonstrates holiness. The behaviors to be avoided are either the moral prohibitions in the Bible or the activities a Christian subculture does not associate with God’s own character.
Holiness in the Bible relates to personal conduct, but the concept is much broader. The description "holy” is applied to an amazingly diverse list of things, including: God (Leviticus 11:44—45); people (Leviticus 21:7), days (Genesis 2:3), ground (Exodus 3:5), offerings (Leviticus 2:3); garments (Exodus 28:2), oil (Exodus 30:25), events (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:27), structures (Exodus 26:33; Psalm 5:7) water (Numbers 5:17), divine beings (Deuteronomy 33:2), utensils (1 Kings 8:4), and bread (Exodus 29:34). Since many of these items are inanimate objects, moral purity is not in the picture.
In simplest terms, one thing unites the items on this list: they are all associated with God. Holiness is therefore linked to the person and presence of God. For that reason, scholars have concluded that the best way to understand holiness is God’s utter uniqueness—his “otherness” in relation to all things. When a person, place, or thing is called holy, the point is that the person, place, or thing is set aside exclusively for God’s use, service, or remembrance. Whatever is holy is by definition not to be used by, attributed to, or associated with any other person, place, or thing. Holiness speaks of uniqueness because God is unique.
For this reason, the antonym of holiness is not a word like “evil” or “wickedness.” Rather, terms like “common” or “ordinary” better describe the polar opposite of holiness. If something was for everyday use in Israel, it was not holy. That which was holy was exclusively devoted to God and his service and worship. There was no middle ground.
Behavior becomes part of a discussion of holiness in its relationship to other concepts, such as clean and unclean or purity and impurity, terms that spoke of one’s ritual fitness for being in God’s presence (which was considered “sacred space”) or participating in religious rituals and practices.
The list above demonstrates...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1295 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAnother Fresh Year – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1295 (https://wisdom-trek.com/day-1295/) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from William Arthur Ward, and it is "Another fresh new year is here...another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give! This bright New Year is given to me to live each day with zest...to daily grow and try to be My highest and my best! I have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree, and sing more joyful songs."
Another Fresh Year
There is always something special about new beginnings that brings excitement and vigor into our lives. I think of the first crocus that pokes its bloom through the still cold ground as it is one of the first signs of spring and signals that warm weather and new growth will soon be seen everywhere.
We have just begun a brand new year, and with a brand new decade ahead of us, to me, it is really an exceptionally exciting time. As I age and gain wisdom that comes with years of living, I see this as a very exciting time to be alive. This is the most exciting time in history to be alive.
Technology breakthroughs in the form of medicine, farming, energy, environment, finances, communication, and a slew of other areas are globally providing more freedom, reducing poverty, extending life spans, providing energy, and connecting all nations in a more peaceful world than has ever been the case in all of human history.
You may not get this message from the major media outlets or the internet, but the true facts tell us a different story. There has never been a better time to be alive, and this really is exciting for me.
We all have to make a choice in how we will view this new year and new decade. You have another year to be alive! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give! This bright New Year is an opportunity to live each day with zest...to daily grow and try to be your highest and your best! You have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree, and sing more joyful songs. My admonition to you is to “Make it so!”
1 Corinthians 2:9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+2:9&version=NLT)
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1294 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com (https://wisdom-trek.com) . I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1294 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBearers of God's Image – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1294 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
Bearers of God’s Image Genesis 1:26-27 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A26-27&version=NLT) Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
It is so easy to allow the world to slip by as I attend to what I deem my very important tasks. Every day we pass by those who are less fortunate and down-trodden. We forget how simple it is to stop and look a person in the eye and recognize them as significant because they are also bearers of God’s image. It costs me so little to do so. What right do I have to devalue someone whom the Creator has deemed as valuable?
Mother Teresa saw Jesus in the poorest of the poor. When she picked up a person on the street, she was picking up Jesus. When she fed a person, she was feeding Jesus. When she bound the wounds of a leper, she was tending to Jesus. When they opened a Sisters of Charity House in the states for the first time, she said that the poverty of the wealthy nations was different from that of the third world countries. She said the greatest poverty in those nations is loneliness.
People are forgotten and dismissed. They are invisible. Jesus, however, seemed to see this type of person more than most. He served people at every level of socioeconomic status, yet he spent most of his time with the marginalized. His interactions had a common pattern. He looked at the person, touched them, and spoke to them. He recognized the value each person has before God.
We may not all have the opportunity to befriend the marginalized in the manner of Mother Teresa. However, we must come to terms with our compassion for others being part of the work of God in this hurting world.In what way can we join in?
Giving financially is one way, of course. There are many organizations that need our help as they work on the front lines with people in need.
Another way is to open our eyes to those who are “invisible” in our context. There are so many! This personal contact is a way that we can join this work of God in a more direct manner. We can find a myriad of other ways to connect to the invisible, left out, and forgotten.
Ask yourself, do I know the name of the person from whom where I shop for my daily needs. Have I asked about them and their family? When I am waiting for the check after meal out, is there an...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1293 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Right Response - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1293 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, as we begin this new year, it is my desire to be more civil, kind, and gracious in my communications with others. What wisdom tips do you have that will help me with this.
The Right Response
Even among Christ-followers, the topic of civility may produce little more than eye rolls and groans. We all have difficulties with our speech, especially when confronted by those whom we disagree with. Some people may think, This is the digital age, after all. Every voice deserves a platform, and everyone’s opinion is considered worthy, regardless of its merit or proximity to truth. The problem with that thought process is that it is not Biblical. If you spend any time scrolling through Twitter, or most other social media platforms you soon realize that the level of vitriol and lack of respect appears to be out of control. Unfortuneately, many Christ-followers are also involved with spewing hate and half-truths, with little knowledge or concern for whom they may impact.
When writing to the believers in Colossae, the Apostle Paul urged them to mark their speech with grace, especially when engaging with those who are not believers. Colossians 4:5-6
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.Some Christians confuse ‘grace-tinged’ speech with a lack of conviction as if civility and conviction can’t co-exit. Not only can they co-exist, but they are allies in the battle of ideas, both in private engagement and in the public square.
As a Christ-follower, you are called to something higher, to speak with grace, kindness, and love in an increasingly uncivil society thick with the rising cacophony of vulgarity, boorishness, hated, and lies. Unfortunately, public officials and most news media outlets are some of the worst offenders.God is concerned with both what we say and believe, and also how we articulate it. Our tongues should reflect the difference between light and darkness, and they should adorn the gospel well, rather than adopting the base rhetoric and arguments of the world.
In an increasingly verbal world, with every word we speak, type, or text, we must ask ourselves: Does this bring glory to God? Is what I am about to say building up God’s kingdom here on earth? If not,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1292 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Crash Landing – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1292 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Crash Landing
John and his good friend Jim were flying John’s private plane in the South Pacific to take aerial photos of uninhabited islands. Due to unexpected bad weather, they were blown far off course and ran low on fuel. Realizing that they would never get back to the airstrip, they decided they would try a crash landing on a strip of beach on one of the islands that looked wide and long enough for a successful landing.
Although the landing was very rough, they both survived without any extensive structural damage to the plane, but the landing caused all their radios and electrical equipment to short out. Jim climbed out of the plane and brushed himself off but freaked out and then proceeded to run all over the island to see if they had any chance of survival. When Jim returned, he rushed up to John and waving his hands frantically and screamed, “This island is uninhabited. There is no food; there is no water. We are going to die!”
John leaned back against the fuselage of the plane, folded his arms, and responded, “No, we're not. I make over $100,000 a week.”
Jim grabbed his friend John and shook him. “Listen to me! We are on an uninhabited island. There is no food, no water. We are going to die!”
John yawned, completely unruffled, again responded, “No, we will be fine, I make over $100,000 a week.”
Mystified, Jim, taken aback with such an answer, again repeated, “For the last time, I'm telling you we are doomed! There is NO ONE else on this island. There is NO food. There is NO water. We are, I repeat, we ARE going to die!”
Still unfazed, John looked Jim in the eyes, held the sides of his face and said, “Don't make me say this again. I make over $100,000 per week and I tithe 10 percent to our local church. My pastor WILL find us!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile onto some else; we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is “True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island... to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing.”
2 Corinthians 9:7
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1291 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Babel Frames History - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1291 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Babel Frames History
Insight Twenty-Five: The Rebellion at the Tower of Babel Frames the Rest of Biblical History
Dr. Heiser mentioned the Tower of Babel story (Gen. 11:1-9) in insight 11, which examined how ancient biblical people understood their world. Genesis 11 isn’t the only passage that talks about that event. Deuteronomy 32:8-9, one of the most important passages in the Old Testament for understanding the worldview of the people of the Bible, does as well. The NLT translates it this way:
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number in his heavenly court.
For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.
When God divided the nations—the punishment at Babel when the languages were confused—he distributed the nations among “his heavenly court.” Some Bible translations have “sons of Israel” instead of “his heavenly court.” The contextual problem with this is that Israel didn't exist at the time of the Tower of Babel. God called Abraham and began the nation of Israel after Babel (Genesis 12). “Sons of Israel” can’t be right. “His heavenly court” or “Sons of God” as in the ESV is also what the Dead Sea Scrolls say, which is the oldest manuscripts of the Bible. The ESV and NLT has the translation correct.
Deuteronomy 4:19-20 is the opposite side of that coin as it refers to the nation of Israel, "And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord , your God, gave them to all the peoples of the earth. Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today."
That passage has God allotting these other gods to the nations he dispersed at Babel. These two passages associated with the rebellion at Babel are the Old Testament’s explanation of why the other nations worship other gods: it’s divine punishment from the God of Israel.
So the Tower of Babel event is similar to Romans 1, where Paul tells us that God gave humankind over to its own rebellion. Because the nations would not obey him, God basically gave humanity over to lesser gods.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1290 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
New Challenges Bring New Opportunities – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1290 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Michael Josephson, and it is: Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities.
New Challenges Bring New Opportunities
As we begin a brand new year, and indeed a brand new decade, it is the perfect time to choose how you will face the new challenges and opportunities. It is refreshing to start a new year and a new decade, but it also comes with the associated responsibilities that we must be willing to accept. There are no rights without responsibility. They are twins and must be accepted together. If you live in the United States, our constitution states that “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all persons are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These rights do not guarantee us anything but must be pursued if we hope to attain them. There are two certainties that we can expect to happen in the new year.
The first certainty is that the new year will bring new challenges. Are you ready to take responsibility for and accept these challenges? The second certainty is that the new year will bring new opportunities. Are you ready to take responsibility and seize these new opportunities? Nothing will change in 2020 if nothing changes in your life. Yes, we will have challenges and difficulties, accept them, and turn them into opportunities to improve your life and the lives of those individuals whom you will impact.
As we face the challenges and seize the opportunities that will certainly come to us in the new year and decade, let us do so with God’s kingdom in mind. Let us pursue them fervently with the mindset that we are to help others as we ourselves grow and prosper. Keep the following truth in mind as you move forward.Galatians 6:10
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1289 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1289 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Rise Up! – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1289 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
Rise Up!
During my devotional/Bible study time, I came across a verse from the book of Leviticus 19:32 and it caused me to ponder a bit. Let me read it to you. Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord. Leviticus is a book in what is referred to as the Torah, which is attributed to Moses as the author. Leviticus specifically dives into the Old Testament laws that God established for the fledgling nation of Israel. Many times students of the Bible will skim through this book, or skip it completely, since many of the laws don’t really apply to what is called the Age of Grace, which are the precepts that Jesus Christ and the New Testament teaches us. The verse I read is part of the Old Testament law, but it is still a valuable principle for our lives today.
This is probably more on my heart now since our parents are elderly and need the care of others. My Dad is in a nursing home, and while he still remembers us, he has chronic dementia, can hardly hear us, even with hearing aids, and his conversations are very short, circular, and repeated over and over. Very recently, we also had to move Paula’s mom into an assisted living home after 10 years of living with Paula and me. It has come to the point where she needs more help than we can provide since we are both still working full time.
So the question that we ponder is, how can we best honor our parents as they continue to slowly slide down that slope of age-related issues? One of the ways we show our loyalty to God is to honor our parents, and indeed, all elders. This takes me back to our own parenting skills with our five children and their spouses.First, we model what we wanted our children to become. In the case with my Dad and Paula’s Mom, demonstrating care and concern for them, and all the elderly is, very important. As we did when they were young, our grown children need to see that the value of a life is not dependent on how much a person can accomplish, or even do own their own. The elderly deserve our respect and love simply because they were created as God’s image-bearers, just as we are. Besides, we are not in a position to evaluate someone else’s contribution to society, and especially their value to God. There is no limit to what someone can accomplish simply through their prayers.
Second, just as we worked hard to create a warm, safe environment of unconditional love for our children, we must do the same for the elderly. As we age and lose our cognitive and physical abilities,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1288 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
No Room - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1288 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue this Christmas week, instead of our ‘Ask Gramps’ episode, we will have one additional Christmas devotional to finish out this week. Today, let us consider;
No Room
As we think about the Christmas story and how there was no room for Mary and Joseph, so Jesus was born in a manger. Let me ask you, have you really made room in your heart for Jesus as your Savior?
I'm not talking about thinking about Jesus just during the Christmas season. I'm asking if you have given your heart to Jesus so that He can speak truth into your uncertainty, peace into your worry, hope into your discouragement, and joy into your sadness. To be a disciple of Jesus, it means that you follow Him. You do what He commanded, you follow His example, and you place Jesus Christ above all other claims on your heart. So, have you made room in your heart for Jesus?
You see, I'm sure if folks had known Who Jesus was before He was born that there would have been many people in Bethlehem who would have made room for His little family and for His birth. However, most were busy with guests in town for the census or working to make a little coin off the out-of-town folks who were crowding their streets. Jesus came to town in the womb of a simple young Jewish woman, and no one noticed, at least not till the angels alerted the shepherds, and they began to tell their story. So there was no room for these two simple God-fearing people expecting their first child. There was no room for Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and Savior of the world!
Today, however, I am asking if there is room in your heart for Jesus? Not just a quick acknowledgment of Him to fill your December with a touch of Christmas. Jesus wants to take up permanent residency so His character and compassion can permeate your heart. Jesus wants your heart to be His home until He can bring you home to the Father and you can be at your final home
Jesus is here, and He is also near. So, have you made room for Jesus all year through?Notice how simply Luke tells the story of Jesus’s birth. Notice the sad state of affairs at the end! Luke 2:1-7
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
More than there not being room in the inn for Jesus, most folks did not have room in their hearts for Him. But for those who did... ah, focus on the following truth the apostle John states, for it applies for you, too!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1287 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Christmas Questions – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1287 of our Trek and since this is Christmas week, instead of a funny story, I will read a series of Christmas questions written by David Veerman for us to ponder this season. Consider this your vitamin supplement of joy for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s reading which is titled:
Christmas Questions
How could you LOVE
creatures of shame
defying your word,
defiling your name?
How could you LEAVE
your heavenly throne,
descending to earth
to make us your own?
How could you LIVE
here, in Mary's womb,
a perfect baby, boy, and man
from the manger to the tomb?
Overwhelmed with the truth
of your humble submission
coming in the flesh and
completing your mission
I ask, how can I LOVE
those far and near
praying and telling
your truth made clear?
And how can I LEAVE
comfort and ease
at Spirit's urging
just you to please?
And how can I LIVE
what the gospel reveals,
in values and actions,
so transparent and real?
O Jesus, the Christ,
the incarnate Word,
crucified, risen,
my Savior and Lord
These Christmas reminders
of your grace and mercy abound
to this desperate sinner
so lost but now found!I hope that will give you something to think about today. Our Thursday thought is: " Blessed is the season that engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."
John 1:10
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1286 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1286 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Savior of the World - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1286 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Since this episode will be aired on Christmas Day, we will take a break this week for a special Christmas message and then return to our series on Mastering the Bible next Wednesday. Today we will consider:
Savior of the World
The Father loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to our world to show you His love. The goal of God's love is our salvation — salvation FROM sin and death, as well as salvation FOR a life of blessing, purpose, and meaning.
I know it's hard to believe that a little child in a manger could be the Savior of the world. But that is who Jesus is. He was born into a Jewish family, with Jewish ancestry, and in fulfillment of Jewish hopes and dreams. He came to bring God's blessings to God's chosen people, the Jews. But, He also came for you, whether you are Jewish or not. God's love is for all the people of the world, no matter their cultural background, heritage, language, or ethnicity. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this was said about Jesus Christ right before His birth:
He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
(Luke 2:32)
So when you think of Jesus in the manger and celebrate His coming, remember that the great I AM is not only the Savior of the world, but He also came to be your personal Savior, too!
The Father didn't just say He loves you; He showed it by sending Jesus to be your Savior!
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
(John 3:16-17)
Jesus is your Savior, the sinless sacrifice Who is your Defender and Advocate in heaven. But remember, as important as you are to Jesus, He made this sacrifice for others also, even those who don't know Him. So please let them know this story of grace!My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
(1 John 2:1-2)
Jesus’s love is not complete until it comes alive in you and is shared with others.
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
(1 John 4:16)
Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1285 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Light of the World – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1285 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
In Celebration of Christmas this week, our wisdom nugget is about the coming of Christ to earth. This is the true heart of the Christmas story. All wisdom comes from God, so I will be reading, without commentary today from the Book of the Apostle John 1:1-18
The Light of The World
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1284 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1284 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Follow The Light – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1284 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
Follow the Light
As you give gifts to others this Christmas, let us meditate on the ultimate gift that was given to us through Christ. Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything?
The Wise Men did. They can be an example for us. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can give him today: their hope, their time, and their worship.
The wandering wise men gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky, this small band of men saw the light. The sight of the star sparked a desire in their hearts that send them traveling from a far off land. They went, seeking Jesus.When night comes to your world, what do you see? The darkness or the stars? Hopelessness or hopefulness? Sometimes, just as He did so long ago, God uses the darkness to reveal his stars. In John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. So while you are giving gifts the season, give God your hope for Christmas.
While you’re giving, give God your time. The wise men did. Before they gave God their presents, they gave their presence. It’s likely that these men traveled as long as two years before locating the prince of heaven. Before that one incredible moment when they knelt before Jesus, the wise men spent many moments, months, perhaps years searching, in anticipation of that meeting. Just as the wise men devoted themselves to seeking the Savior, so can you. Deuteronomy 4:29 But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
Once the Wise Men completed their search for the King of Kings, the wise men gave Jesus another gift: their worship. These were men of great wealth, influence, and intellect: what did they do when they saw Jesus? Matthew 2:11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.Worship. It’s a gift that extends to the giver as well. Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1283 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Did The Shepherds Think? - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1283 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I have always been intrigued by the fact that the Angels first announced the birth of Christ to the lowly shepherds in the field. Do you have insights you can share about the significance of this announcement?
What Did The Shepherds Think?
Let me first share this account from Luke 2:7-14
She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Their part in the life of Christ did not end on the night of His birth.
How did they feel when the angels told them of Christ's birth?
Certainly, they were awestruck. They were most likely quite shocked to be chosen to receive this announcement. They were, after all, fairly low on the social scale even though they were the guardians of the main resource of the towns' primary industry. They were perhaps not well known for their social skills. They were out in the hills by themselves for long periods of time, and human interaction seldom occurred. The appearance of angels announcing a birth would be shocking enough, but they must have wondered at the significance of their inclusion in it at all. They were, as a matter of course, avoided by the general population.
Perhaps it was later that they began to understand the significance of their role in Jesus' life. Perhaps even years later, when Jesus' ministry was in full swing, and if they realized that this Jesus was the same babe, they once honored, when John the Baptist announced Him as the Lamb of God, maybe it was then that they began to see the implication of their presence i...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1282 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Twas The Night Before Christmas (for Moms) – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1282 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Twas The Night Before Christmas (for Moms)
Twas the night before Christmas
When all thru the abode
Only one creature was stirring
And she was cleaning the commode.
The children were finally sleeping
All snug in their beds,
While visions of Nintendo and Barbie
flipped through their heads.
The dad was snoring in front of the TV
with a half-constructed bicycle on his knee.
So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter
Which made her sigh, "Now, what's the matter?"
With toilet bowl brush
Still clutched in her hand
She descended the stairs and saw the old man.
He was covered with ashes and soot, which fell with a shrug.
"Oh great," muttered the mom, "Now I have to clean the rug."
"Ho-ho-ho!" cried Santa, "I'm glad you're awake."
"Your gift was especially difficult to make."
"Thanks, Santa, but all I want is some time alone."
"Exactly!" he chuckled, "I've made you a clone."
"A clone?" she asked, "What good is that?
Run along, Santa, I've no time for chit-chat."
The mother's twin,
Same hair, same eyes,
Same double chin.
"She'll cook, she'll dust," she'll mop every mess.
You'll relax, take it easy,
Watch The Young & the Restless."
"Fantastic!" the mom cheered.
"My dream come true! "
I'll shop. I'll read.
I'll sleep a whole night through!"
From the room above the youngest began to fret.
"Mommy?! I scared... and I wet."
The clone replied, "I'm coming, sweetheart."
"Hey," the mom smiled, "She knows her part."
The clone changed the small one and hummed a tune
As she bundled the child in a blanket cocoon.
"You're the best mommy ever. I really love you."
The clone smiled and sighed, "I love you, too."
The mom frowned and said, "Sorry, Santa, no deal."
That's my child's love she's trying to steal."
Smiling wisely Santa said, "To me it is clear.
Only one loving mother is needed here."
The mom kissed her child and tucked her into bed.
"Thank you, Santa," for clearing my head.
I sometimes forget it won't be very long
when they'll be too old for my cradle-song."
The clock on the mantle began to chime.
Santa whispered to the clone,
"It works every time."
With the clone by his side, Santa said, "Goodnight
Merry Christmas, dear Mom. You'll be just fine!"
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1281 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Genealogies - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1281 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Genealogies
Insight Twenty-Three: Old Testament Genealogies Were Not Intended to Be Precise Indicators of the Age of the EarthThe genealogies of Genesis 5 are significant for understanding the Old Testament, but not in the way they are often referenced.
Since the seventeenth century, Bible readers have presumed that the genealogies of the Old Testament were written to provide a chronology for the history of the world. That notion was popularized in 1650 with the publication of Bishop James Ussher’s “Annals of the Old Testament, deduced from the first origins of the world”- Ussher’s chronology used the genealogies to date the creation of the world to October 23, 4004 BC.
There are many problems with Ussher’s chronology. It would, for example, put the flood at the time of the building of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Even if the flood was a regional and not a global event, it would have made the construction of this pyramid unworkable due to its proximity to the Nile and the Nile Delta. Egyptian records prior to and after the Great Pyramid’s construction say nothing about a great flood during this time.
However, the real problems with Ussher’s work are biblical. Ussher was unaware of certain things that are common knowledge in biblical scholarship today. For example, manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible do not all agree when it comes to the genealogical sequence or year numbers of the preflood individuals listed in Genesis 5. The sequence of the generations in Genesis 4 and 5 is also not identical. This has led scholars over the years to propose that the genealogies are selective, which is obvious from the genealogies of Jesus in the New Testament.
While gaps are possible, there are other issues that speak to a deliberate construction of the genealogies. Several scholars have proposed that the year numbers in Genesis 5 have a mathematical explanation—in effect, a cipher or code- meant to telegraph information about the individuals in the list. However, none of the proposals has won a consensus of acceptance. Another approach has observed that genealogies from contemporary literature follow a pattern evident in Genesis 5. Specifically, several genealogies from the Old Babylonian period arrange names by tens even when the results do not account for people known from other sources to have lived in the same periods. In Genesis 5, there are ten generations before the flood, and ten after the flood. The listing may,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1280 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Love What You Are Doing – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1280 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ray Kroc, and it is: If you work just for the money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.
Love What You Are Doing
If your desire to be successful is based on just obtaining money, you will never be truly successful. You may gain money initially, but if money is the driver for success, you will soon compromise your integrity and values in the pursuit of more money. You must love what you are doing, and look to improve the lives of others through the product or services that you offer. If your overall desire is to make a positive impact on others so that they can grow and find fulfillment in their lives, then you will also grow, find fulfillment, and succeed in your own life. Learn to put other needs of others as a driving force behind your desire for success, and success will be yours. This is not tied directly to monetary gain, but if you practice these principles faithfully, and with perseverance, then financial success will be the by-product of your efforts. You don’t need to try and impress others or be selfish, but the proof of your sincere desire to help others will be shown in your actions.Philippians 2:3-4
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1279 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1279 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Purpose That Brings Meaning To Life – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1279 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
Purpose That Brings Meaning To Life
Viktor Frankl who was a prisoner of war in the Nazi concentration camps said: “The lesson one could learn from Auschwitz, and in other concentration camps, in the final analysis, was, those who were oriented toward a meaning — toward a meaning to be fulfilled by them in the future — were most likely to survive.”
The apostle Paul said it this way in Romains 8:18:
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
Paul survived many difficult challenges in his life. Some included anguish for being involved in persecuting the early church and supervising the stoning of Stephen (1 Timothy 1:12-14). Other challenges had to do with painful suffering and abuse he endured — hardship through shipwrecks, financial hard times, and physical afflictions (2 Corinthians 11:23-27; Philippians 4:11-13). He would eventually face martyrdom (2 Timothy 4:6-8). No matter the mountains in the way, no matter the severity of his suffering, no matter the difficulty of the challenges, Paul faced them with purpose because he knew his life had meaning in Jesus!
How did he survive these ordeals and keep going? Where did the old apostle find such resiliency in the face of such stiff opposition? How did Paul tap into such persevering strength that allowed him to persevere to his end?
Paul looked forward to a bright future with Jesus beyond this life (2 Corinthians 5:1-8; 2 Timothy 4:6-8). He was confident that when his life was over on earth, Jesus was waiting to welcome him into his presence: until then, he knew God had important work for him to do (Philippians 1:19-26). While he waited for the eventual end of his life, Paul lived passionately to fulfill his calling from God. Paul believed that his life had meaning after his earthly life ended. He also trusted that God had a purpose for his life while he was still alive.
Viktor Frankl, in his epic book, Man's Search for Meaning, suggested that we, as human beings, can survive almost any “how” if we have a “why”! We can endure almost anything if our lives have meaning and purpose!In Psalm 139:13-16, David talks about God being present in every dimension and time in our lives. He specifically talks about when our life began and when God first filled our existence with his purpose and meaning:
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1278 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Right Kind of Confidence - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1278 of our trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey Gramps, there are certain people who seem to be confident about everything they do. I struggle with confidence and am afraid if I act confident, then I will appear to be arrogant. Do you have some wise tips to help me be genuinely confident?”
The Right Kind of Confidence
First, not everyone who appears to be confident really is confident. I have observed many a person who shows a display of confidence, but under the surface, they struggle with maintaining a good self-image. This usually displays itself in the form of arrogance. So be careful about observing others and trying to imitate them because they may be struggling with issues you have no knowledge of.
Although there is a danger of placing too much confidence in ourselves, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be confident. I have been told that I come off as very confident, and for the most part, I feel that I am. This is because of what, or more specifically, whom I put my confidence in. A truly confident person will not come off as arrogant or forceful, but with a quiet spirit of humility. A truly confident person will have an unswerving demeanor where very little of life struggles will phase that person.
It boils down to the fact that we have every right to be supremely confident in our position in Christ and in our future, which is secured by Him. In fact, to not be supremely confident is not humility; but it is unbelief. It is to discount God’s promises and live at a level far beneath what He has offered us. We often do that because we don’t feel worthy and God’s promises can sound too good to be true. You must remember that is the Almighty God we are talking about! He does not offer stingy forgiveness or measly power or meager promises. He offers more than we could ever ask or think as we are told in Ephesians 3:20, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." We must take Him at His word and believe.
What are some things that we can be confident about? For starters, we are completely forgiven and accepted by God, both now and forever. Ephesians 3:12 says, "Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence." Our sin is no longer a barrier between God and us. The access,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1277 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It Is The Results That Count – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1277 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
It Is The Results That Count
Pastor Joseph Snow dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans.
Saint Peter says to this guy, "Who are you, so that I may know whether to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?"
The guy replies, “I'm Joe Cohen, taxi driver, of Noo Yawk City.”
Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the taxi driver, “Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The taxi driver goes into Heaven with his robe and staff, and it's the pastor’s turn.
He stands erect and booms out, “I am The Reverend Joseph Snow, pastor of First Baptist Church for the last 43 years.”
Saint Peter consults his list. He says to the pastor, “Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
“Just a minute!” says the pastor. “That man was a taxi driver, and he gets a silken robe and golden staff. How can this be?”
“Up here, we work by results,” says Saint Peter. “While you preached, people slept. While he drove, people prayed.”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “We're called to be faithful, to take those first difficult steps--and to leave the results up to God.”
Matthew 20:16, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1276 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1276 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Writers Used Translations - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1276 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Writers Used Translations
Insight Twenty-One: The Biblical Writers Used Translations of the Bible
Dr. Heiser shares his own experience as a Bible teacher. He says, “When I was teaching full-time, I’d occasionally hear students lament having to read the Bible in translation. Some would even wonder if they could trust their translations. I would tell students they need not worry about the issue since biblical writers used them.”
Dr. Heiser was speaking primarily about how the New Testament writers quote the Old Testament. The New Testament was written in Greek. The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, with a few portions written in Aramaic. When New Testament writers quote the Old Testament, they usually use something called the Septuagint, which was an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament.
It’s interesting to note that the Septuagint wasn’t always literal in its translation of the Old Testament. That didn’t bother the New Testament writers. For example, a pretty literal rendering of Amos 9:11-12 reads like this:
“In that day I will restore the fallen house of David.
I will repair its damaged walls.
From the ruins, I will rebuild it
and restore its former glory.
And Israel will possess what is left of Edom
and all the nations I have called to be mine.”
The Lord has spoken,
and he will do these things.
In literal terms, the prophecy seems to be about repairing a physical structure, perhaps a tent booth (Deuteronomy 16:13-16) or a wall. Many readers would anticipate the prophecy is about the rebuilding of David’s house or, by extension, his dynasty. The result would be the “what is left of Edom and all the nations” would be possessed by “house of David.”Luke quotes this passage in Acts 15:16-17 and the wording changes:
“Afterward I will return
and restore the fallen house of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and restore it,
so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,
including the Gentiles—
all those I have called to be mine.
The Lord has spoken.”
Notice that Edom becomes “the rest of humanity” in Luke’s rendering, while “nations” become the more specific “gentiles.” The reason for the difference is that Luke is using the Septuagint. Edomites in the Old Testament were estranged relatives to Israel. In the context of Acts 15,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1275 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wish For Success– Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1275 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Joseph Addison, and it is: If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.
Wish For Success
All of us wish to be successful in all areas of our lives. The problem is, just wishing is not actually doing anything. As a child, when we would use the phrase, I wish for… (whatever it was we wished for) my Grandma Burkhart used to say, wish in one hand and spit in the other, and see which one fills up first. In other words, you must do more than wish, you have to act. In order for your actions to bring success, there are some things that have to be in place and incorporated into your life. The first one is, perseverance must become your close ally and trail mate on your trek of life. Without dogged perseverance, you will soon quit at the first sign of adversity. You also must gain experience, because it is through experience that you will gain the wisdom needed to succeed and avoid the pitfalls of the past. You must use that wisdom to provide caution as an older loving brother would provide to you as they assisted you on your path of success. In addition to what we have just mentioned, you must never lose hope. Hope is what will drive you forward, when all seems lost, and you are heading towards failure. Hope, coupled with perseverance, wisdom, and caution, will continue to be fellow comrades on your trek to success.
Most of all though, the hope that you have must be hope in what God will provide for you. He will make your plans successful as you are faithful to Him, and have the faith that He will allow us to succeed.
Joshua 1:7
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1274 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1274 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Great Grace (Part 2) – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1274 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
God’s Great Grace (Part 2)
Last Meditation Monday, we will learn what the Apostle Peter had to say about God’s Grace, if you missed last week’s podcast it is located at Wisdom-Trek.com/day-1269. Today’s Meditation Monday, we will learn God’s grace through the Prophet Daniel.
Put your trust in the God of all grace
As with most of us, you probably work in a secular environment where those around you may have very different standards to your own?
The book of Daniel charts the lives and careers of Daniel and three other young men, who were able to flourish in the Babylonian Civil Service. Their example gives you a great model for how to work in a godly way, in a context where God is not acknowledged or followed. This mirrors the situation in most ‘secular’ workplaces. Daniel, therefore, a goldmine of practical examples and help.
We see the four friends co-operating with their employers, but without compromise. They refuse to conform, but they throw themselves wholeheartedly into their new situation and career. They undergo three years of leadership training and preparation. They allow their names to be changed to reflect that they are now part of the Babylonian administration, and subsequently, they all seem to pursue successful careers.At the same time, they resolved not to compromise their beliefs or defile themselves. You can defile yourself today by the kind of films and TV you watch, the internet sites you visit, or the things you listen to. ‘Daniel resolved not to defile himself. We read in Daniel 1:8, But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. We are not sure why Daniel considered the food defiled. This was perhaps because the royal food had been a sacrificial offering to the Babylonian gods, or it was food forbidden in the law. Regardless, it was their deep conviction to remain pure. They never allowed their commitment to their new careers to trump their higher allegiance to God.
However, Daniel was wise enough not just to disobey, he tried to work with those in authority over him. He asked for permission, and then God, in His grace, caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel because of their work ethics and manner of character, Daniel 1:9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.
The expectation for the standard of character and work was set high by King...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1273 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Choices You Make - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1273 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, there are some big decisions and choices that are coming up in my life. How can I make sure that I make the right choices when there are so many options available?
The Choices You Make
Every day we have choices to make. Sometimes they are big and life-changing choices, but most choices that we make each day, don’t seem to make that big of impact. What you may not realize is that all big decisions and choices that we make are an accumulation of many seemingly insignificant choices that we have made. For example, if you spend $5.00 each day to buy a cup of gourmet coffee, that may not seem like much of a choice and would not have a major impact. If you saved that $5 per day, that would accumulate to over $18,000 over the next 10 years, not including interest that you have earned. Now is that such an insignificant choice? Every choice has consequences. Which may be positive or negative. Also for every YES choice that we make, then you are by default making many NO choices. This goes both ways, wise or unwise.
The single most important choice in life is your choice to follow God and accept Christ as your substitution for your sins. God gave this choice to the nation of Israel, and it still applies to us today. Deuteronomy 30:19-20
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
So let me ask you a few questions. What are some of the right choices you have made? Your choice of a spouse? Disciplining and earning the respect of your children? Staying at home, or staying in a lower paid job because it was best for your family? What rewarding consequences did your choices bring?Have you made some small and large wrong choices? How about taking a promotion you knew would keep you away from your family without seeking God’s will and your family's input about it first? How about choices about drinking, drugs, or pornography, which led to addictions in your life?
Of course,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1272 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Basic Necessities – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1272 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Basic Necessities
As a young married couple, Jim and Jenni lived in a cheap military housing complex near the base where Jim was deployed, and Jenni worked.
Their chief complaint was that the walls were paper-thin and that they had no privacy what-so-ever. They could hear everything their neighbors said and did, which at times was quite embarrassing. Jim and Jenni always tried to be as quiet as they could, but sometimes it was difficult. This became painfully obvious when one morning Jim was upstairs using the restroom, and Jenni was downstairs on the telephone talking with her mom.
All of a sudden, Jenni was interrupted by the doorbell, so she quickly ended her call and went to greet her neighbor Sue who was at the door.
When Jenni opened the door, Sue exclaimed, “Give this to your husband,” as she thrust a roll of toilet paper into Jenni’s hands. “He's been yelling for it for 15 minutes!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “You never realize what you have until it’s gone…toilet paper is a good example.”
Isaiah 1:16
Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1272 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1271 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Written By Literary Artist - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1271 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Written By Literary Artist
Insight Nineteen: The Biblical Writers Were Literary Artist
Most of us can remember taking a course in high school or college about English literature. For Dr. Heiser, his experience was the course where he was first introduced to techniques used by writers beyond straightforward prose sentences. To be blunt, there are reasons why Shakespeare doesn’t sound like the newspaper. Fine literature like Shakespeare, and the Bible, is what it is because of deliberate techniques and strategies used by the writer.
The biblical writers use an amazing array of literary techniques. Some are familiar to us, like similes and metaphors, which are techniques that draw comparisons. Others, such as alliteration, are lost in translation. Alliteration is the intentional repetition of the same initial sound of nearby words. Familiar examples include “dead as a doornail” and “pretty as a picture.” The biblical writers use alliteration many times, but they do so in Hebrew and Greek.
Most literary techniques in the Bible, however, are easily discerned if one knows what to look for. The verse in 2 Chronicles 1:15 is illustrative of this. “The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah.” This verse is a clear use of hyperbole, a deliberate exaggeration for rhetorical effect. Biblical writers frequently employ merism, a combining of opposite parts, to signify a totality. The phrase “heaven and earth” (Exodus 31:17; Matthew. 5:18), which signifies all of creation, is a well-known example. At times, biblical poetry is organized by an acrostic, a succession of lines that begin with consecutive letters of the alphabet. Psalm 119 is a huge acrostic. The first eight lines begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the second series of eight begin with the second letter, and so on through the entirety of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 wasn’t downloaded into the head of the writer; it took deliberate planning and creativity.
Two of the most common literary techniques are associated with prophetic messaging. Both Old and New Testament writers use symbols known broadly in the ancient world. The book of Daniel describes four beasts coming up out of the sea (Daniel. 7:1-8). The beasts symbolize earthly empires. This technique is known from other ancient books outside the Bible that ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1270 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Invest In Yourself – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1270 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Sidney Madwed, and it is, "If you want to be truly successful, invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it and focus on it and persevere, your success will blossom."
Invest In Yourself
When we speak of making wise investments generally our minds go to financial investments. While that is important, the most important investment that you can make is the investment into yourself. The more that you focus and improve yourself, the more successful you will become. The more successful that you become, in all areas of life, the more equipped you will be to invest in the lives of others. The more that you are able to invest in the lives of others, the more successful they will become and in turn help them to invest in the lives of those whom they impact.
Your self-improvement will have an exponential impact on many that you do not even have a direct impact on. Your impact will cascade to impact many generations to come. So the net affect of investing in self-improvement will impact eternity. This is truly what Jesus Christ was referring to when He referenced building God’s kingdom, which is our primary mission as we travel through time as temporary residents and foreigners the few short years that we occupy this earth.
We, along with many others, work together in the building of God’s kingdom as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:5-11.
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1269 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1269 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Great Grace (part 1) – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1269 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
God’s Great Grace (Part 1)
This Meditation Monday, we will learn what the Apostle Peter had to say about God’s Grace, and next Monday we will learn God’s grace through the Prophet Daniel. It is only by God’s great grace that we can amount to anything. It reminds me of John Bradford (c.1510–1555), the English reformer, is said to have remarked as he saw a crowd of condemned criminals being led up to execution, : “There, but for the grace of God.” Another story is of John Newton is best known as composer of the hymn, ‘Amazing Grace,’ encapsulated the amazing grace of God in some of his last words as he lay dying in 1807, He declared: “I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great Saviour.”
In today’s New Testament passage, Peter speaks of the kindness of God, that is, His grace. 1 Peter 5:10 tells us, In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
How should you respond to God’s great grace?
Grace is a gift, and the appropriate response to a gift is thanksgiving. Praise is the supreme form of thanksgiving, and therefore praise and worship is the appropriate response to the God of all grace.
Let’s back up a bit and read Psalm 134:1–3
Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward the sanctuary,
and praise the Lord.
May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,
bless you from Jerusalem.
1 Peter 5:1–14 Show us how we are to respond to God’s grace, especially when we are in the position of authority over others.
First, you must humble yourself, as described in Verses 2-6.
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1268 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Thanksgiving - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1268 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I desire to be thankful for everything in my life, but sometimes this is really difficult. Can you help me frame my mindset so that thanksgiving becomes a habitual part of the fabric of my life?
True Thanksgiving
With nearly every aspect of our lives, as God’s image-bearer, we were created with a free will and the ability to choose. We can choose God, or reject Him. In the same way regardless of our daily situation, circumstances, and events we can choose a heart of thanksgiving or a heart of discontentment. Especially in our western world, we take so many good things about life for granted, and it is easy to become dissatisfied and ungrateful. We need to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving every day of the year. To allow thanksgiving to become a daily habit in your life, I think the following poem written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox will help you with your thanksgiving journey.
"Thanksgiving"
We walk on starry fields of white
And do not see the daisies,
For blessings common in our sight
We rarely offer praises.
We sigh for some supreme delight
To crown our lives with splendor,
And quite ignore our daily store
Of pleasures sweet and tender.
Our cares are bold and push their way
Upon our thought and feeling;
They hang about us all the day,
Our time from pleasure stealing.
So unobtrusive many a joy
We pass by and forget it,
But worry strives to own our lives,
And conquers if we let it.
There's not a day in all the year
But holds some hidden pleasure,
And, looking back, joys oft appear
To brim the past's wide measure.
But blessings are like friends, I hold,
Who love and labor near us.
We ought to raise our notes of praise
While living hearts can hear us.
Full many a blessing wears the guise
Of worry or of trouble;
Far-seeing is the soul, and wise,
Who knows the mask is double.
But he who has the faith and strength
To thank his God for sorrow
Has found a joy without alloy
To gladden every morrow.
We ought to make the moments notes
Of happy, glad Thanksgiving;
The hours and days a silent phrase
Of music we are living.
And so the theme should swell and grow
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1267 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Two Thanksgiving Funnies – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1267 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Two Thanksgiving Funnies
In honor of Thanksgiving Day in the United States, today we will have two funnies segments.
The first one is:
THANKSGIVING WEATHER FORECAST
Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.
During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.
A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 45F in the refrigerator.
Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.Now for the second funny:
8 SIGNS YOU OVERDID IT THIS THANKSGIVING
Paramedics bring in the Jaws of Life to pry you out of the recliner.
You get grass stains on your behind after a walk, but never sat down.
You receive a Sumo Wrestler application in your email.
You set off 3 earthquake seismographs on your morning jog Friday.
Pricking your finger for cholesterol screening only yielded gravy.
You have 5 TV sets side-by-side to catch all the football games.
Representatives from the Butterball Hall of Fame called twice.
Your arms are too short too reach the keyboard & stop this.
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “Thanksgiving is great because people tend to speak less when food is lodged in their mouths.”
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
I want to thank Mikey’s Funnies for our humor today @ mikeysfunnies.com
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1266 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Conveys Meaning - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1266 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Conveys Meaning
Insight Seventeen: The Writers of the Bible Structured What They Wrote to Convey Meaning
If you’ve ever had to outline a paper or prepare notes for a company meeting at work, you know that how the elements in your writing or presentation are arranged will matter a lot for how it’s received and understood.
How information is “packaged” can be crucial for comprehension. People who work with large amounts of data know especially well that their information presentation often dictates whether their work is grasped or ignored. For that reason, pollsters and statisticians often use visuals, infographics, pie charts, tables, to present their work. A good visual can draw the eye immediately to the most important points the data conveys.
When it comes to writing, skilled authors structure material for the same payoff. They may not use colorful graphs, but there are ways of structuring material to draw the eye, or, in the case of the ancient world, the ear, to the important points.
One example that’s well known to biblical scholars is the use of chiasm. The word chiasm is derived from the Greek letter chi, which is written like the letter X. Imagine cutting the X vertically in half. The arms of an X move toward the center point and then veer outward again in the opposite direction. Chiasm refers to doing that in writing. The writer builds a scene or an argument in one direction and then begins to “work backward” following the same path.
By way of illustration, consider Romans 2:6—11. Let me read this passage, He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritismNotice how the content of the verses moves toward a point (marked by letters) and then “reverses” itself element-by-element:
God will judge everyone equitably (v. 6).
Those who seek God's glory and honor will receive eternal life (v.7)
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1265 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Do What You Can Do – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1265 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Sasha Azevedo, and it is: If you want success, then don't rely on other people to do what YOU can do!
Do What You Can Do
To be successful, we do need the assistance of others along our trek of life, but we should not depend on others to do what we can do ourselves. Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. This does not excuse us from doing our part, but show us that we need to be constantly improving ourselves and those whom we impact. If you sit around waiting for others to make you more successful, then you will be sitting for a very long time. Instead, get up, get going, and then bring others along with you to sharpen you in those tasks that you are not particularly good at. We need to do what we can before we can ever expect others to come alongside us to fill in the gaps. Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. Let your light shine as an inspiration to all and be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people and God's grace. Telling the world you are trying, is not doing. Don’t make excuses, produce results. This is when you will have success for yourself as you sharpen others so they too can be successful.Romans 15:2
We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1264 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1264 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Five Treasures of the Christian Life – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1264 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our meditation today, let us consider:
Five Treasures of the Christian Life
The Christian life is multi-faceted. At any given moment, I find there are a number of different things going on at the same time. In the passages for today, we see five of these aspects, which all begin with the letter T. Over 30 years ago, Paula cross-stitched Psalm 127:1-5, and it continues to hang on our bathroom wall to this day. I read it often.
1. Trust
The Christian life is not meant to be one of self-dependent toil, but of dependent trust. With trust comes peace and sleep. Listen to verses 1-2
Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
As Victor Hugo wrote, ‘When you have... accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace; God is awake.’
It is easy to get caught up with our own plans for our lives, families, and ministries. This psalm is a wonderful reminder that ultimately you are totally dependent on the Lord.
This is a message of great comfort, but it is also a challenge. Is God part of everything you do? Are there any areas of your life where you are going it alone, and therefore ‘anxiously working for food to eat’?
God wants to be involved in every area of your life. If you want your work to have lasting value, you need to make sure you are partnering with the Lord and not going it alone. Trust God with your children as well. Children are a blessing (verses 3–5), and you have to trust God for them and for their future.
Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.
The next treasure is:
2. Trials
One of the things that you have in common with all Christians everywhere, is that we all face trials. The letter of James is written to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations (that is, to all Christians everywhere). James 1:2-5
In one of the strangest verses of the New Testament is James 1:2, where James writes, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1263 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What's In Your Cup? - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1263 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I know we should have self-control, but sometimes family members, friends, and work associates really get on my nerves, and I end up saying harsh words to them, which I probably shouldn’t. What wise tips do you have to help me overcome these negative character traits?
What’s In Your Cup?
First of all, you must accept full and total responsibility for your actions and reactions when you are dealing with other people. Yes, I understand that other people may irritate you and make you angry at times, but you are not responsible for how they treat you, only how you respond to others. Our actions and reactions are based on what we allow to permeate our minds.
Let’s say you are at the office, or even at home, and you are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere, including on yourself.
Why did you spill the coffee?
"Because someone bumped into me!!!"
No, I am afraid that is the wrong answer.
You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup.
Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.
Had it been a cup of chocolate milk, you would have spilled chocolate milk.
Do you know why? Because whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.
In the same manner, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you, will come out. It's easy to fake it, until you get really rattled, then whatever is inside you will come sloshing out spilling on whoever is near and all over yourself.
So I have to ask you... “what's in your cup?"
When life gets tough, what spills over?
Joy, gratefulness, peace, and humility?
Or… Anger, bitterness, harsh words, and reactions?
You have to realize this important point, life provides the cup, and it is up to YOU how you choose to fill it.
Today let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation, and kindness, gentleness, and love for others. The Bible tells us what happens with our cup, referred to as the heart, and it depends on what we fill our cups with. Matthew 12:33-37
“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1262 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Why Are You So Sad? – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1262 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit of levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
Why Are You So Sad?
Sam and his good friend Jim were walking towards each other on the sidewalk in the heart of town one day, so they stopped to chat. Sam said to Jim, “You look rather forlorn and down in the mouth. Hey, how come you look like the whole world caved in?”
Jim stared at Sam for a few moments and then said, “Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me ten thousand dollars.”
Sam replied, “I'm sorry to hear about the death, but this sounds like a bit of good luck for you, don’t you think?”
“Now hold on a minute," Jim replied, "I'm just getting started. Two weeks ago, a cousin I never knew kicked the bucket and left me twenty thousand, free and clear.”
Sam once again said, “I'm sorry to hear about the death, but I don’t see how you can be too disappointed with that!"
Jim went on with his story, “Yes, but wait, there is more. Last week my grandfather passed away. I inherited over one hundred thousand dollars.”
At this point, Sam was flabbergasted not being able to comprehend that amount of money, and Sam said, “Incredible Jim! But even more so now back to my initial question...so how come you look so sad?”
Jim thought for a moment and replied, “Well no one has died, and I’ve not received anything this week!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile on to someone else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is “Happiness will never come to those who don’t appreciate what they already have.”
Proverbs 27:20
Just as death and destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1261 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1261 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - No Bible Available - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1261 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word.
Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – No Bible Available
Insight Fifteen: Most People in the Biblical World Had Never Read the Bible
This might seem like a shocking statement. It’s one of the more dramatic examples of how our lives as Christians are quite unlike the lives of biblical people. But once you give the assertion some thought, it becomes clear that it’s true.
The Bible was written in stages. The Old Testament wasn’t complete until the fifth century BC, roughly a thousand years after the exodus of Israel from Egypt. Even in the best scenario, after completion, there would have only been one Bible for decades. Everything had to be copied by hand.
During the Old Testament period leading up to the exile (sixth century BC), the emphasis in Israel’s faith was the temple, its rituals, and the sacred calendar of holy days. Not only was there no complete Bible, but even the books that existed were the property of the temple and its priests. The average Israelite only read or heard snippets from it, such as the Shetna, Israel’s creed from the Torah, or some of God's commands.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
There were no synagogues in ancient Israel, either. The synagogue came about during the exile after the temple was destroyed. Israelite priests could not possibly teach everyone house-to-house, as they had other assigned duties and the population was too large. For most of the Old Testament period, people learned biblical content from storytelling (oral traditions) and from their parents, as referred to above.
In New Testament times, things got a little better. Jews had their Bible, the Old Testament, in the form of scrolls. It would have been very rare for someone to have a Torah at home due to the expense and labor of hand-copying. But chances were high you were exposed to more of the Old Testament through regular attendance at the synagogue than ever...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1260 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Do Your Best – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1260 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from John Wooden, and it is: If you make the effort to do the best of which you're capable, I think that's success.
Do Your Best
Success is not a matter of whether you are the best, but are you doing the best for which you are capable of doing. Each of us is blessed by God’s grace with certain talents, abilities, skills, and personalities to which we are accountable, but we do not all have the same types or measure. We are only accountable for that which God has given to us, but we are accountable before Him to use and manifest what he has granted to us. This is clearly delineated in Jesus’s parable in Matthew 25:14-30 about the three servants who were accountable for what their master had given to each one. Each servant was only accountable for what they were given, not for what the other servants were given. So it is with our God-given talents, abilities, skills, personality, we are responsible to invest them wisely and to be successful. The result of investing wisely what God has granted to us is told to us in Matthew 25:29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.It is the ‘use it or lose it’ mindset. Invest in what God has given to you, and He will allow you to expand and succeed. Everything that we do, should be done for God’s honor and glory. That is the definition of being a successful person.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1259 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1259 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Amazing Grace (Part 3) – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1259 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
The last two weeks, we took a look inside the Apostle Peter’s roller-coaster life that fluctuated between undying loyalty and complete denial in his commitment as a disciple of Jesus. If you missed the last two Monday’s episode day-1249 and day-1254, you will want to listen to them first and then return to this 3rd of three episodes of Peter’s saga. We will look at part three as we complete our story and learn of Peter’s complete restoration through God’s Amazing Grace. In our meditation today, let us consider:
God’s Amazing Grace (part 3)
When we left Peter last week, his mind had gone back to the first time that Jesus met them on the shore after a night of fishing that resulted in not catching anything. That is until Jesus told them to go back into the deep and let down their nets. Now, as Peter was ankle-deep in flopping silver fish, he turns to look at Jesus, only to find that Jesus is looking at him. Those same piercing eyes, laying bare his soul as they did on that night he had denied him three times. Let’s pick the story back up within a few days of Jesus’s miraculous resurrection. The sun was just beginning to break over the horizon after a night of fishing where once again Peter had not caught a single fish. His mind was fixed on how he had abandoned and denied his Lord. He was devastated, feeling a complete failure and disgrace. The evening before, Peter, being completely disgusted with himself decides that he would return to that which he was comfortable with, fishing. Let us pick up the story in John 21:2-3 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
Think of how Peter and those who were with him felt now. Not only were they failures as disciples, but they also can’t even catch fish anymore. As they were rowing back to shore, with nothing to show for a hard night's work, they thought that they would have to face the humiliation from the merchants who would have bought their fish. But, Jesus had something completely different in mind for Peter and his friends. Listen as I continue the story from John 21:4-17 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1258 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Corrupt Leaders - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1258 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, the political scene appears so toxic anymore. I get frustrated with nearly all news sources as it seems like a continual propaganda machine on the right, left, and anything in between. Many of the politicians seem so corrupt today, that it is hard to cope with it. What can I do to make an impact and not be consumed by the cesspool of negativism and corruption that is so prevalent?
Corrupt Leaders
I completely understand your feelings, and there are certainly days where I feel the same way, but we need to keep it in perspective. First of all, throughout the ages political systems have been rife with corrupt leaders. The difference is, that most of us are now living in free societies, and are concerned that our freedom is at risk. We are so privileged in comparison to most of the ages in the past. Second, with the proliferation of the connected world in the past few decades, it is so easy for nearly everyone in the modern world to voice their opinions, even if they do not have knowledge or facts to do so. Third, God has permitted all rulers to be in place to accomplish His longterm, overall, purpose. Every king, president, prime minister, or dictator may believe that they are in charge, but they cannot do anything without God’s permissive will. Proverbs 21:1 tells us, The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. Americans, as in most western cultures, love to vent about politics, and these days it is easier than ever to unload a barrage of garbage to any person that may listen. Talk radio, 24/7 cable news, and the internet can range from informative and entertaining to bombastic and usually goading in a matter of minutes. The political scene can raise your blood pressure as yet another outrageous act by an elected official is revealed, or bad policy is dissected. Keep in mind, though, some elected officials are actually noble statemen who desire to serve. There are some who are ridiculous, and some who are even criminals who do get indicted and sent to prison for corruption. Yes, it is difficult to sort it all out, but we must not lose heart. It is ok, and even Biblical, to be angry at the evil we see, but you asked how you can make an impact. Yes, you can be involved in the political world yourself, if that is God’s will for you, but before that, let us make an impact immediately and consider what we read in 1 Timo...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1257 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who Are You? – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1257 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Who Are You?
Margaret and June had been best friends for many decades, and they were very comfortable in aging gracefully. Both of their husbands had died over 20 years ago, and over those years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. They had traveled all over the country, went to church together, and went out to eat often. Due to their declining health recently Margaret and June’s both had moved to the same assisted living facilities at the same time. They were content there, but as the months passed on their activities were now limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards in the commons area.
One day when they were playing cards Margaret looked at June and said, "Now don't get mad at me...I know we've been friends for a long time.....but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is." June was surprised at the question and just glared at Margaret. At least three minutes went by as June continued to glare at Margaret which was making her feel very uncomfortable. Finally June’s glare faded, and she asked Margaret, "How soon do you need to know?"I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “It's great to reminisce about good memories of my past. It was enjoyable when it was today. So learning to enjoy today has two benefits: it gives me happiness right now, and it becomes a good memory later.
Philippians 1:3
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1256 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1256 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Ancient Israelite Culture - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1256 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Ancient Israelite Culture
Insight Thirteen: Ancient Israelite Culture Didn’t Drop From Heaven
People hostile to the Bible often attack it on the basis of the cultural customs found in its pages. For example, critics find easy targets in the Bible’s patriarchal culture, attitudes toward slavery, and social standards. In criticizing these customs, they make the fundamental mistake of not letting the Bible be what it is.
If we believe—and the Bible is very plain in this regard—that God chose the time, place, and people to prompt the writing of what we call the Bible, then the notion that God invented or inspired their culture is nonsense. They already had a culture—with many elements common to the wider world of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean.
What we see in Scripture is that the Bible presupposes culture. Biblical laws, for instance, presume the cultural practice of polygamy (see Deuteronomy. 21:15—17 as an example), yet the Bible doesn’t require polygamy, in fact, it portrays it as negative. There are laws regarding slavery (Exodus 21), but there is no record that God installed the institution as something desirable or sanctified.
In other words, cultural institutions that we find offensive today (and rightly so) were part of the culture of the people God prompted to write Scripture. God didn’t first create their culture, nor did he insist they change their culture before using them to produce the books of the Bible. God knew what he was getting when he called Semitic people living 3,000 years ago to write Scripture. God was not the author of their culture. Only in the cases where practices are tied to Israel’s worship, such as their religious calendar, can God be viewed as an instigator.
In some fundamental respects, culture was incidental to God's plans. God gave Israel a body of wisdom literature that laid out broad principles of justice and mercy that transcend all cultures. He kept reminding Israelites through the prophets that people from all nations would come to recognize him as the true God and therefore be members of God’s family.This latter point has another aspect to it. God knew that his people would eventually encompass people from every nation. The point is simple but profound: the people of God are independent of culture—their identity is not bound to a single cultural expression. This is by design.
We need to consider this in the western world,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1255 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Will To Win – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1255 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from David V.A. Ambrose, and it is: If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure.
The Will To Win
Success does not come easy for most of us. It does require persistence, dedication, and hard work. Before that, though, you first must have the desire and will to win. This will or desire does not come from external sources, but it is an internal desire that you will win and be successful. If you have the will to win, will that guarantee success? Certainly not, but it will give you an opportunity to win and succeed. If you don’t have the will and desire to succeed, there is little chance that you will succeed. Without the desire and will to make the right choices, it is almost certain that you will fail. All success first begins with choices. What are some of those choices? Choose the right mindset to win. Choose to invest time in preparing to win. Choose to invest the time, energy, persistence, dedication, and hard work that is required to win. Choose to keep on going, even when you feel like quitting. Choose to enjoy your journey, even when there is little to be joyful about, because there is always something that we can be grateful for. Choose to accept assistance from those who are traveling the same road with you. Choose to assist others as they need help. Choose to keep on, keeping on, for as long as it takes. Choose to live a rich and satisfying life in all areas.
Deuteronomy 30:19
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1254 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1254 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Amazing Grace (Part 2) – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1254 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Last week we took a look inside the Apostle Peter’s roller-coaster life that fluctuated between undying loyalty and complete denial in his commitment as a disciple of Jesus. If you missed last Monday’s episode day-1249, you will want to listen to it first and then return to this 2nd of three episodes of Peter’s saga. We will look at part two of our story today, and next Monday we will complete our story. In our meditation today, let us consider:
God’s Amazing Grace (part 2)
When we left Peter last week, the sun was just beginning to break over the horizon after a night of fishing where Peter had not caught a single fish. His mind was fixed on how he had abandoned and denied his Lord. He was devastated, feeling a complete failure and disgrace.
This wasn't the first night that Peter had spent on the Sea of Galilee. After all, he was a fisherman. He, like the others, worked at night. He knew the fish would feed near the surface during the cool of the night and return to the deep during the day. No, this wasn't the first night Peter had spent on the Sea of Galilee. Nor was it the first night he had caught nothing.
As he thought back from three years ago, there was that time years before …
He recalled, that most mornings, he and his partners would sell their fish, repair their nets, and head home to rest with a bag of money and a feeling of satisfaction. This particular morning there was no money. There was no satisfaction. They had worked all through the night but had nothing to show for it except weary backs and worn nets.
And, what's worse, everyone knew it. Every morning the shore would become a market as the villagers came to buy their fish, but that day there were no fish.
Jesus was there that morning, teaching. As the people pressed, there was little room for him to stand, so he asked Peter if his boat could be a platform. Peter agreed, maybe thinking the boat might as well be put to some good use.
Peter listens as Jesus teaches. It's good to hear something other than the slapping of waves. When Jesus finishes with the crowd, he turns to Peter. He has another request. He wants to go fishing. Luke 5:4 tells us, When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”Peter groans. The last thing he wants to do is fish. The boat is clean. The nets are ready to dry. The sun is up, and he is tired. It's time to go home. Besides, everyone is watching. They've already seen him come back empty-handed once. And, what's more,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1253 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Team Up With Unbelievers - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1253 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I have heard that as a Christ-follower, we should not marry or become business partners with people who are not Christ-followers. Is it really that important as long as you have other values and life outlook that is important to each other?
Don’t Team Up With Unbelievers
The short answer is, it is a big deal, and very important. From the very beginning of creation, it was a big deal. We are created to be bearers of God’s image to all humanity as we are tasked with restoring His kingdom throughout the world. How can we restore God’s kingdom if our marriage or business partners are not of the same mind spiritually?
It was a big deal to Abraham that his son married in the faith as we read in Genesis 24:3 Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.
It should be a big deal today for anyone that is contemplating either marriage or business partnership. The New Testament carries this explicit warning in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:
“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.
And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.
These words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth are pretty stern words that we need to heed. You may be thinking, my fiancé, or potential business partner, are good people, they shouldn’t be called wicked or filthy things. They may indeed be upright people with great integrity, but unless they are Christ-followers, they are not in God’s sight. God is the standard for righteousness, not humans. Paula, my wife of over 40 years, and I were both Christ-followers before we were married with similar church backgrounds.
Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1251 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1252 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Preach It! – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1252 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Preach It!
Julie and June, two elderly, excitable Southern women, as usual, were sitting together in the front pew of church listening to Pastor Jim Bob, their new fiery young preacher.
When Pastor Jim Bob condemned the sin of stealing, Julie and June cried out at the tops of their lungs in unison, “Amen, Brother!”
When Pastor Jim Bob condemned the sin of lust, Julie and June yelled again, “Preach it, Pastor!”
And when Pastor Jim Bob condemned the sin of lying, Julie and June jumped to their feet and screamed, “Right on, Brother! Tell it like it is...Amen!”
But when Pastor Jim Bob condemned the sin of gossip, Julie and June got very quiet. Julie turned to June and said, “well… Pastor Jim Bob has quit preaching, and now he's just meddling!”I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “Anyone who will gossip to you, will gossip about you. ”
Proverbs 26:20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1251 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1250 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Learn From Successful People – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1250 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is: If you could find out what the most successful people did in any area and then you did the same thing over and over, you'd eventually get the same result they do.
Learn From Successful People
Success is not a mystery or luck. Success in any area of life is based on a lifestyle of disciplined habits repeated over and over in a particular area of your life. When you find a person who is truly successful in any area of their life where you would like to be successful, then make it a habit to observe them and learn from them until you can also repeat with regularity the practices and habits that have made them successful. In order to ensure success, though, you do need to understand that in order to achieve success, you must be willing to work and sacrifice for a similarly extended period of time that the person you are learning from did. You need to understand the trade-offs and compromises that allowed that person to be successful. You need to honestly ask yourself, am I willing to do the same, and how would that impact all the other areas of my life. There is always a trade-off. There are always compromises that must be made. For every decision or choice that you say yes to, then you are by default saying no to many other choices that you could have made. A final word of caution, when you observe a person who appears to be successful, observe them over an extended period of time, and in all facets of their lives. Many people who appear to be successful in one particular area of their lives, may have sacrificed other areas of life where you are not willing to do so. Success covers not only financial success, but the more important parts of life such as spiritual, family and other close relationships, emotional, and physical. It is possible to be successful in all areas of life, but it will usually be the result of sacrificing what you desire now, for what you desire most. Are you willing to pay that price?Proverbs 19:20
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1249 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1249 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Amazing Grace (part 1) – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1249 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Have you ever thought what it would be like to be the Apostle Peter? Rashly promising undying devotion one moment and then running for the hills the next. Maybe you can relate to Peter, and his actions. Either way, Peter is a perfect example of our floundering devotion to God that all of us experience. We will look at part one of our story today, and then finish it next Monday. In our meditation today, let us consider:
God’s Amazing Grace (part 1)
The Sun was just starting to shimmer in the water before Peter noticed it—a wavy circle of gold on the surface of the sea. A fisherman is usually the first to spot the sun rising over the crest of the hills. It means his night of labor is finally over.
But not today for this fisherman. Though the light reflected on the lake, the darkness lingered in Peter's heart. The wind chilled, but he didn't feel it. His friends slept soundly, but he didn't care. The nets at his feet were empty, the sea had been a miser, but Peter wasn't thinking about that.
His thoughts were far from the Sea of Galilee. His mind was in Jerusalem, reliving an anguished night. As the boat rocked, his memories raced:
the clanking of the Roman guard,
the flash of a sword and the duck of a head,
a touch for Malchus, a rebuke for Peter,
soldiers leading Jesus away.
"What was I thinking?" Peter mumbled to himself as he stared at the bottom of the boat. “Why did I run?”
Peter had run; he had turned his back on his dearest friend and run. We don't know where. Peter may not have known where. He found a hole, a hut, an abandoned shed—he found a place to hide, and he hid.
Earlier that day, “Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” (Matthew. 26:33). Yet he did. Peter did what he swore he wouldn't do. He had tumbled face-first into the pit of his own fears. And there he sat in the boat with tears streaming down his face. All he could hear was his hollow promise. “Everyone else may stumble … but I will not. Everyone else … I will not. I will not. I will not.” A war raged within the fisherman.At that moment, the instinct to survive collided with his allegiance to Christ, and for just a moment, allegiance won. Peter stood and stepped out of hiding and followed the noise until he saw the torch-lit jury in the courtyard of Caiaphas.
He stopped near a fire and warmed his hands. The fire sparked with irony. The night had been cold. The fire was hot. But Peter was neither. He was lukewarm.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1248 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Proper Response - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1248 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I know that the Bible instructs us to honor God in all areas of our lives, even in our giving of money to others and to our church, but money always is so tight, that I can barely make ends meet. What should my response be towards giving?
A Proper Response
The Old Testament was pretty clear on what God desired from the children of Israel, and even the entire nation, when it came to tithes and offerings. Literally a tithe means a tenth of all increases or income, but that was a mear starting point. Additional offerings were given as gifts to God, which represented the very best of all that you had. An interesting point though, as with many requirements of the Old Testament law, Jesus did not repeat the letter of the law, but was more concerned about the heart attitude of the person. This was also true of giving. Jesus never taught that a tithe, a tenth, or any amount was required to satisfy God, because He desired us to willingly give to God out of a pure heart.
Let me continue with this illustration. Imagine this: You don’t have a job. Your family has eaten ramen noodles every night for the past month. Then unexpectantly, a kindhearted friend shows up with a huge box full with food of all kinds, including a very large ham. This kind friend not only gives you the food, but then offers to help you and your family prepare the feast. He even joins you for the feast that you would have never had if it was not for this friend. As the meal begins, you serve yourself and your family large portions of the best parts of the food. After devouring the food quickly, you proceed to get up and put the remaining food away for another meal. You then scrape the remains onto a plate and serve it to your friend, who provided the feast. You determine that is your friend's portion, which is your thanks to your friend. This would certainly not be a gracious response to someone who has been so generous to you. I am sure you are thinking, that’s ridiculous! Rude, ungrateful, and unthinkable. But think about it…is this a picture of how we thank God for all he has given us?
Proverbs 3:9-10 tells us to:
Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.
Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1247 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
No One Is Available – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1247 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
No One Is Available
George was going up to bed when his wife Martha told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed again, which she could see from the bedroom window.
George slipped on his robe and trudged downstairs, opened the back door, and headed to the shed to turn off the light. As he approached the shed, George saw that there were four men in the shed stealing his tools and equipment.
George quickly and quietly went back into the house and locked the door. He promptly phoned the police, where officer Jacobs asked him, “Is someone in your house?” which George replied, “No, but they are stealing my tools. Well, officer Jacob replied, “all patrols are currently busy, just make sure all of your doors are securely locked, and an officer would be along when available.”
George was really frustrated but said, “Okay,” and hung up. He then counted to 30, and phoned the police again.
"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now cause I've just shot them all." Then he promptly hung up.
Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up at George's residence.
Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed, and after searching the shed area the police cautiously approached Georges's house and pounded on the door, identifying themselves.
Upon opening the door, the police saw that George and Martha were both fine. It was then that officer Jacobs asked George: “I thought you said that you'd shot them!”
To which George quipped, “I thought you said there was nobody available!”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: “Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness.”
Ephesians 3:8
Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1246 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1246 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Inspiration Timeline - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1246 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Inspiration Timeline
Insight Nine: The Setting of a Biblical Story Wasn’t Necessarily the Time Which It Was Written
Most of us who read the Bible with regularity consider its contents factually true. Because that’s the case, many readers are prone to assume that what they're reading was written at the same time as the events described, or at least, very close to the time of those events. Sometimes that assumption isn’t far from reality, but in many instances, that isn’t the case.
For example, most scholars would place the earliest of the four Gospels within a few decades of Jesus’s life. The reason for that gap in time is clear from a close reading of the New Testament. The apostles thought that the Lord's bodily return to rule and reign was imminent (Romans 13:11; 1 Peter 4:7; James 5:8; Hebrews 10:25-27). When it became apparent that Jesus might not return in their lifetimes, there was a sense of urgency to put what they had experienced and heard during their time with Jesus into writing for posterity.
As it turned out, the entirety of the New Testament was written by roughly AD 100, just over a half-century after the death and resurrection of Jesus. In comparison to other historical works of the ancient world, that’s a short span of time. According to the chronology that can be gleaned from the book of Acts, the epistles were written within a few months or years of Paul’s ministry in the congregations to which they were written.
When it comes to the Old Testament, things are different. Even if we presume Moses recorded the lives of the patriarchs in Genesis, he would have been writing several centuries after the fact. Many Old Testament books have unknown authors, which makes it difficult to align their events and their authorship. As we’ll see in later insights, the books that detail Israel’s story from the exodus to the monarchy (e.g., Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Joshua through 2 Kings) contain evidence that they were written several centuries after the events they describe.
The gaps between the event and its recording are no reason to assume inaccuracy. External sources and disciplines such as archaeology show that the contents of these books are coherent and in concert with the times they portray. Ancient societies had strong oral historical traditions. Present-day historians who study oral cultures tell us that the people of these cultures can memor...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1246 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible -Inspiration Timeline - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1246 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Inspiration Timeline
Insight Nine: The Setting of a Biblical Story Wasn’t Necessarily the Time Which It Was Written
Most of us who read the Bible with regularity consider its contents factually true. Because that’s the case, many readers are prone to assume that what they're reading was written at the same time as the events described, or at least very close to the time of those events. Sometimes that assumption isn’t far from reality, but in many instances, that isn’t the case.
For example, most scholars would place the earliest of the four Gospels within a few decades of Jesus’s life. The reason for that gap in time is clear from a close reading of the New Testament. The apostles thought that the Lord's bodily return to rule and reign was imminent (Romans 13:11; 1 Peter 4:7; James 5:8; Hebrews 10:25-27). When it became apparent that Jesus might not return in their lifetimes, there was a sense of urgency to put what they had experienced and heard during their time with Jesus into writing for posterity.
As it turned out, the entirety of the New Testament was written by roughly AD 100, just over a half-century after the death and resurrection of Jesus. In comparison to other historical works of the ancient world, that’s a short span of time. According to the chronology that can be gleaned from the book of Acts, the epistles were written within a few months or years of Paul’s ministry in the congregations to which they were written.
When it comes to the Old Testament, things are different. Even if we presume Moses recorded the lives of the patriarchs in Genesis, he would have been writing several centuries after the fact. Many Old Testament books have unknown authors, which makes it difficult to align their events and their authorship. As we’ll see in later insights, the books that detail Israel’s story from the exodus to the monarchy (e.g., Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Joshua through 2 Kings) contain evidence that they were written several centuries after the events they describe.The gaps between the event and its recording are no reason to assume inaccuracy. External sources and disciplines such as archaeology show that the contents of these books are coherent and in concert with the times they portray. Ancient societies had strong oral historical traditions. Present-day historians who study oral cultures tell us that the people of these cultures can memorize prodigious amounts of material with exact...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1245 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Blame or Credit – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1245 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is: If you blame others for your failure, do you credit others for your successes?
Blame or Credit
When we fail, there are usually mitigating circumstances, situations, or people that attribute to that failure. It is so easy for us to point to someone or something as causing our failure. Ultimately, though, we have to accept responsibility for the failures that we encounter in life, because, at least partially, we have contributed to that failure. On the flip side of the failure/success coin, when we do succeed, our success is not based on our effort alone but is also attributed to the many peoples that have assisted us along life’s journey. Yes,we may be a major contributing factor to the overall outcome of our success, but we certainly cannot claim the sole credit for that success. So the next time you start blame-shifting when you run into obstacles and failures, be aware, that you must accept that responsibility as a contributing part of that failure. The next time you attempt to hog all the glory for your victories, realize also that there are many others that have assisted you along life’s paths. Accept failure, learn from it, become successful, and share that success with all those who have helped you to achieve it.
Proverbs 15:22
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1244 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1244 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Do Your Good Works Quietly – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1244 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are commanded to do good works, but for myself, and maybe for you also, we don’t mind if others are aware of what good works we are doing. How should we do our good works for others as we build God’s kingdom? In our meditation today, let us consider:
Do Your Good Works Quietly
Good works, that is, being kind and assisting others that are in need and less fortunate than you are is an important part of our life as a Christ-follower. All too often it is easy to fall into the trap of doing good works for the praise and recognition that we will receive. The Apostle Paul teaches us something different in:
Titus 2:7
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
Jesus’s half-brother James also teaches us to do our good works with humility that comes from wisdom.
James 3:13
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
Jesus himself tells us also how not to do good works as He condemns the religious leaders' actions in Matthew 6:5
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.
This is the working definition of hypocrisy: "to be seen by men." The Greek word for hypocrite, originally meant "actor." First-century actors wore masks. A hypocrite, then, is one who puts on a mask, a false face.Jesus did not say, "Do not do good works." Nor did he instruct, "Do not let your works be seen." We must do good works, and some works, such as benevolence or teaching, may be seen in order to have an impact. So let's be clear. To do a good thing is a good thing. To do good to be seen is not. In fact, to do good to be seen is a serious offense. Here's why.
Hypocrisy turns people away from God. When God-hungry souls walk into a congregation of wannabe superstars, what happens? When God-seekers see singers strut like Las Vegas entertainers . . . When they hear the preacher—a man of slick words, dress, and hair—play to the crowd and exclude God . . . When other attendees dress to be seen and make much to-do over their gifts and offerings . . . When people enter a church to see God yet can't see God because of the church, don't think for a second that God doesn't react. Matthew 6:1 Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1243 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Help My Unbelief - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1243 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, at times, I lack the faith to believe that God will truly help me in my time of trouble. Do you have any wisdom bits that will help me when I start to doubt and struggle?
Help My Unbelief
The Bible tells us that we can have faith to move mountains, but I think all of us doubt that we personally have that type of faith. Do you have faith to move mountains? Mountains are pretty big. With all of us, our faith can rise and fall. Sometimes we feel strong in our faith, and other times we wonder if we have any faith.
You want to know a secret? Here is the good news: It’s not up to our faith to move mountains, because we have nothing to do with it. Only God does. God is in the mountain-moving business, not us. At times, we may feel that it is up to us to muster up the faith to make something happen. It is not about muster (effort), it’s about mustard. Jesus said nothing is impossible for the person who has faith the size of a tiny mustard seed.
Instead of concentrating on the strength of our faith, we should focus on the object of our faith, which is Jesus Christ. In the good news of Mark, a father brings his son to Jesus for healing from an evil spirit that the disciples couldn’t cast out. I will read Mark 9:23-24, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”Jesus said anything is possible if a person believes, to which the boys faither cries out, help me overcome my unbelief. Then Jesus heals the man’s son.
Was the boy healed because of the quantity of the father’s faith? No. The father had little faith that Jesus could heal his son. In fact, he even admitted his lack of faith. What little belief the father had he placed in the right person. The father had little strength in the faith department, but he believed in the one who can overcome. God’s power can help our little bit of faith accomplish mountain moving things. He just wants our trust. As we learn to trust God on the little things, He will grow our faith.
Don’t be overly concerned about how much faith you have today. You can grow your faith. Just put your faith in the right person, Jesus. Put your focus on Him and His grace, not yourself and your faith.
Even those who were the closest friends and constant compa...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1242 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Rise Up! – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1242 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Rise Up!
Pastor Jones was preoccupied with thoughts of how he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for roof repairs to the church building. The roof was starting to leak now since the repairs had been delayed previously due to a lack of funds.
When Pastor Jones arrived at the church Sunday morning, he still focused on the funding problem and was a bit annoyed to find that Jane, the regular organist was sick, and Sue, the substitute, had been brought in at the last minute. Sue met Pastor at the door of the church and wanted to know what to play.
“Here's a copy of the service,” quipped Pastor Jones impatiently. “But, you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances at the end of the service.”
At the end of the service, Pastor Jones paused and said, “Brothers and sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please rise up and be counted during our closing song.”
At that moment, Sue the substitute organist played “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Everyone in the congregation instinctively stood up for the song. The need for additional funds was completely covered.
And that is how Sue became the regular organist.I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. For our Thursday thought is: “There comes a time when you need to stand up and be counted.”
Psalm 21:13
Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1241 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1240 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Unknown Authors - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1241 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday will be Mastering the Bible through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Unknown Authors
Insight Seven: Most of the Authors of Biblical Books are Unknown
It goes without saying that understanding a book requires knowing who wrote it. This is especially true of nonfiction, where the author’s background, political and religious views, and education help frame what we’re reading. Unfortunately, few ancient books, including the books of the Bible, specifically name their author.
Most of the authorship problem as it relates to the Bible concerns the Old Testament. For example, we have no idea who wrote books like Judges, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1 & 2 Chronicles. Those books never name an author. Even books that bear the names of people are uncertain—for the same reason. The books of 1 & 2 Samuel never claim that Samuel wrote them. The same goes for Ruth, Esther, and Joshua.
Some Old Testament books have partially known authorship, but that means that parts are problematic. Psalms is a good example. The psalms’ superscriptions were likely added long after the psalms were composed, so they aren’t reliable indicators. Phrases like “Psalm of David” are actually inconclusive since the Hebrew phrase (le-daivid) can mean “by David,” "for David,” or “about David.”
The New Testament is less anonymous. The author of the book of Hebrews is unknown. Scholars argue about a few of the books that claim authorship (such as 1 & 2 Peter), but arguments contesting Peter’s authorship are not at all conclusive. Since there are more than one James and John associated with the life of Jesus, there is some degree of ambiguity for books bearing those names.Because authorship is uncertain, it is best in interpretation never to base an interpretation on a presumed author. Guessing at an author and then presuming that person’s background as part of interpretation is a shaky strategy.
Because of this lack of clarity, scholars have had to work hard to find clues in the books themselves that situate them in the flow of biblical history. Things like allusions to events outside Israel (such as a battle), an environmental catastrophe (such as a famine), or even a natural disaster (such as an earthquake) are important clues.
Even without an author, if scholars can situate a book in a specific historical context, that book can be coherently interpreted. For this reason, whenever you study a book of the Bible, it's wise to read a serious academic introduction to it that deals with authorship,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1240 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
One Secret Of Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1240 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Ford, and it is: If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person's point of view and see things from that person's angle as well as from your own.
One Secret Of Success
The one secret of success is that there are really no secrets to becoming successful. There are, though, certainly some practical steps and traits that will allow a person to gradually advance toward the success they desire. One major factor of success that is lacking, especially in our highly politicized society, is the ability to get behind another person's eyes and within another person's mind to see their point of view on any particular subject. We need to understand that if we limit ourselves just to our point of view, we will never grow and mature as a person, and limit our ability to be successful. We should seek to grow and understand others. To see life from their perspective. To allow their point of view to help to shape our decision making. This does not mean that you have to agree with or endorse that point of view, but allowing yourself to understand better where another person is coming from will help to solidify and substantiate your own worldview. Your success will be based on a wider understanding of others. A mature person will know that you don’t have to agree with others in order to learn and grow from your interaction with others. When you have decisions to make, and are advancing towards success, get the point of view from others, see your situation from their perspective, then determine how you have meld them into your own plan for success. It is one secret of success.Proverbs 13:13
People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1239 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1239 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
In Comparison – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1239 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Many feel that the trials they face and the struggles they go through are overwhelming. Maybe you feel that way today? In our meditation today, let us consider:
In Comparison
We all face trials and struggles. Of course, the trials and struggles that we go through personally always seem greater to us than what others may be going through. It’s like the saying I once heard, most surgery is minor surgery, unless it is surgery that you must have. Yes, we do face trials, hardships, struggles and difficult times in our lives. It may be physical, emotional, financial, relational, or spiritual, but they seem difficult to us. The question I must ask, though, they are difficult in comparison to what? Most struggles that we face are not life-threatening. If you fail financially, while the struggle is real and difficult, you can work your way through it, even if it takes a number of years. Many struggle emotionally, and yet through God’s Word, and with the help of others those challenges can be overcome. You may have relationship issues, but they can be worked through, no matter how desperate the situation appears when you are in the midst of it. If you are in spiritual conflict, through God’s Word and prayer, you can overcome it. Even if you do face life-threatening physical illness, accident, or persecution, the struggle is very real, and yet we must ask, in comparison to what?
Think about the struggles that the Apostle Paul went through as he proclaimed God’s kingdom. In 2 Corinthians 11:22-28, he describes this. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1238 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Overcoming Being Shortsighted - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1238 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I struggle with the daily grind and problems that I continue to face each day. It seems like I have a lot of trials. I know I should be more proactive with long term thinking and planning, but how can I deal with today’s problems, but still consider what I need to do long term? Would you please share some wise tips that will help?
Overcoming Being Shortsighted
One of the main reasons that most people never rise above the daily grind and problems that all of us face each day is that they do not think long term. You must be willing to sacrifice what you desire now, for what your desire most. Too many times, people will settle for today’s trinkets, which prevents them from obtaining tomorrow's treasures. In order to overcome being shortsighted you must be willing to sacrifice. The immediate shiny objects become too attractive, and before you know it, you succumb to the temptation. While there are trials that we face which we have little or no control over, many trials that we face are self-induced.
Purchasing things that you don’t really need with money that you don’t really have can cause financial trials. Eating the wrong foods and not being disciplined in your exercising can cause health trials. Not working to your best ability for God rather than man can cause employment trials. No focusing on your family and being attentive to them can cause family and marriage trials. Not consuming God’s Word and investing time in prayer can cause spiritual trials. If you find yourself in the midst of various types of trials, take time to pause and reflect. Determine if the trials that you are experiencing are self-induced. If they are in part or in whole, start making short and long term plans to correct those issues. Even if your trials are completely out of your control, and are not caused by your actions, never give up in your quest to rise above your current situation. Give God the glory for the lessons that you are learning, and then continue on. The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!We may not have to face the severe trials that Paul did (although it may seem li...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1237 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who Gives A Hoot – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1237 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Who Gives A Hoot
One evening, John, an avid bird-lover, especially birds of prey, stood in his backyard and hooted like an owl towards the wooded area beyond his back yard. Hoot, Hoot Hoot, John vocalized. To his surprise, an owl hooted back hoot, hoot… Thrilled with his success, he continued for 30 minutes as he had an entire conversation with the nearby owl. Finally, John returned inside ecstatic about the evening's success as he shared with his wife Jane about how exciting it was.
John could barely contain himself for the next evening when he tried it again, with great success, and then the next night, and the next for 2 weeks. The owl always answered him as the conversed each night. John was fascinated. About two weeks later, Jane saw her neighbor Sue at the grocery store. Sue lived, just across the wooded are from her. As Jane and Sue were chatting and catching up about life, Sue asked how John was. Jane said, “well, John has been consumed lately with his bird-watching success. John has been spending every night for the past couple of weeks conversing with owls in the wooded area between our homes.”
Sue looked at Jane a bit quizzically and said, "That's really odd," my husband Sam has been doing the exact same thing.”
Just then it dawned on them both what had been really happening, and they laughed hysterically
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. For our Thursday thought is: “You can't hoot with the owls and then soar with the eagles.”
Psalm 102:6 I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1236 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1236 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Inspiration Through Editing - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1236 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday will be Mastering the Bible through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Inspiration Through Editing
Insight Five: Editing Was Part of the Process of Biblical Inspiration
If you’re like most people in the developed world (so it seems), you talk about yourself and your family using social media. If you’re the exception rather than the rule, social media is still understandable by analogy, it’s like a personal diary of what you, your friends, and your family encounter and do every day.
We know how something like that is supposed to read. It would be written in the first person: I did this, then we did that. How odd would it sound if you were reading a friend’s Facebook page, and they talked about themselves using the third person? Instead of what you'd expect your friend to post (“I went to a movie last night”), your friend talked about herself as though she were someone else (“She went to a movie last night”). When someone writes about themselves you expect the first person, not the third. It’s because of that expectation that scholars can tell biblical books were edited.
One of the best examples of this is the book of Ezekiel 1:1-4:
On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. (The Lord gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him.)
As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.The first verse uses the first person. I underlined the two examples in today’s journal. The beginning creates the expectation that Ezekiel is writing about himself. But in verse three there is a switch to the third person (underlined). Now the writer is clearly not Ezekiel, but is an anonymous author referring to Ezekiel in the third person. Verse four switches back to first person.
These switches are the telltale signs of an editor. The book of Ezekiel has many such instances, as do many other biblical books. That we don’t know the identity of these editors is of little consequence, since the authors of many books in the Bible (particularly the Old Testament) are unknown.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1235 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Door To Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1235 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is: If the door to success is marked pull and still won't open, ignore the sign and push.
The Door To Success
Success comes in many forms, and in all areas of life. Sometimes the path to success appears clearly marked and is easy to achieve. Most of the time, though, the path to success is grown over with vines and brambles that you must hack your way through in order to clear the path. Sometimes what seems like an obvious sign to success does not achieve the desired results, and you have to become very creative. If success is not achieved by one course of action, then try something different. I have found that on my own journey of success in many areas of my life, and throughout various seasons, when I am on the path, I may have to detour, or morph, to another path in order to continue towards success. My ability to change course, while still moving forward has definitely been a significant factor in being able to achieve the success that I was pursuing. Having a keen sense of external issues, being able to anticipate certain factors, and then morphing your approach will have a major impact on being successful. As one of my virtual mentors, Zig Ziglar, expressed in our quote today, “if the door to success is marked pull, and it does not open, then try pushing.” It may just be labeled incorrectly. Ecclesiastes 11:6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of our past 1234 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1234 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Heirs of God's Glory – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1234 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
So many people today have a poor and incorrect image of themselves. We are God’s children, and as such, to consider ourselves worthless is to indicate that God is not worthy. In our meditation today, let us consider:
Heirs of God’s Glory
Romans 8:16-18 makes it perfectly clear what our standing is before God if we are Christ-followers. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.We really do share God’s glory, but as this verse also tells us, that does not mean we will be free of trials and suffering. Trials and sufferings are part of life, and we should never feel that because we have trials and sufferings that we are not loved by God, or lose our standing as His children. You are loved by God and considered valuable. God created humans to be his family over the earthly domain. He also created heavenly beings to be part of his family over His heavenly domain. Our standing in God’s Kingdom is based solely on our belief in Him, and our acceptance of Him. If you were a child of a human king, even if you were adopted, based on your heritage, you would possess certain rights and privileges that are part of that heritage. In the same manner, as an adopted child of God, we are joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. We inherit and share God’s glory. Since that is the case, we can boldly approach God as his child. Ephesians 3:12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. There is no reason to feel worthless, you can be confident and bold because we are kingdom builders here on earth for God’s kingdom. This is not something that we lord over others, but humbly realize that your worth is solely rooted in you because God is Worthy. Even when you have times of trials and struggles, you can still be confident, as a child of the King, that he will take care of every need that you have. Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.One reason that many people struggle with loving others properly is that they do not have a proper love for themselves. They do not understand the great love that God has for them. So when someone else (or your own self-talk) puts you down, hold your head high, with humility, knowing in your heart of hearts that indeed you ar...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1233 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Loneliness Is No One's Friend - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1233 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I have several friends at work, and hundreds of online friends on the various social media sites, but many days I still feel lonely. It seems to plague me more the older I get. Do you have any wise tips to help me overcome this loneliness and have peace and joy in my heart?
Loneliness Is No One’s Friend
There was a song during my teen years by Simon and Garfunkel called ‘The Sounds of Silence,’ where the first line was, ‘hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.’ Do you sometimes, or quite often, feel this way? It seems like many people do. The busier we become, the more lonely many people seem to be. Activity is not a replacement for genuine relationships.
Loneliness is no one’s friend, but it is everyone’s acquaintance. While I have not experienced periods of extreme loneliness in my life, which many people do, we can all relate to that feeling. Loneliness eats at your insides and brings a vacuum of emptiness. It creates a gnawing hunger of wanting to belong, to be understood, and to be loved. You can have thousands of online friends and dozens of friends in real life and still be lonely. Loneliness doesn’t come from being alone; it comes from feeling alone.
This reminds how the Old Testament character Jacob, whose name was later changed to Isreal, may have felt. Earlier in his life, he was a man on the run. He cheated his older brother, Esau, out of his birthright, and Esau threatened to kill him. Jacob left Beersheba with his birthright and the blessing, both stolen, but he had little else. He was a fugitive, he was alone, he was heading to a land, not his own, and he was depressed. The place where Jacob found himself, a desolate, lonely place, was a picture of his barren heart. It was a place of dashed hopes and dreams. We read later, that just as he deceived his brother Esau, Jacob was deceived by his Uncle Laban on many occasions. Even with these periods of loneliness, we know his experiences did create a positive desired outcome in his life, as God changed his name to Israel, God’s chosen people.
So what is the solution for your loneliness? There are some things that can help. You must make it a priority to follow the greatest two commandments found in God’s Word. If fact, if we grasp and put into practice these two commands, everything else in our lives will fall into place.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1232 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Breakfast Special – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1232 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Breakfast Special
Sam and Sally, an older couple, went to breakfast at the Busy Bee Restaurant, where the Senior Special was two eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and a bottomless cup of coffee all for $1.99.
After they were seated at a table, Rhonda their server came to the table with coffee and asked if they both wanted the Senior Special. "That sounds really good," Sally replied, "But I don't want the eggs."
“Well, then I'll have to charge you two dollars and forty-nine cents because you're ordering a la carte," Rhonda warned her.
Sally was really taken back and replied, "You mean I'd have to pay more for NOT taking the eggs? That is incredulous.”
"Yep" stated Rhonda, “I can’t deviate from the special at all at that price.”
Sally pondered for a few moments, and finally said, “Well, I guess I'll take the special then."
“Great!” Exclaimed Rhonda, "How do you want your eggs?"
With a deadpan look of seriousness on her face, Sally said, "Raw and in the shell."
After breakfast, Sally asked for a to-go box and took the two eggs home with her.I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. For our Thursday thought is: “Problems are nothing but wake-up calls for creativity.”
Jeremiah 32:17
“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1231 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1231 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Inspiration Was a Process - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1231 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Last week we began a new series on Mastering the Bible. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday will be Mastering the Bible through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers did. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering The Bible – Inspiration Was A Process
Insight Three: Inspiration Was a Process, Not an Event
Dr. Heiser brings some very solid insights into the topic of Biblical inspiration. Because the Bible quite clearly calls itself inspired which indicates “God-breathed” in 2 Timothy 3:16, we tend to think about inspiration as an otherworldly event. That’s a misconception. The Bible is a divine book, given what 2 Timothy 3:16 says, but it’s also a thoroughly human book. Let me read that verse: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. Failing to grasp its humanness of inspiration can lead to all sorts of problems in understanding it and can even cause doubt about its authenticity. Embracing the humanity of the Bible is enormously helpful for understanding what’s in the Bible and why it says the things it does.
For example, we have four Gospels. Three of them - Matthew, Mark, and Luke - overlap in content a lot of the time with respect to what they include about the life of Jesus. But they often have things in a different order. Dialogue isn’t always the same. Certain details of episodes in the life of Jesus might be in two accounts and missing in the third. And when it comes to the Gospel of John, 90 percent (literally) of what’s in that Gospel isn’t in the other three.
One thing for sure isn't part of the explanation: the notion that the words dropped from heaven or were downloaded into the brains of the Gospel writers. The notion that God handed out every word just doesn’t work with the Gospels. The Bible never describes inspiration that way. It does describe very human acts. Writers record events and thoughts. They build arguments. They express themselves in poetry. They use sources. They create links between their work and other parts of Scripture.
Writing involves work and careful thought. Biblical books were not slapped together. The Bible bears the marks of human decision making on every page and in every paragraph. Biblical literature follows the conventions of the day for competent, professional writing. Authors are sensitive to genre, structure, literary devices, word choice, poetic parallelism, and narrative art. No part of any biblical book, “just happened.”
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1230 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The #2 Key to Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1230 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Richard DeVos, and it is: If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence.
The #2 Key to Success
Last week on our Wisdom Unplugged segment, we expressed the #1 Key to success was self-discipline, for without it success cannot be achieved. We are expanding on that concept this week to another key to success, which is persistence. These character traits are actually two sides of the same coin. You absolutely must have self-discipline to achieve anything worthwhile in life, but along the same lines, if you do not persistently pursue your goal, then you will not move very far along your path towards success. For any desire or goal in life, you have to be dedicated enough to continue on even when it is difficult. To be persistent means the firm or obstinate continuance in the course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Self-discipline, coupled with persistence will result in an all-consuming vision. Self-Disciplined and Persistent people have a goal or vision in mind that motivates and drives them. It creates a burning desire, inner confidence, highly developed habits, the ability to adjust and adapt, commitment to lifelong learning, and allows a person to become role models who act as guides and mentors to others.Growing up on a farm taught me a lot of lessons in life. Self-Discipline and Persistence were certainly two lessons. Patience and endurance, which is the same a persistence, are results of this. As we are told in James 5:7
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1229 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1229 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Defeating Your Giants – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1229 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We all have giants that we face in life. Situations or circumstances that cause us to quake in our boots. We are like the 10 spies at the border of the Promise Land who urged the nation of Israel not to go any farther, but return to the slavery of Egypt. This was their report found in Numbers 13:33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them, we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
In our meditation today, let us consider:
Defeating Your Giants
Goliaths still roam our world. Debt. Disaster. Dialysis. Danger. Deceit. Disease. Depression and many more. These super-sized challenges still swagger and strut, still rob us of our sleep, they embezzle our peace, and they suck the joy from our very souls. Although each of these giants has the potential to defeat you, they can't dominate you. The secret is that you need to know how to deal with them. In order to face and defeat your giants you must instead face God first. The key is what are you focusing on? If you focus on giants—you will quake and stumble. If you focus on God, your giants will tumble before you in utter defeat.
David, long before he became a mighty warrior or King of Israel, he knew who was beside him, ensuring his victory. You need to do what David did. You pick up five stones, and you make five decisions. Ever wonder why David took five stones into battle? Why not two or twenty? Rereading his story reveals five answers. Use your five fingers to remind you of the five stones you need to face down your Giants. Let your thumb remind you of …
THE STONE OF THE PAST
Goliath jogged David's memory of his recent days as a shepherd. While everyone else quivered, David remembered. God had given him the strength to wrestle a lion and strong-arm a bear. Wouldn't he do the same with the giant? A good memory makes heroes.
Although most of the Bible wasn’t written yet, David knew the principles that would be written in 1 Chronicles 16:12 Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given
These promises are part of a much larger catalog of God's successes. Keep a list of all your victories from God. Has he not walked you through high waters? Proven to be faithful? Have you not known his provision? He has made roadkill out of your enemies. Write today's worries in sand. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone. Pick up the stone of the past. Then select …
THE STONE OF PRAYER
Note the valley between your thumb and finger. To pass from one to the next,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1228 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Simple Instructions For Life - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1228 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, with so much contention in the world today, especially around the political spectrum, how can I live in a way that sets me apart from the vicious attacks and noise that seems to permeate so many people's lives?
Simple Instructions For Life
If ever there was a single verse of Scripture that lays out a brief summary of how Christ-followers should live their lives, it is Micah 6:8 Let me read that to you.
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
These few short phrases contain a blueprint for virtually every conceivable circumstance we could face. I would suggest taking this verse and committing it to memory. Repeat it to yourself throughout each day. Post it where you can easily see it as a reminder. Most importantly though, is to put it into action.
What does the Lord require of you? First, you are to do what is right. Maybe there is a business deal you have been pondering that just does not seem quite fair to the other side. Maybe you got pulled over for speeding, and rather than argue with the officer, you humbly accept the ticket. It was, after all, your foot on the gas pedal.
What does it mean to love mercy? Mercy is not receiving the judgment that we actually deserve. Mercy is what God shows us every day. So we are to love mercy and show it to others. Maybe your spouse or teenage child has wrecked the car. Maybe your child failed an important test. You are to show them mercy because you have been shown mercy by God.
Finally, walk humbly with your God. Everything you have ever accomplished has been at God’s good pleasure. On the flip side of that coin, He has carried you through every dark moment you have ever experienced. Through the good times, and the bad, God has lovingly been there with you and for you. Think about how incredible that really is. Really the only way you can do anything at all is by His grace, so humility is always the proper attitude.
Micah 6:8 is a beautiful verse and a great way to live your life. You will stand out from the noise of society if you do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.When our lives teach the truth of this verse in action and deed,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1227 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Don't Even Know Her – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1227 of our trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - womething to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
I Don’t Even Know Her
John and Margaret, an older couple, were having dinner in a nice restaurant. Margaret sees another couple about their age sitting in a booth nearby. She sees the husband sitting close to his wife, with his arm around her. He is whispering things in her ear, and she is smiling and blushing. He's gently rubbing her shoulder and touching her hair.
Margaret turns to John, who was busy eating his salad, and says, "Look at the couple over there. Look how close that man is to his wife, how he's talking to her. Look at how sweet he is. Why don't you ever do that?"
John looks up from his Caesar salad and glances over at the next booth. Then he turns to Margaret, with a quizzical look on his face and says, "Honey, why would I do that, I don't even know that woman."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile on to some else. We all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is “Smile at strangers; it may just change a life.”
Hebrews 13:2
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1226 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1226 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mastering the Bible - Let It Be - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1226 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week we begin a new series to assist us in building our Biblical worldview. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday will be Mastering the Bible through a series of brief insights. This is another book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers did. Each week we will explore two insights.
Mastering the Bible – Let It Be
Insight One: Let the Bible Be What It Is
Dr. Heiser unpacks that statement a bit. Letting the Bible be what it is means interpreting the Bible in its own context. Bible students talk a lot about interpreting the Bible in context. When most readers consider context, they think about the verses preceding and following whatever passage they happen to be looking at. Context involves much more.
There are many different contexts that, even today, dictate how we should understand what we read. For example, the world in which we live provides a context. If I wrote the word “text” on a blackboard today in a room full of college students and asked what the word means, I would hear very different answers than I would have heard twenty years ago. Students today would immediately think of a wireless, electronic message. Their worldview is dominated by technology. That wouldn’t have been true a few decades ago. That was a different world.
The type of writing or document dictates how we should understand what’s written. In literary terms, this refers to a genre. If I was looking at the word “court” in a legal document, I’d interpret the word much differently than if I was holding a tennis magazine. The word “treat” in a doctor’s note means something different than it would if you found it on a grocery list. Genre is a context that is crucial for interpretation.
There are many other examples. Your culture, religious thinking, political system, family unit, and social structure all influence how you process the Bible. We might know that intellectually, but we often fail to embrace the fact that the Biblical writers wrote for their immediate audience, who had contexts quite different than our own.
Interpreting the Bible in context means interpreting it in light of the worldview in which it was produced. Filtering the Bible through our worldview or any worldview that came after the biblical period means altering how the Bible was originally meant to be read. We need to let the Bible be what it is, an ancient work from another time and place. To apply the Bible to our lives accurately, we need to know what it actually teaches.
Insight Two: Don’t Second-Guess God’s Decisions in Inspiration
In Dr. Heiser’s experience, some Bible students are concerned that the worldview disconnection between us and the ancient biblical writers me...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1225 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The #1 Key to Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1225 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy, and it is, "If I had to pick the No.1 key to success, it would be...self-discipline."
The #1 Key to Success
As I have stated many times, success is not about how wealthy, powerful, or influential a person is; instead, it is the positive and lasting impact a person has on the lives of those individuals who are close to them. Regardless of how you may be measuring success, one character trait that is the #1 key to every successful person is that of self-discipline.
Self-discipline, or it could be referred to as self-control, is absolutely a requirement in order to achieve success in any sphere of life. There are seven areas of life, which are: spiritual, family, physical/health, mind/intellect, personal/social, financial, and work/career. If you desire to be successful in any or all of these areas of life, you must practice self-discipline/self-control in that area of life. There is no other single attribute that is more important if you truly desire to be successful.
You can make excuses for lack of success in any of these areas of life, but it boils down to that fact that you lack the level of self-discipline required to achieve success. So, if you desire success, are you willing to be disciplined with your time, talent, and resources in order to achieve what you desire? It all boils down to self-discipline.
Achieving success in any area of life is not really a mystery. The lack of success is a lack of self-discipline. The lack of self-discipline, many times, is based on a fear of success You are fearful of what success will require of you. Fear is not from God. God does not desire that we fail. We are reminded of this in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1224 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1224 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Fear of the Unknown – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1224 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Do you have fear for tomorrow? Are you unsure what a new day will bring into your life? In today’s meditation, let us consider…
Fear of the Unknown
The night before his death, Jesus told His disciples in John 14:28, "Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am."
Imagine their shock when they heard Jesus say those words. He spoke them on the night of the Passover celebration, Thursday evening, in the Upper Room. Christ and his friends had just enjoyed a calm dinner in the midst of a chaotic week. They had a reason for optimism: Jesus' popularity was soaring. Opportunities were increasing. In three short years the crowds had lifted Christ to their shoulders . . . he was the hope of the common man.
And now this? Jesus said, "I am going away." The announcement stunned them. When Jesus explained in John 14:4-5, “'And you know the way to where I am going.' 'No, we don’t know, Lord,' Thomas said. 'We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?'"
On the eve of his death, Jesus gave his followers this promise in John 14:26-27, "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."
As a departing teacher might introduce the classroom to her replacement, so Jesus introduces us to the Holy Spirit. And what a ringing endorsement he gives. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit his "representative."
The Spirit comes in the name of Christ, with equal authority and identical power. Earlier in the evening Jesus had said in John 14:16, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you."
Jesus' promise in the Greek word allos—which means "another one just like the first one." And who is the first one? Jesus himself. Hence, the assurance Jesus gives to the disciples is this, "I am going away. You are entering a new season, a different chapter. Much will be different, but one thing remains constant: my presence. You will enjoy the presence of ‘another Counselor.' "
Can you see how the disciples needed this encouragement? It's Thursday night before the crucifixion. By Friday's sunrise, they will abandon Jesus.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1223 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Fake News vs. Good News - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1223 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, we are bombarded on a daily basis with news reports that seem to be completely opposite from one another. Even on the internet, it seems like it is out of hand with a proliferation of conflicting and hostile opinions. Do you have some wisdom tips to help stay focused on what is true and valuable?
Fake News vs. Good News
The internet and even other broadcast media can be wonderful tools. It does place a plethora of news, information, and facts at our fingertips. That said, we really need to be careful that we do not consume too much of the propaganda that is being spewed through traditional news outlets, or the millions of self-appointed experts both on TV and especially on the internet. It is hard to discern what is truth today, and what is not. We don’t want to take on the mindset of the fictional character Michael Scott from the popular TV sitcom ‘The Office’ where he said in one episode: “Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject, so you know you are getting the best possible information.”
As helpful as the Internet can be, we obviously can’t trust everything we read there. We have to check the sources to make sure the news is reliable. I caution investing too much time reading, watching, or listening to most news today, because it has never been so obvious that most sources have taken on a certain political and societal viewpoint. True investigative journalism that is not stemming from a certain ideology seems to become rarer with each news cycle. When you do invest time in sourcing news, seek out the most reliable sources from both sides of the political and societal spectrum, and then compare the coverage. You will find that the truth probably lands somewhere in between. Attempt to find as unbiased coverage as possible, and also try to discern what the worldview is of that news source. If the worldview is purely secular, they will bend the coverage based on that. If you can locate a Biblically-based worldview news source, it should line up more with the truth of God’s Word. If it does not, it is not a Biblically-based worldview, although it may claim to be. We must not confuse a seemingly conservative patriotic worldview with a Biblical Worldview, they are not the same.
Once you have synthesized the information that you have taken into your mind,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1222 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Going, Going, Gone! – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1222 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
Going, Going, Gone!
Frank was really interested in obtaining a rare breed of parrot, which was known for its fluent speech capabilities. He saw that there was an exotic animal auction that was being held in a town near him, so he decided to attend. When he arrived at the auction, he spotted the parrot he desired. When it came time to auction off the parrot, the auctioneer described the beautiful parrot and mentioned that it had a very large vocabulary.
As the bidding started, there were a few people who seemed interested, so Frank started the bidding off at $500.00, thinking that would drive away everyone who may be wanting to bid. Frank really wanted this bird, but from one of the corners, he heard someone bid $600.00.
Frank got caught up in the bidding. $700.00 said Frank, then the other bidder quickly shouted out $800.00. Frank could not tell who the other bidder was since he appeared to be on the other side of the room. Frank kept on bidding, but kept getting outbid. So he bid higher and higher and higher. Soon the bid was up to $1,500.00, and Frank was starting to get a bit nervous.
Frank thought, "One last bid," and blurted out $2,000.00! The other person fell silent, and no one else bid against him. Striking his gavel, the auctioneer shouted out "Sold for $2,000.00," as he pointed to Frank.
Finally! said Frank. Although he bid way more than he intended, he won the bid. The parrot was his at last!
As Frank was paying for the parrot, he said to the auctioneer, "I sure hope this parrot can talk. I would hate to have paid this much for it, only to find out that he can't talk!"
"Don't worry," said the auctioneer, "he can talk. Who do you think kept bidding against you?"
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is "A horse never runs so fast as when he has other horses to catch up and outpace."
Luke 14:28
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?"
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1221 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1221 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Disciples Suffer and Make More Disciples - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1221 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes today we complete a detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We have taken a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
Disciples Suffer and Make More Disciples
Last week we studied how disciples confess sin and accept forgiveness and also and study the Bible. This week we will explore two more specific responsibilities for a disciple.
The first one is, Disciples, at times, Suffer
This element might surprise you, but it's clear in the New Testament. Jesus told his disciples in John 15:18-20 : “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.
This is where believing loyalty is really tested. It's one thing to learn that we need to have a change of heart on how we live. It's quite another to be following Jesus and suffer for it. The apostles suffered for following Jesus (Acts 5:41; 9:16; 21:13; 2 Corinthians 11:22-29). Holding on to faith is a theme throughout the New Testament (Romans 8:17-18; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Philippians 1:27-30; 1 Peter 3:13-17). Peter, one of the original twelve disciples, had seen Jesus suffer and been imprisoned for his faith (Acts 12:1-19). He wrote to believers who had been displaced and scattered by persecution in l Peter 2:20-23:
Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
He never sinned,
nor ever deceived anyone.
He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,
who always judges fairly.
Enduring suffering requires us to remember that the gospel does not promise ease in this life, but an everlasting place in God's family in the life to come. This world is not our real home.
Finally, Disciples Make More Disciples
While loving God, our neighbor, and each other is the most important aspect of being a disciple, the most important thing disciples do is make other disciples. This was the task Jesus commanded his followers just before he ascended to heaven. For that reason it's called the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1220 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Love Your Work – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1220 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert Louis Stevenson, and it is: If a man loves the labor of any trade, apart from any question of success or fame, then God has called him.
Love Your Work
Maybe we should redefine what true success and fame are. If you enjoy, yes I might add, love your work, regardless of how financially rewarding or attention-grabbing it is, shouldn’t you be considered a success, as you bask in the satisfaction of a job well done? This thought reminds me of two verses in the Bible that the wisest man on earth, King Solomon, wrote. The first is Ecclesiastes 2:24, So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. The second one is Ecclesiastes 5:18. Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.
To be satisfied and content with your work and life, regardless of your status, regardless of what others may think, or the size of your bank account is a life well-lived.God has created each of us unique with certain abilities, talents, intellect, and gifts. We should rejoice in how He created us. We are only responsible for how we utilize what God has blessed us with. We are not to compare ourselves to anyone else. God desires that we live fully as we work together building His kingdom here on earth. As you are faithful and content with what you have, God may provide you with more. This basic principle is found in Luke 16:10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.
Learn to love and enjoy what you already do, it is then that you will find contentment, success, and fame.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1219 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1219 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Father's Love – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1219 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
How do you view God, your heavenly father? It makes a huge difference in your life. In today’s meditation, let us consider:
A Father’s Love
One of the most beautiful and well-known parables in the Bible is the parable of the father of the prodigal sons (Luke 15:11–32). Many commentators call this the parable of the prodigal son, but the real hero of this story is the father and his love for his two prodigal sons. It’s a parable that Jesus used to skillfully unveil to us the true heart of our gracious and loving heavenly Father.
Please take a few minutes to read through the full parable, and as you read through it, consider this: What is your opinion of God, especially when you’ve made a mistake? Do you see Him as an all-powerful, distant, and unfeeling judge who is angry whenever you fail and who constantly has to be appeased? Or do you know Him as your Daddy, your Abba Father whom you can run to anytime, even when you have fallen short? Do you see Him as unwaveringly and patiently waiting for you to return to Him and then racing down the road to meet you with tears streaming down His face, embracing you, and raining His kisses upon you?
Let me read to you a portion of the parable when the one son, who had taken all of his inheritance and squandered it and was now completely destitute returns to his father. In his own eyes and in the world’s eyes, he was worthless, but not the eyes of his loving father. I will read Luke 15:20-24, “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.Did you catch his father’s response? His father acted like he did not hear what his son had said, because, to the father, it did not matter.
As I was studying the Word, the Lord revealed to me that many believers have come to a place where they have forgotten their heavenly Father. They have forgotten about His love, His grace, and His loving-kindness. They relate to God in a judicial and transactional fashion, coming before Him with apprehension and trepidation,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1218 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Addictions Destroy Lives - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1218 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I am struggling with drinking too much. I can usually control myself when life is running smoothly, but with the pressure of finances, working, raising the kids, and being good husband, I lapse back into drinking too much which I know is not what God desires. I fear that I am becoming addicted to drink. Do you have some wisdom tips you can share that would help me avoid drinking when I am under stress?
Addictions Destroy Lives
Let me start with a story about someone who ended up paying the ultimate price because he did not overcome his addiction. Jeffrey Motts was executed by lethal injection for the 2005 murder of a fellow inmate at the Perry Correctional Institute in South Carolina. He was originally jailed for murdering two elderly people in 1995. What was particularly revealing was a comment he made in his final statement, which was read by his attorney. “I was the child everyone wanted their children around, that is, until I got addicted to drugs. Drugs have destroyed my life.”
The sad thing is, Jeffrey Motts was a good kid, as most kids start out in life. Unfortunately, he became addicted to drugs through initially casual use, until it controlled his entire life. He is not alone, and as the question which was asked today, it is so easy to slip from a functioning addiction, to one that completely consumes you. Many people today struggle with addictions, if not drugs or alcohol, it may be gambling, sex, pornography, food, shopping, or the more socially acceptable addictions of exercise, work, and internet habits. These were once considered compulsions or weaknesses, but anything that controls and consumes us is an addiction.
I know it is not a pleasant way to think of it, but addictions remind me of Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. It is hard to accept, but addictions are foolishness, because we are relying on something other than God to help us deal with life. We must be willing to clothe ourselves with a life that is pleasing to God. Romans 13:13-14 tells us, Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1217 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
No More Fishing – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1217 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
No More Fishing
John, who hadn't attended church in years, suddenly began attending faithfully on Sunday mornings instead of going fishing, as was his normal habit.
Pastor Smith was highly gratified, but said nothing for several weeks, thinking that John must have seen the light. Pastor Smith had also convinced himself that his excellent preaching probably played a major factor in John’s decision to come back to church and attend so faithfully.
Pastor Smith could contain himself no longer, so at the end of service one morning he told him, “Brother John, how wonderful it makes me feel to see you at services with your good wife, Margaret!" Thinking that he already knew the answer, Pastor Smith could not help himself, so he asked, “John, what changed in your heart that you have been so faithful in attendance these past few months?”
"Well, Preacher," said John the fisherman, "Quite honestly, it's a matter of choice. I'd much rather hear your sermon than hers."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile onto some else. We all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is "Don’t ask the question if you can’t handle the answer."
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1216 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1216 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Disciples Accept God's Forgiveness and Study - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1216 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
Disciples Accept God’s Forgiveness and Study
Last week we studied how disciples fast and worship. This week we will explore two more specific responsibilities for a disciple.
The first one is disciples confess sin and accept God’s forgiveness.
One of the things a disciple has to come to grips with as soon as their journey of following Jesus begins is that they will fail. None of us is sinless like Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 3:5), nor can we hope to be. The Bible is clear on this point. The disciples sinned (Mark 14:30, 68, 72). One of them, John, wrote later in life 1 John 1:7-10, "But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts."
It's wonderful to know, though, that our membership in God's family is not due to our performance. Our good works cannot put God in our debt. He never owes us everlasting life on account of any merit we might think we have. Our performance (or lack thereof) did not move him away from us. God loved us as we are reminded in Romans 5:8, "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Consequently, we must remember that since salvation could never be gained by moral perfection, it cannot be lost by moral imperfection.
In light of our imperfection, the true disciple of Jesus must stay focused on the kindness and love of God. Look again at the passage from John's letter. It tells us exactly what to do when we fail God, either by doing something that isn't consistent with imitating Jesus or leaving something undone that is consistent with being like him, "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."
When we sin and fail, we must acknowledge it. That's what confession means. We must not hide, excuse, or rationalize our sin. God wants us to admit it. Why? We need to be humbled. We need to remember that salvation is about what someone else—Jesus—did for us, not what we earn. Confession acknowledges that we are children of God because of Jesus. We can be sure that our sin will not separate us from God; we will not be kicked out of the family (Romans 8:31-39)....
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1215 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Great Foundation of Failure – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1215 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Og Mandino,and it is, "I will not allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure."
The Great Foundation Of Failure
One of the easiest paths to failure is to rest on the laurels of yesterday’s successes so that you become complacent in your current season of life. You may have heard that success fosters more success, but even more easily success will degrade to failure because we take our attention off of those minute practices and habits that allowed us to reach success in the first place.
I have seen it and read about it time and time again when a person who has reached a certain level of success then jeopardizes it unconsciously either for fear of more success or because they have taken their eyes off the steps that will allow them to gain a higher level of success. The trail that brought us to our station in life today may not be the same trail that will allow us to continue on up the mountain of success.
Think about some of these examples...How many sports players, actors, politicians, or business executives who are paid millions of dollars over their career end up poor and destitute because they did not follow the same dedicated practices and daily habits that brought them success to begin with?
This could happen to any of us. Therefore, we must not allow yesterday’s successes to lull us into complacency today. Yes, there should be a short time for rest and celebration, to enjoy the fruit of your hard-won labors, but then get back on the trail, and continue that climb to the summit. In this life, we never reach the summit, until God calls us home to be with Him. So persevere, work hard, rest when you need to, and then continue on.
Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1214 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1214 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Rest for the Weary Soul – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1214 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
After fighting the hard-won battles of life, you may be too weary to continue on to reclaim what was lost. In today’s meditation, let us consider…
Rest for the Weary Soul
There is a brook that is mentioned in the book of 1 Samuel that you may not have heard of. It is called Brook Besor. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of the place. Most haven't, but more need to. The Brook Besor story deserves shelf space in the library of those who are worn-out. It speaks tender words and needed rest to those who are weary of soul.
The story emerges from the ruins of a town called Ziklag. David and his six hundred soldiers return from the Philistine war front to find the city from which the army was from in utter devastation. A raiding band of Amalekites had swept down on the village, looted it, and taken all the women and children hostage. The sorrow of David’s soldiers morphs into anger, not against the Amalekites, but against David. After all, hadn't he led them into battle? David is the commander of the army, and he left the women and children unprotected. Isn't David to blame? The soldiers think so and that he needs to die. So they start grabbing stones.
After the victory over the Philistines, returning home could be his worst hour. But David with wisdom from God makes it one of his best.
David redirects the men's anger toward the enemy. They set out in pursuit of the Amalekites. Keep the soldiers’ weariness in mind. They still were covered by the trail dust of a long campaign and haven't entirely extinguished their anger at David. They don't know the Amalekites' hideout, and, if not for the sake of their loved ones, they might just give up and take the loss.
In this story, we learn that two hundred of the six hundred soldiers do. The army reaches a brook called Besor, and they dismount. Soldiers wade in the creek and splash water on their faces, sink tired toes in cool mud, and stretch out on the grass. Hearing David’s command to move on in pursuit of the Amalekites, two hundred choose to rest. "You go on without us," they say.
How tired does a person have to be to abandon the hunt for his own family? The church may have its share of weary soldiers. Good people. Godly people. Only hours or years ago they marched with deep resolve. But now fatigue consumes them. They're exhausted. So beat-up and worn down that they can't summon the strength to save their own flesh and blood. Maybe old age has sucked their oxygen. Maybe it was a deflating string of defeats.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1213 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Anxiety-Free Life - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1213 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey Gramps, I am having some bouts of anxiety and would like to be able to overcome it. Do you have some wisdom tips to help me battle these gremlins?”
An Anxiety-Free Life
Can you imagine having absolutely no worries? Think about how much freer and happier you would be. Unless you happen to enjoy drama in your life, which some people do, you would be ecstatic without worry. This makes me think about what heaven may be like. It certainly does not sound like our life on earth, since we all go through what seems like continual periods of worry and anxiety. Even though I don’t struggle with a significant amount of anxiety, no one is completely exempt from anxiety. So these bits of wisdom also apply to me.
Sadly, life on this troubled planet is full of things that can tempt us to worry, and if we head down that temptation trail, we will soon be falling headlong into the pit and be mired in the slough of despondency. With all that we face during any particular day, it may seem almost irresponsible not to worry. Do you find yourself unconsciously thinking that if you don’t worry, bad things will happen to you? When you succumb to this mindset, you may think that things will spin out of your illusory control and that you will suffer terrible consequences for your lack of concern and attention. Is that mindset true, though? Has worrying about something ever really helped? A wise tidbit can be learned from Thomas Jefferson in a letter that he wrote to John Adam, “How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened.” This is so true, and yet we fret.
Mr. Barrow, a character in a story by Mark Twain, offers some helpful wisdom, “Drag your thoughts away from your troubles, by the ears, by the heels, or any other way, so you manage it; it’s the healthiest thing a body can do.” To take this analogy from Mark Twain and put it in the context of Scripture, let me read Psalms 55:22, "Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall."
The key is that we have to leave them with the Lord. So often, we pick our burdens right back up and toss them on our backs. Every time you are tempted to pick them back up again, remind yourself that you cannot carry them, that will only make you miserable and defeated.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1212 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Auto Shop Class – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1212 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
Auto Shop Class
Taking great pains to be specific, Mr. Devol, the new auto-shop teacher who was just hired, explained to three of his students Sam, John, and Sue that he wanted them to clean a car that was parked outside in the parking lot a little ways from the school. He gave the three students two extension cords, the vacuum cleaner, a bucket, rags, soap, and the car keys. Mr. Devol explained that this car was one to be used in his class, and he wanted it spotless for the beginning of the school year.
After about an hour, since Sam, John, and Sue had not reported back yet Mr. Devol headed out to the parking lot to check on the students. As he approached the car he discovered that all three were sitting in the car, feet up on the dashboard, listening to the stereo. Being a bit frustrated Mr. Devol asked, "Why aren't you vacuuming the car?"
Sam looked at him with a smug smile on his face and said, "Because the extension cord wouldn't reach."
Exasperated, Mr. Devol said, "That's why I gave you two extension cords."
John piped up and said, "We tried the other one, but it wouldn't reach either."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile onto some else. We all could use a good smile. Our Thursday Thought is "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."
Romans 1:19
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1211 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1211 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Disciples Fast and Worship - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1211 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
Disciples Fast and Worship
Last week we studied how disciples fellowship and pray. This week we will explore two more specific responsibilities of disciples.
The first one is disciples fast.
Fasting may be unfamiliar to many readers. Generally, to “fast” from something means to abstain from that thing. To “fast” from food means to go without eating. This is the kind of fasting we see most often in the Bible, though not always. Jesus fasted (Matthew 4:2). He presumed the disciples would follow his example and warned them to not be hypocrites when they did so (Matthew 6:16-18). Fasting isn't about drawing attention to yourself. It’s between you and God.
Fasting isn't merely about abstaining from food. You can fast from all sorts of things in whatever manner you want. Jesus wasn't recommending a strategy for losing weight. He had something else in mind when he fasted and when he talked about fasting. While the Bible contains many instances of fasting, there are no specific rules. Paul noted that married couples might fast from sex (l Corinthians 7:1-5) to devote special attention to a matter of prayer.
But why do it? Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 7:5 about couples agreeing to abstain from sex for a time give us an indication, "Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
Fasting is a spiritual practice designed to help us focus on prayer. How does it do that? Perhaps an example helps. If you decide to fast from food for a day, whenever you're hungry, you are reminded to pray. Your fasting is a reminder and directs your attention to the reason you decided to fast.
Another way to think about fasting is to ask what distracts us from prayer or, more generally, our walk with God. The answer might be our phones, television, or some hobby. These are all things we can set aside for a time (“fast” from) to bring our minds back to God and prayer. As an example, what if you decided to do a 24 hour fast from technology. Every time that you would usually check your phone or Facebook you would be reminded to pray instead.
Early church communities fasted so as to collectively focus on prayer (Acts 13:1-3; 14:23). In the Old Testament, community fasting was also a way to show collective sorrow for sin and repentance (Jeremiah 36:6; Joel 2:12).
Next, we will study how disciples worship.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1210 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Was Made to Work – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1210 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Johann Sebastian Bach, and it is, "I was made to work. If you are equally industrious, you will be equally successful."
I Was Made to Work
Work, in our western culture, work at times has a negative connotation, yet a hard-working person is looked on with esteem. What a dichotomy! We have to realize that from the beginning of creation every human was made to work. Certainly there are abuses in allowing work to become all-consuming, and as with any addiction, if that is your sole focus, then relationships and health of your body, soul, and mind will suffer. In order to be successful, hard, and smart, work is a requirement. While we were designed for work and should work hard with enjoyment, from the beginning of creation, there is also a place for rest. This requires a plan for how and when you are to work.
Proverbs 21:5
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
What is the focus of your work and to what end do you work? Without a proper focus and goal for working hard, it will become drudgery as King Solomon mentions several places in Ecclesiastes. This kind of thinking is wrong. Our work is a service, or offering to God, and should not be taken lightly, nor should we be lazy.
Romans 12:11
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
For success in any area of life, we should work fervently, but not to the detriment to our family or other relationships. We should work hard to fulfill God’s purpose of building His kingdom here on earth.
2 Timothy 2:15
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
We should work enthusiastically so that everyone who sees us will realize that we are working for a higher purpose than just earning income, but we are working to do what is pleasing to God.
Ephesians 6:7
Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1209 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1209 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
When God Stepped Into Time – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1209 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are constrained by time and space, so it is difficult to imagine not having those barriers. We are bound and controlled by each day and the ability to be only in one location. In today’s meditation, let us consider:
When God Stepped Into Time
When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound. He became imprisoned in flesh. He became restricted by weary-prone muscles and eyelids. For more than three decades, his once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, his speed no faster than the pace of human feet.
I wonder, was he ever tempted to reclaim his boundlessness? In the middle of a long trip, did he ever consider transporting himself to the next city? When the rain and wind chilled his bones, was he tempted to change the weather? When the heat parched his lips, did he give thought to creating a cool, clear bottle of water?
If ever he entertained such thoughts, he never gave in to them. Not once. Stop and think about this. Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word, he could’ve transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but he didn’t. With a wave of his hand, he could’ve boomeranged the spit of his accusers back into their faces, but he didn’t. With an arch of his brow, he could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as he braided the crown of thorns. But he didn’t.
He stepped out of eternity at the moment of conception, when the divinely fertilized egg of the virgin Mary began to multiply during the next 9 months. He went from needing nothing, to being completely dependent on the humans which he had created.
In an instant, he went from needing nothing to needing air, food, a tub of hot water, salts for his tired feet, and, more than anything, He needed to begin the process of building God’s kingdom on earth. He, the perfect one trained and used us, who are imperfect, to become His tools for building God’s kingdom.
Though everyone would ultimately forsake Him in the hour of His greatest need, he still continued on robed in His limitations as a man. He could have called 10,000 angels with one word to destroy those who tried to destroy Him, both in the physical and spiritual realms.
He was blamed for and took on himself every sin committed beginning with Adam and Eve and then stood in silence as a million guilty verdicts echoed in the tribunal of heaven and the giver of light was left alone in the chill of a cold night.
After three days in a dark hole separated from both God and man he stepped back out of t...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1208 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Managing Your Expectations - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1208 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey Gramps, I realize that I am not perfect, but I do try to live according to God’s precepts found in His Word. I expected that life would become easier as I grow older and gained more wisdom. It seems at times though that life remains difficult in many areas.”
Managing Your Expectations
First of all, as with all situations in life, it is not as much as what happens to us, as to how we deal with those situations. It is about how you manage your expectations about what comes your way, whether it is good, or not so good. Learning to be content in all situations will allow you to face life with confidence, knowing that God is in control.
The Apostle Paul learned to manage his expectations and to be content, although life was not always easy. He wrote in Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
The Apostle Paul certainly didn’t live a carefree life all the time. He knew though that God’s light was shining through him. He describes going through times of being pressed on every side, perplexed, hunted down, knocked down, yet he knew that it was all for a greater good. Most of us who knows God’s Word consider Paul to have been a strong Christian, so why did he continue to suffer? Certainly, as mentioned above, there were good times, but also bad times. We as Christ-followers are not necessarily exempt.Despite experiencing a great deal of suffering, Paul managed his life and expectations. He was not driven to despair. He knew that God never abandoned him. He was not destroyed. He knew that he shared in the life of the risen Christ, and that made it all worthwhile.
Paul doesn’t downplay or deny suffering in the least, but he knows that suffering does not have the final word, God does. Without our suffering, we would not fully appreciate God’s great salvation. It would be more difficult to trust in God, because we would be trusting in self. So while the difficult times hurt, they are not without meaning.
When you know that God is absolutely wise, faithful, and loving,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1207 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Gift for the Church – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1207 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
A Gift for the Church
Pastor James, who was the new pastor at a City-Center Church, was delighted when he received an anonymous gift of money, which was quite substantial for the small church. During the next church council meeting, Pastor James presented the gift and proposed it should be used to buy a new chandelier for the main sanctuary, since the current lighting had been there for many decades.
Pastor James thought this would be a splendid idea. However, when it was put to a vote Pastor James was disappointed when his proposal was narrowly defeated. Pastor James observed that Sam, the church council secretary, had voted against the proposal and when the meeting was over, he asked Sam why he had not supported it.
Sam looked at Pastor James sternly for a few moments then then said that he had three reasons: "First, I have to write the minutes of the meeting, and I can't spell the word; second, there is sure to be an argument over who should play it; and finally, if we are going to spend money in the Church, what we really need is some good lighting in the sanctuary.
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile onto some else; we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday Thought is "Many communication misunderstandings arise when you presume that others know what you are talking about."
Luke 18:34
But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1206 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1206 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Disciples Fellowship and Pray - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1206 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
Disciples Fellowship and Pray
Last week we took a broad view of how disciples take care of each other. For the next several weeks, we will drill down and explore what the specific responsibilities are as a disciple.
The first responsibility is disciples fellowship.
"Fellowship" is a New Testament word that describes the activity of the believing community. Taking care of each other is part of Biblical fellowship, because when believers meet together, needs can be discerned and met. That said, we need a short discussion of fellowship to talk about other things disciples do.
Many Christians today equate "fellowship" with having fun together. For sure, doing fun things together strengthens relationships. Enjoying the company of people builds bonds. But that really isn't biblical fellowship in the sense of becoming disciples.
The basic difference between doing fun things together and biblical fellowship is that fellowship isn't just about spending time together. It's much more intentional.
The goal of fellowship is ultimately “becoming one mind" around Jesus so that we can “have his mind in us.” In other words, the goal of fellowship is discipleship. A couple of verses from Philippians capture the idea:
Philippians 1:27 - Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
Philippians 2:1-5 - Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
What does it mean to have the mind of Christ and then to be of one mind as a community of believers? Does it mean everyone believes the same things down to the last detail? No. The Bible speaks of unity, not uniformity. A better way to understand “one mind and purpose” is that every member of the community is pursuing the same goal: to be like Jesus. The goal is harmony, not unanimity, in pursuing Christ-likeness and living in community together ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1205 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success Is Just That Simple – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1205 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget...
Today’s quote is from Tim Tebow, and it is, "I want to make sure that every night I go to sleep knowing I've done my very best to improve that day. Success, to me, is just that simple."
Success Is Just That Simple
It is so easy to get wrapped up in the prevalent worldview that the major measure of success is wealth. Although I knew this all along, as I grow older, it is more and more obvious that wealth is only a minor measurement of success. Success is not all that complicated, nor difficult to achieve. We have to have a proper worldview of what true success is. As Jesus taught us in Matthew 16:26, "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?"
You can gain the entire world of wealth, but what good is it if your life does not positively impact the world? The true measure of a completely successful life is to be successful each day. This is when you are able to lay your head on your pillow at night with the confidence that your actions and words improved your life and the lives of all those who you impacted, either directly, or indirectly.
Let us not overcomplicate life. Let us pursue the building of God’s Kingdom each day by living His precepts and positively impacting the lives of everyone in our world. It is then that your life will be worthwhile. When your life is worthwhile, then you have achieved success, no matter how small or large that achievement is.
1 Corinthians 4:20
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1204 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1204 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Worker Bees of Life – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1204 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
There are certain people that always seem to be busy, and they accomplish so much. Maybe you are one, or maybe you just sit in amazement as you observe them. In today’s meditation, let us consider…
The Worker Bees of Life
Every organization, church, or family needs a Martha. Actually, they probably need several Martha-type people. I have to confess, that I certainly tend to fall into this category. There is always more to do. More tasks, more chores, more work. Martha’s have the sleeves rolled and ready attitude…They set the pace for an organization. Because of Marthas, the projects get done, goals are reached, income is generated, and everything continues to tick like clockwork. You don’t appreciate Marthas until a Martha is missing, and then all the Marys and Lazaruses are scrambling around looking and wondering why things are so disorganized and not much is accomplished.
Marthas are the Energizer bunnies of an organization. They keep going and going and going. They store strength like a camel stores water. Since many of them really don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t live off the applause. That’s not to say they don’t need it. They just aren’t addicted to it. A job well done is the accolades that they seek.
Marthas have a focus and mission and relentlessly pursues goals. The fact is, though, sometimes they don’t see the beautiful forest because they are so intent on the next tree that is in front of them. It is their tendency to elevate the tasks as more important than the ultimate end result. They lack the long term vision that is so important. Remember when Martha did that? A younger Martha invites a younger Jesus to come for dinner. Jesus accepts and brings his disciples.
The scene Luke describes has Mary seated and Martha fuming. Martha is angry because Mary is, the horror of horrors, sitting at the feet of Jesus. How impractical! How irrelevant! How unnecessary! I mean, who has time to sit and listen when there is bread to be baked, tables to be set, and people to feed? So Martha complained in Luke 10:40, “But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’”
All of a sudden Martha has gone from serving Jesus to making demands of Jesus. The room falls silent. The disciples duck their eyes. Mary flushes red. And Jesus speaks in Luke 10:41-42, “But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1203 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wealth with a Purpose - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1203 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey Gramps, I am trying to be a good manager of the money I earn. We have been frugal and strive to be wise with our spending and investing. The result is that we are nearly debt-free and have started to accumulate a reserve. Is it wrong to pursue more money and accumulate a substantial amount?”
Wealth with a Purpose
First, let me state emphatically, there is certainly nothing wrong with wisely and prudently accumulating resources. The Bible is clear that one of the blessings from God can be gaining material wealth. As with all of God’s precepts, it is what your focus is on.
Let’s start with a basic concept and a straight forward verse, which is 1 Timothy 5:18,"For the Scripture says, 'You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.'" And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” God’s precept here is you should work hard, and when you do, you deserve the pay that you receive. There is nothing wrong or negative with this.
One of the biggest misperceptions in our contemporary culture, even among many Christians, is that there is something inherently evil with turning a profit. The Bible warns us against making wealth an idol in 1 Timothy 6:10, but it does not discourage the responsible accumulation of wealth by God’s people. The keyword here is responsible.
While Scripture may not make a clear case for capitalism, it is apparent that some capitalist principles are rooted and entwined with a Biblical worldview. There are numerous passages in the Bible that encourage us to work hard for honest wages such as 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and 1 Timothy 5:18, which I read above. We should create goods and accumulate wealth that can enrich others (Proverbs 11:25). We should buy, sell, and make a profit (Proverbs 31:16-24 and Leviticus 25:14). We should responsibly invest our resources (Luke 19:11-26 and Proverbs 11:24). Of course, we should first of all support and care for our family (1 Timothy 5:8).
Wealth, like any of God’s good gifts, can puff us up and easily become an idol, which is why there are warnings in God’s Word against the full-fledged pursuit of money at the expense of a life focused on knowing God and the building of His Kingdom here on earth. Materialism and greed can sap our spiritual life because it prevents us from "keeping our ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1202 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Anesthesiologist – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1202 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
The Anesthesiologist
Nurse Sam was the manager of the hospital's softball team, and it was his responsibility for returning equipment to the proper owners at the end of the season.
When Sam walked into the surgery department carrying a bat that belonged to Dr. Howard, the heart surgeon, he passed several patients and their families in a waiting area while whistling a happy tune. Most of the patients looked warily at Sam as he was dressed in his nurse uniform, ready for his shift to start.
Frank, who was sitting next to his wife Sarah, who was waiting for heart surgery, blurted out, “Look, honey, here comes your anesthesiologist.”
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, please pass that smile onto someone else who may need a smile. Our Thursday thought is "No matter how serious the situation is, there is always a reason to smile and laugh."
Psalm 126:2
We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1201 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1201 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Disciples Take Care of Each Other - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1201 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
Disciples Take Care of Each Other
This element of discipleship is an outgrowth of loving one another, which we focused on last week. Taking care of each other means being in and nurturing community.
As more and more people came to embrace the gospel in the days following Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), they became part of a growing community that would be called the “church” (in their case, the one at Jerusalem). In the New Testament, this term didn't refer to a building or an official organization. The New Testament tells us that the church in Jerusalem was notoriously poor. They didn't have a building to meet in, and there were already thousands of new believers. Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14). They didn't have any official legal status, so believers were persecuted. (Acts 3:11-4:31; 5:17-42).
If “the church” wasn't about a building or an organization that had legal status, what did it mean? How did the followers of Jesus sustain themselves? They formed a tight, self-sacrificing community. Too often in modern churches, we use the word community to describe something more similar to a group of people who share an interest—like being fans of a sports team or mutual supporters of a good cause. That falls far short of what New Testament community was. The New Testament church community was a family.
What's the difference between family and a group of people who bond together because of a mutual interest? Lots of things. Would you expect someone to give you money to pay your rent or groceries just because you liked the same baseball team? Would you expect someone to give you a job or fix your car just because you voted for the same person, or ran in the same 5K race to raise money for a cause? Of course not. But you would expect help from family members (or at least that's the way family—blood relations—is supposed to work).
That's what the early church was like. Here's a glimpse found in Acts 2:41-47:
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity, all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1200 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Parts of the Same Picture – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1200 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Senator Bob Dole, and it is: I think one of life's great milestones is when a person can look back and be almost as thankful for the setbacks as for the victories. Gradually, it dawns on us that success and failure are not polar opposites. They are parts of the same picture — the picture of a full life, where you have your ups and your downs.
Parts Of The Same Picture
I am 63 this month and expect to live another 60-80 years, but I can already understand the truths of this quote from Bob Dole. I have reached many milestones in life, but certainly through wisdom, discernment, and insight, looking back on my first 60 years I am as thankful for both the victories and the setbacks. I realize that if it were not for the lessons learned through the setbacks and failures that I would not have achieved the successes in life. In fact, the person that I have become through the failures, have made me into who I am today. It is true that success and failures certainly are not polar opposites, but part of the beautiful tapestry of our life. The picture would not be complete or beautiful without both setbacks and victories. A life well lived and a life that is rich and satisfying is a life that is lived fully. Acknowledging, accepting, and learning from failure and success is a life that is complete, where we do not desire it to be any other way. You cannot climb to your summit of success on this trek of life unless you also go through the dark valleys of failure. It is then that you fully enjoy your life…all of it. A truly successful person is a person that follows God’s precepts found in His Word as we are told in 1 Chronicles 22:13
For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1199 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1199 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Have Fallen, But I Can Get Back Up – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1199 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Are there times in your walk of faith where it doesn’t seem that you are making much progress? In today’s meditation, let us consider:
I Have Fallen, But I Can Get Back Up
When you believe in Christ, Christ works a miracle in you. You are permanently purified and empowered by God himself through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in. In time you can say with Paul in Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
If you fail often, you might say to yourself, “If I’m born again, why do I fall so often?”
Ask yourself, though, why did you fall so often after your first birth? Did you exit the womb wearing cross-trainers? Did you do the two-step on the day of your delivery? Of course not. And when you started to walk, you fell more than you stood. Should we expect anything different from our spiritual walk?You may say, “But I fall so often, I question my salvation.” Again, we return to your first birth. Didn’t you stumble as you were learning to walk? And when you stumbled, did you question the validity of your physical birth? Did you, as a one-year-old fresh flopped on the floor, shake your head and think, I have fallen again. I must not be human? Of course not. The stumbles of a toddler do not invalidate the act of birth. And the stumbles of a Christian do not annul his spiritual birth.
Do you understand what God has done? He has deposited a Christ seed in the form of His Spirit in you. As it grows, you will change. It’s not that sin has no more presence in your life, but rather over time, sin has no more power over your life. Temptation will pester you, but temptation does not have to master you. We need to pray for strength for each day, and bright hope for every tomorrow. What hope this brings!Now hear this. It’s not up to you! Within you abides a budding power. Trust him!
Think of it this way. Suppose you, for most of your life, have had a heart condition. Your frail pumper restricts your activities. Each morning at work when the healthy employees take the stairs, you wait for the elevator. But then comes the transplant. A healthy heart is placed within you. After recovery, you return to work and encounter the flight of stairs—the same flight of stairs you earlier avoided. By habit, you start for the elevator. But then you remember.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1198 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
How To Say No - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1198 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
Hey Gramps, “I find it a challenge to say no to people, and often, I end up with too many commitments than I’m comfortable with. However, if I say no, I worry about them being unhappy or offended. Why do I feel this way? How can I learn to say no and not end up feeling bad about it or not offending the other person?”
How to Say No
There will always be endless request on your time from other people and organizations. This advice is not from a selfish perspective, but to help maintain a proper perspective and balance by realizing that you cannot serve others if you are completely drained yourself because you never say no. Do you hate saying no? Are you always saying yes to others at the expense of yourself?
I’ll admit it — I even find it very hard to say no. Whenever someone approached me for something, be it to pick my brain or assist them on a personal project, I would say yes. Part of it was because I didn’t want to leave others in the lurch. Part of it was because I didn’t want to disappoint people. Another part was because I was afraid that the other person would be unhappy if I said no.
Over time though, I realized that saying yes came with its consequences. Because if I kept saying yes to everyone, I would have little time for the things that are my High Payoff Activities. My days would be filled with things that others wanted from me, with little to no time for things of my own. I would become a slave to Other Peoples Agendas. Saying yes when you should be saying no will catch up to you and you will have to regularly sacrifice your sleep just so that you can be there for everyone, and it won’t be long before you become burnt out.In an ideal world, we want to say yes to everyone, sure. But as you can see from the above scenario, saying “yes” to everyone isn’t the way to go. You need to say no in order to
Set boundaries. When you don’t draw a line between your needs and others’ needs, people will assume that you should give by default. When you say no, you start to set boundaries and protect your personal space.
Have time for your High Payoff Activities. These are the most important tasks and goals in your life, such as finding your passion, starting your business, and building your relationships with your loved ones. Saying no is about protecting your High Payoff Activities and making sure that you have time for the activities that w...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1197 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Doctor is In – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1197 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Doctor is In
Sam had scheduled his elective surgery to have a rod taken out of his leg which had been there for two years due to a broken femur bone. The doctor had assured him that he was completely healed and that removing the rod would help with Sam’s overall health.
Although Sam had agreed, he was still a bit apprehensive about it since he did not like hospitals and he would have to be completely under anesthesia during the operation. As he was laying in his bed waiting, he heard Doctor Smith and Nurse Alice in the next room discussing his surgery. All of a sudden Sam leaped from his bed and went running down the hall with his hospital gown blowing in the breeze.
Nurse Nancy, at the nurse's station, saw Sam coming down the hall and stepped out from her desk to stop him. "What's the matter?" Nurse Nancy asked Sam.
Sam blurted out being quite animated, "I heard Nurse Alice say, 'It's a very simple operation, don't worry, I'm sure it will be all right.'"
Nurse Nancy replied, "She was just trying to comfort you, what's so frightening about that?"
"She wasn't talking to me.” Sam replied, “She was talking to Doctor Smith!"I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, please pass that smile onto someone else who may need a smile. Our Thursday thought is, The best doctors in the world are Doctor Diet, Doctor Quiet, and Doctor Merryman.
Mark 2:17
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1196 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1196 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Does a Disciples Do? - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1196 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
What Does a Disciple Do?
It might surprise you, but Jesus didn’t command his disciples to do that many things. His vision for loving God and others wasn’t complicated. But the things he did command them to do are profound and life-changing when put into practice. We’ll start with the most important point of being a disciple.
Disciples Love God, Their Neighbor, and Each Other We already know how Jesus summed up a life dedicated to God. The greatest commands are listed in Matthew 22:36-40:
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”Jesus did these things. He told his disciples in John 14:31, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.
How did Jesus show he loved God, his Father? He obeyed God. He fulfilled God's plan for him. He also told them in John 15:9, I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. Jesus asked his disciples to do the same, as his comments on the two greatest commandments make clear.
Jesus went further by using himself as an example. He told his disciples to love each other as he had loved them. When they did that, they’d be obeying him and pleasing God. He said to them in John 15:13-17: There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
Love for God and love for each other are, according to Jesus, the fundamental, indispensable marks of his disciples. Jesus did not see these two commands as in any way contradictory. They were not in tension. They were two sides of the same coin. They were inseparable.
But how do we love people? The highest expression is giving one's life for another. This is what Jesus did for us, as described in Romans 5:7-8: Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1195 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Obstacles to Overcome – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1195 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Booker T. Washington, and it is: I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.
Obstacles to Overcome
What constitutes a truly successful person? So often we only consider financial success, but that is only one portion of an overall successful life. If a person has gained their wealth through inheritance, but did not really work for it, can that person be considered successful? A successful person is one who is successful in all areas of life. A person who has not only faced obstacles but has also successfully overcome the obstacles and trials of life with perseverance. The true test of an individual is how far they have trekked from their original starting point and what types of adversities that they have navigated through to reach their level of success. Success is also subjective to each individual. For one person, success may be an intact family and no debt. For another person, they may choose to achieve a large financial portfolio so that they can assist others. Regardless of your definition of success, it is important to remember, ultimate success is achieved when we can have a positive impact on the lives of others through living a positive legacy each day. So ask yourself, what type of daily inheritance are you providing to those in your world.Proverbs 20:21
An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
Proverbs 13:22
Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.
Lamentations 3:24
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1194 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1194 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Birth Springs From Death – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1194 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Does the thought of dying scare you and causes anxiety? In today’s meditation, let us consider:
Birth Springs From Death
We are all only one heartbeat away from our own funeral.
Which, from God’s perspective, is nothing to grieve. He responds to these grave facts with this great news which King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:1: A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. Now there is a twist. Heaven enjoys a maternity-ward reaction to funerals. Angels watch expectantly for the last breath of believers the same way grandparents wait expectantly for the first breath of a grandchild. “He’ll be coming through any minute!” They can’t wait to see the new arrival. While we’re driving hearses and wearing black, the angels are in exuberant celebration. We don’t grieve when babies enter the world. The hosts of heaven don’t weep when we leave it.
Oh, but many of us weep at the thought of death. Do you? Do you dread your death? And is your dread of death robbing your joy of life?
Hebrews 2:15 tells us that Jesus ‘s death sets us free Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.Your death may surprise you and sadden others, but heaven knows no untimely death Psalms 139:16:
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
The dread of death ends when you know heaven is your true home. I have had the opportunity to travel many times by plane, and I’ve never seen one passenger weep when the plane landed. Never. No one clings to the armrests and begs, “Don’t make me leave. Don’t make me leave. Let me stay and eat more peanuts.”
We’re willing to exit because the plane has no permanent mailing address. Nor does this world. Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week, we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1193 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Five Steps To Start The Day Early With a Plan For Success - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1193 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, I often have difficulties getting going and organized in the mornings. Can you provide me with a plan that will help me to establish habits which will allow me to start my day early and to be more productive?”
Five Steps to Start the Day Early with a Plan for Success
Mornings are a great time for getting things done. Of course, this is spoken from the perspective of a natural morning person. Seriously though, you’re less likely to be interrupted than you are later in the day. Your supply of willpower is fresh after a good night’s sleep. That makes it possible to turn personal priorities like exercise or strategic thinking into reality.
But if you’ve got big goals--and a chaotic a.m. schedule--how can you make over your mornings to make these goals happen?
Track Your Time
Part of investing your time better is knowing how you’re investing it now.
Write down what you’re doing as often as you can.
Use a simple spreadsheet, a Word/Pages document, or a pad and pen.
While measuring your mornings, track at least an entire week
The solution to morning dilemmas often lies at other times of the day
Observe how you are investing other times of the day that affect your mornings (i.e., interruptions, how evenings are spent, bedtimes)
Questions your assumptions – is what you do in the morning of highest importance?
Discover what are the top priorities
Picture the Perfect Morning
After you know how you’re investing your time, ask yourself what a great morning would look like. – Especially very early mornings, before work starts
Set aside time for personal growth
Bible Study & Prayer
Exercise
Personal training & projects
Set aside time for Professional growth
Strategize with team members
Use your mornings to keep the vision of what you want to achieve professionally in your career and your company/organization
Take time for online training and webinars
Think Through the Logistics
How could the vision above mesh with the life currently?
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1192 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Time Is It? – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1192 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
What Time Is It?
Sam, who was ninety years old, was sitting in his rocking chair beside his neighbor and best friend Joe as they were sipping on some cold sweet tea on a hot afternoon. They were listening to their favorite baseball team as they played a doubleheader game. When the game came to a commercial break, Sam leaned over in his chair and tells Joe, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's the state of the art...it's perfect, I can hear much better."
"Really?" answered Joe, "What kind is it?"
Sam then looks at his watch and says to Joe, "Well, I'll tell you. It's two thirty-three."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, please pass that smile onto someone else who may need a smile. Our Thursday thought is, “Don’t believe everything that you hear.”Matthew 13:12
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1191 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1191 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Why Should We Live Like Jesus? - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1191 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
Why Should We Live Like Jesus?
Last week we discovered there are a lot of reasons to live like Jesus, but earning God's love isn't one of them. What are those reasons?
First, sin is self-destructive and harms not only us, but those around us. In my own extended family, I've seen the effects of alcoholism, drug addiction, and infidelity. It's obvious that these things destroy lives. It should be equally obvious that the things the world—the unbelieving culture—offers for pleasure and self-gratification are temporary and have no enduring value. The culture tells us to "live life” to gratify our own "happiness” regardless of the misery our decisions create. It offers no eternal perspective. It beckons us to live only for now. There is no higher calling. The Bible exposes this mindset for what it is in 1 John 2:15-17: Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
Second, and in many respects the opposite of the first, living a godly life blesses others. The truth is that the way we live and think either blesses other people or curses them. Jesus served people and was a blessing to them. Pursuing a lifestyle driven by self-gratification and self-absorption isn't fulfilling. Every supermarket tabloid offers examples of that reality. Blessing people not only reflects Jesus, but leads to personal fulfillment. Your life matters when it's lived in service to others.Third, a godly life allows us to be a consistent witness for the gospel. If people look at our lives and don't see any distinction from the unbelieving world, and don't see a life lived in service of others, they won't find the gospel believable (or at best they’ll be confused). They will see our lives as a contradiction of the message of Jesus. In other words, people will expect us to live like Jesus, the person we say loves them. That's not unreasonable. The alternative is hypocrisy, and no one appreciates hypocrisy.
Living a godly life isn't about earning a place in heaven. It's not about putting God in our debt because of the “spirituality points " we’ve racked up. Passages like these have an altogether different focus. First let’s look at Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all h...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1190 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Learning to Overcome Failure – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1190 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Reggie Jackson, and it is: I feel that the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it.
Learning To Overcome Failure
Failure is never final, unless you choose for it to be. Success will only come through failure, but only if you learn from your failure and are willing to try again. Trying again does not mean doing the same thing with extra effort to see if it will work another time. It means adjusting your trail, or maybe even taking a different trail completely on your trek of life. It means applying the lessons learned from your failures, in order to pivot your approach until you are able to achieve the success desired. Yes, we do have to learn how to tolerate our failures, which may be difficult, but it also means that we do not accept the failure as inevitable. Our trek through life will be filled with obstacles, disappointments, and yes, even tragedies at times. We may need to occasionally pause, reflect, reenergize, and then get back on the trail and continue on towards our summit. It is only when we go through these trials can we fully appreciate the success when we achieve it. It is the refining fires of life which allow us to come out pure as gold. In fact, we are not only to endure these trials, but we should also consider them an opportunity for great joy and then move on and grow through the experience. James, the half brother of Jesus, describes our trials in James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1189 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1189 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Waiting Prayerfully– Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1189 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Do you have a problem with waiting patiently? I know that I do at times. It may stem from that fact that we have never learned to wait prayerfully. In today’s meditation, let us consider:
Waiting Prayerfully
The Biblical writer Luke teaches us about the earliest believers waiting prayerfully in Acts 1:14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary, the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
Mark uses the same Greek word here translated “constantly” to describe a boat floating in the water, constantly waiting on Jesus in Mark 3:9. Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. The boat was “constantly” in the presence of Christ for His use. So are the Upper Room disciples. One day passes. Then two. Then a week. For all, they know a hundred more will come and go. But they aren’t leaving. They constantly persist in the presence of Christ. The followers were willing to do one thing: wait in the right place for power.We are many times so reluctant to do what the early disciples did. Who has time to wait? Waiting requires trusting in God. We don’t really like trusting in anyone other than ourselves. We groan at such a thought. But waiting doesn’t mean inactivity—rather it is being in a constant vigil waiting to do kingdom work. While waiting, we pray and trust. Waiting means watching for him. If you are waiting on a bus, you are watching for the bus. If you are waiting on God, you are watching for God, searching for God, hoping in God, trusting in God. Great promises come to those who do. We are reminded of this in Isaiah 40:31 – One of my favorite verses:
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.To those who still struggle, God says, “Wait on me.” And wait in the right place. Jesus doesn’t tell us to stay in Jerusalem, but he does tell us to stay honest, stay faithful, stay true, and to trust in Him.
Do you desire power for your life?
It will come as you pray. For ten days, the disciples prayed. Ten days of prayer plus a few minutes of preaching led to three thousand saved souls. Maybe it is that perhaps we invert the numbers. We are prone to pray for a few minutes and preach for ten days. Not the apostles. Like the boat waiting for Christ, they lingered in his presence. They never left the place of prayer.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1188 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Passing on a Positive Legacy - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1188 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, you often speak about leaving a living legacy each day. What are some practical steps I can incorporate into my life that will help me to live and leave a legacy throughout my life?”
Passing on a Positive Legacy
Let me start out with a quote from John Wooden, “There is a choice you make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.”
A legacy is something over which we have control, unlike the shadow that follows us down the sidewalk on a sunny day. Rather, we can choose the way in which our influence impacts others each day and long into the future once we’re gone. Here are a few suggestions for how you can purposefully pass-on a positive legacy daily.
Integrate a daily focus with a long-term perspective.
People who have an enduring influence keep one eye on the compass and the other eye on the clock. That is, they look ahead without losing sight of what needs to happen each day. They give their best to activities and appointments, or the daily living of life, while not forgetting their orienting vision and values.
Establish a direction that is clearly observable.
When your time on this earth draws to a close, people will describe your life in a single sentence. What would that sentence be right now? Be intentional about the sort of influence and impact you have on the world around you each day. I strive to live each day with my legacy statement at the forefront of my mind: “I positively impact the lives of everyone I interact with so that their lives will impact others for the building of God’s kingdom.” Being aware of how I want to be thought of today and remembered gives me perspective on what’s truly important.
Develop a network of meaningful relationships.
Legacy is influence, and relationships are the foundation of creating a legacy. Throughout life, I try to be intentional with those I have the opportunity to impact most. Those closest to me determine the level of my success in creating a living legacy. Perhaps nothing is more predictive of your legacy than the quality of people surrounding you.
Commit to a positive learning attitude that guarantees growth.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1187 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Pearly Gates – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1187 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Pearly Gates
Peter is very busy in Heaven, so he leaves a sign by the pearly gates for newcomers: "For Service Ring Bell."
Away he goes about his heavenly task, but he barely gets started when BING! The bell rings. Peter rushes back to the gates, but no one's there. Peter goes back to work when suddenly BING! The bell rings again. He rushes back to the gates, but no one's there. A little annoyed, Peter goes back to work. Suddenly, BING! The bell rings again. Peter goes back to the gate; again, no one's there.
"Okay, that's it," Peter says. "I'm going to hide and watch to see what's going on." So Peter hides, and a moment later, Sam, a little old man, walks up and rings the bell.
Peter jumps out and yells, “Aha! Are you the guy who keeps ringing the bell?”
“Yes, that's me,” Sam says.
“Well, why do you keep ringing the bell and going away?” Peter asks. “This is really becoming annoying.”
“I can't help it,” Sam replies. “They keep resuscitating me!”
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go.”
1 Kings 17:23
Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1186 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1186 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Is Discipleship? - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1186 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
What Is Discipleship?
The gospel is intended to be transformative. Anyone who has embraced the gospel has been transformed according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" What does that actually look like? You may recall the answer to this question. Earlier I said that a disciple was a follower—specifically a follower of Jesus. I defined “following” as imitating or imaging Jesus. Being "he choose them to become like his Son" is our ultimate destiny (Roman 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10).
Our motive for imitating Jesus is not to make God love us so he’ll let us into heaven. God already loved each of us “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8) and were God’s “while we were still his enemies” (Romans 5:10).
We get to heaven—we become part of God s family—when we believe the gospel. On our own, we are lost, in need of a Savior (Luke 19:10), alienated from God (Ephesians 4:18). When that was our situation, God loved us. He didn't wait until we cleaned up our act to love us.
Our motive for imitating Jesus is also not to keep God loving us so we’ll be saved in the end. That which cannot be achieved by performance cannot be lost by performance. Salvation has nothing to do with our own worth or merit. It has everything to do with what someone—Jesus—did for us as we are told in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." We can take no credit for salvation. Jesus gets all the credit.
That is why it is important that we are thinking clearly about discipleship. We need to think carefully about how all that applies to discipleship. Because of the performance trap I talked about earlier, we need to have a clear grasp of the fact that salvation and discipleship are not the same thing. Many believers unconsciously begin to add their own works or performance to the gospel because of guilt for their sin. The result is spiritual bondage, not the rich and satisfying life Jesus wants us to have (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Ephesians 3:20).
Salvation is a gift given to us by God when we believe the gospel. It is undeserved. Nevertheless, God offers it to us despite our sin and hostility toward him. Discipleship is something we do as a result of believing the gospel. We imitate Jesus to show our love for him and for God. Jesus was the ultimate imager of God, so we want to live the same way as Jesus did.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1185 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Art of Creation – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1185 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Nikola Tesla, and it is, "I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success."
The Art of Creation
I believe that everyone has an inherent ability to create. We are imagers of God, who created all things, and thus, those attributes are also embedded within us. We need to seek what pumps our creative juices and pursue a career or hobby that allows us to utilize our God-given abilities and talents to create.
Nikola Tesla was one of the greatest inventors of all time, and he understood the thrill that comes from inventing and seeing the works of your hands and mind result in a successful product or service. Pursue your passions and desires for the creativity that flows through you. No one is born without the ability to create something, it may take some digging, and you may not be able to make a living from it, but it is there. Seek for the wisdom, insight, and understanding that will help you to open the eyes of your heart and allow you to pursue your creative abilities.
God has given us the abilities that we have, use them for His glory as he did for the building of the tabernacle in Exodus 31:1-5, "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, an expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!'"
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1184 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1184 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
In God's Presence – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1184 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
How do you live in God’s presence? How do you detect his unseen hand on your shoulder and his inaudible voice in you ear? A sheep grows familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you and I grow familiar with the voice of God? In today’s meditation, let us consider…
In God’s Presence
Put first things first. Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence. I have heard of a person who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed onto his knees and begin his day in prayer. Personally, once I am out of bed, I read the verse of the day, and share it with others. I begin meditation and listening to God’s Word. I offer God the first moments of my day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from formal. Sometimes I pray for those for whom I am burdened, those who may be going through a trial. Sometimes, it is just thanking God for a new day, a day that He has given me to further His kingdom.
Give God your waiting thoughts. While exercising, I fill my thoughts from His Word, as I listen to Bible passages on my phone. In silence, I wait on God to renew my mind for the new day. The mature married couple has learned the treasure of shared silence; they don’t need to fill the air with constant chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being silent with God. Awareness of God is a fruit of stillness before God. Allow Him to be honored as we are told in Psalms 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
Give God your whispering thoughts. Through the centuries, Christians have learned the value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can be whispered anywhere, in any setting. Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God. By giving God your whispering thoughts throughout the day, the common becomes uncommon. Simple phrases such as “Thank you, Father;” “Be sovereign in this hour, O Lord;” “Please encourage and strengthen this person;” “Give me wisdom for the decisions that I must make;” or “You are my resting place, Jesus.” When you are in this mindset, you can turn the trek of each day into a pilgrimage. You needn’t leave your office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where you are. Let the kitchen become a cathedral or the classroom a chapel.
And last, give God your waning thoughts. At the end of the day, let your mind settle on him. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to God. Thank him for the good parts.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1183 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Five Vs of Success - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1183 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, I am thinking about starting my own business, do you have some wisdom nuggets that you can provide me that will help me to be successful?”
The Five Vs of Success
All success begins in your mind. What you think about determines your course of life. If you think right, you will take actions that are right, which will lead you to successful results.
Some years ago, I saw a picture in a magazine of a man staring out of a window; the caption read: "Why does this company pay this man $100,000 to look out a window?" The answer: Because the lifeblood of any organization lies in ideas and creative (right) thinking. Thinking is powerful. Flying a plane, air conditioning, cell phones, vaccines, the internet—without right thinking, these would have been impossible. Everything begins with a simple thought.
Ideas are a great moving force of history. We are never free to do what we cannot conceive. Having a Godly mind enlarges our thinking capacity. A leader's thinking must be shaped by the following:
Vision:
What is our dream? Carl Sandburg was right: "Nothing happens unless it is first a dream." Vision is a process of the mind—it's mental, not visual. Vision is seeing what everybody has seen but thinking what nobody has thought. What is needed to build a pyramid? One person who can think and ten thousand people who can grunt.
Values:
What is important? Values have to do with how we treat people, how we do our work. What is vital and important to us? Values are the standards, principles, and the code of conduct that characterize the organization. It is our integrity. Values aren't dreamt; they already exist. Leaders shape and form the organization's values. Some universities decide to pour sidewalks after students have first worn a path. Where are the well-worn paths—the actions, the beliefs, the attitudes—that matter most to you? Those are your values.
Venture:
What are we willing to risk? People and organizations that make a difference are willing to think outside the box. For example, a company that was in the well-digging business began to think in terms of efficient and effective means of making holes, and they soon discovered that lasers dug holes better than augers. They achieved the same goal but accomplished it more efficiently.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1182 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Correct Answer – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1182 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Correct Answer
Miss Smith, the 5th-grade teacher, asked her students which state they thought has the most cows. Little Suzy raised her hand and proudly proclaimed, "Texas!"
Miss Smith said, "That is right, Suzy. Well done; you get an 'A.'"
Next, Miss Smith asked, "Which state do you think has the most sheep?"
Little Sammy raised his hand and said, "That would be Montana, Miss Smith." She replied, "Very good, Sammy; you get an 'A.'"
"Now for the final question, who can tell me which state has the most turkeys?"
Little Johnny excitedly raised his hand and said,"That's easy; my dad just told me that last night! According to my dad, Washington, D.C., is full of turkeys."
Miss Smith chuckled a bit and said, "Johnny, that is truer than we would like to admit. You get an A+ for that answer."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “Many a true word is spoken in jest.”
Psalm 126:2
We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1181 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1181 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What The Gospel Isn't - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1181 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word.
On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
What The Gospel Isn’t
In previous weeks, our discussion about the content of the gospel makes it clear that the gospel is about what Jesus accomplished on our behalf. Everlasting life, salvation, is a gift given to those who believe in what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.
Our culture tries to muddle this clarity. It offers self-improvement or vague “spirituality” as substitutes. But the biblical description of the gospel defies such things. The gospel (and salvation) has nothing to do with personal enlightenment, “looking within” on a journey of self-discovery. The gospel is not about exploring ideas from a spiritual smorgasbord. These are intellectual or psychological efforts and activities. They aren't the gospel.
But these sorts of “alternative gospels” are the easy ones to detect and eliminate. There's a much more difficult hurdle that impedes many people from resting in the simplicity of the salvation God offers.
Dr. Heiser suggested earlier that a lot of people you meet in church struggle with the gospel. The reason is that they are caught in a performance trap. You or someone you know may be able to define the term gospel and perhaps even the content of its meaning. But the idea that believing what Jesus did for you is the sum total of what’s necessary for everlasting life just doesn't seem right. Surely we have to do something. Otherwise, how could we deserve it?
If you comprehend the Bible's story and the content of the gospel, you should grasp immediately that we don't deserve what God offers. And that's a struggle for many people. We want to feel like we’ve earned the good things we have. We don't want to be a charity case. It feels wrong to get something good without having worked for it, at least a little.
Guilt distorts thinking in even more subtle ways. It can paralyze our ability to see the gospel as the unconditional gift it is. Guilt is what drives some people to justify a gift by concluding it's deserved because of something they did for the gift-giver at some point. And if they can't convince themselves of that, they determine to do something after the fact to make themselves feel deserving of the gift. Guilt blinds us to the love of God shown in the gospel. Ultimately, we must come to grips with how self-centered this thinking is.
That may sound harsh, but hear me out…Working hard to make someone else think you have value requires you to focus on yourself. You can't be focused on someone else when the goal is to make another person think you are worthy of their attention or love.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1180 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Wait for Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1180 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Jonathan Winters, and it is, "I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it."
Don’t Wait For Success
While this quote from Jonathan Winters, who was a comedian, is supposed to be funny, there is some real truth to it, as there is with most comedy. If we sit around waiting for success to happen, it never will. It is only when we first put in the blood, sweat, and tears over a long period of time will we realize any level of success.
There are times in life when you do need to pause, reflect, and reenergize, but you cannot remain in that state for an extended period of time and expect the results that you wish to achieve. You must keep moving forward, one step at a time. It is not necessarily the pace of progress that you are making, but the fact that you are making progress each day.
So pause and wait if required, just don’t get stuck in that mode. Success will never come to you; it must be pursued. So while waiting for success, move ahead without it, and in time, you will find the success that you desire.
This reminds me of a verse in Exodus, where the Israelites had a decision before them to either cross the Red Sea, which would bring success, or be recaptured by the Egyptians. This is what God told Moses. In Exodus 14:15,"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!'"
Sometimes, no most of the time, we just need to get moving.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1179 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1179 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Anger, A Peculiar Yet Predictable Emotion – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1179 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Anger, we all struggle with controlling it in our lives. For some, it is easily kindled, and as a result, it is external and very evident. For others, it bubbles just under the surface and comes out in passive aggressive ways. In today’s meditation, let us consider:
Anger – A Peculiar Yet Predictable Emotion
Anger. It’s a peculiar yet predictable emotion. It begins as a drop of water. An irritant. A frustration. Nothing big, just an aggravation. Someone gets your parking place. Someone pulls in front of you on the freeway. A waitress is slow, and you are in a hurry. The toast burns. Drops of water. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Yet, get enough of these seemingly innocent drops of anger, and before long, you’ve got a bucket full of rage. Walking revenge. Blind bitterness. Unharnessed hatred. We trust no one and bare our teeth at anyone who gets near. We become walking time bombs that, given just the right tension and fear, could explode.
Yet, what do we do? We can’t deny that our anger exists. How do we harness it? A good option is found in Luke 23:34. Here, Jesus speaks about the mob that killed him. Jesus said, “'Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.' And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice."
Look carefully. It’s as if Jesus considered this bloodthirsty, death-hungry crowd not as murderers, but as victims. It’s as if he saw in their faces, not hatred but confusion. It’s as if he regarded them not as a militant mob but, as he put it in Matthew 9:36, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
Yet, Jesus said, “They don’t know what they are doing.” When you think about it, they didn’t. They hadn’t the faintest idea of what they were doing. They were a stir-crazy mob, mad at something they couldn’t see, so they took it out on, of all people, God. But they didn’t know what they were doing.
And many times, neither do we. We are still, as much as we hate to admit it, as we are told in Isaiah 53:6, "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all."
There are so many situations in life that will add to the drip, drip, drip that leads to anger. Nearly always inappropriate anger stems because something is stifling or blocking what we desire. All we know is that we were born out of one eternity and are frighteningly close to another.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1178 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
12 Guidelines to Increase Productivity - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1178 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, you seemed to remain very productive in all areas of life, while I struggle with productivity and feel like I can‘t keep my head above water to complete even some of the basic tasks that I should. What are some wise tips that you can give me that will help to become much more productive?
12 Guidelines to Increase Productivity
While it may appear that I am very productive, I have to admit, that I too struggle, at times, to remain productive. I am very agenda-driven, and attempt to follow my daily tasks list, but when unexpected, or expected interruptions enter my day, I too can find myself heading down a rabbit trail. Here are 12 guidelines, or rules, that I have found to be helpful, and if you apply them, they should help you also.
Choose the right time. Nearly everyone has times of the day when they are most effective and times when they tend to drag. It’s smart to schedule the most critical tasks for your most effective time of the day. For me, it is definitely between 7 AM and 12 Noon.
Toss it. If a task doesn’t really need to be done, just get rid of it altogether. So often we get bogged down with non-essential task. They are just fillers.
Get the bad stuff out of the way. Do the unpleasant items quickly and as early in the day as possible. That way, they are clear from your mind, and you can stop procrastinating because you know they still need to be done.
Create your task list the night before, or at the very beginning of each day. This way, as you begin each morning, you will know what you need to accomplish that day. This can be even most effective when planned the night before. Once you have a sense of direction, you can spend all your time getting things done!
Eliminate all communication. While you’re working, turn off the phone / cell phone, and don’t check your email. Hang a sign that says, “Do not disturb,” if necessary. You don’t have to do this for all your tasks, but at least do it during the more difficult items. There are very few calls or emails that require immediate attention.
Batch similar tasks together. Do all your emailing at one time. Make all your phone calls at another. Open your snail mail during a set block of time. You’ll waste less time doing your work in this fashion.
Set a timer. Even if a task might take hours,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1177 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Three Envelopes – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1177 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Three Envelopes
John, the CEO of a large multi-national corporation, had presented his resignation to the board of directors. In order to facilitate a smooth transition, he met with Phillip, the incoming CEO, and presented him with three numbered envelopes. John said, "Open one of these in numeric sequence if you run up against a problem you don't think you can solve.”
At first, things went along very smoothly. About six months later, sales took a significant downturn, and the CEO, Phillip, was catching a lot of heat. Then he remembered the envelopes. He went to his drawer and took out the first envelope.
The message was: "Blame your predecessor."
With this advice, Phillip called a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO, John. The press and Wall Street responded positively, sales began to pick up, and the problem was soon behind him.
About a year after the company experienced another dip in sales plus some product problems. Having learned from his previous experience, Phillip quickly opened the second envelope.
The message was: "Reorganize."
Phillip put a superb reorganization plan in place, and the company quickly rebounded.
After several consecutive profitable years, the company once again fell on difficult times. Phillip, the CEO, went to his office, closed the door, and opened the third envelope.
The message said: "Prepare three envelopes."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday, Thought: “Always be prepared, but be ready and willing to work.”
Proverbs 24:27
Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1176 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1176 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Why Do We Need the Gospel? - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1176 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
Why Do We Need The Gospel?
You might think Dr. Heiser answered this already. He sort of did, at least in a roundabout way. But in light of his experience in Christian circles, he felt he needs to be blunt.
Why do we need the gospel? Because without it, we have no hope of everlasting life with God. Zero. We are estranged from God because of sin. Believing the gospel is the remedy.
The Bible describes our predicament in several ways. Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Ephesians 2:4-5 we are told But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) We were “alienated from God” (Ephesians 4:18) and “hostile” toward him (Colossians 1:21) because we were his “enemies" (Romans 5:10). It's not a pretty picture.The biblical story we walked through explains why we are what we are. We aren't born into the family of God. We're outsiders. Yet God wants us in the family. Lacking God's nature, we abuse our intelligence and freedom to get what we want, often harming others in the process. We live in self-destructive ways. When we don't image God, and we break his laws, when we violate, manipulate, and otherwise abuse others, we sin. We are, by nature, sinners—self-absorbed and rebellious. Romans 3:23 makes it clear. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
It is easy to read these verses and be depressed or angry. But the good news of the gospel story is that God knew all that and loved us anyway. It's also useful for the reason that may never have occurred to you. It's what makes the gospel entirely different than any other religion's teaching about salvation. Every other religion either denies sin is a problem or says the solution is human performance—repeating rituals, saying prayers, observing religious days, or otherwise being good.
To be blunt, only the gospel is honest about the human situation and human inability to do a thing about it. Other religions in effect ‘lie to you’— they tell you that you can fix the problem of your own distance from God, or that you don't have a problem. The gospel is the only truth that tells you God had to provide the solution and did. The gospel is transparently honest. It tells you the truth even though it hurts. That shows love. Lying to you isn't love.Then the question that comes to our minds is, “Are There Other Ways To Be Saved?”
Dr. Heiser, more or less, just answered this, but he also approaches the question from a diffe...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1175 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Think and Follow Through – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1175 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from E.V. Rickenbacker,and it is, "I can give you a six-word formula for success: Think things through — then follow through."
Think and Follow Through
Many times while we were growing up our dad would tell us boys as we approached a problem to think through it slow and methodically. So often my brothers and I just wanted to rush through a task or project to get it completed. Dad knew that if we would take time to think through the issue and come up with a method or plan for completing the task before we took action, that our chance of being successful in that task or project would be greatly improved.
While our impatience during those growing up years caused us to ignore Dad’s advice many times, the older we grew, the more we realized that his advice was very wise and that he was training us to be prepared for the many obstacles that we would face in life. His instructions have come back to me many times, and still, to this day, I recognize it is an excellent piece of advice that I continue to apply.
Just as our quote today instructs us, the formula for success is to first think things through, that is to create a plan of action, and then follow through the plan that we thought through. This is truly what we need to do in order to be successful. Think, then follow through. Let us make a habit of this with each task we have to complete, project we are working on, or obstacle that we encounter on our path to success.
Proverbs 21:5
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1174 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1174 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Are You a Victim Of Your Thoughts? – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1174 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Life does not always go smoothly. At times it seems that we are bombarded by negative influences on all sides. That is why it is so important to be continually renewing your mind. In today’s meditation, let us consider:
Are You A Victim Of Your Thoughts?
Life has a way of unloading her rubbish on our doorstep! It is as if the garbage truck backs up to your house and empties the contents right into your clean living room. It may be that your spouse works too much and is always tired when they are home. It may be that your spouse gripes too much about every little issue. Maybe it’s your boss expects too much and keeps piling more onto your overly busy workload. When you are home, is it your kids who whine too much. If you are facing any of these situations, what is the result? Your mind is filled with trash. Loads of pessimism, guilt, anxiety—it all piles up. Your thoughts can become polluted with all the foul trash that is accumulating…unless you continually make a habit of washing it clean through renewal.
Remember this very important concept, “Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions.” Think about what the Jewish leader did at the time of Christ. They killed Christ in their hearts before they killed him on the cross. Could that be why Paul writes in Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Paul also told us in I Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. We do have a choice of what we allow to remain in our minds each day. The thoughts may pop into our minds, be we do not have to allow them to take us residence there. Paul says we can get rid of them when he writes in 2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. You can proclaim: Negative thoughts, be gone. Selfishness, step back! Envy…get lost! You are not a victim of your thoughts. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, then what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love and continue daily in His Word? Will standing beneath the downpour of His grace change the way we think and feel about others? Absolutely! It is the continual renewing of your mind, each moment of each day, which will turn your thoughts to thoughts that are in line with God’s precepts.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1173 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
5 Barriers To Success With Solutions - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1173 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, even though you have had times of hardship and adversity, you always seem to recover and succeed. What are some wise tips that you can give me that will help to emulate the pattern of success, in spite of failures?
5 Barriers To Success With Solutions
These five barriers to success are actually easy to overcome, but only when you know they are there. Why do some people achieve their goals while others fail? I believe it’s because successful people manage to overcome five barriers that, in many cases, guarantee failure. Here are those barriers and how to overcome them:
Uninspiring Goals
When most people set goals, they envision a “thing,” such as a particular amount of money, an object (like a new car), or a specific achievement (like writing a book). Unfortunately, these “things I’m going to get or do” goals don’t appeal to the core of what motivates you, because they miss the point that what you’re actually seeking in life. It is POSITIVE EMOTIONS, or how you will feel when you are able to obtain those “things” or “achievements.” This is why ‘Vision Boards’ rarely work.
The Solution: You must know the ‘WHY’ of what you want to obtain or achieve. Ask yourself, “How will I feel when I achieve the goal?” Maybe more importantly, “What will I become, through the process of achieving this goal?” That way, you’ll be inspired to do whatever it takes (within legal and ethical bounds) to achieve that goal.
Fear of Failure
If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t take the necessary risks required to achieve your goal. For example, you won’t make that important phone call, because you’re afraid that you’ll be rebuffed. Or you won’t quit your dead-end job and start your own business because you’re afraid that you might end up without any money.
The Solution: Decide–right now!–that failure, for you, is a strictly temporary condition, not who you are. If things don’t go the way you’d like, it’s only a setback that, at most, delays your eventual success. In other words, accept the fact that you will sometimes fail, plan for it, but treat that failure as an unavoidable (yet vital) component in your quest.
Fear of Success
In many ways, this fear is even more debilitating than the fear ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1172 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Suspicious Excuse – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1172 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Double or Nothing
The IRS decides to audit Grandpa Jones, and summons him to the IRS office. The IRS auditor Sam Smith was not surprised when Grandpa Jones showed up with his attorney.
The auditor said, "Well, sir, you have an extravagant lifestyle and no full-time employment, which you explain by saying that you win money gambling. I'm not sure the IRS finds that believable."
I'm a great gambler, and I can prove it," says Grandpa Jones. How about a demonstration?"
The auditor, Sam thinks for a moment and says, "Okay. Go ahead."
Grandpa Jones says, "I'll bet you a thousand dollars that I can bite my own eye."
Sam, the auditor thinks a moment and says, "It's a bet."
Grandpa Jones removes his glass eye and bites it.
Sam, the auditor's jaw drops.
Grandpa Jones then says, "Now, I'll bet you two thousand dollars that I can bite my other eye."
Sam, the auditor, can tell Grandpa Jones isn't blind, so he takes the bet.
Grandpa Jones removes his dentures and bites his good eye.
Sam, very stunned now realizes he has wagered and lost three grand, with Grandpa's Jones attorney as a witness. He starts to get nervous.
"Want to go double or nothing?" Grandpa Jones asks. "I'll bet you six thousand dollars that I can stand on one side of your desk, throw that full glass of water into the wastebasket on the other side, and never get a drop anywhere in between."
Sam, the auditor, twice burned, is cautious now, but he looks carefully and decides there's no way this old guy could possibly manage that stunt, so he agrees again.
Grandpa Jones stands on the desk and takes careful aim, but when he throws the glass, water covers the man's desk, jacket, briefcase, and everything around it. In addition to that, the glass shatters on the floor.
Sam, the auditor, leaps with joy, realizing that he has just turned a major loss into a huge win.
But Grandpa's Jones own attorney, John starts sobbing profusely and puts his head in his hands.
"Are you okay?" the auditor asks.
"Not really," says John, the attorney. This morning, when Grandpa Jones told me he'd been summoned for an audit, he bet me twenty-five thousand dollars that he could come in here and throw water all over your office and that you'd be happy about it!"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday, Thought: “Be careful about gambling,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1171 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What is the Good News? - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1171 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
What Is The Good News?
As we continue on with Dr. Heiser’s book, it may sound odd to ask that question at this juncture. We have invested several weeks walking through the story of the Bible, the story of how God wants us in his family. We join that family by believing the good news, referred to as the gospel.
I’ve discovered that a lot of people who attend church don't really understand the gospel. Some can't articulate it. Others who can express it coherently often struggle with truly surrendering to its simplicity. They suffer inside over truly believing that the gospel is all that's necessary for everlasting life.
Some of you may wonder what I'm talking about. I’m willing to bet, though, that as I explain what I mean, you'll either see yourself or someone you know in what follows.
We'll start by defining the gospel. I'll ask some questions along the way that are important to consider for clarity. We also need to talk about what the gospel isn't, but we will save that for next week. When we get to that part of the conversation, you'll see what I mean by the struggle I mentioned.
If people struggle to define it, what is The Gospel?It's fairly easy to define what the term “gospel” means. The biblical word “gospel” “refers to the message of salvation.” The English word “gospel” is a translation of a Greek word (the original language of the New Testament) that referred to a reward given to someone who brought good news. Hence you'll often hear the term “gospel” equated with “good news” — the good news about the message of salvation.
Let’s think about that. It might feel like we learned something. I suppose we did, but we didn't actually learn the thing we needed to know. It's nice that we can now define a term. But we actually haven't said anything about the content of the message of salvation. We’ve defined what the word “gospel” refers to, but not what the gospel actually is.
So let's talk about what the gospel means. What is the content of God’s offer of salvation? What are the details of the good news? And why is it good news? The word appears almost 100 times in the New Testament so we ought to be able to figure this out.
The apostle Paul probably talks about the gospel message more than any other New Testament writer. He uses the word “gospel'' for the message he preached about Jesus in I Corinthians 15:1-4:
Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1170 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Success Is Balanced Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1170 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is, "I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can't truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles."
True Success Is Balanced Success
Since my college years in the late 70s, I have considered Zig Ziglar one of my virtual mentors, as have thousands of people who have been impacted by his life. Not only did he inspire many in all walks of life, but it was evident that his success in life was rooted in his deep commitment and faith which was grounded in his spiritual walk with God.
His quote that I read today is certainly grounded in the same worldview that I possess. We as image bearers of God cannot be considered successful in life unless our entire being is dedicated to Him. To be truly successful, we need to be successful in all areas of life.
That means that we are whole in the very essence of our lives. We need to focus and obtain success in each of the following seven areas. Spiritual, Family, Physical-Health, Mind-Intellect, Personal-Social, Financial, Work-Career.
As Christ followers, we are to be the very best that we can be by fully utilizing our God-given abilities and talents. You have to BE the right person, so that you can DO the right actions, in order to HAVE the success that you should. In each of the seven areas of life above, ask yourself how you can BE, DO, and HAVE so that you can bring honor and glory to God as you should.
This can be summed up in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1169 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1169 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Are You Listening? – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1169 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In order to restore us to His Kingdom, God had to become one of us and speak to us in our language. God is not only the creator of everything and He speaks personally to us. In today’s meditation, let us consider:
Are You Listening?
God communicates to us in our language, just as He did when Jesus was crucified and caused Pilot to list the three main languages of that day as we are told in John 19:19 And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
The framer of our destiny is familiar with how dull we can be at times. God knows we sometimes miss the signs. Maybe that's why he has given us so many. The rainbow after the flood signifies God's covenant. Circumcision identifies God's chosen, and the stars portray the size of his family. Even today, we see signs in the New Testament church. Communion is a sign of his death, and baptism is a sign of our spiritual birth. Each of these signs symbolizes a greater spiritual truth.
The most moving sign, however, was found on the cross. A trilingual, hand-painted, Roman-commissioned sign.Every passerby could read the sign, for every passerby could read Hebrew, Latin, or Greek—the three great languages of the ancient world. "Hebrew was the language of Israel, the language of religion; Latin the language of the Romans, the language of law and government; and Greek the language of Greece, the language of culture. Christ was declared the king of the known world of that day." God had a message for each. "Christ is king." The message was the same, but the languages were different. Since Jesus was a king for all people, the message would be in the tongues of all people.
There is no language God will not speak. Which leads us to a delightful question. What language is he speaking to you? I'm not referring to an idiom or dialect but to the day-to-day drama of your life. God does speak, you know. He speaks to us in whatever language we will understand.
There are times he speaks the "language of abundance." Did you eat today? Are your bills paid? Got a little bit of change in your pocket? Don't be so proud of what you have that you miss what you need to hear.
Do you hear the "language of need"? Or how about the "language of affliction"? Talk about phrases we avoid. But you and I both know how clearly God speaks in hospital hallways, sickbeds, and yes, even funeral homes.God speaks all languages—including yours. Listen to what He said in Psalms 32:8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1168 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Self-Motivation - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1168 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, it seems like you don’t have a real problem staying motivated, but staying motivated for me is a real struggle. I am constantly assaulted by negative thoughts and anxiety about the future. Do you have any wisdom to help me stay motivated more?
Self-Motivation
Staying motivated is a struggle for nearly everyone. Even though I tend to be highly disciplined, I also have to be constantly vigilant so that I can remain on task. I have to admit that our drive is constantly assaulted by negative thoughts and anxiety about the future. Nearly everyone faces doubt and depression, but that doesn’t mean we should give up. What separates the highly successful is the ability to keep moving forward.
There is no simple solution for lack of motivation. Even after beating it, the problem reappears at the first sign of failure or discouragement. The key is understanding your thoughts and how they drive your emotions. By learning how to nurture motivating thoughts, neutralize negative ones, and focus on the task at hand, you can pull yourself out of a slump before it gains momentum.
I have boiled it down to three primary reasons we lose motivation.
Lack of confidence– If you don’t believe you can succeed, what’s the point in trying?
Lack of focus– If you don’t know what you want, do you really want anything?
Lack of direction– If you don’t know what to do, how can you be motivated to do it?
First, let’s explore how to boost confidence because the first motivation killer is a lack of confidence. When this happens to me, it’s usually because I’m focusing entirely on what I think I want and neglecting being grateful for what I already have. When you only think about what you want, your mind creates explanations for why you aren’t getting it. This creates negative thoughts. Past failures, bad breaks, and personal weaknesses dominate your mind. You become jealous of others and start making excuses for why you can’t succeed. In this state, you tend to make a bad impression, assume the worst about others, and lose self-confidence.
The way to get out of this thought pattern is to focus on gratitude. Set aside time to focus on everything positive in your life. Make a mental list of your strengths, past successes, and current advantages. We tend to take our strengths for granted and dwell on our failures.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1167 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Suspicious Excuse – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1167 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
A Suspicious Excuse
Joe, a college student, texted Professor Wellborn early one morning and stated that he could not take his seminar final exam that day because of a funeral.
Professor Wellborn texted him back and told Joe that it would not be a problem and that he could make it up the following week.
That week came, and again, Joe texted Professor Wellborn and explained that he couldn't take the test that day either, due to another funeral.
Professor Wellborn, being a little irritated, but feeling sorry for Joe texted him back once again and said, "You'll have to take the test early next week, I can't keep postponing it."
Joe replies back thanking Professor Wellborn and also said, "I'll take the test next week if no one dies."
By now Professor Wellborn was really suspicious. And texted back, "How can you have so many people you know pass away in three weeks?"
Joe texted, "I don't know any of these people, but I'm the only gravedigger in town, and I have no choice but to be there."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “Make sure you understand the situation before passing judgment.”
Proverbs 18:17
The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins.
Aenjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1166 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1162 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Forever Family Part 2 - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1166 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
God’s Forever Family Part 2
As we continue our book review, as part of God’s forever family, we will first focus on our Everlasting Identity with God. Today as part of His Kingdom, we are to be imagers of God. That is, others should see God through us. We cannot fully portray God today, but we will someday be transformed and made like Jesus.
1 John 3:2 declares: Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
The same thought is expressed in different ways in Romans 8:29: For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Philippians 3:20-21 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
2 Corinthians 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Our destiny, which is already in process, is to become completed imagers of God in the manner of the ultimate image of God—Jesus.
The Bible finishes our story with resurrection and transformation. We are raised to everlasting life and given a glorified body, akin to the one Jesus had after his resurrection. Paul refers to it as a ‘‘immortal body” (l Corinthians 15:35-58)
My favorite passage about our final destiny and glorification is a little more obscure. It's a scene in the book of Hebrews, where Jesus introduces us to God and God to us. Jesus stands before God and "the congregation," the heavenly sons of God. He confesses boldly that he feels no shame in having us as siblings in the family and then says to God and the supernatural members of the family. This is in Hebrews 2:11-12: So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.”
This is your ultimate destiny—becoming a permanent, legitimate member of God's family. In the end, you belong in God's family. It's what he's wanted from the very beginning.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1165 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Never An Excuse – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1165 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Florence Nightingale, and it is, "I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse."
Never an Excuse
When we fail at anything in life, the first thing that most of us want to do is to either place blame or create an excuse for why we failed. We have to realize that ultimately, we have to take responsibility for every time we fall short of the mark.
Yes, there may be mitigating circumstances that make failure inevitable in certain situations, but there is no reason to give or take an excuse. Analyze the situation, determine why the failure occurred, and then set out to try again. There are very few situations in life that require an excuse. Just begin again with the wisdom of what caused the failure.
It may be necessary to retry multiple times if success is not achieved. But as long as you learn from each setback and apply your knowledge to the next attempt, then you will continue to move forward with the additional wisdom that was gained on each previous attempt.
Be patient and forgiving with yourself and others. We don’t have control of every circumstance, but we certainly have control over how we respond to each situation. Love what you pursue, be diligent, persevere, and endeavor to continue on.
1 Corinthians 13:7
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1164 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1164 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Persistent Prayer – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1164 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Prayer…how do you know when you have prayed enough for a particular situation? How many times do we need to ask God for something we desire or for the care and concern of a loved one? What does the Bible teach about continuing to pray? Does God get tired of our prayers? These are questions that we all have about prayer. So in today’s meditation, let us consider…
Persistent Prayer
Let’s start our meditation today with the reading of Isaiah 62:6-7,
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
How much you pray and what you ask for reveals a lot about your view of God and your relationship with Him. Generally speaking, the more kind and capable you think He is, the more you desire to pray, and the more you will pray honestly, boldly, and expectantly. As I learn more about God and grow closer to Him, the more my prayers become less about what I desire, and the more they become what God desires for me and to work through me. God encourages us to keep praying until His answer is clear to us. He desires us to keep engaging with Him in prayer. As the verses we just read suggest, we should “take no rest, and give the Lord no rest until He completes His work through us.”
Of course, we should not ask selfishly, but for what God desires for us. James 4:3 tells us, "And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure." God, in His wisdom, does not grant us our selfish desires, which would do harm to us or others. This is especially true if what we asked would draw us away from fellowship with Him. He loves us too much to cause us harm. We should ask for what we desire, if we do so with all sincerity. God is able to sort out the good requests, from our misguided requests, and also teach us the difference as we continue to grow in Him.
Think about how children ask for what they want. They may not know the difference between what is good or bad for them in their requests, but as their parents, we should discern the difference and only grant those which are good for them. God is the same with our prayer requests.
God is much more generous than even the best parents. He is not reluctant to bless His children. Our prayer lives should reflect that. As we learn to pray more and do so with sincere hearts,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1163 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Go Bird Watching - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1163 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.
Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, there are so many circumstances and situations that I face in life, which cause me to worry often. Whether it is my family, my job and finances, my health, or a number of other issues, at times I feel impending doom, although nothing, in particular, is wrong at the moment. Do you have some wisdom to help me change my mindset so that I do not worry and fear as much?”
Go Bird Watching
Although I personally don’t have a significant issue with worry or fear, I realize that most people do. If it continues over a long period of time, and it is to the point of paralyzing you from living a normal life, then you may need to seek professional counseling or medical assistance. That being said, there are certain truths that you need to grasp hold of and apply to your life that will help alleviate most of this unwarranted worry or fear.
Most worry and fear is not real and resides solely in your mind. To change that, you need to change your mindset. We are instructed in Romans 12:2, "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
This takes time and focus, but it can be done. Once you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own thinking, then the process can begin. Jesus was (and is) The Master Teacher, but we need to be willing to learn. He often spoke in parables or stories, and although they are not always easy to understand, they are told in such a way as to be memorable. They are told to force us to think. They challenge us to believe more, to exercise our faith more, and to trust Him more, regardless of what we may see or feel. You see, worry and fear is not only a mental issue, but wrong thinking also affects our heart, the center of our emotions.
Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6:19-34 is a powerful lesson on worry and how to overcome it. Let me read that for you to help us frame a response to worry.
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1162 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Value of a Plumber – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1162 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Value of a Plumber
Dr. Milton was anticipating a relaxing Saturday morning at home after a very long and hectic week. As he headed to the basement, he thought he heard water running. Upon further investigation, he saw that one of the main pipes was leaking and water was spewing into the laundry room. With all due haste, he called Sam the plumber, who was the best plumber in town, and also one of his patients. Sam arrived promptly, unpacked his tools, worked his mysterious plumber-type things and within 30 minutes had the leak fixed, and the excess water all vacuumed up. He then presented Dr. Milton with a bill for $600.
Dr. Milton, upon looking at the bill, excitedly exclaimed, "This is ridiculous! I don't even make that much as a doctor!"
Sam, the plumber, just smiled at Dr. Milton and said, "Neither did I when I was a doctor." Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: “There is a huge difference between the cost of a service and its actual value.”
Proverbs 8:11
For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1161 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1161 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Forever Family Part 1 - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1161 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
God’s Forever Family Part 1
In last week’s lesson, we ended with a firm grasp on some obvious points. Christ is risen. All those who have put their trust in what he did on the cross and his resurrection as the only means of salvation will have everlasting life. But while we are already members of Christ’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13), that kingdom has not yet come in its fullness and finality.
The same is true of the defeat and destruction of Satan and various fallen sons of God. It is already in progress, but not yet fully realized. Satan has no claim—no ownership, no power of death—over any member of the kingdom of God. We belong to God through Jesus, and Jesus conquered death so that we might be resurrected to everlasting life with him and God the Father (Romans 6:8-9; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:42-49). Nevertheless, as we are told in Ephesians 2:2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
Likewise, the powers of darkness have been dethroned. But they have not surrendered. They resist, fighting a losing battle. Every person who embraces the salvation offered by God through Jesus has been rescued, and their freedom purchased already. Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. As the kingdom of God grows, the kingdom of darkness diminishes.
It’s easy to get lost in the still-present evil and suffering of the world instead of looking to the future. Sometimes it's hard to remember that, Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. (Galatians 1:4).
The Bible doesn't condemn this dilemma. It's honest about it. Romans 8:19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
In what remains of the story, Dr. Heiser focuses on the amazing ending. Every great epic has a memorable ending. The biblical story is no exception. Although, if you’re expecting harps and clouds get used to disappointment.
We tend to process the final act of the Bible’s story in terms of what we get. For example, we’ll have everlasting life, not death. That’s exciting, but “everlasting life” doesn’t really say much. It’s just a description about duration, not quality.
Quality of everlasting life emerges more in our minds when we process the end of the story as l...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1160 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Secret of a Diplomat – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1160 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robert Estabrook, and it is: He who has learned to disagree without being disagreeable has discovered the most valuable secret of a diplomat.
The Secret of a Diplomat
Being civil with one another seems to be a lost art in today’s divisive world. This is especially true on social media where it is so easy to hide behind the mask of technology. It may be that we just hear from the vocal few who are intolerant on the extreme right and extreme left. With the 24/7 propaganda (i.e., News) outlets, we are bombarded with the same sound bites continually. Pile on top of that when we include all of the amateur experts on social media, spewing their opinions and hate-filled speech, it fuels intolerance on a much grander scale. We, as a human race, are better than that. Especially if we claim to be a Christ Follower, we should never become embroiled or participate in such situations.
We will never agree on all issues with others, not even our close loved ones. We need to learn and understand that it is ok if we do not agree on most issues. We need to learn how to disagree, without being disagreeable. We need to restain our arguments for the sake of love for others. Even if the issue you disagree on is of significant moral consequence, you can still disagree, without being ugly about it. You don’t have to be intolerant to the point that your love for others turns to hate. Our love should transcend our disagreement. We can never reach others for God’s Kingdom if they see us as hateful, despiteful, and unwilling to accept them as a person, even if we cannot accept their viewpoint or opinion. In order to promote and grow God’s Kingdom as His image bearers, we need to show His love to everyone that we meet and impact. We need to be a diplomat for God’s good news, to bring His enemies to the table of salvation.Colossians 4:5-6
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
1 Peter 3:15-17
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1159 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Beauty from Ashes – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1159 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
There are times in our lives when it seems that our lives are destroyed as with a raging wildfire through the agony of a death of a spouse or close loved one. Or it may be that your life has crumbled like a building destroyed in an earthquake because of the betrayal of a spouse, and now you have to make it on your own as a single parent. When you are in the dark, it is hard to imagine the light that will ever shine again.
In today’s meditation, let us consider…
Beauty from Ashes
Let me share a story of a time when Dan literally experienced beauty from ashes. On June 26, 2012, a wildfire rolled over the mountains and into the city of Colorado Springs. Spurred on by 65 mph wind gusts and fueled by one of the driest seasons on record, the Waldo Canyon fire crested a ridge and drove into the Mountain Shadows neighborhood. In just a few hours, nearly 350 homes burned to the ground.
Dan, one of 32,000 people evacuated from their homes, watched events unfold on TV in a living room across town. Surrounded by his family and closest friends, he waited to see whether his home survived. It did, but his neighbors were not as fortunate.
When Dan’s family was finally able to return home, only a handful of houses still stood on his street. The devastation was shocking. Dan walked his neighborhood, helping those whose homes had been damaged or destroyed. Charred wood and ash coated the area, giving it an ominous black feeling.
But just a few weeks after the tragedy, Dan saw the greenest grass imaginable growing up through the ashes. Vibrant, hopeful new life peeked through the black destruction. Though it may have been just a few blades of grass, it reminded Dan that God brings beauty from ashes.
God brings good news to the oppressed as spoke through his prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 61:1-3,
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1158 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Move Away From Anger - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1158 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, I desire to be a patient and kind person, but there are times where it seems my anger gets the better of me, and I lash out, only to feel defeated afterward. Do you have any wisdom to help me control my anger?”
Move Away From Anger
I believe that all of us have an issue with anger. There may be times and seasons, where it is harder to control, but it still is possible to live a life where we control our anger or direct our anger in a constructive and beneficial direction. Some people don’t seem to get angry on the surface, but underneath a calm demeanor is a boiling cauldron of rage that is likely to explode. Others become very passive/aggressive with their anger, which can be just as destructive to those who are on the receiving end of it.
There was a man who tried to defend his bad temper by saying, “I explode, and then it’s over with” It may be to that person, but just like a volcano, that man does not understand or realize that his anger leaves a path carnage behind
As Aristotle once wrote, “Anyone can get angry… but to do this to the right person, to the right extent, at the right time, with the right motive, and in the right way, that is not for everyone, nor is it easy” I would say that is very true. Few are the persons that can fill all of those categories.The Apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4:26-27 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
God does permit us to be angry on certain occasions. In other words, it is not always sinful to experience or even display anger, but in the same verse, Paul warns us not to let our anger lead us to sin. Anger can be so destructive because actions taken, and words spoken in anger cannot be taken back, nor is the damage easy to repair. Anger gives the devil a foothold in our lives that if allowed to continue will destroy us and those we become angry with.
We need to allow God’s Holy Spirit, who resides within us to warn us when our anger becomes sinful, so we can avoid those situations. This is usually more obvious to others, than it may even be to ourselves. We may need to allow those close to us to help us with this. Burst of temper resulting in rage, lack of control, the desire to hurt another person, and profanity are not righteous anger. Far from it.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1157 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Great Night Slepp – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1157 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled:
A Great Night Sleep
Bill always seemed to have the problem of oversleeping. He set multiple alarms, but he was just not a morning person. He continually showed up for work late, and Frank, his boss, was really starting to get irritated with his continual excuses. It got so bad that Frank finally told Bill that he had to either do something to change his ways or his job may be in jeopardy.
Bill pondered this for quite some time because he was concerned about losing his job. Frank suggested that maybe he should go see a doctor to see if he had a chronic sleep problem or possibly sleep apnea. Bill took his advice and scheduled a doctor’s appointment for that same evening. He mentioned this to Frank, who was pleased that Bill was finally taking some proactive steps to correct his sleep issues.
Doctor Phil gave him a complete checkup and determined that it was not sleep apnea, but that maybe Bill was just not sleeping soundly. He prescribed some new sleep aid medicine that had just been released that should allow Bill to sleep soundly and wake the next day well rested.
Bill took the pills as prescribed right before bedtime. That night he slept better than he ever had and woke up even before the alarm! He had a leisurely breakfast and drove happily to work very pleased with the results.
Bill came in all smiles to the office that day and proclaimed to Frank his boss, "The pill the doctor gave me actually worked!"
"That's fine," said Frank, "but where were you yesterday?"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “Hard work and a clear conscience is the best sleep aid.”
Ecclesiastes 5:12
People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1156 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1156 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Supernatural Infiltration - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1156 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
Supernatural Infiltration
Remember, in last week’s lesson what happened in Acts 2 about the coming of the Spirit. The arrival of God’s Spirit was the crucial element of a new covenant—a new set of promises God was giving to humanity. Many Christians don't realize that this also meant God was launching a spiritual war to reclaim not only Jews who had rejected Jesus but also Gentiles, people from the nations he had rejected back at the Tower of Babel. God was in pursuit of his family, and it didn't matter where his children lived. He wanted them and would find them.
The passage I read last week in Acts 2 tells us the Spirit came with wind and fire. Let me read again Acts 2:2-3, “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.”
Fire and “burning smoke" were common elements in visions of God's presence in the Old Testament (Exodus 13:21-22; Ezekiel 1:4, 13, 27). God at times, came in a “whirlwind” (Isaiah 6:4, 6; Ezekiel 1:4; Job 38:1; 40:6). Jews who heard Peter's message and saw the coming of the Spirit with their own eyes knew the day of salvation had come.
Think about what happened in this scene. Three thousand Jews, living abroad in the nations where their ancestors had been scattered, had come to Jerusalem for a religious feast day. They witnessed the coming of the Spirit and heard about Jesus, the Messiah, and what he had done. They believed in Jesus. They became Christ followers. What do you suppose they did next? They went home.
Why does that matter? Because now the lost, divorced nations had three thousand evangelists planted in them. They were like secret agents, embedded in hostile territory held by other gods. They would be God's initial means to multiply the size of his human family. They were the first wave. Their mission? The same one Jesus had given to his disciples: the Great Commission. Christians know the verses well as we find in Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
But again, something is missed. That’s the Great Commission all right. But I skipped verse 18, the one that's usually skipped when people talk about our mission to evangelize. Here's the full statement of Jesus with verse 18 included.
Matthew 28:18-20
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1155 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Rich In Compassion – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1155 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Rabbi Mervin Romsky, and it is, "He is a failure as a human being, no matter what his other achievements, whose heart does not hurt for his fellow man. And he is a successful human being, no matter where else he may be lacking, who is rich in compassion."
Rich In Compassion
Success in today’s age, and probably throughout most of history, has been centered around monetary success and the accumulation of resources. Countries have gone to war over it. Humans are willing to lie, cheat, steal, and murder in order to obtain money and resources.
True success is not based on money or resources, although both can be used as a tool to help others. If a person, including you, focuses on becoming successful, at the expense of the goodwill of others, then that success is worthless and futile. True success is only achieved through money and resources when we use them to help others that are in need of our help.
Riches do not come in the accumulation of wealth, but in the distribution of love. If you are willing to sacrifice compassion for another in order to be successful, then any success achieved is a failure. If you are willing to forego your own success and wealth in order to show love and compassion to another person, then even if you do not achieve the success desired, you are truly successful.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1154 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1154 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
All Work is Kingdom Work – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1154 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
It is easy to get the impression that work done at church, or being in a “full time” ministry is somehow more holy or honored than work done in other professions, but that is just not true.
In today’s meditation, let us consider:
All Work is Kingdom Work
The Apostle Peter was tired from a long night of fishing with no catch, but at Jesus’ request, he put his boat out in the water again a bit from the shore. As the crowds came near, the staple of Peter’s livelihood, his boat, became a floating pulpit from which Jesus preached the Word of God.
It’s not just those in what we usually consider “full-time” ministry who are called to serve Jesus at work. As long as your work is not illegal or immoral, then as a Christ follower, your work and career is work for God’s Kingdom. You may need to be more willing to push out a little bit from the shore, but you do have an impact on the world for the Kingdom. All it takes is a surrendered heart, the faith to believe that God is working in and through you, and the knowledge that what you are doing really matters to God. As we are told in 1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
This refers to what is traditionally considered ministry, but all work is Kingdom work, so thereby all work is ministry work. Colossians 3:23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.After speaking to the crowds, Jesus told Peter to go out into deep water one last time for a catch. Peter must have thought, it is in the middle of the day, good fishing happens at night when the fish are feeding. He may have also thought, I am a professional fisherman, you are a carpenter, don’t you think I know what I am doing? On top of that, he had just finished cleaning his nets, which was no small chore.
Instead, Peter’s was obedient, and his reply is found in Luke 5:5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
To Peter’s credit, he trusted Jesus with his work life, every last bit of it. The result was a catch so big that the nets began to tear and the boats began to sink. In the same way, let us trust Jesus with our Kingdom work, regardless of if you are a stay at home mom, a plumber, a doctor, a small business owner,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1153 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be Faithful with Little - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1153 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, I don’t have much in the way of money or resources in my life. What is the best way to make sure I am a good manager of what I have so that it will increase?”
Be Faithful with Little
It is pretty evident in today’s culture that most people are not really good managers with their money. Even among Christ Followers, the lack of good money management is evident, and this has been backed up by many Christian financial counselors. There is basic shortsightedness when it comes to properly managing the money and resources that most people have. Money is important for us to build God’s kingdom, but it is more than just money. It includes our time, our talents, and our treasures.
There are many aspects of our lives that demand good management, which includes our family, work, time, abilities, and resources. Our resources not only include the money that we earn, but also our property and other possessions.
Each of us is responsible for doing our best with what we have materially, while also contributing to the work of God on earth, which includes being generous to those in need. How can we do that if we do not have anything extra to give? Good management of resources is our duty to God, and we must pursue it with diligence.
Here are a few items that should be on your financial management checklist. First, know your financial picture, which includes your checking account balances, all debt including your credit card balances, investments, and all monthly commitments. Second, prayerfully build an accurate financial budget and stick to it. Include all members of your family in the planning process. You must have an agreement with everyone for a budget to be effective. Teach your children and grandchildren that money must be earned; it is not an entitlement. Third, focus on paying off your debt as quickly as possible. Pay off the smaller, high-interest debt first, then work on the larger school loans and mortgages. Fourth, start saving and investing any additional monies that you may have. Fifth, give generously to those who are legitimately in need. Being financially stable is never about how much you make, it is only about how much you spend or invest.
We are told in Proverbs 27:23-24,
Know the state of your flocks,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1152 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Silence Screams Loudly – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1152 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Silence Screams Loudly
Jim, a member of the local church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, Pastor Peter decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. Pastor Peter found Jim at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, Jim welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.
Pastor Peter made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, Jim contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, Pastor Peter took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
Jim was a bit puzzled at such a peculiar move, but he watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. Then Pastor Peter glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As Pastor Peter reached the door to leave, Jim said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.’We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: Listen to Silence, it has much to say.
Hebrews 10:25
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1151 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through thi...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1151 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Pursues His Family - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1151 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word.
On our Worldview Wednesday episodes, we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
God Pursues His Family
As was mentioned from Dr. Heiser in last week’s episode (Day 1146), the coming of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the new covenant described by Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-28). The Spirit's ministry in each believer makes victory over depravity possible. Think of it as a slap in the face to the supernatural fallen sons of God. But it's an even more direct assault on another set of supernatural villains.
The Spirit's arrival to dwell within each Christ follower launched an infiltration campaign against the sons of God to whom God assigned the nations he divorced (Deuteronomy 32:8)—the supernatural beings who defected from serving God and became corrupt, abusing the people under their dominion (Psalm 82).
Jesus knew all that. We habitually miss it in our reading of the New Testament books that come after the resurrection starting in the book of Acts to the end, the book of Revelation.
· The Beginning of the End
Jesus's departure put the coming of the Spirit into motion (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; Luke 24:49). While the resurrected Jesus was still on earth, he told his followers what was coming right around the corner in Acts 1:4-8,
Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
If you keep reading the book of Acts, it doesn't take long to figure out what Jesus was forecasting. Once he leaves (Acts 1:9-11) the Spirit arrives in (literally) a blaze of glory in the next chapter.
Acts 2:1-4 reads,
On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1150 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wisdom Through Failure – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1150 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Gramps, and it is, "Successful people who are also good are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. Not much wisdom is gained when success comes easy."
Wisdom Through Failure
Some people who appear to achieve easy success do so by taking advantage of and exploiting others. Some people may achieve what appears to be a success through the hard work and inheritance of others. A truly successful person, who is also a good and wise person, or you might say a person of integrity, achieved that success through wisdom and integrity by working hard and persevering through trials and failures.
Wisdom is more often gained through the lessons of failure, than through the rewards of success. Success that is gained too easily does not provide the valuable lessons needed to appreciate success. Hardships and trials are the foundry of life that allows us to be molded and shaped into people of integrity. A person who is wise is also successful, for gaining wisdom is the ultimate level of success. Proverbs 20:21
An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
Proverbs 3:13-15
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1149 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1149 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Forgiving Others – Meditation Monday
to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1149 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
How easy is it for you to forgive others, especially when the offense was unwarranted? There is a clear example that we can follow, but it is still not easy.
In today’s meditation, let us consider…
Forgiving Others
For many people, forgiving others is very difficult, and they struggle with it daily. We would much rather see justice and lean towards revenge instead. Jesus clearly taught in what we refer to as the “Lord’s Prayer” that our own forgiveness is tied to how we forgive those who have committed sin against us.
Matthew 6:12 says,
“And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.”
The actions of others do not determine our role in the forgiveness process. Let me share with you the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and His response to an abundance of unwarranted abuse.
The dialogue that day was bitter. It was what we now refer to as “Good Friday,” although it seemed anything but good.
From the onlookers Matthew 27:40,
“Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!"
And in Mark 15:32,
"Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him."
Bitter words. Sharp with sarcasm. Hateful. Irreverent. Wasn’t it enough that he was being crucified? Wasn’t it enough that he was being shamed as a criminal? Were the nails insufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the flogging been too short?
For some, apparently so...
Of all the scenes around the cross, this scene as it plays out in my mind always brings tears to my eyes. What kind of people, I ask myself, would mock a dying man? Who would be so base as to pour the salt of scorn upon open wounds? How low and perverted to sneer at one who is laced with pain…
The words thrown that day were meant to wound. And there is nothing more painful than words meant to hurt…
Jesus was God wrapped in flesh and had all the frailty of a human as he willingly submitted himself to such ridicule and abuse.
What would your response have been in the same situation? One of Jesus’s closest friends, who had denied Him tells us in 1 Peter 2:23,
He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,
who always judges fairly.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1148 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Muzzle Yourself - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy.
Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1148 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, How can I be more careful with the words that I speak, and what I say to others? Sometimes I hurt those I love most because of my careless speech.”
Muzzle Yourself
This is an issue that certainly all of us continually struggle with. James, the half-brother of Jesus, had this to say about our speech in James 3:1-12…
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
The book of wisdom, which is Proverbs, also has much to say about our speech. For example, Proverbs 17:28 says, "Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent."
When we say the wrong thing at the wrong time, there can be many consequences. It seems, though, that sometimes we just can’t help ourselves. We need to realize and remember that we are responsible for everything we say. Sometimes we use our mouth to put others down, to reveal confidences disguised as prayer requests, or to build ourselves up in the eyes of others,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1147 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Give Half To The Poor – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1147 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Give Half To The Poor
Pastor Peter, the pastor of the local community church in the village, was preaching a rousing sermon about being willing to give to those in need. As he ramps up on his final point, he emphasized it with this statement, “The trouble with the world today is that some people have too much and others have too little. We must give of ourselves and our worldly goods to help the less fortunate.”
To drive his point home he caught the attention of one of the church deacons, Brother John and Pastor Peter asked him, “Brother John, If you had a million dollars would you be willing to give half of it to the poor?” Brother John speaks up and proudly said, “Amen, Pastor, I would indeed.”
Excitedly, Pastor Peter then says, and Brother John, “If you had two cars, wouldn't you give one of them to your neighbor next door if they needed it?”
Looking a bit embarrassed at this, Brother John sheepishly says… “well, I don’t think I would be able to Pastor.”
Pastor Peter then asked, “And why not?”
Brother John replied, “That’s different pastor, I already have two cars.”
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: Give of yourself. Be of service to others. Only what you give can be multiplied back into your own life.
Luke 6:38
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1146 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1146 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Became Human - Fixing More Than The Fall - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1146 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
God Became Human - Fixing More Than The Fall
On previous weeks, we learned that the only way which God could rescue us from our fallen state and keep the covenants that He made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David was to become a human and join His human family on earth. Because God became a man in Jesus, he could die. That was important because death could only be defeated by resurrection. You can't have resurrection without a prior death. Since Jesus was also God, he had the power to bring himself back to life in John 10:17-18, “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” Since the death of Jesus was God's plan, God knew from before the foundation of the world that he would raise Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:23-24, 32; 3:15; 10:40; Galatians 1:1).
Because of the resurrection, our distance from God was bridged. Death was overcome. Those were the effects of the rebellion in Eden. The Adam and Eve problems, caused by the temptation of the serpent (Satan), were solved. Everyone who believes that Jesus' death and resurrection provided forgiveness of sin and everlasting life will be in God's family forever (Romans 4:16-25; 8:10-11; 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:14).
Once Jesus rose from the dead, he had to return (“ascend”) to heaven. Jesus ascended to heaven and took his throne next to God the Father (Mark 16:19; John 20:17; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 12:2). This was a precursor to sending the Holy Spirit, who would indwell believers (Acts 2:33; Romans 8:9- 11). Jesus had to leave so the Spirit could come (John 14:25-26; 15:26; 16:7; Luke 24:49).
The coming of the Spirit was the fulfillment of the new covenant described by Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-28). It would be the Spirit who would provide victory over depravity (Galatians 5:16-17), and whose works would be “greater” than Jesus's own (John 14:12). Jesus knew his death and resurrection were key to the new covenant coming to pass. This is why at the Last Supper Jesus told the disciples that his blood was "the blood of the covenant" poured out for them (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20). Once Jesus ascended back to heaven, and the Spirit descended to earth, humanity was not helpless against depravity.The bottom line is that for God to clean up the problems with having a human family—the perpetual failures and rebellions—he had to become a man and fulfill all the terms of the covenants himself.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1145 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success Is Not Luck – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1145 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Gramps, and it is: Good luck is a lazy person’s assessment of a successful person.
Success Is Not Luck
There is a natural tendency to attribute success in other people to a stroke of fortune, or good luck. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is no such thing as good or bad luck. What we consider good luck is when opportunity, preparation, perseverance, and hard work meet at an intersection. Yes, it does appear that some people are just at the right place at the right time, but that is nearly always an illusion. If that person was not prepared and seized the opportunity that comes to them, it would be no more noteworthy than any normal occasion that crosses our paths each day. Opportunities are plentiful, but it is only the prepared, the observant, the hard worker, the one who perseveres that are able to take advantage and exploit those opportunities in order to have a chance of success. Not every opportunity will be successful, but the more opportunities that we are prepared for ahead of time and in which we are willing to invest the necessary time and resources to take advantage of the more success we will achieve. This applies to every area of life. Thomas Edison, who failed thousands of times is attributed to the quote, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” He is a person who is considered one of the greatest inventors of all time, but he also faced thousands of failures along his journey of life, and yet no one considers Thomas Edison a failure. He was prepared, he persevered, he continually worked hard, so when the opportunities crossed his path of life, he was able to take advantage of them over and over again. All of us have the same opportunities if we are prepared.Proverbs 24:27
Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1144 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1144 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Desires of Your Heart – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1144 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
All too often we think, or are taught, that God’s will for our lives is something mystical, or difficult to discern, but it is not. God’s will for us is to utilize our God-given abilities for His glory. It most often corresponds to what we already enjoy doing and qualified to do.
In today’s meditation, let us consider:
The Desires of Your Heart
God gives each of us certain talents and abilities in our lives. Through normal or extreme circumstances, God molds those talents and abilities to refine us for His Kingdom. It is no more special to be a pastor or a plumber. What is important is to be using your God-given talents and abilities for His honor and glory to further His kingdom. It reminds me of the parable of the three servants found in Matthew 25:14-30 . The amount of money given to each servant was not important, it was what each servant did with the money that they were judged on. There is a story about a twenty-year-old marine, just discharged from the military, and pondering his future. He bore a square jaw, a forearm tattoo, and a common question. He didn’t know what to do with the rest of his life. As he shared his story with a wise man, who relayed it to me. Here is the story.
He told me about his uncle, a New England priest. “What a great man,” the ex-soldier sighed. “He helps kids and feeds the hungry. I’d love to make a difference like that.”
I then asked him, “What were some occasions when you did something you love to do, and did it quite well?”
He dismissed the question at first and said. “Aw, what I love to do is stupid.”
“Try me,” I invited.
“Well, I love to rebuild stuff.”
“What do you mean?”
He spoke of an old coffee table he had found in a garage. Seeing its potential, he shaved off the paint, fixed the broken legs, and restored it. With great pride, he presented it to his mom.
“Tell me another time,” I prompted.
“This one is really dumb,” he discounted. “But when I worked at a butcher shop, I used to find meat on the bones others threw out. My boss loved me! I could find several pounds of meat just by giving the bone a second try.”
I tested a possibility with him. “You love to salvage stuff. You salvage furniture, salvage meat. God gave you the ability to find a treasure in someone else’s trash.”
My idea surprised him. “God? God did that?”
“Yes, I said, God. Your ability to restore a table is every bit as holy as your uncle’s ability to restore a life.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1143 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Want It...Later - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1143 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, in today’s instant gratification culture how can I gain wisdom to delay what I want most for what I want right now.
I Want It…Later
This question has plagued humankind ever since Adam and Eve decided to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They desired some immediately instead of being content with what they desired most, which was to live with God on earth in the Garden of Eden. There is also another story in the Old Testament that greatly illustrates this point. Remember the story of Jacob and his twin brother Esau? Esau wanted some of Jacob’s stew so badly, to satisfy his immediate desire, that he didn’t even hesitate when Jacob asked him to trade his birthright for it. Esau reply to his brother is found in Genesis 25:32
“Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”In essence, he said, “I am more interested in satisfying my immediate hunger than I am in whatever promise might be in store down the road.” So without a second thought, even though he knew what the birthright actually entailed, he made the deal. A spiritual blessing, a double portion of the inheritance, leadership in the family…traded for a bowl of stew. Sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, the story of Esau is re-lived by many people, including us sometimes. When we focus our time, energy, and resources on achieving and acquiring what feels good now, we can miss opportunities to participate in the promises and purpose of God. Think about that: We can miss opportunities to further God’s kingdom, to join God’s work, in the world.
As we are told in Hebrews 12:16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal.We see in this verse that Esau was not only unwise in his decision, but it was also an immoral decision because it was outside of God’s will for Him. He gave priority to his selfish desires, and by doing so, treated God in a way that was disrespectful. So now I want to ask you a question: Is there an area in your life that you are trading away God’s blessings for something else that you desire right now, instead of delaying it for something that you want most?
A life lived for Christ is a life focused on Kingdom significance, and a life of Kingdom significance will always far outweigh a life of indulgence.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1142 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
You Get What You Paid For – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1142 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
You Get What You Pay For
On their way home from church one Sunday morning, Susan commented to John, her husband, “Wow, the choir sounded really bad today, didn’t it.” John thought about that and replied, yes you are right, they did sound bad. In addition to that, the pastor’s sermon was way too long and boring. I could barely stay awake. Susan chuckled and said, I am not sure you did stay awake. After a few minutes of silence, little Mary spoke up from the back seat, well…you both may be right, but you have to admit, it was a pretty good show for only a dollar.Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.
1 Timothy 5:18
For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1141 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1141 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Joined His Human Family - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1141 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
God Joined His Human Family
Last week we explored how the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, had continually turned from Him in a constant downward spiral. This concluded in their final betrayal which the nation was taken into exile. God still desired an intimate relationship with His human family, so there was only one choice left for Him, to become human and dwell as one of them.
Most Christians know all about the coming of Jesus. They know he was miraculously birthed by Mary, a young girl who was a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25). The wider culture is familiar with the image of baby Jesus in the manger, especially in Christmas decorations. Several old, but still popular, Christmas songs celebrate how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about a messiah.
· There's More to Jesus Than The Cross
The entire focus is typically on Jesus being born into the world to eventually die on the cross. He would be the means of forgiveness for our sins, and thus, our entrance back into God's family (John 3:16). In other words, when most Christians think about Jesus, they have the cross in mind. That misses something.
The fact that God became a man in Jesus gets a little lost in focus on the cross. Most Christians don't realize that it was necessary for God to become human for many reasons: to fulfill all the Old Testament covenants and to overturn the results of the supernatural rebellions we discussed in previous weeks.
The hope that human beings could still one day be with God forever was kept alive by God's refusal to eliminate humanity or scrap the plan. He kept returning to humanity, offering them forgiveness and a relationship with him. God wanted them to believe and show they believed by living in harmony with him and each other. But God's children rejected him at every turn. It's as though every time God said, "You can still be with me— believe that and then show me where your heart's at," the problem got worse. The Bible uses the analog of wandering sheep with no shepherd to describe this propensity (Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 9:36). That's pretty much on target.
As was noted last week, God's children needed new hearts and God's presence to help them believe. They needed a means to be saved from themselves and from a destiny that didn't include everlasting life with the God who loved them. There had to be a way for God to honor his covenant promises, to reverse the curse of death, and to help his people continue in their faith.
God's solution to these problems was radical. He had to become a man. He had to join the human race. This is where Jesus enters the story.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1140 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success in Four Short Words – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1140 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from A. Lou Vickery,and it is, "Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd; a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and a little bit more."
Success in Four Short Words
Little success is based on being talented or gifted in a certain area of life. The most successful people in any area of life are rarely the smartest, strongest, or most talented. In fact, most who are successful come from very modest backgrounds with limited resources or natural giftedness.
There is a secret ingredient found in the most successful people that has nothing to do with their pedigree, their connections, or their intellect. The secret ingredient can be summed up in four short words...'a little bit more.’
Successful people do all that is expected of them. They complete all that is required, just like everyone else, but then they do ‘a little bit more,’ and it makes all the difference. It is that extra perseverance, that extra push, that extra effort and energy that separates those who are just successful from those who are most successful.
The next time you think you have completed the task enough to be successful, then push forward and lift yourself above the crowd and do ‘a little bit more’ than what is expected. This is not so you will be successful in the eyes of others, but so that you will know that you have done your very best for yourself and for God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1139 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1139 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's a Jungle Out There – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1139 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Life is full of twist and turns. At times we can hardly see our way clear, or know what direction to take on our path of life. Life can seem to be an overgrown jungle, and you find yourself lost in all of the entanglements and pressures of life. It reminds me of the theme song for the detective program “Monk” that aired from 2002-2009.
In today’s meditation, let us consider…
It's a Jungle Out There
The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, “Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!” The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man for several long seconds and then replied, “I am the path.”
We ask the same questions, don’t we? We ask God, “Where are you taking me? Where is the path?” And He, like the guide, doesn’t always tell us. Oh, He may give us a hint or two, but that’s all. If He shows us the entire path, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us a far greater gift. He gives us himself. He tells us in John 14:6, "Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'"
Does He remove the jungle? No, the vegetation is still thick. Does He purge the predators? No, danger still lurks. Jesus doesn’t give hope by changing the jungle; he restores our hope by giving us himself. And he has promised to stay until the very end. We can be confident of this because Jesus told us in Matthew 28:20, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
We need that reminder. We all need that reminder. For all of us need hope.
Some of you don’t need it right now. Your jungle has become a meadow and your journey a delight. If such is the case, praise God for his clear path. But remember—we do not know what tomorrow holds. We do not know where this path will lead. You may be one turn from a cemetery, from a hospital bed, from an empty house. You may be a bend in the road from a jungle.
And though you don’t need your hope restored today, you may tomorrow. And you need to know to whom to turn.
Or perhaps you do need hope today. You know you were not made for this place. You know you are not equipped. You want someone to lead you out.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1138 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Wisdom of Fools - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1138 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are not able to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
The question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, how is it that we can have access to so much information today, but it appears that we are unable to hold onto true wisdom?”
The Wisdom of Fools
In the divisive and irrational world in which we now live, it appears that rational thinking, common sense, and certainly sage wisdom alludes our everyday lives. So many are caught up in circular thinking where few are able to hold to sound logic and doctrine. Theories and hypothesis are taught as scientific facts, and very few people study to determine, or even question, whether the conclusions are logical or sound.
This is permeating most in society, regardless of political or religious leanings. Reading social media posts and watching most newscasts today reminds me of what is taught in Isaiah 53:6, "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all." It appears to have impacted most Christ followers, as well as deniers. We need to frame all that we take in through the filter of the Bible, so we can stand firmly on a Biblical worldview.
To illustrate how quickly we can lose perspective because we lack ingrained wisdom, let me tell you an old German story that goes like this.
A happy and cheerful man once captured a bird and placed it in a cage. “Give me my freedom, sir!” cried the bird as he shut the door. Startled that the bird was talking to him, the man listened as the bird continued his pleading. “I am no use to you, sir, for I have no beautiful feathers to look at, nor am I able to sing beautiful songs, and I am too small to eat. If, however, you promise to grant me my freedom, I will tell you three wise teachings.”
The man agreed, whereupon the little bird told him, “First, do not grieve over things that have already happened. Second, do not wish for that which is unattainable. Third, do not believe in that which cannot be possible.”
The man thought about these wise teachings for a few moments and replied, “Indeed, these are wise things you have taught me.” As agreed, he opened the door of the cage and set the little bird free. The man sat and pondered the bird’s sayings, and the bird flew up to a branch high up in a tree. After a few moments, the man heard the bird laughing. “Why do you laugh?” he called.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1137 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Demanding Father – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1137 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Demanding Father
Pastor Jim, a country preacher, was walking down a lane near the Smith farm on an exceptionally hot day. As he is about to pass a hay field, he sees Sam Smith Jr. struggling with all his mite to load a big pile of hay back onto the cart where it had obviously fallen off.
Pastor Jim calls over and says, "You look very hot, Sammy," "Why don't you come on over and rest a moment, I have some fresh cold lemonade, and after you are refreshed I'll give you a hand."
"No, thanks," said Sam Jr. "My father wouldn't approve."
"Don't be silly," pastor Jim said. “Your dad is not that harsh, is he?” "Everyone is entitled to a break. Come and have a drink of lemonade."
No, No, Sam Jr. protested, my father would be very upset.
Losing his patience just a little, Pastor Jim said, "Your father must be a real slave driver. Tell me where I can find him, and I'll give him a piece of my mind!"
"Well," replied Sam Jr., “you can tell him whatever you like just as soon as I get this hay off him.”Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Psalm 127:2
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1136 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day. we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1136 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Downward Spiral and Final Betrayal - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1136 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
Downward Spiral and Final Betrayal
· Downward Spiral
In last week’s recap, we see that God rescued his family by allowing them to escape the bondage of Egypt. After that, they wander in the wilderness for 40 years because of their betrayal of God. You'd think that after God brought Israel into the land, the Israelites would have felt an overwhelming love for God—that their believing loyalty would be at an all-time high. Not so much. Instead, they decided coexistence with evil could work. They refused to drive idolaters (people who worshipped other gods with idols) out of the land. It's like the Israelites knew nothing of the past, how rebellion brings disaster. Their disloyalty and lack of love for God led to this demoralizing scene:
Judges 2:1-3 tells us, The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”
God had to judge his people ... again. He basically said, “I’m out of here. Let's see how you do on your own since you don't want me.” We've seen that before. And, as we’ve also seen before, God's people did very badly without their God being present with them. And since we’re rehashing history, God’s response also looks familiar—he kept coming back to Israel to lift them out of trouble. We all know people like that. Maybe you're one of them. You stick to helping someone because of love, even to the point that it seems irrational. And if you think about what God was doing, it does seem insane. But God wants a human family even when he's unwanted. His love defies logic.
The whole biblical book of Judges, from which the scene above was cited, is about a seemingly never-ending cycle of spiritual rebellion, the suffering it brings, crying out to God for help, and God coming back in love. That cycle persisted for a few centuries. It reached a climax of sorts when the people within the nation of Israel demanded that Samuel, a priest, and prophet, anoint a king to rule them.Not surprisingly, the people's choice for a king (Saul) was an unmitigated disaster. You know things aren't going to go well (or ought to know) when your choice for a king has to be dragged out of hiding to take the job (l ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1135 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Four Questions for Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1135 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from James Allen, and it is, "For true success, ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?"
Four Questions for Success
If you desire to be successful in any area of life such as family, ministry, business, health, or any other facets of life, you must have a burning desire to achieve that success. To do so, you must be willing to ask yourself these four crucial questions.
Why do you want to be successful? Strip away all of the common answers and get to the very core.
Why not? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve that success. Is there a line that you will not cross, and what is that line?
Why not me? If others can achieve success in an area of life, what is holding you back from also achieving success? Put aside all your excuses and know that you can do it.
Finally, why not now? Don’t put off your success for a more convenient time. That time will never come. Begin today with the commitment to success because this success is one reason why you have been placed here on earth. Fulfill your God-given calling and know that He has prepared and equipped you for success.
Even the great leader of Israel, Joshua had fears and doubts but this what God told him in Joshua 1:7"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1134 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1134 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Forget the Bread – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1134 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Some sort of bread is an indispensable part of most people’s diet, especially in the western world. It is served at nearly every restaurant and used to make sandwiches of all kinds. While an overabundance of bread made from highly refined flour is not healthy, whole bread in moderation is a necessity for most. There is, however, another type of bread that we should bring to every meal.
In today’s meditation, let us consider…
Don’t Forget The Bread
Bread is eaten daily. Some fruits are available only in season. Some drinks are made only on holidays. Not so with bread. And not so with Jesus. He should be brought to our table every day. We let him nourish our hearts, not just in certain months or on special events, but daily.
Bread can meet many needs. Jesus can meet our every need. He has a word for the lonely as well as for the popular. He has help for the physically ill and the emotionally ill. If your vision is clear, he can help you. If your vision is cloudy, he can help you. Jesus can meet each need.
Can you see why Jesus called himself the Bread of Life? He is necessary in order to sustain eternal life.
I can think of one other similarity. Consider how bread is made. Think about the process. Wheat grows in the field, then it is cut down, winnowed, and ground into flour. It passes through the fire of the oven and is then distributed around the world. Only by this process does bread become bread. Each step is essential.
Jesus grew "like a tender green shoot" (Isaiah 53:2). He was one of the thousands in Israel, indistinguishable from the person down the street or the child in the next chair. Had you seen him as a youngster, you wouldn't have thought he was the Son of God. He was just a boy. One of the hundreds. Like a staff of wheat in the wheat field.
But like wheat, he was cut down. Like chaff, he was pounded and beaten. "But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed" (Isaiah 53:5). And like bread he passed through the fire. On the cross, he passed through the fire of God's anger, not because of his sin, but because of ours. "Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
Jesus experienced each part of the process of making bread: the growing, the pounding, the firing. And just as each is necessary for bread, each was also necessary for Christ to become the bread of life. “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1133 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Wounds from a Friend - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1133 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.
Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, how should I handle the situation when a friend does something hurtful to me?”
Wounds from a Friend
We may be hurt or wounded by those who are close to us, which makes the situation even more difficult to deal with. We first need to determine why a friend would do such a thing as to hurt us. Next, we need to understand that all of us will eventually hurt those whom we love most, even if it is not intentional. Third, we need to take to heart what was said or done to us and see if it is an area of life where we need to be corrected. Many times the wounds from a friend occur because they have our best interest in mind. It is a little different in the following story, but even so, the principles are good ones to follow.
Peter and Paul, who lived in the Middle-East, were walking through the desert to a nearby destination. At one stage in their journey, they had a serious argument where they were becoming quite vocal on a subject about which they both had strong opinions. Finally, Peter punched Paul square in the face.
To Peter’s surprise, Paul immediately stopped arguing and without saying, another word he wrote in the sand, “Today, my best friend Peter punched me in the face, and it really hurt me physically and emotionally.”
Without saying much more to each other, they continued on their journey until they found a small oasis village, where they decided to have a wash in a local pond. Paul, who had been punched, got stuck in mud and mire on the bottom of the pond and started drowning. Peter immediately swam over to Paul and pulled him to safety, saving Peter’s life. After Peter had recovered from this ordeal and his close brush with death, he wrote on a stone, “Today, my best friend Peter saved my life.”
Paul, who had previously punched Peter and also saved his life, asked Peter, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you write in stone, why the difference?”
Peter replied, “My friend Paul, when someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”
Moral of the story: Don’t value the things you have in your life. Value the relationships you have in your life.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1132 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Benefits of Yoga – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1132 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30,"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Benefits of Yoga
Susan, a young woman who was worried about her habit of biting her fingernails down to the quick, shared her concern with her friend Kate. Knowing that Susan was sort of a nervous person that worried about many things, Kate suggested to Susan that she should take up yoga to ease her nervousness. Susan thought that was a great idea.
Shortly after that, Kate saw Susan in town and noticed her beautiful long, groomed nails. Kate asked her if yoga had totally cured her nervousness.
"No," Susan replied with a bit of a sheepish grin, "but now I can reach my toenails, so I bite them instead."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows. It empties today of its strength."
Proverbs 12:25
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1131 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1131 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Was Betrayed By His Family - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1131 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
God Was Betrayed by His Family
We first explored what God wanted, which was us as His human family. After that, we explored in-depth three different rebellions involving both His human and supernatural family. We learned last week that God set aside a nation from humankind which His human family would be manifested. This was completed through the covenant He made with Abraham and Sarah, which became the nation of Israel. The history of biblical Israel was a long, meandering affair filled with both triumph and tragedy. God wasn’t surprised. He knew what to expect with people. He'd always known what he was dealing with.
· Wearing Out Your Welcome
God let Abraham know that the future of his descendants was going to be difficult. He was honest. He gave Abraham some bad news, and also some hope in Genesis 15:13, Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end, they will come away with great wealth.
Sure enough the descendants of Abraham, now led by his grandson, Jacob, whose name God changed to "Israel," eventually wound up in Egypt under the thumb of Pharaoh (Exodus 1). They’d gone there with God’s approval to avoid a famine (Genesis 45:5-11). Where they went wrong was that they didn't return to the land God had given to them after the famine was over. They stuck around in Egypt way too long.
While in Egypt, the Israelite nation grew numerically, so much so that Pharaoh got paranoid about being able to stay in charge of the country (Exodus 1:8-10). He put them to forced labor and exterminated new babies if they were boys (Exodus 1:14-16). But God intervened and made them grow even stronger (Exodus 1:8-21).
All told, Israel remained four centuries in Egypt under harsh conditions. Eventually, God intervened and preserved the life of a baby boy named Moses. God engineered circumstances so that the baby was raised in Pharaoh's own house, right under his nose (Exodus 2:1-10). Moses led a life of privilege but one day committed a capital offense, murdering a man in a fight that began as a defense of a helpless Israelite. He fled Egypt to escape justice.
Moses found a new life in a desert place called Midian. God met him at Mount Sinai in a burning bush, an encounter that would change the history of his people and the world (Exodus 3:1-15). God sent Moses back to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. He was to demand the release of God's people. God promised to protect Moses and empower him (Exodus 3:16-22).
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1130 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Hair-Raising Revelations – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1130 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is an old but still very timely for today one from Charles Francis Adams, and it is, "Failure seems to be regarded as the one unpardonable crime, success as the all-redeeming virtue, the acquisition of wealth as the single worthy aim of life. The hair-raising revelations of skulduggery and grand-scale thievery merely incite others to surpass by yet bolder outrages and more corrupt combinations."
Hair-Raising Revelations
Although we might say otherwise, this quote is just as true today as it was in the mid-1800s when Charles Adams penned it. Charles is the grandson of President John Adams and son of President of John Quincy Adams. He had firsthand observation and knowledge of the hearts of men and women who were in the upper echelon of society. He could see firsthand how people truly viewed failure and success. We have to understand that culture's and society's views of failure and success do not line up at all with God’s perspective.
Should we strive to be successful in all things? Absolutely. When we fail, is it a crime? Absolutely not! God may permit failures and trials in our lives in order to refine and purify us. Success in and of itself is by no means an all redeeming value. The generation of wealth can be admirable if used to further God’s kingdom. The lack of wealth can also be used by God’s children to also further His kingdom. The generation of wealth should never be our single worthy aim in life. When it is, then it will drive us into all sorts of skulduggery, which means dishonesty, and we will then become thieves on a grand scale. When others of the same mindset see this, it will incite them to be even bolder and more corrupt.
We are warned about this mindset in Micah 6:12, "The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence. Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth."
Instead, we are exhorted by the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, "Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this, they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1129 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Broken Heart – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1129 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Emotionally there is probably no greater pain than that of a broken heart. Whether it is the death of a spouse or close loved one, a failed marriage, or a child that has gone astray as an adult, a broken heart is crushing to us.
In today’s meditation, let us consider…
A Broken Heart
We have all suffered from a broken heart, where the night of our soul seems so dark we wonder if it will ever end. Let me take you back to another such night. Go with me for a moment to witness what was perhaps the darkest and foggiest night in history. The scene is very simple; you’ll recognize it quickly…A grove of twisted olive trees. Ground cluttered with large rocks. A low stone fence. A dark, dark night.
Strain your eyes and attempt to look through the fog. Look closely through the shadowy foliage. See that person? See that solitary figure? What’s he doing? You see that he is face down, flat on the ground. As he picks up his face slightly, you see that it is stained with dirt and tears. His fists are pounding the hard earth. His eyes are wide with a stupor of fear. His long hair matted with salty sweat. As you strain more, you see that his face is spotted. Is that blood on his forehead?
Then you realize that is it Jesus. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before the crucifixion.
Maybe you’ve seen the classic portrait of Christ in the garden. Kneeling beside a big rock. Snow-white robe. Hands peacefully folded in prayer. A look of serenity on his face. Halo over his head. A spotlight from heaven illuminating his golden-brown hair.
Now, I’m no artist, but I can tell you one thing. The man who painted that picture didn’t use the gospel of Mark as a pattern. When Mark wrote about that painful night, he used phrases like: “he became troubled and distressed…and said, 'my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.' He went on a little farther and fell to the ground.” Through the dark fog-shrouded night, we see him lying there, and then his voice pierces the still night air as he cries out, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Does this look like the picture of a saintly Jesus resting in the palm of God? Hardly. Mark used black paint to describe this scene. We see an agonizing, straining, and struggling Jesus. We see Jesus as described in Isaiah 53:3, "He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1128 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
7 Strategies for Life's Many Challenges - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1128 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, When God permits us to go through difficult times and struggles in our lives, how can we accept them and still enjoy life to the fullest?
7 Strategies for Life’s Many Challenges
On both a personal level, as well as on a global scale, we all have to continually face challenges and hardships that test our emotional strength: illness, injuries, grief, unemployment, death, divorce, or even a brand-new venture with completely unknown outcomes. However, despite how brutally life might treat you, there are always a number of strategies that can be employed to help carry you through, and here are seven of the most effective ones:
Turn to Face Reality
As human beings, we are masters of avoidance, and very often end up turning away from life's challenges instead of facing them head-on. However, if you really want to enjoy life to the full, then you'll need to start getting used to owning up to the truth. Once you learn to stop avoiding each of life's hiccups, you'll eventually find that life becomes easier, less scary, and a lot more manageable. Once you start seeing such a positive change in your life, you'll then have even greater confidence that you can grow even further, and partaking in such journeys of personal growth is the backbone of living a satisfying life.
Embrace the Way Your Life Actually Is
The secret to life is not to want what you don’t have, but to actually want what you have. That is learning to be content in all circumstances. There is an immense feeling of freedom associated with taking life as it comes. Once you learn to simultaneously embrace the positive and negative aspects of your life, you'll then have a real chance to enjoy life to the full and to value everything that the world has bestowed upon you. You'll find that surrendering to the reality of who you really are truly gives you the opportunity to live up to your potential.
Don't Rush Through Life
We've all heard the saying 'slow and steady wins the race,' but not many of us realize how important this approach to life really is. By constantly being in a hurry, we actually end up compromising our own success. If we get ahead of ourselves, then we're bound to make a lot more mistakes. If we cut corners,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1127 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Correct Answer – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1127 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Correct Answer
Little Johnny burst through the front door with a huge smile on his face. Since it was shortly after lunch and much too early to be home, his mother was surprised, and asked, "Why are you home from school so early?"
Johnny said, "They let me go early because I was the only one who could answer a tough question."
Realizing that little Johnny was not the best student in his class, and especially answering hard questions, his mother was very curious, so she asked: "Oh, really? What was the question?"
Well, said Johnny, Miss Smith asked: "Who threw the eraser at the teacher?"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: A person who lives in a glass house, should not throw stones.
John 8:7
They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1126 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1126 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Rebellion #3 - Dividing of the Nations - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1126 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
Rebellion #3 – Dividing of the Nations
Last week we learned in Dr. Heiser’s book that parts of God’s supernatural family also chose to disobey His commands and did not stay in their limits of authority. They crossed over into the human family in a futile attempt to usurp God’s position.
Like the stories of Adam and Eve and Noah's flood, you may have heard of the Tower of Babel. If not, that's okay, because even most church-goers don't realize what really happened there.
The story of the Tower of Babel is found in Genesis 11:1-9. After the flood God wanted Noah's descendants to multiply and spread out over the earth. Like Adam and Eve, they were to be God's co-workers to maintain creation. Instead of doing that, they gathered at a place called Babel and built a tower to their own glory Genesis 11:1-4.
That's the familiar version of the story, but its real significance is found in two unfamiliar verses in another biblical book. The first is in Deuteronomy 32:8-9, and it reads:
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number in his heavenly court.
“For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.”
These two verses tell us that one of the judgments at the Tower of Babel was the division of humankind. Up until this point in the story, God was dealing with humanity as a collective whole. That changed at Babel. Human beings would be segregated by language and geography.
Even worse, God divorced himself from humanity. Fed up with human defiance of his will, God assigned the nations of the earth to other members of his supernatural family—the sons of God, or His heavenly court. These sons of God were a different group of his heavenly court than those who transgressed before the flood. God couldn't kick humanity out of his house again; He had done that already back in Eden. He had promised through a covenant with Noah not to destroy humanity after the flood (Genesis 9:11), so there would be no repeat of that disaster. So what else could he do? God essentially said, “Enough! If you don't want me to be your God, I'll assign you to some of my heavenly assistants.”
The fallout of this judgment took many forms. We aren’t told how long it took, but the Bible tells us that the supernatural sons of God assigned over the nations did a lousy job. Psalms 82:1-5 describes that these sons of God also became so corrupt that God had to judge them, too.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1125 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Let Success Go To Your Head – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1125 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Grantland Rice, and it is, "Failure isn't so bad if it doesn't attack the heart. Success is all right if it doesn't go to the head."
Don’t Let Success Go To Your Head
Failure and success can be both good or bad, depending on how we allow it to affect us. If we take failure to heart and think that it means that we are a failure as a person, then it will attack and may kill us just like an actual physical heart attack. Any severe heart attack takes months or years to recover from, providing that medical care is administered immediately. Otherwise, we will most surely die. In the same way, if we do not take immediate and significant action to overcome and remedy our failures, then recovery will be very difficult, and it may take a serious toll on us. We cannot allow failure to attack our heart, but realize that we need to correct what caused it and be willing to continue on.
In the same manner, success can and should be a very good thing, but if we let success go to our head and think that we are the sole generator of that success, then it is the same as having a brain aneurysm or stroke. It will impair our decision-making abilities from that point forward. Success does require that we are diligent, make wise choices, and persevere, but any successful person will acknowledge that it requires a multitude of others to help us along the way. They may be our parents, our partners, our mentors or others that have contributed to our success. We cannot allow success to go to our head, or we will be rendered brain dead and useless to others and to future successes that we may be able to achieve.
So, do not allow failure to attack your heart or success attack your head, and you will see the good that comes from both failure and success. They are intimately entwined. God is the one that will ultimately permit failure or grant us success, so let us give Him the glory.
Psalm 90:17
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1124 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1124 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who is Your Hero? – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1124 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
From sports celebrities to movie stars, to those who we refer to as superheroes, we all have those who we look to as heroes. Those that we dream of being like.
In today’s meditation let us consider:
Who is Your Hero?
Growing up, and still to this day, I enjoy watching westerns. The wild wild west with its vast paries and towns that are loosely regulated. The symbol of that time was the cowboy, every young man it seems wanted to emulate that cowboy. The hero of the west to many would be symbolized with being a cowboy.
A thousand head of cattle passes behind him. A thousand miles of trail lie before him. A thousand women would love to hold him. But none do. None will. He lives to drive cattle, and he drives cattle to live. He is honest in poker and quick with a gun. Hard riding. Slow-talking. His best friend is his horse, and his strength is his grit.
He needs no one. He is a cowboy. The American hero.When you think about the Bible, who is your hero? Possibly King David who killed Goliath. Maybe its Gideon, who fought thousand of Midianites, with only 300 men who were armed with a trumpet and a torch. There is another type of person who is the true hero of the Bible. An occupation, like the cowboy, also takes care of animals. Behold a hero in the Bible: the shepherd.
On the surface, he appears similar to the cowboy. He, too, is rugged. He sleeps where the jackals howl and works where the wolves prowl. Never off duty. Always alert. Like the cowboy, he makes his roof the stars and the pasture his home.
But that is where the similarities end.
The shepherd loves his sheep. It's not that the cowboy doesn't appreciate the cow; it's just that he doesn't know the animal. He doesn't even want to. Have you ever seen a picture of a cowboy caressing a cow? Have you ever seen a shepherd caring for a sheep? Why the difference?
Simple. The cowboy leads the cow to slaughter. The shepherd leads the sheep to be shorn. The cowboy wants the meat of the cow. The shepherd wants the wool of the sheep. And so they treat the animals differently.
The cowboy drives the cattle. The shepherd leads the sheep.
A herd has a dozen cowboys. A flock has one shepherd.
The cowboy wrestles, brands, herds, and ropes. The shepherd leads, guides, feeds, and anoints.
The cowboy knows the name of the trail hands. The shepherd knows the name of the sheep.The cowboy whoops and hollers at the cows. The shepherd calls each sheep by name.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1123 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Obstacle in Your Path - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1123 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, tell me a story about how we should handle obstacles that we face in life?
The Obstacle in Your Path
We will all face obstacles along our trek of life that is a fact. It is how we respond to the obstacles that will make the difference between success and failure. Between a life of satisfaction, and a life of misery. Let me tell you a story that will illustrate this.
In ancient times, a king had his men place a heavy boulder on one of the main roadways leading into the main city. The king then hid in the bushes, out of view from anyone, and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way to ease the path for themselves and others. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and lords passed by and with much grumbling and complaining, simply walked around the boulder forcing them to come precariously close to the edge of the road where there was a steep embankment. Almost everyone blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone removed.
After several days of waiting, one day, a peasant came along carrying a heavy load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant looked at the situation and then surprisingly laid down his load and tried to push the stone out of the way. At first, he did not move the boulder much at all. After much pushing and straining, the peasant found a huge limb that he used as a lever, and he finally managed to push the boulder close enough to the edge, and it tumbled down into a ravine.
Moral of the story: Every obstacle that we come across gives us an opportunity to improve our circumstances, and while the lazy and dissatisfied will complain, others are creating opportunities through their kind hearts, generosity, and willingness to get things done.
We should never begrudge the hard obstacles in life. If we let them, they will refine us, and make us a better person.James 1:2-4
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Join us again next Friday for another question on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episode.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1122 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Choose Your Weapon Wisely – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1122 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Choose Your Weapon Wisely
Little Jimmy came home from the playground with a bloody nose, black eye, covered with dirt, and torn clothing. It was obvious he'd been in a bad fight and lost. His father saw him running up the walk to the front door with tears streaming down his face. While his father was patching him up, he asked little Jimmy, “what happened?”
Between stifled sobs, Jimmy said, "Well, Dad, I challenged Larry to a duel. As you have taught me, I gave him his choice of weapons."
"Uh-huh," said Jimmy’s Dad, "that certainly seems fair."
"I know, I thought you would be proud of me for taking the high road, but I never thought he'd choose his big sister!"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: be careful that you understand the potential consequences before making a choice. There are always consequence to every choice that we make.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1121 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1121 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Rebellious Supernatural Family - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1121 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
The Rebellious Supernatural Family
Last week we learned in Dr., Heiser’s book that God’s human family chose to disobey His commands in the Garden of Eden. Yet, this choice was a result of the influence of one of God’s supernatural children. This week we move to another time where God’s supernatural family desired to create humans in their image. This is a direct affront to God and His plans for His human family.
You may have heard somewhere along the way that the Bible teaches the world has so much evil in it because of humanity’s fall into sin in the Garden of Eden. That’s only partially true. After the tragedy of Eden, there were two more episodes that plunged humanity further into the depths of depravity and chaos.
The second of these is described in Genesis 6:1-4, arguably one of the stranger incidents in the entire Bible. Dr. Heiser wrote extensively on this topic in an excellent book called “The Unseen Realm” and a less intense version called “Supernatural.” Let me read Genesis 6:1-4. Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.The story is about how some of God's supernatural children (the “sons of God”) wanted to imitate God by producing their own human children to image themselves. They decided to use human women (the “beautiful women”) for that purpose. This made them rivals to God, their own heavenly father. Rather than be happy with God's desire to have humans become members of their family, they decided they wanted to be overlords of their own humans. That wasn't what God had in mind. God wanted a family, not slaves.
As we dig into this story deeper, we also find two other passages in the New Testament which refer to this second rebellion. 2 Peter 2:4-5 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness where they are being held until the day of judgment. And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. These “angels that sinned" (2 Pet 2:4) transgressed ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1120 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Failure Gives Success Flavor – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1120 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Truman Capote and it is: Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.
Failure Gives Success Flavor
As summer approaches our minds goes to cookouts on the grill where you hear a plump juicy hamburger sizzling and smell the aroma wafting in the air. While a hamburger itself smells great, the flavor really becomes irresistible when it is seasoned properly with just the right seasoning.
If you ate seasoning all by itself, it would not taste good, or be something that you want to consume. When you properly add just the right amount of seasoning to a quality hamburger, it mixes with the juices and transforms that hamburger into a delightful meal that you want to devour.
Success is much the same way. While success is desirable and tasty in itself, what really makes success so much better is when it has been flavored with the seasoning of failure. Failure makes success so much more desirable. Failure makes success both smell and taste so much better. Failure, when we are in the middle of them is not pleasant, just like eating seasoning by itself. When you mix the failure into the juices of success, then the success is one that will be so much more savory.If seasoning loses its flavor, then the hamburger will not benefit from it. In the same way, if you do not learn the lessons of failure, then any potential successes will be hard to obtain.
Mark 9:50
Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1119 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1119 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Life is Not Fair – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1119 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
From the very earliest of ages, a child will proclaim loudly if they do not think that a situation is fair. Not much changes as we grow into adulthood.
In today’s meditation let us consider:
Life is Not Fair
We all desire, advocate, and push for fairness in all situations. The problem is that we often forget what may be fair for me will be unfair to someone else and vis/versa. The fact is that “Life is not fair.” That’s not pessimism, it’s a fact. It’s not a complaint, it’s just the way things are. I don’t like it. Neither do you. Ever since the kid down the block got a bike and we didn’t, we’ve been saying the same thing, “That’s not fair!”
Where did we get the notion that everything in life should be fair? At some point, and preferably early in life, someone needs to say to us, “Whoever told you life was going to be fair?” God didn’t. You see, we have a warped concept of fairness. It was not fair that Jesus had to become a sacrificial substitute for our sins against God. It is not fair that we can come boldly to God’s throne of grace when we continually turn our affections away from Him. This world has been tainted, so we should expect that life will not always be fair, at least from our own perspective. We will have troubles, but our perspective should be one of joy, because when we go through those troubles, it helps us to become more like Christ. James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. Troubles are part of the package, but so is the blessings of being complete and needing nothing.When we struggle with the concept that life is not fair, it is because we are viewing life from a worldly perspective. As Christ followers, we are building the Kingdom of God, which has not yet fully arrived. Jesus tells us in John 18:36
Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
When we are tempted to cry and complain that life is not fair, realize that God has already provided an advocate for us through the Holy Spirit as we are told in John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.It is during these times when we are having a pity party that we need to choose to be satisfied with the ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1118 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Life is Like the Morning Fog - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1118 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, as a Christ follower, how should we handle it when a loved one or friend has died?
Life is Like the Morning Fog
Regardless of age, whether it is a child, a teenager, or an adult, it always seems too soon to say goodbye. When God permits one of his children to die it is because their purpose in God’s kingdom has been fulfilled. None of us know when that day will be. Within the past week, I have had two dear friends who attend our church die. One from cancer, which was somewhat expected, but the other one was a very unexpected and massive heart attack. Regardless of if there is time to prepare, or not, we all need to be prepared, and we are told in the book of James 4:13-15: Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
While our salvation is not based on our works, since we are to be an imager of God in the building of His earthly kingdom, we should always be serving others and impacting the lives of others for His glory. Both of these dear friends who died this week, showed us an example of how to serve God by serving others. Both were humble, and ready to help anyone who needed it. You might ask, if they were serving others, why did God permit them to die? As humans, with our finite minds, we cannot fully comprehend or understand why, but we do know that it is God’s purpose because it is He who gives life, and it is He who takes us home when our earthly purpose is completed. What we do to impact others is what we carry onto eternity. We have the capability of impacting many generations to come, by our service here on earth. We are told in James 2:14-18 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1117 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
An Early Morning Date – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1117 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
An Early Morning Date
A category five tornado hit a Kansas farmhouse just before dawn one morning. Farmer John and his wife Margaret were both in a deep sleep. They were elderly, hard of hearing, and had not heard the tornado alarms that were blaring shortly before it hit. The tornado was so violent that it tore off the roof, and picked up the bed on which farmer John and his wife Margaret were sleeping. By some miracle, the twister set them down unharmed in the next county over, some 20 miles away.
Once they came to their senses and were fully awake, Margaret started sobbing uncontrollably. Trying to be a comfort to her, farmer John said: "Don't be scared, Margaret, We're not hurt, and it appears that it was not our time to meet our maker."Margaret continued to cry. Between her sobs, John finally understood what she was saying. “I'm not scared," Margaret said, as a smile broke out on her face. She then gave John a big hug and continued "I'm just so happy...this is the first time in 14 years we've been out together."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: During this spring time of year, the chance of severe weather is more significant than ever, and I do not want to minimize that fact. That being said, even in the most horrific and darkest of times, there is humor and much to be grateful for. Let us focus on the beauty in the midst of the ashes of life.
Isaiah 61:3
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of our past 1116 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1116 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Rebellious Human Family - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1116 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. In our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book, “What Does God Want?”
The Rebellious Human Family
Last week we learned that Dr. Heiser made the point that God equipped people to image him on earth. He did that by sharing his attributes (his qualities and abilities) with them. As wonderful as that was (and is), it's where things get interesting, and scary. One of God's qualities is freedom, what we often call free will. If you've ever wondered why there's evil in the world, here's the Bible's answer.
There were three significant rebellions found in the Bible that changed the course of earth and heaven. This week we will look at the first of those rebellions.
When God made the decision to share his attributes with his children, he knew what it meant. God knows everything, so he understood clearly what would happen. God had made the same decision earlier with the heavenly family he had created (whom we think of as angels). They have abilities like intelligence and freedom, too. They got those gifts from their Creator.
Sooner or later God knew that his gifts would be either misused or abused. He knew full well that, though his children (in the spiritual world and on earth) were like him, they were not him. They were less than him. They were imperfect, whereas he is perfect. At some point one (or more) of his children would either make a horrible mistake or act in thoughtless self-interest, rebelling against something God wanted to be done (or not done).
That's precisely what happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve rebelled. They violated God's command to not eat from one of the trees in the garden. They sinned and lost eternal life in God's presence. Every human born thereafter was born outside Eden, estranged from God. The apostle Paul summed it up well in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
That tragedy was brought on by an even earlier rebellion. We do not know at what point in eternity past this earlier rebellion occurred, or whether it was because of the jealousy from God creating a human family. One of God’s supernatural children decided to dishonor God’s decision to have a human family by tempting Eve, hoping God would destroy her and Adam. He came to Eve in the form of a serpent (Genesis 3:1-7). The Bible refers to the serpent as Satan and the Devil (Revelation 12:9). He succeeded in getting Eve to sin, but failed when it came to getting rid of humanity permanently.
There are some deep truths here…the first of which answers a question everyone asks at some point in life: Why is there evil in the world?
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1115 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Failure Is Instructive – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1115 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget...
Today’s quote is from John Dewey, and it is, "Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes."
Failure Is Instructive
We have many teachers in our lives, and instruction can come from a wide variety of sources. While we would all like to receive instructions in a pleasant and easy manner, the fact is that we will probably learn and retain more if the instructions we receive and our coursework is filled with difficult tasks and challenges. It is the challenging times of our lives that are most ingrained into our mental pathways.
We need to be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared and always ready to learn. We have to think through what is being taught to us and how we can apply those lessons to minimize failures and maximize successes. Don’t be overly anxious or down-trodden when you fail. Instead, let the failures be your teacher and instructor, but be ready to learn the lessons that need to be taught. Apply those lessons, and then keep moving forward towards success that is based on those lessons learned.When learning takes place, we have to be willing to accept the instruction, regardless if that instruction is difficult or easy.
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1114 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1114 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Least of These – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1114 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
When you hear about those who are in need, what is your response? Whether it is because they have fallen on hard times financially, have lost a spouse through death or divorce, are ill, or have had an accident, what do you do for them?
In today’s meditation let us consider…
The Least of These
The title for today’s meditation comes from a parable that Jesus taught us in Matthew 25:34-40. Let me read that passage.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’"
As Christ followers, we are to be assisting the building of God’s Kingdom here on earth. This is not done through piety or fancy sermons. It is accomplished by getting our hands dirty, by living with and doing life with those who are downtrodden, by sharing a meal and other resources with those who are in need…It is comforting those who are ill or have lost a close loved one. It may not include any speaking but just sitting and holding someone who has lost all that they hold dear to them. This is what building the Kingdom of God is all about. Are you willing to do this?
When we are willing to help those who cannot return anything back to us, then we are becoming the disciples that Jesus told us about in this parable.
It is hard for me to “put myself out there” and help others on a close basis, and I suspect that it is difficult for you also. That is not an excuse, though. Sometimes, no many times, we need to step outside our comfort zone, and help those who cannot help themselves.
This reminds me of a time in my life where I was thrust into a situation such as this. A fellow associate who worked for the same company as I did was falsely accused by a couple of people about serious crimes he did not commit. Although he was perfectly legal,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1113 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Word of Encouragement - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1113 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, why is it so important to be encouraging to others?”
A Word of Encouragement
It is not always easy to be encouraging to others, especially when the situation is dire, or you feel a bit discouraged yourself. The importance of encouraging cannot be underestimated. With spring in full swing now, listening to the spring peepers and other frogs in the evening reminds me of a story to help illustrate the importance of encouragement.
One cool spring evening the frogs were coming out of hiding from the day, and they started down an old farm road towards a pond that many of the frogs went to at night. Within a few hundred yards there were many frogs that had joined the group, which is referred to as an army of frogs. This army of frogs advanced forward one hop at a time. As they turned off the road toward the pond, three of the frogs that were in the front suddenly fell head first into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw them vanish, the crept up to the edge of the pit to see how deep the pit was. As the remainder of the army gathered all around the rim of the pit, they realized how hopeless the situation was. In their croaking tones, they shouted to the three fallen comrades that there was no hope of ever getting out.
However, the three frogs ignored their comrades and proceeded to try to jump out of the pit. Nevertheless, despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were peering over the edge and still croaking down to their fallen comrades that they should just give up as they’d never make it out.
Eventually, two of the three frogs took heed of what the others were saying, and they gave up, slipping into an even deeper crevice in the pit where they were crushed to death. The third frog ignored the other two and continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the army of frogs at the edged yelled at him to stop the pain and to just give up and die.
He seemed to ignore them and kept his eyes on the upper rim where his remaining comrades continued to plead. With a bit of a run and a giant leap, the third frog jumped harder and higher than ever finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs gathered around their exhausted friend and said, “Did you not hear us?”
With frantic motions of his legs,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1112 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's a Miracle! – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1112 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life -something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
It’s a Miracle!
Leroy, a devout cowboy, lost his favorite Bible while he was mending fences out on the range. He looked everywhere for it, but to no avail. Leroy was beside himself, he had this Bible for many years, and although it was a bit tattered, he was familiar with it, and had all of his favorite passages highlighted. Leroy prayed earnestly that somehow he would find it, as it was the only Bible that he owned.
Three weeks later as Leroy was out again working on the fences, a cow walked up carrying his favorite Bible in its mouth.
Leroy couldn't believe his eyes.
He took the Bible out of the cow's mouth, raised his eyes heavenward and exclaimed, "It's a miracle!"
When he looked down again, he saw the cow staring into his eyes. "Not really," said the cow. "Your name was written inside the cover."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is "This cow was not the first talking animal. It’s okay that you talk to your animals, but when they engage you in a conversation, you might have the Balaam syndrome, and God needs to get your attention."
Numbers 22:28-31
Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1111 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1111 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Wanted a Family - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1111 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Last week we began a new series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”
God Wanted a Family
Last week we began to explore the question - What does God want? We discovered that the overall answer is simple. He wants you.
Before I became a believer, God was seeking me. I just didn't know it. He is also seeking you. I know now that God sought me because it's his nature to seek us. He's committed to us.
How do we know these things about God? (That’s a question I’m going to ask more than once, so look for it!) Let’s start with ourselves as an analogy. It's normal—part of our nature—to care about the things we make, especially if they required serious effort or were the result of concerted thought. We are naturally going to be angry or resentful when someone mocks, belittles, destroys, or claims as theirs something we made, achieved, or thought of first. Not feeling those things would be abnormal.
Romans 5:8
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
The God of the Bible shares this profile, or should I say, we share His profile. God does what he does to enjoy what He's done. God didn't create humanity because he lacked something. He wasn’t lonely, as though He was incomplete or needed company. God needs nothing because... well...He's God. He created things to enjoy the work of his own hands, so to speak. And the things he cares about most are those He made to be like him, “in his own image” as the Bible says (Gen 1:26). He is referring to you and me.
Our story—the story of why God wants us—begins with the biblical idea that God is our Maker. Although we can’t completely comprehend that, the bottom line is that we’re here because God wanted us here. God doesn't act randomly. He acts with purpose. When He created humankind, He wasn’t trying to fill some deficiency in himself. Given the fact that He didn't need us but still made us, there's only one rational explanation for why He created us. God wanted us to exist in order to enjoy us (and to have us enjoy him in return).
Because God created us, the Bible refers to him as our "Father" and people from Adam onward as his children. That's why the Bible uses the language of family to describe God and His relationship to us. That's no coincidence.
But I'm getting a little ahead of myself. To really understand the context for the family-centered language in the Bible, we need to go back to the time before God made the earth and the human race. It may surprise you, but God wasn't alone then, either. That’s another reason why we can be sure he didn't create us to heal his own loneliness.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1110 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Choose to Respond – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1110 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Michael Hyatt, and it is, "Failure is inevitable, but we can choose to respond in ways that accelerate our journey to success."
Choose to Respond
Failure in many areas of life is certain, but it only remains a failure if you choose to do nothing about it. If you remain quagmired in your failure through self-pity and despair, then you will never recover. It is when we choose to learn from our failure and avoid repeating the same failure, that we will begin again on our journey to success. Even if we avoid the same failure, it is certain that there will be other challenges and obstacles that we will face. That is a part of life. Here are the best steps to follow to ensure that you accelerate your journey to success after a failure:
Pause
Reflect on what caused the failure
Access what you need to change in order to avoid that same failure
Make the necessary changes to your plan
Begin again more intelligently
As you now move forward once again, when the next failure hits you, repeat these five steps. The key is to choose to respond in a manner that will ensure that you never stop. Failure is not permanent unless you choose to quit when you should continue to move forward. Yes, there are risks in every decision that we make, but push through. What is the worse that can happen? If it does not cause bodily harm or death to you or your loved ones, then even if you do fail, you can recover from all else. Galatians 6:9
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1109 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1109 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Day of Rest – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1109 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our busy world, it seems like it is almost impossible to take time for quiet reflection. We fill our schedules to overflowing and then wonder why we are sick and tired all of the time. This is not what God has planned for us. There is nothing wrong about working six days each week, but in today’s meditation let us discover the need for…
A Day of Rest
I realize that I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to setting aside a day for rest, regeneration, and reflection. I don’t practice this nearly as much as I should. When God created the world, He rested from all of his activity on the seventh day. When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, and it came to Sabbath rest, His message was clear: If creation didn’t crash when I rested, it won’t crash when you do! You know we need to rest. Just as with farming, for a field to bear a crop in abundance, it must occasionally lie fallow. For you to be healthy, you must rest. When David says in Psalms 23:1-3,
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
The Good Shepherd knows that if he drives his sheep too hard and long, they will collapse. We need to rest in his green meadows and drink deeply from his peaceful streams. With His own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place, He planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy. Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of the shepherd when the work is completed, and he sees his sheep rest in the tender grass? Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of God when we do the same? Jesus instructed us in Matthew 11:29,
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
We must allow the risen Savior, our good shepherd, to teach us and provide rest for our souls. Even though Jesus was fully God while on earth, He was also fully man and knew the value and necessity for a time of rest and regeneration. Jesus understood this. Just as Luke 5:16 says,
But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
The closer we get to the heart of God, the more we will understand that we need to habitually set time aside for rest, regeneration, and reflection. This reminds me of the words from the old hymn “Near to the Heart of God.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1108 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Why Do We Call It Good Friday - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1108 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, the crucifixion of Christ was horrible, so why do we call that day Good Friday?”
Why Do We Call It Good Friday
What is Good Friday and why do we call Good Friday “good,” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus?
For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day of the year because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world. Ever since Jesus died and was raised, Christians have proclaimed the cross and resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation. Paul considered it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:3, "I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said."
On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (1 John 1:10). It is followed by Easter, the glorious celebration of the day Jesus was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith (Romans 6:5).
Still, why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach: in German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.” In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good” is debated: some believe it developed from an older name “God’s Friday.”
Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.
In order for the good news of the gospel to have meaning for us, we first have to understand the bad news of our condition as sinful people under condemnation. The good news of deliverance only makes sense once we see how we are enslaved. Another way of saying this is that it is important to understand and distinguish between law and gospel in Scripture. We need the law first to show us how hopeless our condition is; then the gospel of Jesus’ grace comes and brings us relief and salvation.
In the same way, Good Friday is “good” because as terrible as that day was,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1107 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Easter Bunny – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1107 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Easter Bunny
Little Susie came home from school one day shortly before the Easter holiday. With major concern on her face, Susie tentatively approached her mother and said: "Mom, some of the kids at school today said that you were the Easter Bunny. Is that true?"
The mom kneeled down took little Susie’s face in her hands and stared straight into her wide eyes and said, "Do you really want to know?"
"Yes," little Susie replied.
The mother sighed, thinking of the end of the innocence of childhood, "Yes, dear, I am the Easter Bunny."
Little Susie looked at her in amazement and with excitement in her voice declares, "How do you get to ALL of those houses in just one night???"Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: With Easter being celebrated throughout the world, sometimes it is easy to lose focus on the meaning and significance of the most joyous of all holidays. Let us cherish the Risen Christ
Matthew 28:6
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1106 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1106 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Does God Want? - Worldview Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1106 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week we will begin a new series which will cover another detailed book review from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We will take a deep dive and share Dr. Heiser's insights into the question which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’
What Does God Want?
What does God want?
Sounds like a simple question, but if you give it a bit of thought, it's really not.
Why? Well, for starters, you have to know who's asking the question. People will ask it for a lot of different reasons. Is it a cry of anger from someone in pain? Perhaps it’s a barely audible whisper that surfaces from deep sadness. Is the motivation curiosity? Or is it just prompted by the desire to reflect and think deep thoughts? It's not difficult to see that giving the right answer depends on why the question is being asked.
While we all may have motives for asking this question, the answer is the same for everyone, at least in terms of the answer God himself would give with respect to all of us. That is precisely how I’m asking it. I'm asking it to help you think about some important things. When I ask, “What does God want?" I’m really asking: What does God want when it comes to every person in the human race? What does God want when it comes to me and my life and to you and your life?
Before I get to the detailed answers from Dr. Heiser, it's pretty obvious that the question is a religious one. All of our questions about God naturally get filed in the religious folder. I've raised the question, and we will explore the answer because I’m interested in God. Most people still are, though they may not be interested in church. It certainly is not a prerequisite to be involved in church to be seeking the answer to our question. As we go throughout this book, we will find that the answer is going to be a biblical one. That narrows the focus a bit more. The goal of Dr. Heiser’s book is that the Bible would answer the question “What does God want?”Now for the answer. It’s simple. He wants you.
That might surprise you. You may doubt it. That's okay. It’s the right answer. To be honest, though, it isn't enough of an answer. You can't get a sense of how amazing and profound the answer is by just that one sentence. You need some context to appreciate how much love is behind it. There's actually a long, remarkable story behind the answer.
Since that's the case, this book is not only about what God wants, but it’s about things God wants you to know. Yes, he wants you, but for you to appreciate that and (hopefully) feel the same way about God, you need a little context.
That is what we will discover in our detailed synopsis of this book. We’ll start with God's story. There's a lot of tragedy in it, but none of that ever changed God's mind about you (or me, thankfully). Once we are done discovering the story that is contained in this book, Dr. Heiser drills down on some parts of the story that...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1105 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It Will Take Longer – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1105 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Croft M. Pentz, and it is, "Failure doesn't mean you'll never succeed — it will just take longer."
It Will Take Longer
Failure, we all experience it, otherwise we would not have a basis for success. We can and should make plans and set goals, because that gives us a timeline and milestones to strive toward. We have to realize that at some point during our journey, and usually, for our betterment, we will have setbacks and failures that disrupt the plans and goals that we have set. Does that mean we should quit? Absolutely not! For every failure we experience, there is a lesson to be learned—that in itself is a success. Failures allow us to take pause, reevaluate our circumstances, and ask ourselves these three questions.
Is our goal still what we desire?
If so, what corrections need to be made to the plan to avoid, or at least minimize, the same or similar failures.
Am I willing to continue to make the sacrifices necessary in order to obtain the desired goal?
If we can address these three questions affirmatively, then we need to pick ourselves back up, dust ourselves off, and continue on with our journey. We may need to adjust our timeline to compensate for the failure, but we are still moving forward.
As we make our plans and set our goals, always keep in mind that it is God who directs our steps.
Proverbs 16:9
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1104 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1104 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
He Is Risen! – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1104 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
With the Celebration of Easter this week, today’s meditation has been adapted from Max Lucado’s book When Christ Comes…
He Is Risen!
When Pilate learned that Jesus was dead, he was surprised that death had come so quickly. Perhaps he should have been less harsh with him or listened to his wife's message. Pilate asked the soldiers if they were certain. They were.
Had they seen the Nazarene twitch, had they heard even one moan, they would have broken his legs to speed his end. But there was no need. The thrust of a spear removed all doubt. The Romans knew their job. And their job was finished. They pried loose the nails that pierced his hands and feet, lowered his body, and gave it to Joseph and Nicodemus to do what they wished. It was one less task they had to deal with.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both Pharisees. They sat in seats of power and bore positions of influence. Men of means and men of clout. They had to witness the unjust trial and convicting of whom they had hoped was the Messiah.
They would’ve traded it all for one breath out of the body of Jesus. He had answered the prayer of their hearts, the prayer for the Messiah. As much as the soldiers wanted him dead, even more, these men wanted him alive.
As they sponged the blood from his beard, don’t you know they listened for his breath? As they wrapped the cloth around his hands, don’t you know they hoped for a pulse? As they finally wrapped the shroud tightly around their Savior’s beaten face, they hoped against all hope that he would revive somehow. Oh, how they searched for one glimpse of life. But they didn’t find it.
So they do with him what they were expected to do with a dead man. After wrapping his body in clean linen, they placed it in a tomb. Joseph’s tomb.
Roman guards are stationed to guard the corpse. And a Roman seal is set on the rock of the tomb. For three days, no one gets close to the grave.
But then, just as the sun begins to rise that Sunday morning, a light appears. Not from the sunrise, but light within the tomb. A bright light? A soft light? Flashing? Hovering? We don’t know. But there was a light. For he is the light. And with the light came life. Just as the darkness was banished, now the decay is reversed. Heaven blows and Jesus breathes. His chest expands. Waxy lips open. Wooden fingers lift. Heart valves swish and hinged joints bend. And, as we envision the moment, we stand in awe. He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!
Romans 6:5-9
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1103 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Pound of Butter - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1103 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, Why is it so important to be honest in everything that we do?
A Pound of Butter
As I am creating this podcast, we are out of town watching our grandson, so time has been limited. So to answer this question today, I will read a short story which will provide a practical example of why it is so important to be honest at all times. The story is called: A Pound of Butter
Sam was a dairy farmer who made butter from the cream. Every week Sam would sell a pound of butter to John the Baker. On the flip side of this John, the baker, would sell Sam, the farmer, a one pound loaf of bread each week. One day John the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting the right amount, which he wasn’t. John became very angry about this, so he took Sam to court.
The judge asked Sam the farmer if he was using any measure to weigh out the butter properly. Sam replied, “Your Honor, I am primitive. I don’t have a proper measure, but I do have a scale.”
The judge asked, “Then how do you weigh the butter?”
Sam replied;
“Your Honor, long before the John the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every week when the baker brings the bread, I take it in the back room and put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. I always figured it was a pound, so I never thought any more about it. I guess if anyone is to be blamed, it is John, the baker.”Moral of the story:
In life, you get what you give. Don’t try and cheat others.
Luke 16:10
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.
Join us again next Friday for another question on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of the past 1102 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1102 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Murphy's 17 Laws of Technology – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1102 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Murphy’s 17 Laws of Technology
As a person who has been a technology professional for all of working life I am certainly familiar with the original Murphy’s Law, but today we want to review 17 lesser known Murphy’s Laws of Technology which have recently been added.
Murphy's Technology Law #1: You can never tell which way the train went by looking at the track.
Murphy's Technology Law #2: Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
Murphy's Technology Law #3: Technology is dominated by those who manage what they do not understand.
Murphy's Technology Law #4: If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization.
Murphy's Technology Law #5: An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he/she knows absolutely everything about nothing.
Murphy's Technology Law #6: Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe, and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it, and he'll have to touch to be sure.
Murphy's Technology Law #7: All great discoveries are made by mistake.
Murphy's Technology Law #8: Nothing ever gets built on schedule or within budget.
Murphy's Technology Law #9: All's well that ends... period.
Murphy's Technology Law #10: A meeting is an event at which minutes are kept and hours are lost.
Murphy's Technology Law #11: The first myth of management is that it exists.
Murphy's Technology Law #12: A failure will not appear until a unit has passed final inspection.
Murphy's Technology Law #13: New systems generate new problems.
Murphy's Technology Law #14: To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.
Murphy's Technology Law #15: We don't know one-millionth of one percent about anything.
Murphy's Technology Law #16: Any given program, when running, is obsolete.
Murphy's Technology Law #17: A computer makes as many mistakes in two seconds as 20 men working 20 years make.Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. For our Thursday Thought: What is a technologist, anyway? In the broadest sense, a technologist is a Technology Specialist. That is, one who specializes in technology. Say what?
Colossians 3:23
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for peopleJust as you enjoy ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1101 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who Determined the Canon of Scripture? - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1101 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’ Today is the last essay in Dr. Heiser’s book, and next week we will begin a new series.
As we explore this final essay today, we will explore information about:
Who Determined The Canon of Scripture?
Dan Brown’s best-selling conspiratorial thriller The Da Vinci Code seems like ancient history now. At its peak of popularity, the novel set records both for sales and for irritating scholars with its view that Jesus and the 12 apostles held to Gnostic heresies. The book’s bizarre plot focuses on Jesus’ bloodline extending through a child born by Mary Magdalene. Within that narrative, Brown asserts that the New Testament canon was determined by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who was not friendly to Gnostic Christianity, at a time much later (fourth-century AD) than any New Testament scholar would endorse. Unfortunately, this myth has since taken on a life of its own.
The notion that Constantine decided which books should constitute the New Testament springs from the ancient Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea (ad 263-339). Eusebius reports that in a letter written in AD 331, the emperor instructed him to
... order fifty’ copies of the sacred Scriptures, the provision and use of which you know to be most needful for the instruction of the Church, to be written on prepared parchment in a legible manner, and in a convenient, portable form, by professional transcribers thoroughly practiced in their art.This same Constantine had earlier convened the Council of Nicea (AD 325), famous for its focus on the full deity of Christ against Arianism, which taught that Jesus was a created being. Brown carelessly conflated the two events in The Da Vinci Code to put forth the preposterous idea that Constantine had decided at Nicea which books belonged in the New Testament. But can we be sure this didn't happen? If not, what exactly did Constantine demand in this letter?
We can be certain that the Council of Nicea did not determine the books of the New Testament at Constantine’s request. The date of Eusebius correspondence tells us that Nicea did not consider the issue of the canon. Today, anyone can read the 20 decisions rendered at Nicea (coincidentally called “canons”). None of them concerns the New Testament Scriptures. In addition, accounts of what happened at Nicea were described by several early church historians and theologians who lived at the time of the event or shortly thereafter. Their testimony is unanimous in opposition to the idea that Constantine determined the books of the New...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1100 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
There Are No Shortcuts – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1100 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from John Cummuta, and it is, "Everyone who has achieved financial independence will tell you that at least in the early days you have to work smarter and harder. The price of success must be paid in full, and it must be paid in advance. There are no shortcuts."
There Are No Shortcuts
Financial success can only be achieved by working hard and smart for many years. What most people do not realize is that you must be willing to invest the time, talent, perseverance, and determination before any return can be achieved. There are no shortcuts to success in any area of life, and that is particularly true of financial independence.
Financial independence in itself is subject to the amount you are willing to sacrifice today, in order to reach that independence. I have found over my years of experience and observation that those who are not willing to sacrifice, will never achieve independence. In fact, most people who are able to achieve financial independence, continue to live frugally long after it is required. In that way, they continue to pay the price today for continued independence in the future.
The price of financial independence must always be paid in full and in advance to ensure continued independence. As with all areas of success in life, it goes back to the law of planting and harvesting. It is as true as the law of gravity. It cannot be changed, nor is there ever a short cut. If you desire to harvest in the future, you must plant today and nurture those plants for long periods of time before the harvest will be available.
Psalm 126:5-6
Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Galatians 6:7
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1099 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1099 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Can't Change – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1099 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Change…it may be difficult, yet it is possible. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on whether this statement is true…
I Can’t Change
There is a saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I am not an expert on if that is true with dogs, but the statement is also often applied to people. Especially if we are the ones quoting that axiom, what we are actually saying is that we do not choose to change. So, is it really true for humans that we cannot change?
Here’s some good news. You are not stuck with today’s personality. You are not forever condemned to “grumpy town.” If you reside there, that is your choice. You are tweak-able! So what if you were born a bigot and have a lot of ingrained prejudices? You don’t have to continue to live that way and die one.
Where did we get the idea we can’t change? Where do statements such as “It’s just my nature to worry,” or “I’ll always be pessimistic. I’m just that way,” or “I have a bad temper. I can’t help the way I react,” come from? Who says?
Would we say, “It’s just my nature to have a broken leg? I can’t do anything about it.” Of course not! If our body malfunctions in any little manner, we seek help. Shouldn’t we do the same with our hearts? Can’t we seek aid for our sour attitudes? Of course we can! Jesus can change our hearts! He wants us to have a heart like his!
Here are a couple of Bible passages that we can claim that clearly show that we are responsible for our attitudes and our actions. If we choose to continue to live miserably, then know that it is our choice.
Ephesians 4:21-23
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1098 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Little Fellow Follows Me - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1098 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.
Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
The theme of this podcast from the very beginning has been to “Create a Living Legacy.” From my very core, this is what drives me. I feel that we all have a Biblical mandate to live a life that is today, and will continue to be, a living legacy. Not to bring attention to ourselves, but to bring glory to God and to further His Kingdom on earth.
So the question for this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, why is creating a living legacy so important, and can you provide us with an illustration of what this means in practical terms?
A Little Fellow Follows Me
I will turn 63 in August of this year, and the older I get, the more important it is to me to live in such a way that my children, grandchildren, friends, and others who may observe my life will have a positive role model and example which they can follow. A life lived in such a way that others will see and understand how important it is to live a good and godly life each day. As an illustration of this philosophy, today I will read a poem that our oldest son, who is now 38, received as a gift. Although our five children are all over 30 now and have families of their own, this poem still reflects how I desire to live for my children, and also now for our seven grandchildren.
.Listen to this poem, and apply it to your life, regardless of your situation, and live in such a way that you will have an opportunity to positively impact all you come in contact with.
A careful man I want to be,
A little fellow follows me,
I do not dare to go astray,
For fear, he’ll go the self-same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes,
Whatever he sees me do, he tries;
Like me, he says he’s going to be,
This little chap who follows me.
He thinks that I am good and fine,
Believes in every word of mine;
The base in me he must not see,
This little chap who follows me.
I must remember as I go,
Through summer’s sun and winter’s snow;
I’m building for the years to be,
That little chap who follows me.
Join us again next Friday for another question on our “Ask Gramps” episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday when we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1097 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Found Dead or Alive – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1097 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Found Dead or Alive
While hiking in the country, Susan and her friend Eve spotted a huge bed of mushrooms that they knew were edible. They gathered a large basketful and sautéed them that night. Susan's husband Phil refused to eat them, thinking they might be poisonous. Two weeks later, Eve and Susan gathered some more mushrooms. This time, Phil joined them.
"How is it that you're eating these mushrooms tonight," Susan asked, "when you wouldn't touch the ones we brought home two weeks ago? What changed your mind?"
"I thought about it," Phil explained seriously, "and I figured it would be better to be found dead with you two than to try to explain two dead women in my home."Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is "Avoid eating mushrooms raw, even if they are on the salad bar that way. Since mushrooms have thick cell walls that break down with cooking, cooking unlocks more nutrients and safely degrades any trace amount of a potentially carcinogenic compound called agaritine."
Since we are approaching Easter, our verse for today is Matthew 28:6," "He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying."Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1096 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1096 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Perspective Changes Everything - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy.
Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1096 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”
Our perspective about a situation or circumstance creates our reality, which may not sync with actual reality. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…
Perspective Changes Everything
The question many Christians and Bible scholars debate about surrounds eschatology or future events that is the end times. Is the book of Revelation a linear chronology of distant future events, or does the book describe the Roman persecution of Christians and Rome’s destruction of the temple events that occurred in John's lifetime? The first view opts for a mid-AD 90s authorship (long after the temple was destroyed), the second supports a pre-AD 70s authorship (when the temple was still standing). Each of these readings is complicated by Revelation 11:1-2,"Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months."
Taken literally, these verses indicate the Jerusalem temple still stands—apparent proof that Revelation was written before AD 70. If so, the idea that John is describing the Roman persecution and invasion, empowered by Satan and his hatred for the Church, must be valid. However, while the defense of this view takes this passage literally, most people who prefer to see Revelation written before AD 70 read the rest of Revelation symbolically, matching John’s descriptions to some feature of the Roman Empire and its Caesars.
Those who read Revelation in terms of distant future events often point to the mid-90s authorship. They prefer a symbolic reading of Revelation 11, a departure from their preference for taking the rest of Revelation quite literally. Even to the point of describing futuristic military weaponry in John’s visions.
Who is the literalist now? It’s difficult to be consistent in the book of Revelation.
The early church father Clement of Rome offers us clues for understanding how this passage might be understood. Clement wrote long after the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed, but he used the present tense when speaking of the temple (1 Clement 40-41). He does this to strike an analogy between the orderly worship of the temple in times past with a current concern about worship. The same may be true of Revelation 11:1-2. It’s not unusual for biblical writers to speak of a past event in language that sounds conte...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1095 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
All Rights Come with Responsibility – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1095 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from John D. Rockefeller, and it is, "Every right implies a responsibility, every opportunity an obligation, every possession a duty."
All Rights Come With Responsibility
There are many in today’s modern culture that propagate that we have various "rights," but they are unwilling to accept the responsibilities that come with those rights that they desire. It is a wise and mature person who knows and understands that with every right we are granted, there is an equal and offsetting set of responsibilities. For every opportunity that comes our way, we have obligations that are inexplicitly bound to those opportunities. For every possession that we obtain, we have a duty to take care and maintain that possession. There are no free lunches without someone sacrificing, and there are always strings attached to it.
So the next time that you demand your rights, be willing to step up and be responsible to pay the price for that right. The next time you seek an opportunity, then be willing to fulfill the obligations that come with taking advantage of that opportunity. The next time you choose to obtain a possession, be willing to sacrifice the necessary blood, sweat, and tears that are required to obtain it.
Also, realize that you then have a duty to take care of and maintain that possession until it is no longer yours. It boils back down to the laws of planting and harvesting. If you desire to harvest, you must first invest yourself into the planting and nurturing, or the harvest will not happen.
As we are told in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: 'Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.'"
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1094 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1094 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Let's Focus on God – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1094 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
When we are faced with giants in our lives, do we focus on the giant or how God will help us through? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…
Let’s Focus on God
On his father’s instructions, David just showed up to the battlefield completely unexpected. He left his sheep with other shepherds and delivered bread and cheese to his brothers on the battlefront. That’s where David hears Goliath defying God.
Read the first words recorded in the Bible by David in 1 Samuel 17:26, "David asked the soldiers standing nearby, 'What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?'"
David shows up discussing God. The soldiers mentioned nothing about him, his six brothers never spoke God’s name, but David takes one step onto the stage and raises the subject of the living God.
No one else discusses God. David discusses no one else but God.
David sees what others don’t and refuses to see what others do. All eyes, except David’s, fall on the brutal, hate-breathing hulk Goliath. The people know his taunts, demands, size, and strut. They have majored in Goliath.
David majors in God. He sees the giant, mind you; he just sees God more so. Look carefully at David’s battle cry in 1 Samuel 17:45, "David replied to the Philistine, 'You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'"
Let God, train us to walk on His path. Let God teach us to see Him in situations that are dangerous and difficult. Like David, when we are surrounded by overwhelming challenges may our thoughts, and words turn first to God. Rather than discuss the problem, let us be reminded to focus on God. May our first thought in the morning and our last thought at night be centered on God. Rather than worry about the impossibilities, let us major in God’s mighty power. When we are tempted to look at the giants in our lives, let us choose to focus on God.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1093 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Love Your Neighbor - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1093 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
We often wonder how best to help others, but are often hesitant when other people look like they have caused their own problems by the choices we make. The fact is that we don’t know what others are struggling with, and need to be very careful about judging others, and more willing to help.
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, I know that the Bible tells us to love your neighbor as yourself, but what does that really mean?
Love Your Neighbor
· The Young Man
"Love your neighbor as yourself." A commandment of Scripture, but sometimes difficult to interpret. How far does our obligation go? After all, who is our neighbor? Most of us don't even know our literal neighbors! How can we love them? What do these words really mean, to love our neighbor? Listen to this tale that I came across recently, and decipher for yourself!
Early one evening, Jim, a very successful young businessman, took his new Mercedes XLR to the mall to buy his girlfriend a Christmas present. Jim saw on his GPS that his usual route was closed off, so he decided to chance it, and go through the crazy-dangerous area of downtown to get there. Jim figured it was a better choice than having to go all the way around the city, thus adding two hours to his journey.
Well, the area he had to cut through was in the North End of the city, which was known for its gang warfare and biker bars. What Jim did not realize is that he had chosen the completely wrong time to go through as young gang members started to gather for their nightly escapades, and certain young ladies went outside to claim their piece of the sidewalk for their nightly business of selling themselves.
At a red light, Jim stopped, and found himself in the middle of a gang war. The gang member from one group took a shot at his enemy, across the street, and Jim in his Mercedes was the unfortunate barrier between them. The bullet barely grazed his shoulder, but it started to bleed quite a bit, he cried out loudly in sharp pain. Carefully he managed to pull over and stop the car.
Jim got out of the car, intending to go get help, but in his weakened state attracted the wrong kind of attention. A couple thugs looking for some quick drug money noticed his stupor, and decided it would be easier to rough him up, than try to break into a store. They also noticed his car keys were left in the car,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1092 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Expert – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1092 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Expert
While working as a radiology technician in a hospital emergency room, Sarah took x-rays of a trauma patient. After she was finished with several complicated x-rays, Sarah organized and cataloged them. She informed Kathy the radiologist they were ready to be analyzed. Kathy invested a long time studying the multiple fractures of the femurs and pelvis.
"What happened to this patient?" Kathy asked in astonishment.
"He fell out of a tree," Sarah reported.
Kathy was amazed at the amount of fractures there were and inquired what the patient was doing up a tree.
"I'm not sure, Sarah replied, but his paperwork states he works for Bob's Expert Tree Service."
Gazing intently at the x-rays for several more minutes, Kathy blinked and finally said, "Cross out 'Expert' on that paperwork.'"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is "He who knows the limits of his capabilities will save much embarrassment."And our verse for today is 1 Corinthians 3:10,"Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful."
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1091 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1091 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
666 - What Does it Really Mean? - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1091 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
The number 666 in the Bible is recognized by believers and non-believers alike as the “Number of the Beast.” In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover:
666 – What Does it Really Mean?
If there's one part of the Bible virtually everyone has heard of, it’s 666—the “number of the Beast.” If there's one thing no one can agree upon, it's what that number stands for. We see 666 in Revelation 13:18: Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666. The wording here is important: John tells readers that the number must be “calculated,” which means there must be a hidden meaning behind it. But how do we calculate it?
· Calculating Symbolism
One option for solving this biblical riddle is gematria, the idea that numbers have symbolic meaning. While some have called gematria a tool for speculation, it actually derives from an ancient convention in languages like Greek and Hebrew where letters of the alphabet are used to represent numbers. But gematria is not limited to just Revelation: the New Testament contains several other symbolic figures. The 153 fish of John 21:11 could be interpreted as ancient symbolism for the Church, the body of Christ, and the Old Testament sons of God as analogous to believers in the Church. The Greek word for “dove,” like the dove that descends on Jesus at His baptism, has a numerical value equivalent to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, thus symbolizing the Alpha and Omega as recorded in Revelations 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
· Calculating 666
When it comes to 666, one gematria explanation is that the number represents Nero Caesar. The Greek Xeron Kaisar adds up to 1,005, but when the name is transliterated into the Hebrew letters nrwn qsr, the sum is 666. Nero Caesar also would explain the variant number of the Beast (616) found in some New Testament manuscripts. Transliterating the Latin Nero Caesar into Hebrew, nrwn qsr, yields 616, suggesting John may have been thinking of the well-known Nero Redivivus myth when writing about the Beast (i.e., that Nero would rise from the dead to destroy Christians).
The gematria solution presents three major problems: It could be viewed as cheating with the spellings (the usual Hebrew spelling for Caesar is q’st, not qsr,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1090 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Seeds of Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1090 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Napoleon Hill, and it is, "Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success."
The Seeds of Success
As any farmer or gardener will tell you, for any plant to grow, you must first plant a seed. If that seed remains a seed, it will produce nothing. Only when that seed dies and is destroyed will the plant emerge from its nucleus. What may seem like the seed failing is actually allowing the plant to begin a new life.
So it is with success. Unless we allow failures to die and become the nucleus for new growth, we will never be able to achieve the success that we hope for. Success starts out just like a plant beginning from the seed dying.
First, just a little sprout of green emerges, then with the proper nutrients and water, the plant begins to grow. It must be continually nurtured until it is mature and is able to produce fruit many times more than the original seed that died. It is not different with success. When we take the dying seeds of failure, learn the lessons, and nourish the lessons learned, success will slowly begin to sprout. If we continue to care and nurture the beginning sprouts of success, it will eventually grow to maturity and produce many times the return from the seeds we planted at the beginning. So take your seeds of failure and nurture them so that they will grow into mature successes that will produce many times your original investment.John 12:24 - I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1089 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1089 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The God of Second Chances – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1089 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
There are times in our lives where we really blow it. We mess up and hurt those whom we love most, and who are close to us. We usually will have an opportunity for a do-over, but those scars may stay with us for the remainder of our lives. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
The God of Second Chances
Have you ever read a familiar passage in the Bible, then all of a sudden it jumps out are you as if you were reading it for the first time? It nearly explodes in your mind with a new impact that you have never seen before. Mark 16:1-8 is one such passage. Maybe it is the excitement of the resurrection and the empty tomb that another part of verse 7 is often overlooked. Let me read this passage to you: Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way, they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.Did you catch the last part of verse 7? Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. Now tell me if that’s not a hidden treasure. Remember that just three days prior to this event, Peter had denied that he even knew Jesus three times. In fact, he even swore his denial in a curse.
What a line. It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall, and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again. In our modern day vernacular, it would read. “Be sure and tell Peter that he’s not left out. Tell him that one (or even three) failure(s) doesn’t make a flop.” He is not destroyed by this failure. What a relief for Peter!
No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance. We have the same second chances for us, even when we deny our Lord and Savior,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1088 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Carpenter's Wisdom - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1088 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
Events and circumstances that happen to us in life are not always as they appear on the surface, and certainly not they may appear to others. We need to keep this in mind, and not jump to conclusions for ourselves or others.
So the question for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, can you tell me a story of a situation where something that may seem to be tragic, but looking back at it there was much good, and lessons learned through it.
The Carpenter’s Wisdom
There have been many situations in our lives which at the time seemed devastating, but as we look back at them, we know that it was within God’s plan for our lives and have shaped us to the person that we are today. Situations like my mom dying much sooner than we would have liked. A business failure that was financially devastating. Our granddaughter being diagnosed with leukemia. There are many more, but I think the story that I read of “The Carpenter’s Wisdom” teaches us a valuable lesson that we all need to learn.
Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.
People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. "This horse is not a horse to me," he would tell them. "It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?" The man was poor, and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. "You old fool," they scoffed, "we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you've been cursed with misfortune."
The old man responded, "Don't speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I've been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?"
The people contested, "Don't make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1087 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Test of Strength – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1087 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
A Test of Strength
Jim, a strong young man with a chiseled body, worked at a construction site. Day after day he bragged that he could outdo anyone in a feat of strength. He made a special case of making fun of Fred, an older worker who had worked for the company for nearly 40 years.
After several months of hearing Jim brag every day, Fred had enough. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is," Fred told Jim. "I'll bet a week's wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that outbuilding that you won't be able to wheel back."
"You're on, old-timer," Jim braggingly replied. "Let's see what you got."
Fred defiantly reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then, nodding to Jim, he said, "All right. Get in."Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is, "Eventually, you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it."
And our verse for today is Proverbs 13:16, "Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness."
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1086 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1086 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Jesus is God, The Name - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1086 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
In our English translations of the Bible, we miss a lot of the meaning of various names in the Bible. This is especially true of the nuances of names in the Old Testament and New Testament with God and Jesus. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover:
Jesus is God, The Name
It only takes a few words to produce dramatic theology. In the short letter we know as 3 John, the apostle is writing to a beloved friend, Gaius (v. 1). He commends Gaius for ministering to fellow believers who were strangers because “they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.” (v. 7). John doesn't use the phrase “in Jesus' name” or "the name of Jesus''; it's simply, "traveling for the Lord’ Why this phrase? Is John trying to keep a secret?
John isn’t trying to be cryptic. He's actually drawing on an Old Testament expression. When understood in that original context—and the context of his other writings—John's wording amounts to a powerful statement on the deity of Jesus.
· The Name in the Old Testament
In Deuteronomy 12:5 God instructed the people of Israel that—when they got into the Promised Land, Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored. God wasn’t talking about writing His name on a town or a building. He was referring to where the tabernacle, and ultimately the temple, was to be His station. But He wasn’t talking about writing “Yahweh” on that either. Nothing of the sort is ever recorded in Scripture. Rather, God was talking about the place where He would choose to meet Israel personally—His very presence.
The description “the name” actually refers to the presence of God. This presence was at times visibly evident through the so-called “glory cloud” (e.g., 1 Kings 8:10-11). At other times the name came in human form. For instance, in Exodus 23:20-23. God tells Moses that He is sending an angel to bring Israel to the Promised Land. God warned Moses that this angel would pardon no transgression since God and the “Angel of the Lord” appears to speak as one. We learn from Judges 2:1-5 that the angel did indeed lead them to the land. But how could God's name be in an angel? The answer is that “the name” referred to the very presence of God, His essence. This is confirmed in Deuteronomy 4:37. Here, we read that—instead of the angel being credited as the one who would bring Israel to Canaan—it is God who brought them there “personally.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1085 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Enthusiasm Powers Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1085 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is, "Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
Enthusiasm Powers Success
Being passionate and enthusiastic about your dreams and plans is a requirement in order for those dreams to come true and those plans to be fulfilled. No success will ever be achieved without enthusiasm. On the flip side of this coin, though, enthusiasm must be coupled with perseverance and action. Enthusiasm may be the fuel for success, but action is the engine and perseverance is the momentum that will keep you moving towards your desired success. Enthusiasm without action is a storm with no rain. There may be a lot of noise, but nothing good will come from it without the nourishing rains to feed the seeds of success. Be enthusiastic, but then take action, and persevere to ensure success.
This reminds me of what Jesus’s half-brother James tells us about faith in James 2:14-20, "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, 'Some people have faith; others have good deeds.' But I say, 'How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.' You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?"
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. If you would like to listen to any of our past 1084 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1084 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Validity of the Bible – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1084 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
I am sure that all of us have doubts at times, on whether we can truly believe the Bible is actually God’s Word. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
The Validity of the Bible
Can we believe the Bible? How can we know it is anything more than a collection of sayings and stories? Can we truly believe that the Bible is the Word of God?
Anything that we believe to be true eventually boils down to faith. No doctrine or science can be completely verified because we, as humans, are confined to a very limited perspective within the time and space which we reside during the few short years that God grants us life. Hebrews 11:1-3 explains it like this, Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith, we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
There are many reasons I believe in the Bible, and that bolster my faith to believe in God. Here are a few:
Composition. The Bible was composed over sixteen centuries by forty authors with one central theme. That God provided a means in which we can be in fellowship with Him through the advocacy and sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ.
The Bible was written by soldiers, shepherds, scholars, and fishermen. Begun by Moses in lonely Arabia, finished by John on lonely Patmos. Penned by kings in palaces, shepherds in tents, and inmates in prisons.
Forty writers, most unknown to each other, writing in different countries and at least three different languages, separated by three times the number of centuries since Columbus discovered America, was it possible for these authors to produce a book of singular theme unless behind them there was one mind, one designer? The Bible is remarkable in composition.Durability. The Bible is the single most published book in history. The top seller since the printing press was invested over three hundred years ago. Translated into twelve hundred languages by an army of translators. Bibles have been burned by dictators and banished from courtrooms, but God’s Word continues. The Bible’s death knell has tolled a hundred times, but each time the grave is opened, and God’s Word continues. The Bible is remarkable in durability.
Prophecy. The pages of your Bible contain more than three hundred fulfilled prophecies about the life of Christ. A substantial biography was written about Jesus five hundred years before he was born.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1083 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
How to Make Wise Choices (2) - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1083 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.
Each day we are faced with a bombardment with decisions and choices that we make. It is not always easy to make sure we are making wise choices. Our ‘Ask Gramps’ question is a continuation from last week so If you did not listen to last week’s Friday podcast, or read the Wisdom Journal for that day, I would suggest listening to it first.
So the question for last week and again this week is…
“Hey, Gramps, when you come to decision points in life, and there is a multitude of choices to make, how do you make sure that you are making wise choices, especially when there are several good options?”
How To Make Wise Choices (2)
We make hundreds of choices each day. Some choices are spontaneous, and of little consequence, like the coffee mug, we choose in the morning. Other decisions carry greater weight and significance, like choosing the person we will marry. In either extreme or with any decision in between, learning how to make wise choices is an important life skill for every believer and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, doing God’s will is really a matter of making the right choices on a consistent, daily basis.
After we have invested time on our own with God to seek His will, it is helpful and wise to run our decisions and thought process by other godly people. Godly and wise counsel can help us avoid any shortsightedness or naivety and help us to consider alternative options that may exist.
If we are afraid or unwilling to hear anyone else’s opinion on a matter, it could be that our motives are impure. Proverbs 18:1 tells us, "Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense." If you’re hesitant to ask the opinion of others, search your heart to understand your motives.
When evaluating choices, it’s a good practice to see if any of our options are contrary to the Bible’s description of wisdom. James 3:17 gives a great definition for Biblical wisdom, "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere."
Comparing our decisions to the description of wisdom, we can ask ourselves, “Is this choice pure, peace-loving, gentle, submissive, merciful and good?” Any time we cannot answer “yes” to one of these characteri...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1082 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Touch Me – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1082 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30,"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22,"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
Don’t Touch Me
Jim and Janice, an elderly couple were lying in bed one morning, having just awakened from a good night's sleep. Jim takes Janice’s hand, and she responds, "Don't touch me."
"Why not?" Jim asks.
Janice answers back, "Because I'm dead."
Jim becoming concerned and thinking that Janice must be losing her senses says, "What are you talking about? We're both lying here in bed together and talking to one another."
Janice says, "No, I'm definitely dead."
Jim insists, "You're not dead. What in the world makes you think you're dead?"
To which Janice responds, "Because I woke up this morning and nothing hurts."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is "Take life one day at a time, which is all any of us are promised, and make today count."Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1081 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1081 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Tough Love - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1081 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
There are times when we are dealing with our children, or those who are very close to us, where we have to show love in a firm and disciplined manner, called tough love. This is required because it is best for those whom we do love. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…
God’s Tough Love
It’s a common myth that God always brings us back to repentance. This myth is debunked in the first letter of John as John writes in 1 John 1:9,"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."
We need to consider, though, that John also tells us that sometimes God never gives us another chance to confess our sins and be forgiven. In 1 John 5:16-17, the apostle gives us the other side of the sin-confession-forgiveness coin,"If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death."
Put simply, there are sins that Christians commit that don't lead to death, but there are some that do. Is John talking about a divine law of cause and effect, where a specific sin irrevocably results in death? Not exactly.
We can be certain that John has no specific sin in mind because he never names a sin in this passage. John is saying there may come a time when God has had enough of our sin, and then our time on earth is up. We cannot know when such a time might come, so we shouldn’t be in the habit of sinning with impunity.
John had actually seen this happen. In Acts 5:1-11, Luke relates the incident of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to Peter (and to God) about the proceeds from a piece of property they had sold. They were under no obligation to give any of it to the church but pretended that they had given all the money to the Lord's work. When confronted by Peter, both of them collapsed and died on the spot. Luke writes, "Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened," Acts 5:11. No kidding, can you imagine the impact?No doubt this incident left an imprint on John’s mind. But John would have also known that there was Old Testament precedent for “sin unto death” as well. In Numbers 11, in response to the latest wave of complaining about their circumstances, the Lord sent the people of Israel meat to eat in the form of quails. In Numbers 11:33 we are told,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1080 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Honesty Will Drive Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1080 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Joseph Sugarman, and it is, "Each time you are honest and conduct yourself with honesty, a success force will drive you toward greater success. Each time you lie, even with a little white lie, there are strong forces pushing you toward failure."
Honesty Will Drive Success
Honesty is not only the best policy, but it is also an imperative policy. Dishonesty may seem like it provides a modicum of short-term success, but it will never last, and ultimately lead to your downfall and failure. Honesty is required for all long-term, lasting success, and it is the foundation upon which a living and lasting legacy is built.
Honesty is an invisible driving force that builds upon itself like a snowball cascading down a steep slope, going bigger and more powerful with each revolution. Honesty begets honesty and has a multiplying effect that by its very nature brings with it success in all areas of life.
Even the smallest of lies will destroy the momentum that success is building upon. So in all areas of life, live a life of honesty, with integrity, so that no one can have a negative word to say about how you live your life. In doing so, you will exude success in everything that you do. This reminds me of two verses in 1 Peter 3.1 Peter 3:10 - For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
1 Peter 3:16 - But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1079 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1079 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God Causes Everything to Work Together – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1079 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We have our own concept of what may be best for us, but God who is outside of our limited time space knows for sure and has His purpose in mind. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…
God Causes Everything to Work Together
Romans 8:28 is one of the most frequently misused verses both within the family of believers and outside. You frequently hear that “everything works together for good.” For most of us it is a coping mechanism for when events or circumstances happen that we do not particularly understand or like. As Christians, we may not always know or understand why certain events happen, but we can know that God is ultimately in control.
Let me read this verse Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
We know…There are so many things we do not know. We do not know if the economy will dip or if our team will win. We do not know what our spouse is thinking or how our kids will turn out. We don’t even know “what we ought to pray” as Romans 8:6 tells us, "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words."
But according to Paul in his letter to the church in Rome, we can be absolutely certain about four things. We know…
God causes everything to work together. God is busy behind the scenes, above the fray, within the fury. He hasn’t checked out or moved on. He is ceaseless and tireless. He never stops working.
God causes everything to work together for the good. Not for our comfort or pleasure or entertainment, but for our ultimate good. Since he is the ultimate good, would we expect anything less?
God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. Observe the benefit of loving God! Make his story your story, and your story takes on a happy ending. Guaranteed. Being the author of our salvation, he writes a salvation theme into our biography.
God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. We are called according to His purpose, not ours. This concept is taken from the Greek word Panta, which is the root for words like “panoramic” or “panacea” or “pandemic.” In other words, “All-inclusive.” God works, not through a few things or through the good things, best things, or easy things.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1078 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
How To Make Wise Choices - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1078 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com
My surgery for removing the rod and screws from my left femur last Friday was very successful, and I am well on my way to recovery. Although it is still quite sore in the four areas that the incisions were made, I can already tell that there will be relief from the irritation that was caused by the rod and screws. There will be some discomfort at least until next Wednesday when the bandages are removed, and I get the staples taken out of the incisions. I am excited about the results.
Each day we are faced with a bombardment with decisions and choices that we make. It is not always easy to make sure we are making wise choices.
So the questions for this week and next is:
“Hey, Gramps, when you come to decision points in life, and there is a multitude of choices to make how do you make sure that you are making wise choices, especially when there are several good options?
How To Make Wise Choices
We make hundreds of choices each day. Some choices are spontaneous, and of little consequence, like the coffee mug, we choose in the morning. Other decisions carry greater weight and significance, like choosing the person we will marry. In either extreme or with any decision in between, learning how to make wise choices is an important life skill for every believer and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, doing God’s will is really a matter of making the right choices on a consistent, daily basis.
All godly wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 tells us: Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. To fear God is to reverently acknowledge Him for who He truly is. The result of fearing God is the avoidance of evil. Picturing yourself in the presence of Almighty God as you make decisions can be a safeguard to keep you from making foolish and unwise choices. Start your decision-making process with eternity in mind and with the goal of hearing; “Well done, my good and faithful servant” from your Lord and Master.
When we start our decision-making process by fearing the Lord, we put ourselves in the positions of humility before God. It is at this point that our hearts are ready to acknowledge our utter dependence upon the Lord for his guidance, counsel, and wisdom in how to proceed forward. God wants to guide our lives and decision making and promises such guidance in His Word.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1077 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Travel Much? – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1077 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
Travel Much?
I have had the privilege to travel throughout this country and a few countries outside of the United States. There are many places that I have not been though. So let me ask you, have you been to these following locations...?
I've been in many places, but I've never been in Kahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Kahoots with someone.
I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.
I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my children, friends, family, and employees.
I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump to there, which would require more energy than it seems worth.
I have been in Flexible at times, but only when it was very important to stand firm.
Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.
I may have been in Continent, but I don't remember what country that was in. It's an age thing. They tell me it is very wet and damp there.
Well, that is enough traveling, for now, I think I have already gone off the rails for today.I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is, "No matter where you are heading, enjoy your journey."
Proverbs 21:8 - The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1076 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1076 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
When Angels Do Time - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1076 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
We are often taught or think that the demonic beings in the New Testament are fallen angels that have sinned with Satan, but what does the Bible say? In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover:
When Angels Do Time
Most Bible study resources describe fallen angels as demons who joined Lucifer in his rebellion against God. But what if I told you that the only place in the New Testament that describes angels sinning, it does not call them demons, has no connection to Lucifer, and has the angels in jail? Welcome to the world of 2 Peter and Jude.
2 Peter 2:4
For God did not spare even the angels, who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.
Jude 6
And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.
Second Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 are nearly identical in their description of angels doing time, but there are differences that help us figure out “what in the spiritual world is going on.”
Jude 6 defines what 2 Peter 2:4 means by the angelic sin. These sinning angels “left the place where they belonged.” Second Peter doesn't say they were in cahoots with Satan, or that they did anything in Eden. It tells us they left their designated realm of existence and did something in another realm. But what did they do?
Both 2 Peter and Jude compare the sin of these angels with the Sodom and Gomorrah incident, where the sin involved sexual immorality (2 Pet 2:7: Jude 7). Second Peter also connects it to the time of Noah. There is only one sin involving a group of angelic beings in the entire Bible, and it coincides with Noah and is sexual in nature. That incident is Genesis 6:1-4. Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.Two features in these passages in 2 Peter and Jude poi...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1075 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success is Your Admission Ticket – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1075 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Kissinger and it is: Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.
Success is Your Admission Ticket
Success in any area of life is not the final destination. Yes, we can and should celebrate milestones of success in life, but that is not the end. One success is just a doorway, or ticket, to the next challenge. As long as we are alive and able to make a positive impact on God’s kingdom, then we should be ready, willing, and able to continue moving forward through the difficult times on our journey to the next milestone of success. We should never rest on the laurels of success for long because as long as we have breath, our purpose on earth is not completed and our journey forward must continue on. There will be more mountains to scale, more obstacles to overcome, and more hurting people to help. Take a rest when needed, but let us not grow weary but continue on utilizing our God-given talents and abilities to do His will in all things. Let us remember a couple of truths found in God’s Word.Galatians 6:9
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Isaiah 40:31
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1074 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1074 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Set Your GPS for the Correct Destination – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1074 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
A compass or GPS unit can be very valuable, if you know how to use it. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Set Your GPS For The Correct Destination
The problem is not that God has not spoken, it is that we are not listening. You might be thinking, when has God spoken?
Imagine that you opened a cookbook and proclaimed, now I know how to set my GPS for my vacation destination or business trip. While a cookbook may give you directions for making a great cake, it will do you no good for directions for traveling in a car. That is not the purpose of a cookbook.
Only by understanding its purpose can I accurately use the cookbook for something useful. In the same manner, only by understanding its purpose can I accurately use the Bible. Its purpose is to teach you the way to go in life.
The purpose of the Bible is simply to proclaim God’s plan to save his children. It asserts that man is lost and needs directions in order to be saved. The Bible is our GPS for life. It communicates the message that Jesus is the God in the flesh sent to provide directions on how his children are to be saved.Though the Bible was written over the span of sixteen centuries by at least forty authors, it has one central theme—salvation through faith in Christ. The redemption story began through the directions given to Adam and Eve. It continues to Noah on building the Ark. It then was handed to Abraham by giving him directions to a land that was not his yet. It then passed onto Moses leading the entire nation of Israel through the lonely desert of Arabia. In the New Testament if continued through the Apostles and finished by John on the lonely Isle of Patmos. All those directions were held together by a strong thread: God’s passion and God’s plan to save his children. To provide them directions to heaven.
What a vital truth! Understanding the purpose of the Bible is like setting the GPS to the correct destination. Set those directions correctly and you’ll journey safely. If you fail to set your life’s direction according to God’s Word who knows where you’ll end up.
As we are told in Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my pathThat is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1073 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Are You Afraid Gramps? - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1073 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
After investing 31 weeks focusing on the Enneagram, we are switching back to our regular ‘Ask Gramps’ episodes. We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable.
If you have been a long time listener to Wisdom-Trek, you may remember that 19 months ago I fell from a ladder and fractured my femur bone right below the hip ball. The operation to repair it required a rod inserted down the center of my femur through the hip socket with a screw placed in the hip ball and another one right above my knee cap to hold the rod securely in place. On the day that this podcast originally airs, I am scheduled for outpatient surgery to have the rod and screws removed. Since I exercise a lot, the rod and screws are continually rubbing on the thigh and hip muscles, causing an irritating amount of low-level pain. I could leave the rod and screws in my leg the remainder of my life, but given an option to have them removed, I chose the latter.
So the questions for this week is:
“Hey, Gramps, even though your surgery is outpatient and should not cause a problem, are you afraid or fearful to have the operation?
Are You Afraid Gramps?
That is a great question. None of us like to have our bodies cut open, let alone choosing to have the procedure, when it was not required. I have heard the question before…what is the difference between major surgery and minor surgery? When you strip away all other concerns, major surgery is when it is performed on you, minor surgery is when it is performed on someone else.
Any time you have to be put out completely under anesthesia, there is a heightened risk of complications. That is certainly a concern. During the operation the surgeon will need to make three incisions to remove the rod and two screws, and the primary cut for the rod will be about 3” long. That is also a concern, as there is a lot of bleeding and subsequent bruising. On top of these two concerns I had to also take into consideration that when I had the original surgery, my pulse dropped dangerously low three times. In the emergency room, during the operation, and once afterward. We were told that the surgeon did give me a shot of adrenaline to stimulate the heart during surgery. My low heart rate was partially due to the fact that I was in very good shape physically and do a lot of running so prior to the accident my resting heart rate was only 50 bpm.
So back to the question, Gramps, are you afraid? I have to admit that as I record this podcast, which is the day before my surgery, there is a bit of both excitement and trepidation.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1072 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Will Grant You Three Wishes – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1072 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
I Will Grant You Three Wishes
Jim, a sales representative, Sue the administration clerk, and Sam, their manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp in a dark, deserted alley. Curious about it they decide to rub it, and Poof! A genie comes out in a puff of smoke.
The genie says, "I usually only grant three wishes, so I'll give each of you just one."
Sue excitedly shouts, "Me first! Me first!" The genie replies, your wish is my command. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world." Poof! Sue is gone.
In astonishment and amazement, Jim excitedly shouts "Me next! Me next!" The genie once again says, your wish is my command. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse and the love of my life." Poof! Jim is gone.
"Okay, you're up," the genie says to Sam. Sam contemplates for a few minutes and then responds, "I want Sue and Jim back in the office after lunch."
Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say. I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is "Learn to allow others to go first, even when you are excited."
Today’s verse is Matthew 20:16, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1071 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1071 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Jesus Is God - According to Peter, Jude & Enoch - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1071 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
The question I will ask as we explore today is, “Did Enoch know that Jesus was the incarnate God?” In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…
Jesus is God - According to Peter, Jude, & Enoch
The epistles of Peter and Jude are often overlooked in preaching and Bible study. Not only are they nestled among the more popular letters of Paul and the book of Revelation, but portions of these epistles sound odd to our modern sensibilities. That wasn't the case in the first century. We can better grasp the meaning of these letters if we understand what they have in common with influential ancient Jewish and Christian writings that were circulating at the time. One of those literary works is known to us today as l Enoch, a book Peter and Jude draw upon in their letters. Jews and Christians of antiquity considered books such as l Enoch important resources for understanding biblical books and their theology. Peter and Jude were no exception. For example, Jude 14-15 draws directly from 1 Enoch.
1 Enoch 1:9
Jude 14-15
Behold, he comes with the myriads of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to destroy all the wicked, and to convict all flesh for all the wicked deeds that they have done, and the proud and hard words that wicked sinners spoke against him.
Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
All of the ideas found in 1 Enoch 1:9 can also be found in three Old Testament passages: Jeremiah 25:30-31, Isaiah 66:15-16, and Zechariah 14:5. Rather than quote all three, Jude quotes the verse in 1 Enoch that combines them. But the real point of interest isn’t Jude's succinctness; it's his interpretation of 1 Enoch, as well as the Old Testament. In 1 Enoch 1:9 it is the “Great Holy One” (God) who is “coming with myriads of holy ones from Sinai (1 Enoch 1:4) and who has promised to come to earth in the day of the Lord for final judgment. For Jude as well as Mark and Paul (compare Mark 8:38 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13), this event is transformed into the return of Jesus Christ (Jude 17-18). By naming Jesus as the one coming with the holy ones,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1070 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Be Distracted By Criticism – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1070 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is, "Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember — the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you."
Don’t Be Distracted By Criticism
None of us likes to be criticized by others, but it does still happen. Sometime justly, but most of the time, unjustly. If we are doing what is right, just, and fair we still may be criticized, but we can move forward with the realization, that it is not warranted, and we also have to consider the source.
When we succeed in any area of life, there will be distractors attempting to bring us down to their level. It is true that misery loves company, and the more miserable someone is, the more that person will attempt to bring others down. Those who are critical of others may do so because they are jealous. They may realize they do not have the ambition and perseverance to achieve success themselves. It may be, though, that they are hurting inside, so they lash out at others as a desperate plea for help.Let us never be brought down by the criticism of others, but continue to do the very best that we can do with the abilities and gifts that God has granted to us. Let us never forget to be thankful in all ways. With your success, be willing to reach out and help others, yes, even those who criticize you.
In all ways, let us be like Daniel as we are told in Daniel 6:4, "Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy."
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1069 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1069 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's Your Choice Each Day – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1069 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Every day we are faced with a multitude of situations, both good and bad about which we need to make decisions and choices of how we will respond. In our Meditation Monday today, I want us to reflect on…
It’s Your Choice Each Day
IT'S QUIET. It's early as I wake up at 4:45 AM each morning. I dress in my workout clothes and prepare for my combination exercise and quiet time with God. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.
By the time I am finished and have showered and dressed for the day, the morning has arrived. It roars down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn is exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours or more I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. Those choices will be difficult, and there will be times where I feel too weak to make the right choices…But by God’s grace and His power within me, I am free to choose correctly. So I choose.
I choose love…
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive others so that I may live.
I choose patience…
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness…
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness…
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1068 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 8&8; 8&9; 9&9 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1058 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm better allows us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool called “The Enneagram.” The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). I have included a One Page Enneagram Summary created by Beth McCord. If you would like to download this graphic, click on the picture in today’s Wisdom Journal.
For additional insight, I recommend the book The Road Back to You written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We previously took a deep dive into the nine types which are “The Reformer,” “The Helper,”“The Achiever,” “The Individualist,” “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Fourteen weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations has taken a total of 15 weeks, but is valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind, it is still only a tool and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be…
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Eight (the Challenger)
with
Enneagram Type Eight (the Challenger)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
As with all double-type relationships, two Enneagram Eights generally bring the same qualities to each other. Therein lies both a main source of the attraction as well as one of the main pitfalls. Thus, the Level of health of each person is especially important for these types of relationships as are their dominant instincts.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1067 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
To Jump, or Not to Jump – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1067 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
To Jump, or Not to Jump
The local cancer society decided to sponsor a "Jump for Cancer" fundraiser to support local cancer patients. They contacted a nearby flight school that had a training course for parachute jumping. Next, they solicited local businesses to sponsor volunteers who were willing to jump. The donation was to be $1 per foot that they were willing to jump, with a maximum of 1000 feet.
Sam, who had several family members that suffered from cancer eagerly volunteered, although he was quite apprehensive. There were three one hour training sessions involved before the actual jump. The first couple of classes went okay, with mostly background information about parachute jumping and how to make sure your parachute was packed properly.
On the final day of training Jim, the instructor, described what it was like free-falling before the chute opened and what to expect once it did open. He then emphasized that the most important part was landing and how important it was to prepare for landing at 300 feet.
"How do you know when you're at 300 feet?" asked John, another new jumper.
"That’s a great question," replied Jim. "At 300 feet you can recognize the faces of people on the ground."
John thought for a while in silence before seriously asking, "What happens if there's no one there I know?"I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is "Sometimes we just need that little extra push to get headed in the right direction."
Today’s verse is Revelation 14:6,"And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people."
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1066 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1066 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Spiritual Warfare of Baptism - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1066 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
What is the purpose or significance of baptism? In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…
The Spiritual Warfare of Baptism
The pastor had been preaching a series of messages through l Peter. When it was time for 1 Peter 3:14-22 he sincerely announced, “We’re going to skip this section since it's just too strange.” He was right and wrong that day. As odd as it is, this passage is one of the most compelling in the New Testament, if you understand what it is saying.
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison, those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
The theme of 1 Peter is that Christians must withstand persecution and persevere in their faith. To understand how our odd passage fits with that theme, we need to get our heads around the concept of “types” and typology—a kind of prophecy that occurs in the Bible.
We’re most familiar with prophecies directly from the mouth of a prophet. But a “type” is an unspoken prophecy: it is an event, person, or institution that foreshadows something that will come. For example, Paul tells us that Adam was a type of Christ. He foreshadowed or echoed something about Jesus, namely that His work on the cross would affect all people just as Adam’s disobedience had a global effect (Rom 5:14).
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1065 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Be Discouraged By Failure – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1065 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from John Keats, and it is, "Don't be discouraged by failure. Failure, in a sense, is the highway to success because every discovery of what is false leads us to seek what is true. And every fresh experience points out an error which we shall, afterwards, carefully avoid."
Don’t Be Discouraged By Failure
No one likes or enjoys failure, and many become discouraged and quit at the first sign of failure. This should not be. Failure is no more than a detour on life’s road to success.
If you are driving down the highway on the road to a sought after destination, say to visit your kids or grandkids, and you find the road is closed, and there is a detour, would you give up and return home? No, you would travel the extra miles needed on the detour so that you would continue on your road towards your eventual destination.
The highway to success is filled with the potholes of failure. When you see the potholes coming, you try to avoid them, but you will occasionally hit one dead on, and it most likely is not an enjoyable experience. If the road has many potholes, you become more cautious and learn to watch for them and avoid as many as possible. Every discovery of a pothole leads to you know what the solid highway looks like and what is to be avoided.
In the same manner, every failure on your road to success will allow you to learn what to carefully avoid and give you the confidence to keep moving forward toward your destination. So don’t let the potholes of failure on your highway to success discourage you. Learn from them, avoid them when possible, and enjoy your journey. Keep in mind, ultimately it is God who provides our success.
Deuteronomy 8:18 - Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1064 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1064 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Many Faces of Greed – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1064 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Stuff…In our western cultures, and especially in the United States, accumulating stuff has become a national pastime. What drives this fixation we have with accumulating more and more? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…
The Many Faces of Greed
Our obsession with stuff carries a hefty price tag. As a society, we spend 110% of our disposable income trying to manage debt. We are obsessed with accumulating stuff. We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like. We have become a nation of hoarders. We have to build or buy larger homes to store all of our stuff, and when they fill up, we spend even more money renting storage buildings to store the stuff we never use and certainly don’t need. We fill our garages to the brim with worthless stuff, while we let our vehicles costing tens of thousands of dollars sit out in the weather to be ravished by the elements. The US and most western governments do the same running on deficit spending. Why are we driven to such insanity? Who can keep up? No one can!
Jesus warns in Luke 12:15, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Greed comes in many forms. Greed for approval. Greed for applause. Greed for status. Greed to keep up with others. The tenth commandment in Exodus 20:17 clearly tells us, “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”
Greed has many faces but speaks one language: the language of more. Wise was the one who wrote, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” We could also say, “Whoever loves stuff, never has enough stuff.” We are only caretakers at best of all that we possess in this world. When we depart, it is no longer ours. This old adage is also very true, “The more that we own, the more we are owned by it.”
The only way to feel full is to feel fulfilled. The only way to feel fulfilled is to understand that everything we have comes from God—and he gives us exactly what we need. All of it is on loan! And, someday we’ll have to give it all back, checking it at heaven’s door!That is a wrap for today’s meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1063 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 7&7; 7&8; 7&9 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1058 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm better allows us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool called “The Enneagram.” The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or a prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included a copy of “The Enneagram At-A-Glance,” which was compiled by Suzanne H. Eller in today’s Wisdom Journal. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book The Road Back to You written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine types which are “The Reformer,” “The Helper,”“The Achiever,” “The Individualist,” “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Thirteen weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations, answering the question, “What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination?” Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are and what type those with whom you interact with each day are.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind, it is still only a tool and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be…
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Seven (the Enthusiast)
with
Enneagram Type Seven (the Enthusiast)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
As with all double-type relationships, two Enneagram Sevens generally bring the same qualities to each other. Therein lies both a main source of the attraction as well...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1062 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
GIfts for Mom – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1062 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Gifts for Mom
Three brothers, Milton, Gerald, and Donald all left home after college, went out on their own, and prospered. After many years of hard work, they got back together to celebrate their individual successes. At this reunion, they discussed the recent gifts they were able to give their elderly mother for the most recent Christmas.
Milton bragged, "As you all know, I built a big house for our mother."
Not to be outdone, Gerald bragged, "That was nice, but I believe my gift was much more practical. I sent her a Mercedes with a driver."
Donald smiled and said, "I've got you both beat. You remember how mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can’t see very well. So I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. It took elders in the church 12 years to teach him. He’s one of a kind. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites it."
Soon thereafter, mom sent out her letters of thanks:
"Milton," she wrote to her eldest son, "The house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house."
"Gerald," she wrote to her middle son, "I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home, so I rarely use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!"
"Dearest Donald," she wrote to her third and youngest son, "You have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken you sent was delicious." I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. For our Thursday thought: Sometimes it really is the thought, not the gift that counts.
Today’s verse is: 1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1061 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1061 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
God's Right-Hand Woman - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1061 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
While much of the Bible is written from a patriarchal perspective, women certainly play an integral part of God’s redemption story. I don’t think it is by coincidence that when Scripture speaks of wisdom that it is referred to in the feminine gender. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover:
God’s Right-Hand Woman
Hebrews 1:2 tells us: And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. This is also emphasized in Colossians 1:16 and in I Corinthians 8:6. Jesus' role as co-creator with God is a familiar doctrine. But in Hebrews 1:3 there's something that's a bit odd: The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
What’s strange about the phrase isn't its meaning. We get the metaphor. Jesus “radiates” the glory of God; He is a brilliant reflection of what God is like. What's odd is where the idea comes from, and how startling it would have been to the Jewish Christians for whom the book of Hebrews was intended.The word “radiates” (apaugasma) occurs only here in the New Testament. To figure out what the writer of Hebrews meant, we have to look at his source. The writer is quoting the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, but the Septuagint included books that many Jews and Christians today do not consider part of the biblical canon, but which some in ancient times considered sacred. The phrase in Hebrews 1:2 comes from one of these books titled Wisdom of Solomon. Which is different than the book of Proverbs in our Old Testament. How can we be sure? Because the word (apaugasma) is found only one time in the Septuagint: Wisdom of Solomon 7:26. Sure, the scarcity of the word is curious, but where's the surprise? Not only is the word extremely uncommon, but the source of the Hebrews 1:2 quotation has a woman as God’s personified reflection. As Dr. Heiser puts it, “welcome to the biblical twilight zone.”
The Wisdom of Solomon 7:24-26 from the Septuagint where this word is taken from reads this:
For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.
For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance in...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1060 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Either Failure or Success Can Destroy – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1060 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jose Silva and it is: Do not allow the first failure to destroy you, nor success to ruin you.
Either Failure or Success Can Destroy
Failure and success are often times two sides of the same coin. There is such a slight difference between the two. When you fail at something, you may be very close to the desired success. In the same manner, when you succeed, even greatly, you are always precipitously close to failure. If you let it, failure can defeat you and destroy your desire to continue on. In the same manner though, if you push so hard for success in one area of life, like finances, and you ignore the other areas of life, then success can utterly ruin you. In all area of life, be balanced and practice moderation. You can be so focused on gaining the whole world that you lose your soul. You lose the very person of who you are. You lose the relationships that are so important. Invest in being a success in all areas of life. Spiritually, relationally, mentally, emotionally, economically and physically. It is then that you will be successful without ruining a part of your life. God’s Word provides us with the guidelines and precepts to achieve true success.
Matthew 16:26
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1059 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1059 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Alone With God – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1059 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
In our fast-paced, constant stimulus, technology-driven world, we have little time to be alone with ourselves or alone with God. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Alone With God
How long has it been since you went off to an isolated place to be with God? I mean really alone? No distractions. No background noise. No mobile phone. Just you and God. How long since you gave him a portion of undiluted, uninterrupted time listening for his voice?
It is very difficult to do so, especially if you have children in your home constantly vying for your attention. It is important that we plan those times in our busy schedules, or it will not happen. We need to set the time aside to commune with God through prayer, and He speaks to us through His Word. There is no substitute. It is a time of refreshment. For renewing of your mind. It provides sustenance for spiritual strength. Is it really that important?Apparently, Jesus thought so. Although he was fully God, in his incarnation, he was also fully man. As a human in his flesh, he was subject to the weaknesses of body, mind, and soul as we are, and yet without sin. He made a deliberate effort to invest time with God. If you invest much time reading about the life of Jesus a distinct pattern emerges. He invested regular time with God, praying and listening. Mark 1:35 says, Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Luke 5:16 tells us, But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.Let me ask the obvious. If Jesus, the Son of God, the sinless Savior of humankind, thought it worthwhile to clear his calendar to pray, wouldn’t we be wise to do the same?
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 1058 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1058 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 6&7; 6&8; 6&9 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1058 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have included a One Page Enneagram Summary created by Beth McCord. If you would like to download this graphic, click on the picture in today’s Wisdom Journal.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Twelve weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take 15 weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Six (the Loyalist)
with
Enneagram Type Seven (the Enthusiast)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
Both Enneagram Sixes and Sevens are mental types, and there can be a great deal of mental stimulation in this pairing. These two types offer many areas in which they reinforce each other, and some areas in which the strengths of one counterbalance the limitations of the oth...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1057 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's a Dog's Life – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1057 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told inProverbs 15:30,"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
It’s a Dog’s Life
Sam, a veterinarian, had been called to examine a very ill fifteen-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Duke. The dog's owner, Ron, and his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Duke and they were hoping for a miracle.
Sam examined Duke and found he was dying of cancer. Sam told the family that he couldn't do anything for Duke, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As they made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told Sam they thought it would be good for four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, Sam felt that familiar catch in his throat as Duke's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that Sam wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Duke slipped peacefully away.
Shane seemed to accept Duke's transition without any difficulty or confusion. As Sam and the family sat together for a while after Duke's death, they wondered aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
Startled, they all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned everyone. They had never heard a more comforting explanation.
Shane said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life—like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?"
Shane, the four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
I hope that brought a smile to your face today, if so, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is "love everyone, all the time and be nice to them."Our verse for today is Philippians 4:4-5, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon."
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1056 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1056 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Is Jesus Waiting For? - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1056 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”
Since Jesus Christ ascended to heaven after His resurrection believers have been looking hopefully for His 2nd coming to rule and reign. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…
What Is Jesus Waiting For?
Dr. Heiser shares this story…I recall the traumatic experience of seeing the movie A Thief in the Night as a teenager. The film was about how Jesus could return at any moment—like a thief in the night, a description borrowed from l Thessalonians 5:2 that says, "For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night."
The message of this movie was: If we weren’t believers, we could be left behind by the Lord. The movie didn’t lead to my decision to put my faith in Christ, but it did accomplish one desired effect—it scared me. But the question in our essay today: Is the idea of the imminent return of Jesus biblical?
Jesus warned His followers to be ready for His return; even He did not know the precise day or hour it would happen (Matt 24:36). Therefore, He would return unexpectedly (Matthew 24:50). Other passages written after Jesus resurrection suggest that His return could be very soon in that we should be eagerly waiting as we look forward with hope to that wonderful day (1 Corinthians 1:7: Titus 2:13). The Lord is coming soon, or his coming is near (Philippians 4:5 and James 5:8-9).
Two thousand years have passed since these blunt statements were made, leading many to believe that they have been misunderstood. Additional obstacles to the idea of an “imminent” return emerge from other Scripture passages. The New Testament suggests that certain signs or events would precede the return of Jesus. For example, the temple had to be destroyed (Matthew 24:2), and there would be celestial signs indicating His return (Matt 24:30: Luke 21:11).
In three of His parables, Jesus suggested that His return would not be immediate but after a delay (Luke 19:11-27 & Matthew 25:5, 19)—at least until the death of an aged Peter (John 21:18). Paul believed, apparently on the basis of Matthew 24:14, that the gospel had to reach all the Gentile nations before the salvation plan of God was fulfilled and Jesus would return (Romans 11:12, 25).
Even I Thessalonians 5, the chapter in which the “thief in the night” phrase is found, suggests that believers will have some sort of inkling about the time of His return. Note how Paul uses nouns and pronouns to distinguish believers as able to discern something unbelieve...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1055 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Discipline Brings Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1055 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from George Washington and it is: Discipline is the soul of any army. It makes small number formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.
Discipline Brings Success
Discipline in all areas of life will transform your life from being ineffective, small, and weak into a life that is powerful, effective, larger than life, and the strength to succeed in any area that you choose. Just like discipline within an army is a requirement in order to be victorious in battle, discipline in your life is required in order to succeed. A life with discipline is a life with a soul that will enable you to accomplish the impossible. Discipline will make your small efforts unstoppable. Discipline will provide the strength that will bring success and esteem not only to you but to all whom you impact. Discipline in a life is what blood is to the body. It provides the very essence of a life that is both rich and satisfying. One of the main sources of both wisdom and discipline is found in the Book of Proverbs as we are told in Proverbs 1:1-4
Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1054 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1054 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
He Faced All The Same Testings – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1054 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We all go through difficult times and trials in our lives, and yet in so many ways, we are blessed. We don’t fully understand the trials and temptations that others face and wonder why they must suffer. There is one who does understand fully. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
He Faced All The Same Testings
Why did Jesus grow weary in Samaria, disturbed in Nazareth, and angry in the Temple? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, sad at the tomb of Lazarus, and hungry in the wilderness? Why did He suffer intense anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you’d feel them too. He knew you’d be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face anguish and pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul—pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—he understands. And because he understands, we can come to him!
Why did Jesus take on flesh to become fully human while remaining God fully? How can we find solace in His sacrifice for us? It is found in the following two passages. Philippians 2:5-11
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Can Jesus really relate to our experiences? According to Hebrews 4:14-16 He can.
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1053 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 5&8; 5&9; 6&6 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1053 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm better allows us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool called “The Enneagram.” The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or a prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included a copy of “The Enneagram At-A-Glance,” which was compiled by Suzanne H. Eller in today’s Wisdom Journal. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book The Road Back to You written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine types which are “The Reformer,” “The Helper,”“The Achiever,” “The Individualist,” “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Eleven weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations, answering the question, “What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination?” Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are and what type those with whom you interact with each day are.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind, it is still only a tool and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be…
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Five (the Investigator)
with
Enneagram Type Eight (the Challenger)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
These two types bring to each other complementary and reciprocal talents — just what the other needs but is not necessarily aware of. For instance,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1052 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
They Will Put Mommy In Jail – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1052 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
They Will Put Mommy in Jail
Karen is a mother of two rambunctious elementary school boys who were complete opposites. Johnny, her older son, loves school, but his younger brother Tommy absolutely hates it. One weekend Tommy cried and fretted and tried every excuse not to go back on Monday. Sunday morning on the way home from church, Tommy’s crying and whining built to a crescendo. Karen was at the end of my rope. She abruptly pulled the car into a store parking lot and stopped the car and explained, "Now Tommy, Honey, it's a law. If you don’t go to school, they'll put Mommy in jail."
Tommy looked at his mom, thought a moment, and then asked, "How long would you have to stay?"Well, I trust that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else that needs it.
Our Thursday thought is: No matter how frustrating children are at times, they are your heritage from the Lord. Live life well.
Proverbs 31:28-29
Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1051 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1051 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
How Many Times is Jesus Coming Back? - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1051 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
There are few Biblical topics that elicit as much excitement and conflict as interpretations of the rapture and 2nd coming of Christ. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover:
How Many Times Is Jesus Coming Back?
Few things in the Bible attract more attention than prophecies about the end times. Even people with only a passing acquaintance with the Bible know that it foretells a second coming of Jesus. Those who study the Bible know the book of Revelation reveals that the second coming brings an end to the reign of the antichrist (the “ beast”: Revelations 19:11-21). The risen Christ, the incarnation of God, returns to earth not as a suffering Savior, but as the glorious warrior-king. But does the Bible describe an earlier return of Jesus—one that precedes this triumphant arrival?
· The “Rapture”
Some Christians believe that 1Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes how all believers will be taken from the earth, dead or alive, at an appearing of Jesus before the second coming described in Revelation 19.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.This earlier return of Jesus is called the “rapture” by believers who embrace this idea. The term is derived from the Latin word rapiemur (from rapio, meaning “to carry off”) used by the translator of the Latin Vulgate for the Greek word harpazo translated “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Other Christians, however, reject the idea that 1 Thessalonians 4 speaks of a different event than the return of Jesus to earth described in Revelation 19. For them, there will only be one return of Jesus in the future. So. who’s right?
· Harmonizing
The answer to the question is “it depends.” If we were to read all the passages in the New Testament that speak of Jesus' future return, along with Old Testament passages that speak of a final, climactic visitation by God on earth that will put an end to evil (“the Day of the Lord ”), we would notice immediately that they do not agree on the details or descriptions. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 seemingly has Jesus returning in the air, gathering believers into the clouds, whereas the prophet Zechariah foretold the physical arrival of the pierced Lord on th...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1050 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Beginning Every Fresh Moment – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1050 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mary Anne Radmacher and it is: Difficulties impact me, but they do not define me. Challenges mold me, but they do not make me. Praise may encourage me, but it is my own vision that inspires me. Successes may spur me on, but it is my own reward that satisfies me. Pain may permeate, but my heart and hope prevail. Criticism and pettiness may knock, but the lock is on my side of the door. Abundance may pave the road, but it is generosity that lights the way. My way. Beginning every fresh moment, now!
Beginning Every Fresh Moment
We often want to shift the responsibilities for our decisions and actions to external circumstances that we face each day, but external circumstances do not really control us. We cannot control the external circumstance in our lives, but we can always control how we respond to those external circumstances. We always have a choice, even though those choices may be very difficult. Difficulties, challenges, praise, success, pain, criticism, and abundance, are all external stimuli, but it is our core values and integrity that controls how we respond to either positive or negative stimuli. We have a choice at any point in our lives to allow our lives to be fresh and new. To live from this point forward guided by core values that are built on the solid bedrock of Biblical integrity. Our lives are holy beacons of light that should shine the light of hope, love, and joy into the lives of others. Let us always be a light shining brightly because of who we are, not because of external circumstances, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. We are instructed in Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1049 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1049 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Fix our Gaze – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1049 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We cannot always see life circumstances clearly when we are in the middle of them. We may question and doubt God’s plan and will for our lives. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Fix Our Gaze
On the wall of a German concentration camp, a prisoner had carved the following words:
“I believe in the sun, even though it doesn’t shine.
I believe in love, even when it isn’t shown.
I believe in God, even when he doesn’t speak.”
What hand could have cut such a conviction? What eyes could have seen good in such horror? There’s only one answer: Eyes that chose to see the unseen.There are many circumstances and situations that we face in life that we just cannot understand. They don’t make any sense. They seem to be so unfair. It may be a spouse or parent that is suffering from cancer. It may be a child who is plucked from your life through an accident. It may be a marriage that has crumbled around you, even though you did all you could to preserve it. In our lives, it was nearly two years ago when we found out our granddaughter Hazel had leukemia at age 2 1/2 . She is still receiving treatments, and the prognosis looks favorable, but we still don’t understand the why of it. We must accept by faith that God ultimately has a bigger purpose in these situations. A purpose that we may never fully understand they why. We can choose to see either the hurt or the Healer. The direction our lives will lead us will determine which we choose.Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 4:18: So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 1048 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1048 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 5&5; 5&6; 5&7 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1048 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. Since many people attempt to set goals at the beginning of the year, I have included a fun enneagram goal setting guide in today’s notes. It does a good job of representing how each type handles their goals.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Ten weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take 15 weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Five (the Investigator)
with
Enneagram Type Five (the Investigator)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
As with all double-type relationships, two Enneagram Fives generally bring the same qualities to each other. Therein lies both a main source of the attraction as well as one of the main pitfalls. Thus,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1047 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Forget Your Umbrella – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1047 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Don’t Forget Your Umbrella
One day as he was walking to work, Sam stopped at the local diner that was on his way for breakfast just as it began to rain. It came down in buckets.
Forgetting that he hadn't brought an umbrella, he reached for the nearest one that looked like his when he got up to leave. Little did he realize that an elderly woman named Sarah was just behind him and was also preparing to leave. With his hand on the door, he suddenly heard Sarah scolding him as she loudly pronounced "Hey Mister! - That's my umbrella."
Sam was so embarrassed at his mistake when he suddenly realized that he had not brought an umbrella that morning. He handed the umbrella back to Sarah and slinked out of the diner. He walked on to his office, but was drenched by the time he arrived.
Once he got to his office, Sam discovered three umbrellas that he had left in the office over the months. Since it still looked like it could rain when he was leaving the office, and he decided to bring them all home at the end of the day.
On his way home, he decided to stop once again at the diner for a snack and wouldn’t you know it, he ran into the same elderly woman (Sarah) also at the diner eating her dinner. Sam tried to avoid her stare as he walked past her, but she spotted him and looked at the umbrellas, then at Sam, and tartly remarked: "You did really well for yourself today, didn't you?"I hope that brought a smile to your face for today…if so, pass that smile onto someone else. Our Thursday Thought – be careful about jumping to conclusions without knowing all the details.
A good verse for today is: Zechariah 7:9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of our past 1046 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1046 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
When Abraham Met Jesus - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1046 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
The father of the Israelites, Abraham, lived 2000 years before Christ came to earth to dwell with and as a human. How could Abraham have possibly met Christ? In today’s essay, we will explore passages that shows:
When Abraham Met Jesus
Some of the most startling things in the Bible are hidden in plain sight.
Galatians 3:8 is a case in point. Amid the predictable focus on law, grace, and the gospel, Paul blindsides us: What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”
But Abraham lived two millennia before Jesus. There's nothing about a crucified Savior in the stories about Abraham. What is Paul thinking? To correctly process Galatians 3:8 we need to think about the gospel in different terms.
We typically think of the gospel in terms of the crucified Savior, Jesus, dying for our sins. But the work of Christ was just the means to accomplish what God sought. God wanted a sinless, holy, human family. The sacrifice of Jesus—fully God and fully human—was the necessary mechanism to achieve that larger goal. The gospel is God's plan to become a man so He could have that holy, human family. Could Abraham have grasped that?
God's decision to produce His family through Abraham is described in Genesis 12:1-3: The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”Paul quoted part of that passage in Galatians 3:8. Paul believed that as a result of that divine encounter, Abraham came away with the knowledge of the gospel: God would become a man to provide the means for a human family. Even more than that, Abraham discerned that he and his offspring—which didn't yet exist, and which seemingly couldn’t exist— were a critical part of that plan. Was Paul reading a different Old Testament than us? No, Paul got his information about the good news where all the gospel writers did—Jesus (Galatians 1:12: 1 Corinthians 15:8).
If John 8:56 is any indication, Jesus happened to be an authority on Abraham's divine encounter with God: Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forw...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1045 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Success From Failure – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1045 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Dale Carnegie and it is: Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.
Success From Failures
Success cannot be fully realized except in the light of the failures that we must go through in order to achieve it. We must learn to develop success from our greatest failures. We must understand that we will become discouraged and at times our hope will fade. It is only then that we can recognize and appreciate success when it comes. Each decision we make, every action that we take is a step towards the success that we desire to achieve. In fact, discouragement and failures are the very stepping stone that we need to navigate over the murky slime that would otherwise engulf us. God never promises us that our path will be clear, nor that we will be free from hardship and anguish. He does promise us that He will guide and direct us. He does promise us that He will give us the strength and courage that we need. He will see us through the discouragements and failures that we will inevitably face. It is then that we will realize the sweet success that we desire, and also realize that as long as we follow God’s precepts, then He will place the stepping stones along our path that will allow us to live a rich and satisfying life each day. Deuteronomy 8:18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1044 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1044 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Live Wisely – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1044 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
How do you live your life on a day by day basis? Can others look to you as an example of someone who lives wisely? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Live Wisely
How you live each day is extremely important. Much more important than you may realize. Others people are watching and observing your lives and taking mental note of the decisions that you make and the actions that you take. This includes many people who don’t believe that Jesus took on human form to dwell among us to become our Savior. They make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we’re kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we’re gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. But when we’re dishonest, what assumption will an observer make about our Master?
Courteous conduct honors Christ. It also honors his children. When you make an effort to greet everyone in the room, especially the ones others may have overlooked, you honor God’s children with love worth giving!Are you creating and living a legacy that points others to Christ? Can others look at your life, regardless if they are a person of faith or not, and say there is an example of a good and godly person. We should be that type of example to everyone, all the time.
Live wisely before everyone so that they may see your life and glorify God. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 4:5-6 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 1043 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1043 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 4&7; 4&8; 4&9 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1043 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. Since many people attempt to set goals at the beginning of the year, I have included a fun enneagram goal setting guide in today’s notes. It does a good job of representing how each type handles their goals.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Nine weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take 15 weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Four (the Individualist)
with
Enneagram Type Seven (the Enthusiast)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
Enneagram Fours and Sevens tend to be intrigued by each other since they are a generally a case of opposites attracting. Fours tend to be quiet, introverted, self-doubting, emotional, and pessimistic,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1042 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
One Noisy Hotel – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1042 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
One Noisy Hotel
Jim, a bleary-eyed guest, shuffles up to the counter to check out of the hotel. Sam, the guest services manager, noticed Jim’s look and asked him if everything was okay. Jim replied loudly, "This hotel is horrible!" Because the hotel was known for its good reputation, Sam was taken back and asked, "What is wrong?" Jim replied curtly, “I got no sleep. Every 15 minutes this loud banging sound woke me up!"
Sam apologized for the noise and asked if there was anything he could do. Jim replied gruffly, “No, but the next time, I want a different room.” Sam assured him that he would give him a special room the next time and finished checking Jim out of the hotel.
A few minutes later, a young couple showed up at the front desk to check out, looking very tired. Being concerned because of Jim’s experience, Sam asked how their stay was.
"Terrible!" They said. "The guy in the next room was snoring so loudly that we had to bang on the wall every 15 minutes to wake him up!"
I hope that brought a smile to your face for today…If so, pass that smile on to someone else. Our Thursday Thought is always be considerate of others, we only see things from our own perspective.
A good verse for today is Proverbs 18:17,"The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins."
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1041 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1041 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Charlton Heston Had Company - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1041 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
The Ten Commandments have had a huge impact on our world, and our culture. Do we really know all the details of how they came to be? In today’s essay, we will explore a passage that shows…
Charlton Heston Had Company
When we hear “Moses Law," we think of the story we heard in Sunday school or the scene from The Ten Commandments where Charlton Heston (a.k.a., Moses) gets the two tablets from God. But what if I told you Moses and God weren't alone?
It may come as a surprise, but the New Testament tells us in three places that the Law was delivered by angels, members of God's divine council. Here are two of those passages:
Acts 7:52-53 - Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.
Hebrews 2:1-2 - So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.
I was pretty shocked the first time I saw these verses. And I certainly hadn't heard about them in church. So what passage in the Old Testament were they quoting? That’s the second jolt. There isn't a clear reference to it, at least not in the Old Testament we use.
The New Testament writers didn't invent the idea, though. They got it from Deuteronomy 33:2-4 in their Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The Septuagint more clearly connects angels to the Law than the traditional Hebrew text upon which our English translations are based.So they were using a translation. We can understand that. But we're not done. It gets a bit stranger. The third New Testament passage that talks about the Law and angels is found in Galatians 3:19- 20. And this time, it isn't just a crowd of angels with Moses and God, Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.
Galatians 3:19 informs us that there was a mediator between God ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1040 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Better Person – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1040 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Benjamin Franklin,and it is, "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better person."
A Better Person
If another person would describe you with a single word, what would that word be? Would it be angry, greedy, jealous, hateful, mean, immoral, or selfish? Or would it be lovely, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, or self-controlled? We need to be continually defeating those attributes in the first group and constantly cultivating the attributes in the second group.
I realize that all of us slip into bad traits at times, but we must be fertilizing and nurturing the good character traits in our lives each year. We do need to live at peace with others and each year become a better person than we were the year before.
There are many references and examples in the Bible as to what type of life we should be living, but there is also a distinct list of character traits that we should have if our lives are being controlled by God’s Spirit on a daily basis. This list will overwrite and indeed even fulfill all the law and the prophets and exemplify the person that we should be. That list is found in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"What type of fruit are you growing?
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1039 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1039 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Lord, Prop Us Up On Our Leaning Side – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1039 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Do you believe that God provides you with the strength, mercy, and grace to continue on each day? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Lord, Prop Us Up On Our Leaning Side
Today I want to share with you a story that I read recently which will provide you with a thought that you can meditate on this week. Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old farmer who always prayed, "Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side." After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.
He answered, "Well Guthrie, you see, it's like this...I got an old barn that is out back of my house. It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side of the barn so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. That barn has been around for a long time, and I realize that it is not too much different than me. I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to ‘prop us up on our leaning side,’ cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times. Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, learning towards greed, learning towards jealousy, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't. So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side,' so we will stand straight and tall again, to withstand the storms of life, and to glorify the Lord."As the old hymn says we are ‘Leaning on the everlasting arms of God’
When God ‘props us up on the leaning side’ remember the truth found in Psalm 73:26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1038 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 4&4; 4&5; 4&6 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1038 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. Since many people attempt to set goals at the beginning of the year, I have included a fun enneagram goal setting guide in today’s notes. It does a good job of representing how each type handles their goals.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Eight weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take 15 weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Four (the Individualist)
with
Enneagram Type Four (the Individualist)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
As with all double-type relationships, two Fours generally bring the same qualities to each other. Thus, the Level of health of each person is especially important for these types of relati...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1037 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Professional's Skills – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1037 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
A Professional’s Skills
We all have the tendency to rely on professionals when we feel that we are not qualified enough in a certain area of life. Quite often we don’t understand the true mastery certain professionals bring to our lives. In today’s humor nugget I will share with you the skill set of 12 different professionals.
A programmer is someone who solves a problem you didn't know you had in a way you don't understand.
An auditor is someone who arrives after the battle and bayonets all the wounded.
A banker is someone who lends you their umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain.
An economist is someone who is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday did not happen today.
A statistician is someone who is good with numbers but lacks the personality to be an accountant.
A mathematician is someone who is a blind person in a dark room looking for a black cat that is not there.
A lawyer is someone who writes a 10,000-word document and calls it a "brief."
A psychologist is someone who watches everyone else when a beautiful girl enters the room.
A pastor is someone who tells you how much God loves you while making you feel wretched.
A professor is someone who talks in someone else's sleep.
A consultant is someone who takes the watch off your wrist and tells you the time.
A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to Antarctica in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.
What type of professional are you? I hope these humorous nuggets put a smile on your face for today.
Our good worker verse for today is 2 Timothy 2:15,"Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth."
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1036 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1036 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Treason & Translation - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1036 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Are some Biblical translations treasonous to the Christian faith? In today’s essay, we will explore a passage that shows why certain translations differ.
Treason & Translation
A famous Italian proverb declares “traduttore, traditore," which means, ''translator, traitor.” Those who assume this is true are unaware of how difficult it is to produce a translation. Every translator at some point invariably discards the meaning of the original text.
A committee of scholars assembled to produce a translation typically adopts an overarching philosophy of translation. In simplest terms, there are two. The first is called “formal equivalence,” which seeks to account for virtually every word in the original text by producing its English counterpart in translation. This is “word-for-word” or “literal” translation. The second is called “dynamic equivalence.” This approach seeks to capture the thought of the original verse in context, and then re-create that thought using whatever English words are most precise. This is “thought-for-thought” translation. But adopting an approach does not mean that all the translators will apply it equally. There is also a matter of interpretation. When the biblical text allows more than one translation due to ambiguity in the context, grammar, or word usage, a translator needs to make his or her own decision, which can lead to controversy.
1 Corinthians 7:1 is illustrative of the potential hazard.
ESV
It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.
NASB
It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
NIV
It is good for a man not to marry.
NLT
It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
The most “word-for-word” of these translations is that of the NASB, which captures the literal reading of the Greek words in the verse, particularly the verb “touch.” Other translations move away from the ambiguous “touch” to “have sexual relations with’’ (ESV, and NLT).The most controversial rendering is the NIV “It is good for a man not to marry” How is it that the translators could go from a Greek word that means “touch” to these options?
The answer is that the translators factored in what was presumed to be the wider context of the chapter and, ultimately, the writer. In 1 Corinthians 7:7-8. Paul describes himself as single. His advice to the Corinthians in several places is that it would be wiser for those who are not mar...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1035 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
New Challenges and New Opportunities – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1035 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Michael Josephson, and it is, "Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities."
New Challenges and New Opportunities
Every year, in fact, every day, we are continually faced with both challenges and opportunities. They may actually be the same experience. A challenging situation is actually an opportunity.
We must do away with the thinking that challenges are negative and opportunities are positive. Both are actually neutral, and it is how we perceive the situation that makes it a challenge or an opportunity. Every challenge has opportunities embedded in its core, and every opportunity will have many challenges that actually make the opportunity worthwhile.
Regardless of whether a situation is considered a challenge or opportunity, let us be willing and ready to seize the day, work hard, and take advantage of every challenge and convert it into an opportunity. Let us be prepared to face every challenge that is contained within every opportunity.
Let us live by the Spirit’s power the resides within us, as we are told in Ephesians 5:15-17 , "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 1034 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1034 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Fate vs. Free Will – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1034 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
As we have just begun a new year, what do we need to do in order to make it a good and godly year? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Fate vs. Free Will
In Paul’s letter to his protégé Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6 he instructs him to: This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
Timothy was divinely given spiritual gifts to assist in building God’s kingdom, but it was up to him to do something with those gifts. Paul encourages him to turn up the heat and do something with the gifts he was provided.
A good explanation for the difference between fate and free will is: "Fate is the hand you were dealt; free will is what you do with that hand."
We cannot choose to whom, when, or where we are born, that is determined only by God. While we are not responsible for, nor did we have any choice in what gifts and abilities we were born with, we are completely responsible for what we do about discovering and developing these gifts and talents and for how we use them. We are responsible for maximizing our God-given resources.
Furthermore, regardless of our background, which I acknowledge has a profound effect on us, with God's help and the support of encouraging friends, we can refuse to allow our predetermined past to determine our future and we can overcome much of our past, develop our talents, learn new skills or upgrade the skills that we already have, and become the person God wants us to be and do what we believe He wants us to do with our life. We are without excuse as we are encouraged in Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long agoGod planned our lives long ago, it all boils down to our choice on what we do with those plans. Either by conscious choice or by default we all choose what we want to become and do what we choose to do. As another person has said, "Everyone is self-made, even if the successful are the only ones who will admit it."
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1033 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 3&7; 3&8; 3&9 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1033 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it.
Since many people attempt to set goals at the beginning of the year, I have included a fun enneagram goal setting guide in today’s notes. It does a good job of representing how each type handles their goals.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Seven weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Three (the Achiever)
with
Enneagram Type Seven (the Enthusiast)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
This is a highly complementary pair: both types are self-assertive, have high energy, and are outgoing and capable of being around people with relative ease.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1032 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Exercises to Avoid in 2019 – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1032 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Exercises to Avoid in 2019
If you are a long time listener to the Wisdom-Trek podcast, you know that I strongly advocate keeping fit through exercising and eating good wholesome foods. In today’s humor nugget I want to share with your 17 exercises that we should avoid:
Jumping on the bandwagon
Wading through paperwork
Running around in circles
Pushing your luck
Playing in traffic
Spinning your wheels
Adding fuel to the fire
Beating your head against the wall
Climbing the walls
Beating your own drum
Dragging your heels
Jumping to conclusions
Grasping at straws
Fishing for compliments
Throwing your weight around
Passing the buck
Running with scissors
Well, I hope that will keep you safe, help to improve your exercise regimen, and put a smile on your face for today.
Our exercise verse for today is: 1 Timothy 4:8
“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1031 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1031 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, to Satan - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1031 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Can a Christian be turned over to Satan for destruction? In today’s essay we will explore a passage that may indicate so:
Signed, Sealed and Delivered, to Satan
Throughout the New Testament, “family language' is used to describe the relationship of believers to God and Jesus. The Lord's Prayer instructs us to address God as “our Father’" (Matthew 6:9). Hebrews 2:11-12 reveals that Jesus considers believers His own siblings. Paul says Christians comprise “the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). How is it, then, that Paul tells Christians living in Corinth that believers unrepentantly living in sin should not only be put out of the church (1 Corinthians 5:9-13), but also “hand him over to Satan” (1 Corinthians 5:5) Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.
If a person is handed over to Satan, does that mean they then belong to Satan? Does the person lose salvation and have to be re-converted to Christ? Nowhere in the passage does Paul suggest that the believer in question becomes an unbeliever or is without hope of salvation.
After demanding the unrepentant believer be handed over to Satan, Paul notes the goal of such a decision is “so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.” What does Paul mean by “that his sinful nature will be destroyed?” Paul often uses the word “flesh” to refer to the physical body, but sometimes he uses it to refer to self-sufficiency, worldliness, or manner of life. In this passage, it is translated “sinful nature.” Since someone expelled from a church is not going to die as a result, the second possibility is best. Paul is insisting that the unrepentant person be dismissed from the church to live in his or her sin and endure the consequences of their behavior.Paul’s explanation in verse six helps answer what he means by “his sinful nature will be destroyed,” but it does not explain what the phrase “handed over to Satan” means. For that, we need to look to the Old Testament. The Israelites viewed their land as holy ground and the territory of the non-Israelite nations as controlled by demonic gods. Israel was holy ground because that was where the presence of God resided. The opposite was true everywhere else.
This perspective shifted after the formation of the Church. God’s presence was no longer in the Jerusalem temple, but in the temple which is the body of believers (1 Cori...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1030 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Another Fresh New Year – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1030 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from William Arthur Ward and it is: Another fresh new year is here...another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give! This bright New Year is given me to live each day with zest...to daily grow and try to be my highest and my best! I have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree, and sing more joyful songs.
Another Fresh New Year
All of us like new beginnings. A time to strip off the old, and put on the new. A time where we can cast off the past, and begin with a clean slate. We can learn from the past, and our past does determine our starting point for today, but it does not control our future. We need to strip off the shackles of yesterday, and press forward to new tomorrows. Anyone can do this, regardless of your past. First, you must determine in your mind, then take action to make it happen. Strip off the clothing of worry, doubt, and fear, and put on the new garments of love, kindness, peace, and gratitude. Many others are traveling on this trek of life with you to live a life that is rich and satisfying. Let us band together for the best year ever. We can be encouraged by the following two verses.
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.2 Corinthians 5:17
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1029 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1029 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Begin Again...Anew – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.
Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1029 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and re-prioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
As we finish this year and look forward to next year with all of its hopes, dreams, and promises on our Meditation Monday I want us to reflect on…
Beginning Again…Anew
One of God’s chosen prophets really got far off course from what God intended for him. That prophet was given another chance, as we all are shared in Jonah 3:1-3, "Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 'Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.' This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all."
As far as following God was concerned, Jonah failed hopelessly. He defiantly did the opposite of what he knew he was supposed to do. But did God reject him? No. God allowed him to experience failure. Getting thrown overboard and being swallowed by a whale, or some sort of big fish, brought Jonah to his senses real quick. When he was ready to listen, “Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time.”
And so it is with us. No matter how difficult this past year has been for you—whether it is because of the choices you have made—or just completely out of your control, God is still calling you to do His will. No matter how many times we feel we've failed or blown it, God will continue to call us to himself. If you have made unwise choices or you feel life has been unkind to you, there is always hope. Regardless, it is much wiser to "listen up" quickly, so we don't have to get hit over the head with a "4 by 4", or be swallowed by a "whale of a problem." God is patiently waiting to get our attention.
So, if you feel you have failed, be encouraged. If life has thrown obstacles into your path that were completely outside of your control, be encouraged. Now is the time to give God a chance to make all things new. It may not be immediately, but He will “mend even a broken heart if you give him all the pieces." God calls us all to follow him, so why not respond to his call and, if you haven't already done so, ask him to come into your life as Lord and Savior? Even though life is hard at times and we are saddened and overwhelmed, through your lamenting remember Lamentations 3:22-23, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."That is a wrap for today’s meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1028 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 3&4; 3&5; 3&6 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1028 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Six weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
The Enneagram Type Combinations
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Three (the Achiever)
with
Enneagram Type Four (the Individualist)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
These two types can form something of a complementary relationship, with each bringing important qualities to the relationship that the other generally lacks. Enneagram Fours can teach Threes how to talk about themselves on a deeper level and help acknowledge and process their feelings. They can also bring Threes more sensitivity, a feeling for beauty and for the non-practical but fulfilling aspects ...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1027 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Walking on Water – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1027 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Walking on Water
For his entire life Dewey Winthrop, IV was told the story about how his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all walked on water on their 21st birthdays.
Feeling that this was his divine destiny to continue with this tradition, on his 21st birthday, Dewey and his younger brother Damon, headed out to the lake. "If they did it, I can too!" he insisted.
When Dewey and Damon arrived at the lake, they rented a canoe and began paddling. When they got to the middle of the lake, Dewey stepped off of the side of the boat...and immediately plunged beneath the surface and nearly drowned.After being rescued by Damon, a furious and somewhat embarrassed Dewey headed for home.
When Dewey arrived back at the family home very distraught, he asked his grandmother for an explanation. "Grandma, why can't I walk on water like my father, and his father, and his father before him?"
His sweet old grandmother took Dewey by the hand, then gently held his face and looked into his eyes, and explained, "That's because your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were born in January, You were born in June, dear."
I hope that brought a smile to your face for today.
Thursday thought is: If you intend to walk on water, you must have a firm foundation.
Thursday Scripture Reference is:
Matthew 14:28
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1026 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1026 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Female Apostle - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1026 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
The culture in which the Bible was written was primarily patriarchal meaning that it was written by and from the perspective that males controlled much of the narrative of the world. While it has changed some in recent decades, this is still not uncommon. A careful reading of God’s Word will expose many women who had a dramatic impact on the world. During Jesus’s ministry on earth, women played a very vital role. The building of God’s kingdom today has also been greatly impacted by women. There are many examples, but for today’s essay will explore:
A Female Apostle
Paul's final greetings to the Roman church seem typical. We might just skim over the list of names without a second thought. But one name within that list has become the focus of controversy, and heated debate is Romans 16:7
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.
Junia (or Julia) is most likely the name of a woman. When you read the phrase ‘‘among the apostles,” you understand how a simple salutation has become a proof text in the debate over the role of women in ministry.
The evidence that Junia is a woman is compelling. Its Greek spelling (Iounian) could point to either a man or a woman. However, the addition of an accent mark would specify gender—depending on what mark was chosen, Greek has several, and on which syllable the accent mark was placed.
The earliest manuscripts of the New Testament were written in an uppercase Greek script (uncial) that did not include accents. But copies of the Greek New Testament from later periods in a cursive script (minuscule) accent the name as female.In ancient Greek literature, outside the New Testament, the masculine form of the name has only surfaced once. Ancient Latin texts have also been searched, with some theorizing that Junia might be a shortened form of the male Junianus. Of the 250 or more citations of the name Junia, where a shortening of the name is possible, all have referred to women.
The phrase “among the apostles’ can also be translated as “to the apostles,” placing Junia within or outside this ministry category. Either translation is possible within the scope of Greek grammar. External examples, though, statistically favor the female option.
However, there are other issues that are rarely raised in this debate. New Testament apostles, for instance, are not all described on equal terms. The original 12 disciples,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1025 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Original Christmas Story – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1025 of our Trek, and since I am releasing this podcast episode on Christmas day, I switching today’s wisdom nugget to explore:
The Original Christmas Story
When we think of the Christmas story, we think of the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the carpenter, a long hard journey to Bethlehem, the manger, the shepherds and the wise men. While they make up part of the Christmas story, and there are many other details surrounding this precious day, the original Christmas story is found in the book written by the Apostle John. John does not mention any of the details mentioned above. In fact, John’s book begins when Jesus was an adult, and yet he takes us back to eternity past. This information allows us to see that the Orginal Christmas Story began then. Let me read John 1:1-16
In the beginning, the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another. So from this moment forward, when we think about the Christmas Story, let us go back to the beginning of time, to eternity past, and remember that in all the other details of the Christmas Story specifically verse 14:
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1024 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1024 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Arrival of a King – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1024 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
When a son is born to a king, the finest room is prepared for them, and the entire world rejoices. There is a great celebration and fanfare shouted in the street. There was one king born where the fanfare and celebration were of a different nature. It was there, but in the most unusual places from the most unusual sources. Our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
The Arrival of a King
God had entered the world as a baby.
Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning, what a peculiar scene they would behold.
The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, the hay scarce. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling, and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.
A more lowly place of birth could not exist.Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor; perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—so on this cloudless night, he went to simple shepherds.
Near the young mother sits the weary father. If anyone is dozing, he is. He can’t remember the last time he sat down. And now that the excitement has subsided a bit, now that Mary and the baby are comfortable, he leans against the wall of the stable and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn’t figured it all out. The mystery of the event puzzles him. But he hasn’t the energy to wrestle with the questions. What’s important is that the baby is fine and that Mary is safe. As sleep comes, he remembers the name the angel told him to use … Jesus. “We will call him Jesus.”
Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph’s saddle. The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel in Luke 1:33: And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
He looks like anything but a king. His face is wrinkled and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.
Majesty in the midst of the mundane.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1023 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 2&8; 2&9; 3&3 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1023 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Five weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Two (the Helper)
with
Enneagram Type Eight (the Challenger)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
These two types are more alike than they might appear to be at first. Both are action-oriented and want to have a personal impact on their environment.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1022 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Christmas Turkey Story – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1022 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Christmas Turkey Story
Sarah, a new young bride, calls her mother in tears. She sobs, 'Richard doesn't appreciate what I do for him.'
'Now, now,' her mother comforted, 'I am sure it was all just a misunderstanding.'
'No, mother, you don't understand. I bought a frozen turkey, and he yelled and screamed at me about the price.'
'Well, the nerve of that lousy cheapskate,' says her mom. 'A frozen turkey is only a few dollars, especially this time of year.'
'No, mother, Sarah replied, it wasn't the price of the turkey. It was the price of the airplane ticket.'
Now Sarah’s mom was really confused at this point, so she asked: "An Airplane ticket...." What on earth did you need an airplane ticket for?'
'Well mother, when I went to fix it, I looked at the directions on the package, and it said: "You Must Prepare from a frozen state," so I flew to Alaska to cook it.'
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Here are Gramps Christmas Gift suggestions that will not cost you anything: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.
Thursday Scripture Reference is the greatest gift that God gave to all the world:
John 3:16
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1021 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1021 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Destiny and Destination - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1021 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
When we read in the Bible about taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth, what was the mindset of the apostles who wrote it, and more specifically Paul? Today’s essay will explore:
Destiny and Destination
Paul felt it was his destiny reach the ends of the known world, which made his destination Spain. In Romans 15:23-24 he expressed this plan. But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.
His ambitions are repeated a few verses later in Romans 15:28: As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. It's certainly ambitious for him to be making travel plans. But Paul wasn’t making casual conversation or planning a vacation. He believed that his life and ministry would not end until he reached Spain. We aren't sure if Paul made it, but he was passionate about getting there. Why? He saw himself in the prophecy of Isaiah 66.
· Day of Salvation
Throughout his letters, Paul quotes Isaiah and other Old Testament books to show that the long-promised day of salvation would come during his lifetime. In the Old Testament, the Jewish belief in Jesus as the Messiah was preceded by something Paul referred to as “the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ” which is found in Romans 11:25
In Romans 9—11, Paul says that Gentile (non-Jew) inclusion in the people of God was made possible by the hearts of the Jewish people being temporarily hardened (Romans 11:25-26). Accomplishing the mission of Gentile evangelism would undo this hardening. Only then would Paul's longing for the Jews to believe in Jesus come to full fruition. Only then would the deliverer (Jesus) come again from Jerusalem or Zion.Paul was tracking the prophecy found in Isaiah 66:18-20
“I can see what they are doing, and I know what they are thinking. So I will gather all nations and peoples together, and they will see my glory. I will perform a sign among them. And I will send those who survive to be messengers to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans[a] and Lydians[b] (who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece,[c] and to all the lands beyond the sea that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. There they will declare my glory to the nations. They will bring the remnant of your people back from every nation....
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1020 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Christmas Hope, Peace and Love – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1020 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Ada V. Hendricks and it is: May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope; The spirit of Christmas which is peace; The heart of Christmas which is love.
Christmas Hope, Peace, and Love
Christmas, for most people around the world, but for especially for those who hold to the Christain faith, it is the most wonderful time of the year. May we be glad to share the Christmas hope to all we meet. May our spirits reflect the peace that Christmas represents. May our hearts be filled with love for one another, regardless of whether we see eye to eye. May this hope, peace, and love flow through us, not only during the Christmas season but throughout the whole year. Let us keep in focus the hope, peace, and love that God provides to us through His gift to us, as He became human through Jesus Christ and chose to live with us. Jesus’s entire human existence represented the very essence of that hope, peace, and love. May our lives also reflect the same.Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1019 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1019 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Evidence of Things We Cannot See – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1019 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
When I ponder the vastness of space with its millions of galaxies in all their beauty in a universe that seems to go on forever, I am left with so many questions that no one has answers to. Is it really possible that we as humans could have possibly evolved over eons of time? Our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Evidence of Things We Cannot See
We are told in Psalms 19:1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.
Not so long ago a school district here in the United States was ordered by a judge to remove stickers from biology textbooks that said that evolution was a theory, not a fact.
How interesting in this so-called day of diversity that we allow evolution to be taught as fact but are not allowed to teach that there might be another way to look at life—including Intelligent Design—even if not God!
Even Charles Darwin, considered the father of evolution, said a over 150 years ago, "To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree."
We have made so many advances in understanding the human body since then. Darwin didn't know nearly as much as we do about the sophistication of the signal processing from the eye and the nose. Not to mention the miracle of birth and millions of other miracles that we live with every day of our life.There is so much noise and confusion in the world today that it is no wonder why so many people don’t understand the miracles of the smallest of atoms, or the vastness of our universe. How could it possibly have happened by random chance out of an empty void? The fact is that each one of us, for the most part, hears what we want to hear and turn a deaf ear to what we don't want to hear. We also see what we want to see and turn a blind eye to what we don't want to see. Belief is basically the same and not based on rational thinking. It's based on choice. Generally speaking, we believe what we want to believe, what we are most comfortable with, and what we choose to believe.
True, none of us has ever seen God, and many use this as an excuse not to believe in him. I can't see electrons either, but every time I turn on my light switch, I see the evidence of electrons in action. I can't see cell signals, radio waves, or TV signals that come from satellites, or the wind,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1018 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 2&5; 2&6; 2&7 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1018 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Four weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Two (the Helper)
with
Enneagram Type Five (the Investigator)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
Enneagram Twos and Fives are double opposites, as it were—a people person versus a loner, a feeling type with a thinking type.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1017 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Dad Jokes, Christmas Edition – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1017 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Dad Jokes – Christmas Edition
How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas?
Fleece Navidad
What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?
Crisp Cringle
Why is Christmas just like a day at the office?
You do all the work, and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit
What do you get if you cross an apple with a Christmas Tree?
A pineapple
What did the guest sing at the Eskimo Christmas Party?
Freeze a jolly good fellow
What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?
It's Christmas, Eve!
If athletes get athlete's foot, what do astronauts get?
Mistletoe
If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called?
A subordinate clause
What do you have in December that you don't have in any other month?
The letter "D."
Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
So he can ho-ho-ho
Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
Because he had low elf esteem
What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frostbite
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Holly
Holly who?
Holly-days are here again!
Gramps Thursday Thought is: You know you are getting old when Santa starts looking younger than you. Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Thursday Scripture Reference is:
Job 8:21
He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1016 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1016 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Paul's Lost Letters - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1016 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Were all of the books written by the apostles included in the Bible? If not, why not? Today’s essay will explore:
Paul’s Lost Letters
Throughout modern history, there has been a discussion about how particular books were included in the New Testament. Dan Brown's blockbuster novel and subsequent movie The Da Vinci Code based its conspiratorial plot in part on the notion that other gospels had been eradicated by spiteful church authorities and an emperor openly partial to orthodoxy. The success of the novel and movie prompted many churchgoers to ask whether or not all the books that should be included in the New Testament actually were.
To be sure. Dan Brown took a lot of liberties with facts in his story’. But what if we're not dealing with fiction? The New Testament itself tells us that there were books written by apostles that didn’t make it into in the Bible. Surprised? Let's take a look.
· 1 Corinthians 5:9
In l Corinthians. Paul himself mentions an earlier letter he wrote to this same church in 1 Corinthians 5:9: When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. While some interpreters have argued that Paul was referring to the letter he was currently writing (1 Corinthians), most acknowledge that this explanation is weak. Taken at face value, 1 Corinthians 5:9 tells us that Paul had written to this church before, but that letter has not survived and thus is not part of the New Testament.
· Colossians 4:16
In Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae in Colossians 4:16, he says, After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them. What was this letter from Laodicea? What happened to it?
The phrase “letter from Laodicea” is a literal translation of the Greek and suggests that the letter came from Laodicea. This is a bit misleading though. The phrase does not necessarily mean that this letter was written by someone in Laodicea to Paul or to the Colossians. Colossians 4:16 tells us that letters to churches were circulated, and so it may be that this Laodicea letter was written by Paul and sent to the Christians at Colossae—like the Colossian letter was to be sent to the believers in Laodicea.
Some scholars have speculated that this letter isn’t actually missing. The region of Laodicea was also identified with the city of Ephesus, indicating that the letter from Laodicea may actually be the epistle to the Ephesians.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1015 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Determination and Commitment – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1015 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Mario Andretti and it is: Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.
Determination and Commitment
Yes, we first must have the desire to succeed, but desire is not enough. It is only when we are both determined to succeed and make an unwavering commitment to succeed, regardless of the obstacles which we experience, that we will achieve success in that unrelenting pursuit of our goal. There is never a straight or easy path to success, but as we are committed to excellence and focused every struggling step forward will bring us closer to that goal. Yes, we do want to reach our goal, but what is more important is the person whom we become in pursuit of that goal. Keep looking forward, and always enjoy your journey through the sunshine and the rain. Be determined and committed: 1 Chronicles 22:13
For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1014 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1014 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Effective Communications – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1014 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
When we communicate with others, we need to make sure we are clear and unambiguous. Our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Effective Communication
A seminary student turned in his copy of a sermon he had written to his preaching professor for grading. At a later conference, the professor told the student how impressed he was with his sermon, how well it was written but that he was giving him a D. Confused the student asked, "Why a D if it's as good as you say it is?"
"It's because of your title," the professor remarked. "Nobody will want to hear a sermon entitled: 'The Pericopes of Jesus in Relationship to the Eschatology of the Apostle Paul.' I tell you what I'll do. You see if you can come up with a better sermon title and I'll reconsider the grade. What you want is a title that will reach out and grab people by the heart. Imagine that title on the sign in front of a church making such an impact that if a bus stopped in front of the church and the people on the bus saw the sign, it would be so powerful it would motivate them to immediately get off the bus and run into the church."
The student said that he would give it his best shot and returned with the title, "Your bus has a bomb on it!"
Wow … from one extreme to another. When seeking to be a witness for Jesus, the words we say (or don't say) are very important; but of far greater importance and impact is the message that comes from our heart, which is an expression of who we are. This message speaks so much louder than what we say. "People don't care how much we know but rather how much do we care?" Do we communicate the love of Jesus? If not, our words, no matter how eloquent, may have a boomerang effect and do more to drive people away from Jesus rather than draw them to him.
As another has wisely said, "To win some we need to be winsome."Effective communications are so important in all areas of life, but especially as we are working to build God’s kingdom here on earth. That reminds me of the Bible passage found in:
1 Corinthians 14:8-9
And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1013 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 2&2; 2&3; 2&4 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1013 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Three weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type Two (the Helper)
with
Enneagram Type Two (the Helper)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
As with all double-type relationships, two Enneagram Twos bring many of the same qualities to each other. Therein lies both a main source of the attraction as well as one of the main pit...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1012 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Get in the Car – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1012 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Get In The Car
Wayne was returning home from a business trip, bags in hand, and slowly making his way to his vehicle in the very crowded airport garage. Suddenly a large dark car screeched to a stop in front of Wayne, and the driver pointed menacingly at him and shouted, "Get in, I'll take you to your car."
Startled and a bit afraid, Wayne took a step backward. "Ah...no thanks," Wayne answered. "I can get there myself."
"No!" the driver barked back as he threw open his passenger side door. "Get in!"
Wayne's eyes now darted around the garage, hoping to find a security guard.
Just then, the driver's face softened. "Please," he said, "I've been driving up and down for two hours. I can't find a space to park, and I want yours." Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Our Thursday Thought for today is:
2 Timothy 4:5
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1011 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1011 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Great Wizard Meets Philip and Peter - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1011 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
When we think about wizards, it brings to mind some of the fantasy novels with Merlin, Dumbledore, or other well-known tales about wizards. Today’s essay will explore:
The Great Wizard Meets Philip and Peter
The book of Acts is a favorite of preachers, so you are likely familiar with the showdown in Acts 8:9-24 between Peter and Simon ‘The Great Wizard’, or ‘Sorcerer.’ Luke tells us that Simon had practiced his magic in a city in Samaria. Listen to Luke’s account in 8:9-11 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.Simon heard the gospel preached by Philip and became a believer in Christ, but later, after Peter’s arrival, he tried to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit from Peter. His name consequently has not been remembered for any great deeds, but the word “simony” which is the buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges, for example, pardons or benefices. But is that all there is to the story? Hardly. Don't look away now or you’ll miss what’s behind the magic.
Let’s look at how a first-century audience would have comprehended the episode in its Samaritan setting. That Simon was referred to by the people of the Samaritan city' as “the Great One—the Power of God” is significant. That title comes from the Samaritan Targum—an Aramaic translation of the Samaritan Hebrew Bible, known as the Samaritan Pentateuch. In the Samaritan Targum, the Hebrew word el (“God”) is translated hela (“power”). God is then called “great” (rab). Not surprisingly, “the Great One—the Power of God,” was used in Samaritan hymns and writings as a substitute for the divine name, much in the same way orthodox Jews say ka-shem (“the Name”) instead of pronouncing the divine name Yahweh.
But how could the Samaritans speak of Simon as though he were God? Well, Simon was able to do amazing things. We aren't told if what he was doing was something he picked up learning magical trickery or enablement from demonic power, but the effect was the same. Second, the plural of “power” (helin) was also used by Samaritans of angels. Like many Jews and Christians, Samaritans considered one particular angel—the one in whom Yahweh’s name dwelled (Exodus 23:20-23), as the embodied Yahweh, know to us as Jesus Christ. Since this angel was viewed as a physical manifestati...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1010 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Confidence – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1010 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Robbie McLaughlin and it is: Confidence comes from knowing that anything you are successful at was and is made possible by the One who is far greater than human ability or understanding. Therefore, you walk boldly in your gift.
Confidence
A portion of success does come from your ability, training, understanding, and perseverance, but ultimately all success comes from God as we utilize the skills, ability, and determination that He has granted to us. As we become less concerned about personal fame and recognition for the success that we achieve the more successful we will become. God ultimately grants success, and also permits failure in our lives. It is up to us to recognize this, and to bring honor to God’s name in all that we do, regardless of the outcome. For most of us, this is a very humbling experience because we like to take credit for our achievements, and be recognized for them. We should be thankful that by God’s grace and blessings we are able to achieve success in many areas of life and that He has granted us the gifts and ability to do so. We can walk confidently, boldly, and humbly before God and others with the realization that yes, we need to do our part, but ultimately God is in control.Go with confidence as Joshua was told in: Joshua 1:8
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1009 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1009 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
True Value – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1009 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
No matter how hard we try, we value different people in different ways. This is not so with God. Our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Eternal Value
Certainly in most parts of the world, and it even impacts we as believers, how we value a person is usually measured by two criteria: appearance and performance. Where does that leave the ugly or uneducated? What hope does that offer the unborn child? The aged? The handicapped? Not much at all. We become nameless numbers on mislaid lists.
This is man’s value system. But it is not God’s. His plan is much brighter. In God’s book, every person has a purpose and is heading somewhere. We have an amazing destiny.
We are being prepared to walk down the aisle of God’s eternal throneroom and become the bride of Jesus. We are going to live with him. Share the throne with him. We do count. We are valuable.
Jesus’ love does not depend on what we do for him. If there was anything that Jesus wanted everyone to understand it was this: A person’s worth is based on the fact that we are God’s creation, simply because we are a person made to be bearers of His image. That’s why Jesus treated people the way he did.
You have value simply because you are! You are God’s masterpiece. You are a child of the king. You are worthy of your calling. You should live a life that reflects His majesty.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 1008 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1008 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 1&7; 1&8; 1&9 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1008 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Two weeks ago, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life so differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type One (the Reformer)
with
Enneagram Type Seven (the Enthusiast)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
Enneagram Ones and Sevens have a particular complementary and reciprocal relationship. They are opposites who can either bring something needed to the other person,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1007 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Diving In Head First – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1007 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Diving In Head First
John and Sam are out hunting, and as they are walking along, they came upon a huge hole in the ground. They approach with caution and are amazed at the size of it.
Sam says, "Wow, that's some hole; I can't even see the bottom. I wonder how deep it is?"
John turns to him and says," I don't know. Let's throw something down there, listen and see how long it takes to hit bottom."
Sam looks around and says, "Hey, there's an old automobile transmission over there. Give me a hand, we'll throw it in and see."
So John and Sam pick up the heavy transmission and carry it over to the hole. They swing it back and forth a couple of times and then count, one, two, three and heave it in the hole. As they are standing there listening, looking over the edge, they suddenly hear a loud rustling behind them. They quickly turned around, and they see a goat come crashing through the underbrush, run up to the hole and, without hesitation, jump in headfirst.
While they are standing there staring at each other in amazement, trying to figure out what that was all about, an old farmer saunters up. "Say there," says the farmer, "You fellers didn't happen to see my goat around here anywhere, did you?"
John says, "Funny you should ask, but we were just standing here a minute ago, and a goat came running out of the bushes doing about a hundred miles an hour and jumped headfirst into this here hole!!"
The old farmer said, "Naw, that's impossible...I had him chained to a transmission.”
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Our Thursday Thought for today is:
Proverbs 30:29-31
There are three things that walk with stately stride — no, four that strut about:
the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything, the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1006 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1006 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Born Again...and Again and Again - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1006 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Many religious systems believe that our souls can be reincarnated into another body, including some Christian sects. Today’s essay will explore:
Born Again…and Again and Again
Was Jesus open to the idea of reincarnation? The question may seem odd, but it is one that many people, even biblical scholars, contend has a positive answers. The idea comes from a passage you've likely read dozens of times. This is found in John 9:1-4: As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
Notice the disciple’s question: “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” Many presume the question indicates that the disciples believed the man born blind really could have sinned before he was born, and that his pre-birth sins caused his congenital blindness. This presumption is followed by another: that Jesus answer wasn’t a categorical denial. Since Jesus doesn’t come out and say, “What a silly idea, don’t be ridiculous!” Some have argued that His response means that in this case the man born blind didn’t sin in a previous life, but perhaps that could have happened in another case. Could this interpretation be correct?Reincarnation is the belief that the soul migrates from one body to another, different body, in a long (possibly endless) succession. The idea of the “migration of the soul” cannot be found in the Bible, or in other Jewish writers of antiquity, which indicates the disciples were likely presuming something different which may have been: People can do good and evil while still in the womb. Paul addresses this misconception in Romans 9:9-13 when dealing with the case of Jacob and Esau. Even if a pre-born person could sin in the womb, this does not involve the migration of a soul.
For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1005 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Human Connection – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1005 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Paul J. Meyer and it is: Communication — the human connection — is the key to personal and career success.
The Human Connection
So many of our problems in the world today are caused by a lack of true communication between one another in a face to face setting. It is so easy to become inflamed and spout our opinions as facts when indeed we do not have all of the facts. It is so easy to judge and malign others when we don’t really understand what another person may be going through. If we want to be successful in all areas of our personal lives, in ministry, and in our professional lives, we must realize that all areas of our lives impact and affect each other and there is no separation between them. We must be willing to communicate with others face to face. To seek to understand before we insist on being understood ourselves. Unless we are willing to walk in another person's shoes and experience what they are experiencing, then we will never be able to fully understand them. It is when we walk beside someone else, hand in hand, that we can communicate with them and understand them. Communication requires a dialog where we listen to each other, where we encourage one another, where we accept one another, even if we do not always fully agree with each other. It is then that we will experience success.The human connection reminds me of Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'
If you would like to listen to any of our past 1004 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1004 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Being Teachable – Meditation Monday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1003 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
It is amazing that our ability to rationalize is so strong that even if something is proven that we still do not change our beliefs. We must be willing to learn from those who are more mature in their faith and knowledge of God’s Word. Our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Being Teachable
Seeing is not always believing. Old beliefs, as well as old habits, die hard. For centuries people believed Aristotle's opinion that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth.
I am not an engineer, but according to a report, I read, in 1589 Galileo challenged Aristotle's teaching. He invited learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Galileo went to the top of the tower and at exactly the same moment pushed off a ten-pound and a one-pound weight.
Both landed at the same instant, but the professors still wouldn't believe what they saw. They insisted Aristotle was right.
To move ahead in life and to grow—intellectually, emotionally and spiritually—it is important that we examine all our beliefs, test them, hold to the true and discard the false. Admittedly, this is much easier said than done, but done it must be if we are to keep learning and growing. Unless we are open to and willing to change, we get set in our ways and cease to grow.We don't read much about Apollos in the Bible, but he was a contemporary of the Apostle Paul. He was a very gifted and educated man "with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures." But he only knew about John the Baptist's baptism. So when Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak, they explained the gospel message to him more completely.
The end result was that Apollos was willing to listen, was teachable, made the necessary changes in his beliefs and teaching. Let’s read the short narrative about Apollos that is found in Acts 18:24-28 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit[h] and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately. Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in pub...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1003 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 1&4; 1&5; 1&6 - Ask Gramps
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1003 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves better, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
For additional insight, I recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine personality types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Last week, we began a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are, and what type those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type One (the Reformer)
with
Enneagram Type Four (the Individualist)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
Enneagram Ones and Fours have an intense mutual interest to bring something good and beautiful into the world. Both are idealistic and concerned with getting it right in their work and self-expressions.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1002 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
One Fast Turkey – Humor Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1002 of our Trek, and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
One Fast Turkey
John, an industrious turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding to perfect a better turkey. Every year he was able to breed bigger, and juicier turkeys and his reputation locally grew with each holiday season.
John’s family was especially fond of the huge legs for dinner, but there were never enough for everyone. After many frustrating attempts to make a really superior breed of turkey, John finally had a breakthrough. He was really excited about the possibilities this new breed would have on turkey farming. On John’s next visit to the local general store, he shared the news with friends and other local farmers. "Well, I finally did it. I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!"
Although a bit skeptical, everyone seems to be excited about the news. Not know what to really say, Sam finally asked John, “Well, how did it taste? "I don't know" John replied, "I can never catch the dang gum thing!"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Our Thursday Thought for today being Thanksgiving in the US is from: Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1001 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1001 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Walking on the Water Really Means - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1001 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
One of the most well-known Bible stories from the New Testament is about Jesus walking on water in the midst of a terrible storm. Most of us miss the underlying significance of this story.
Today’s essay will explore:
What Walking on the Water Really Means
Tales of tempests battering ships have inspired respect for the sea over the eons of time. On their way to Capernaum while on the lake, Jesus disciples watched these stories become a reality as the roaring wind transformed the waters around them. As they fought against the waves and wind, they witnessed a miracle as recorded in John 6:19-20: They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!
Appearing in three of the four Gospels, this event inspires Sunday school lessons and has become ingrained in our portrait of Jesus’ life. As spectacular and unforgettable as the event is to us, however, a Jewish audience would have seen in it a profound theological meaning against the backdrop of the Old Testament.
· An Old Testament Symbol
In the Old Testament worldview, the unpredictable sea is a common symbol of cosmic disorder which are conditions contrary to God's design for an ordered world. This symbol for cosmic anarchy is also personified as a sea monster, known as Leviathan or Rahab. The image of chaos as an untamed monster in a churning, erratic sea was common throughout the ancient world. People accustomed to land would naturally view the vast, raging ocean as uncontrollable and potentially deadly, filled with terrifying unknown creatures.
Religions across the ancient Mediterranean often depicted their important deities destroying or subduing the sea dragon, thereby calming the sea and restoring order. In the Old Testament, it is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who conquers the forces of chaos and imposes order in the cosmos (Job 26:12-13; Psalms 89:5-14). This imagery is applied even to the exodus from Egypt (Psalms 74:12-17), where God split the sea to deliver His people, thereby conquering the forces of evil that sought their demise.
· Final Victory
God's ultimate victory at the end of the age is also depicted as God dominating the forces of the sea as described in Isaiah 27:1: In that day the Lord will take his terrible, swift sword and punish Leviathan, the swiftly moving serpent, the coiling, writhing serpent. He will kill the dragon of the sea.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 1000 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Working Together is Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1000 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Henry Ford and it is: Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.
Working Together is Success
There is really no such thing as a self-made man or woman. Success requires support, knowledge, and wisdom from many individuals. We need to come together and get started. Then we need to stay together through difficult times as we make progress towards success. Finally, it requires that we continue working together with consistent persistence to achieve the success that is truly awesome. Success is when everyone that is involved is successful and achieving their goals and dreams. Let us think of ways to motivate one another. To encourage one another. To spur one another onto actions that are loving, kind and productive. It is then we will experience true success.Working together reminds me of Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 999 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 999 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Why Does God Permit Loneliness? – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 999 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
If we admit it, all of us will suffer bouts of loneliness either for a short period or long seasons of life. Our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Why Does God Permit Loneliness?
Most of us will try anything to get rid of our loneliness. We fill our lives with busy activities, entertainment, and addictions of all kinds in an attempt to mask our lonely lives. But should we? Should we be so quick to mask this loneliness or try and drop it? Could it be that loneliness is a gift? A gift from God? We can become lonely when a friend turns away or betrays us. When our job, which we loved, suddenly ceases to be. When you just can’t seem to get your spouse to understand your perspective. When church becomes dull and routine, and you don’t really feel like going anymore. Instead of feeling like a victim and suffering through it, give thought to that fact that possibly it is God who is removing your dependence on things and others until all you have left is God. Would God actually allow that? We may feel that God is disciplining us for something, but we cannot figure out what. Hebrews 12:6 tells us, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
The real issue is that we have a skewed understanding of what discipline is. Most of us think of discipline as punishment, but it is not. It is the process by which we become true disciples of God. It is a refining process for us. Maybe God is silencing all other noise in our lives so that we can listen to Him. If He must silence every voice, he will. He wants you to discover what David discovered and in Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”Loneliness. Could it be one of God’s finest gifts? We should not fear loneliness, but realize that God may permit it to show His love to us. 1 John 4:18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.If a season of solitude and loneliness is God’s way to teach you to hear His love song to you, don’t you think it’s worth it? So do I.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 998 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcas...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 998 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram Type Combinations - 1&1; 1&2; 1&3 - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 998 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Understanding ourselves, and how others may interpret life through their paradigm, will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ The tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
We have concluded our deep dive into the nine types which are ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” “The Challenger,” and “The Peacemaker.” Starting this week, we begin a series of episodes on Type Combinations. What are the potential relationship benefits and issues are with each combination? Covering all of the 45 different potential type combinations will take several weeks, but will be valuable in understanding each other, regardless of what type you are and those whom you interact with each day.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram Type Combinations
Enneagram Type One (the Reformer)
with
Enneagram Type One (the Reformer)
What Each Type Brings to the Relationship
As with all double-type relationships, two Enneagram Ones bring the same general qualities to each other. Therein lies both a main source of the attraction as well as one of the main pitfalls of this pair. Two Ones will be concerned with fairness, truthfulness, keeping agreements, schedules, consistency, and treating the other with respect and dignity. Work and taking care of responsibilities will tend to come first, with play and pleasure taking a back seat for this couple. Vacations and leisure,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 997 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Amen Pharaoh – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 997 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Amen Pharaoh
A small country church had a visiting preacher who was a friend of the pastor, so he was invited to speak in place of the pastor one Sunday. The pastor introduced his friend, and he was well received prior to the service starting. It was soon evident the visiting preacher was really getting wound up in his message, and it was obvious that he was becoming very long-winded. To make matters worse, every time he would make a good point during his sermon and a member of the congregation responded with "Amen" or "That's right, preacher" he would get wound up even more and launch into another lengthy discourse.
Finally, the host pastor started responding to every few sentences with "Amen, Pharaoh!" The guest minister wasn't sure what that meant, but after several more "Amen, Pharaohs" he finally concluded his very lengthy sermon.
After the service concluded and the congregation had left, the visiting preacher turned to his friend and asked, "What exactly did you mean when you said, "Amen, Pharaoh?"
The pastor replied with a smile, "I was telling you to let my people go!"Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Our Thursday Thought is from Matthew 5:37
Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 996 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 996 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who Took Verse 4 Out of My Bible? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 996 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Most of us are aware that the original and most copies of the scriptures did not have chapter and verse references because they were added much later. We have certainly come to depend on them in today’s culture to locate that passages we are interested in. There are occasions where there are verses missing
Today’s essay will look at one of those instances and find out why:
Who Took Verse 4 Out of My Bible?
Most of us have read John 5:1-10, the story of the blind, paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, many times, but I'll bet there's something that escaped your attention. While I usually remove the verse numbers, I will leave them in the passage for today.
1Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,[a]with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.[b] 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”
7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”
8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”If you read closely, you'll notice that verse 4 is missing! Start at verse one, and you will realize that verse for is not there.
Verse 4 which is included in some versions like the (NASB) tells us: “for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted”
The verse is not just missing in the NLT; the situation is the same in the NIV, ESV, NRSV, CEV, and the NET Bible. If you use the NASB or NCV, you will see the verse, but it's been placed inside brackets, whereas the KJV and the NKJV contain verse 4 without any notation or demarcation. So what's going on here? Who took John 5:4 out of certain versions the Bible and why?If you're using a study Bible that doesn't have verse 4, you will likely see a note at the end of verse 3, or the beginning of verse 5, explaining why it isn't there. This is a textbook case of a disagreement between manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. The reason that the last part of John 5:3 and all of verse 4 is missing in many versions is that they a...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 995 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Character Development – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 995 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Helen Keller and it is: Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.
Character Development
While all of us desire to achieve success with ease, this is not possible. Success can only be achieved through ambition, strength, and development of character. Development of that character comes through experiences which are difficult. The trials and sufferings of life should strengthen our soul, refresh our resolve, and give us the inspiration and ambition to keep moving forward. It is through these times that we must learn the lessons that life is teaching us, and also learn to enjoy our journey, regardless of how difficult it may appear at the moment. If you truly desire success, then you will be willing to accept the trials and sufferings that are part of the very path to success. If Helen Keller, who was blind, could not hear, and was barely able to speak audibly, realized these truths then each of us must resolve to persevere toward success, regardless of the limitations that we may have personally. It is possible to achieve success if we are willing to traverse the difficult path that lies ahead of us each day. This lesson is also taught to us in James 1:2-5: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 994 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 994 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Does God Really Care? – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 994 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Life is difficult at times, and we feel that pressure is so much that we are unable to continue. We may question ourselves, our relationships, and even our God. Jesus came to dwell among us. To be one of us, His creation. Jesus also understands us fully, especially when we are too weak to carry on under our own power. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Does God Really Care?
I bet all of us have wondered whether God really cares for us. Does He understand what we are going through? How could He? That is one reason that God sent His one and only son, Jesus, to become one of us. Hebrews 4:15 tells us: This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. The also became one of us to bring us salvation and freedom from eternal death.
Does this promise matter? If you ever wonder if God understands you, it does. If you ever wonder if God listens, it does. If you ever wonder if the Uncreated Creator can, in a million years, comprehend the challenges you face, then ponder long and hard the promise of the incarnation. Jesus is “able to understand our weaknesses.” How can He? “Because He faced all of the same trials as we do.” The One who hears your prayers understands your pain. He never shrugs or scoffs or dismisses spiritual, emotional and physical struggles. He had a human body. He had a human mind. He was intimately spiritual.
Are you troubled in spirit? Jesus was too. John 12:27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!
Are you so anxious you could die? Jesus was too as he shared with his closest friends in Matthew 26:38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”Have you ever prayed with loud cries and tears? Jesus did too. Hebrews 5:7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.
God knows what you are going through. God grieves with you. When you are at the bottom, look up to Jesus, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. Call out to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen and encourage you. God knows, understands and provides. Trust in Him.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 993 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Nine
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 993 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the sixteenth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past fifteen Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. Since then we took a deep dive into ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” “The Enthusiast,” and “The Challenger.” This week we will explore the final type Number Nine “The Peacemaker.” Next week we begin a series of episodes on Type Combinations, and what the potential relationship benefits and issues are with each combination.
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several weeks will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Nine – The Peacemaker
9 - THE PEACEMAKER
Enneagram Type Nine
The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring Agreeable, and Complacent
· Type Nine in Brief
Nines are accepting, trusting, and stable. They are usually creative, optimistic, and supportive, but can also be too willing to go along with others to keep the peace. They want everything to go smoothly and be without conflict,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 992 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Gramps' Wisdom – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 992 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
Gramps’ Wisdom
Little Susie was sitting on Gramps’ lap as he read her a bedtime story from the Bible about God’s creation. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. At the same time, she would stroke her own cheek. Gramps loved little Susie and enjoyed their time together. Finally, Susie spoke up, "Gramps, did God make you?"
"Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago."
"Oh," she paused, "Gramps, did God make me too?"
"Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago."
Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at his creation isn't he?"Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Our Thursday Thought is from Romans 8:20-22,"Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 991 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 991 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Healing Serpent - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Today is Day 991 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.
Just like the modern day medical symbol with snakes wrapped around the pole, both Greek Mythology and Old Testament references are tied to this symbol.
Today’s essay will explore…
The Healing Serpent
Many people can recite John 3:16, but how many know what John 3:14-15 says? Jesus words in these two verses have generated confusion and controversy. Here is what is written, "And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. 'For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.'"
John 3:15 presents no problem; it declares the gospel—that Jesus, the “Son of Man” in this passage, is the true object of faith for all who would have eternal life. The difficulty lies in verse 14, where Jesus compares His destiny on the cross to a serpent “lifted up” in the wilderness.
In this analogy, Jesus draws on Numbers 21:4-9, one of many incidents in which the Israelites complained about their circumstances on their journey to the Promised Land. God punished their impatience and lack of faith by sending venomous “poisonous snakes” into the camp. After many fatalities, the people begged Moses to intercede with God on their behalf. God relented and instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Anyone bitten by a serpent would be healed by gazing at the bronze serpent.
Although the parallel between the serpent on the pole and Jesus on the cross is apparent, the incident raises questions. Why didn’t God heal the people directly? Was the bronze serpent an idol, and thus a violation of the second commandment? Wouldn’t the Israelites have recoiled at the association of healing with a serpent?
· Not Out of Eden
We might incorrectly link the serpent on the pole in Numbers 21 and the serpent found in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), but the only similarity between these two passages is the word “serpent,” Hebrew word nachash. The nachash of Genesis 3 is a figure acting independently of—and in opposition to—the will of God. In Numbers 21 the biting serpents are God’s instrument of judgment for sin, and the nachash on the pole is God’s instrument of healing for those punished for sin.
· Maybe Magic
In part the answer to “why a serpent?” is found in the ancient practice of sympathetic magic, the idea that a person afflicted by an object can be cured or delivered by an image of that same object. In the absence of sophisticated medical knowledge, ancient cultures sought cures for physical ailments or perceived curses by such means. We can find several examples of this ancient medical approach in other places in the Old Testament...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 990 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Building a Successful Life – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 990 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Guy Kawasaki, and it is, "Building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint, but even a marathon begins with a few steps."
Building a Successful Life
In order to be successful in any area of life – whether it be in business, family, ministry, or your personal life – you must understand that success is achieved with taking small incremental steps towards that success. You can never prepare for, or run in a marathon, without taking those first crucial steps. As in a marathon, you have to slowly and gradually prepare for each race by first walking and then running much shorter distances. Once you have achieved those small milestones, then you will add to that each week and month until you are able to reach the finish line of success.
If you push too hard at that beginning, you will never prepare properly to finish the race completely. With every decision that you make each day, if you make it wisely, you will lay a solid path from which you can advance. You are responsible for each decision that you make and the lessons that you learn as a result of those decisions.
While we can and should learn from our past, we must not dwell there, but continue on toward that finish line of success in that endeavor or season of life. Press on one step at a time. Make it a habit of making wise decisions which are based on the precepts that are found in God’s Word, and then you will achieve success in business, family, ministry, and indeed all areas of life. Realize, though, that as we achieve success in an area of life, or for a season of life, ultimately our race is not over until we cross that finish line to invest eternity with God.
Philippians 3:12-14 - I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 989 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 989 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Lord is my Shepherd – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 989 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We all have a tendency to wander away, either in our minds, avoiding important obligations, or for some physically wandering away from our God-given responsibilities. Like sheep, we need a faithful shepherd to keep us in the fold. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
The Lord is My Shepherd
We must realize and understand that sheep aren’t smart. They tend to wander into running creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy, and they drown. They have no sense of direction. They need a shepherd to lead them to calm water. So do we! We, like sheep, tend to be swept away by waters we should have avoided. We have no defense against the evil lion who prowls about seeking whom he might devour. Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Also, we are reminded in Isaiah 53:6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
We need a shepherd to care for us and to guide us. Jesus is that Good Shepherd. The Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. The Shepherd who protects, provides, and possesses his sheep. The Good Shepherd is described in
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
The imagery is carried over to the New Testament as Jesus is called the good shepherd of the sheep. John 10:14-15 I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
Each day, let us listen for the shepherd's voice and follow Him. He will take care of us and protect us.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 988 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Eight - The Challenger - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 988 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the fifteenth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past fourteen Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. Since then we took a deep dive into ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator,” “The Loyalist,” and “The Enthusiast.” This week we will explore type Number Eight “The Challenger.” Next week we will focus on the final type number Nine “The Peacemaker.”
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Eight – The Challenger
8 - THE CHALLENGER
Enneagram Type Eight
The Powerful, Dominating Type:
Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational
· Type Eight in Brief
Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive. Protective, resourceful, straight-talking, and decisive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 987 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Wise Suggestion – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 987 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
A Wise Suggestion
Frank was driving through the Sahara desert by himself when out in the middle of nowhere his jeep broke down. Thinking that he would not be out for long, he failed to bring any water. As the noon-day sun became increasingly intense, Frank became desperate for water. He started out on foot towards what he thought might be a good direction. After walking a couple of miles when he saw something, far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked toward the image, which now appeared to be a tent. When he reached the tent, he found a little old lady sitting at a card table with a bunch of neckties laid out on it.
Desperately Frank begged, "Please, I'm dying of thirst, can I have some water?"
The woman replied "I don't have any water, but why don't you buy a tie? Here's one that goes nicely with your outfit."
Frank shouted, "I don't want a tie lady, I need water!"
Calmy she replied: "Okay, don't buy a tie. But to show you what a nice person I am, I'll tell you that over that hill there, about four miles, is a nice restaurant. Walk that way, they'll give you all the water you want."
The dehydrated Frank thanked the woman and walked away toward the hill and eventually disappeared.
Three hours later he returned crawling back to the tent where the old lady was still sitting behind her card table full of beautiful ties.
The lady asked, "I told you, about four miles over that hill. Couldn't you find it?"
Frank rasped from his parched throat, "I found it all right. They wouldn't let me in without a tie."Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. Our Thursday Thought is from Psalms 107:8-9 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 986 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 986 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Satan Falls Like Lightning - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Today is Day 986 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
Lightning can be beautiful to watch, and yet it is quite destructive and dangerous. In the New Testament, there is another entity that falls like lightning, which may seem beautiful but desires to destroy us.
Today’s essay will explore…
Satan Falls Like Lightning
In one of the more mysterious verses in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells His disciples in Luke 10:18, “'Yes,' he told them, 'I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!'"
The question isn't about the “what” of Jesus' statement. It's clear that Satan is under judgment. Rather, the confusion is over the “when” of the statement. It might sound like a reference to when Satan became Satan, before the Garden of Eden, abandoning his status among God s heavenly host, but that conclusion would be too hasty.
We basically have three options when it comes to figuring out the timing of Satan’s fall: before, during, or after Jesus own time. Many people have offered opinions. Perhaps the most common interpretation is that Jesus is seeing or remembering the original fall of Satan. This option makes little sense in context. Prior to the statement, Jesus had sent out the disciples to heal and preach that the kingdom of God had drawn near to them (Luke 10:1-9). They return amazed and excited by the fact that demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus. Luke 10:17 says, "When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, 'Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!'” Jesus replied to their proclamation, “'Yes,' he told them, 'I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!'"
There is a connection between the kingdom, the defeat of demons, and Satan. But if Satan’s fall in Luke 10:18 speaks of an event in the remote past, why wasn’t the kingdom established then? Why was Satan still powerful when Jesus showed up on the scene? Even with the kingdom of Israel under David and the presence of God in the temple, the power and influence of Satan is evident on nearly every page of Old Testament history.
The view that Jesus was referring to Satan’s fall during his own ministry is better, but it is not without problem. We don't read anywhere in the Bible of anyone casting out demons prior to Jesus ministry. That display of power, as well as the announcements of the kingdom and the ruling authority of God on earth, is unmistakable. This is consistent with what Luke writes in the next chapter.
This is where Luke identifies Jesus as the one who handles the ''strong man.” It is Jesus who binds Satan. With Jesus having bound the strong man (Satan), He and His disciples can plunder Satan's realm. This seems to tie in with what Jesus says after His statement about Satan where He grants the disciples power over the forces of evil...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 985 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Belief in Oneself – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 985 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Lynda M. Child and it is: Belief in oneself is one of the most important bricks in building any successful venture.
Belief in Oneself
If you don’t or can’t believe in yourself, how can you ever expect others to believe in you? No person is self-made, and in order to be a success, you need the support and resources of others. Since that is the case, others will find it very difficult to support you and provide you with the resources needed to be successful unless you first believe that you can and will succeed. Belief in yourself is the very foundation stones of success in any area of life. If you do not believe in yourself, then any success that may be achieved will soon crumble because the very bedrock, those foundation stones, will crumble and your success will come crashing down. In the same manner, if you do not love and believe in yourself, it is impossible to love and believe in anyone else. Our love and belief for others will only be as strong as the love and belief we have in ourselves and in our God-given abilities. God created you to be a bearer of His image and God is successful and true in all that He does. Should we expect anything less for His precious children who are designed to be a bearer of His image? I think not.2 Peter 1:3
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 984 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 984 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Learning a Little Each Day – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 984 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices.
In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
You may wonder how you can gain additional knowledge of God’s word and what precepts we must follow to grow in Him. Romans 11:33 tells us, "Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!" In our Meditation Monday today, I want us to reflect on...
Learning a Little Each Day
Will I learn what God intends? If I listen, I will. Little Suzy returned from her first day at school. Her mom asked, “Did you learn anything?”
“I guess not,” Suzy responded. “I have to go back tomorrow and the next day and the next day...”
Such is the case with learning. And such is the case with Bible study.
Understanding comes a little at a time over a lifetime. The Bible tells us in James 1:25, "But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."
The Bible is not like reading a newspaper or skimming a light book, but rather it is like digging for gold in a mine. Proverbs 2:4 says to gain wisdom, insight, and understanding, we are to "search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures."God has given us a blueprint for growing step by step in our faith in 2 Peter 1:3-8.
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to follow this blueprint today, and the next day, and the next… until we are in His presence in heaven.
That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 983 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Seven - The Enthusiast - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 983 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the fourteenth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool called “The Enneagram.” If you have missed any of our past thirteen Friday series, I would recommend going back and listening to them or reading the Wisdom Journals.
As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9, and Gram refers to a drawing). Check out today's or a prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included a copy of “The Enneagram At-A-Glance,” which was compiled by Suzanne H. Eller in today’s Wisdom Journal. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book The Road Back to You written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. So far we have taken a deep dive into “The Reformer,” “The Helper,” “The Achiever,” “The Individualist,”“The Investigator,” and “The Loyalist.” This week we will explore type Number Seven “The Enthusiast.” Next week we will focus on type number eight “The Challenger.”
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be…
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Seven – The Enthusiast
7 - THE ENTHUSIAST
Enneagram Type Seven
The Busy, Variety-Seeking Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Acquisitive, and Scattered
· Type Seven in Brief
Sevens are extroverted, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous. Playful, high-spirited, and practical, they can also misapply their many talents, becoming over-extended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences, but can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 982 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Broken Bones – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 982 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
Broken Bones
One of the local schools took their kindergarten students on a special tour through our hospital so they would be familiar with the fine medical services that are available. They went through the various areas, and all the kids seemed mesmerized by the doctors, nurses, and various pieces of equipment.
When they came to the x-ray department. Little Suzy seemed extra interested in the x-ray machine. She was asking many questions and then Karen, one of the x-ray technicians, asked her, “Suzy have you ever broken a bone?”
“Why yes I have,” said little Suzy.
“Did it hurt?” asked Karen.
“Well, no, not really,” was Suzy’s reply.
Karen, surprised by her answer asked, "Really? Which bone did you break?"
Looking down a bit, Suzy said quietly, "My sister Mary’s arm."That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know, and I will continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
For our Thursday thought, remember we have a great God who heals us as we read in Psalm 147:3, "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds."
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 981 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 981 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
New Testament Misquotes - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 981 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Sometimes when a New Testament writer quotes the Old Testament, the two passages do not match precisely. Is the New Testament writer misquoting the Old Testament? Or is there another explanation?
Today’s essay will explore:
New Testament Misquotes
Luke records that when Jesus began His ministry, He went to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day. When He stood up to read the Scriptures as recorded in Luke 4:17: The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: Jesus read the description of a climactic arrival of the anointed one from Isaiah 61:1-2 excluding the last half of verse two. That omission is understandable, but if you look at Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2 side by side, several dissimilarities in what Jesus read are readily apparent.
In the original Old Testament passage, there is no reference to making the blind see. Conversely, Isaiah speaks of 'binding up the brokenhearted,’ a phrase absent in Luke. Since Luke is clear that Jesus was reading from a scroll, the divergence is not due to Luke (or Jesus) quoting from memory and messing up the passage! What’s going on here? Let me read both passages from the New Living Translation.
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemiesMost of the time when a divergence occurs between a New Testament quotation and the Old Testament, the answer is the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. It often does not match the Hebrew text from which most Old Testaments were translated. Jesus apparently either read from a Hebrew text that reflected the Septuagint, or Luke fills in the quoted passage with the Septuagint. (And since Luke was not Jewish and spoke Greek, the Septuagint would have been his Bible.)
The Septuagint version of Isaiah 61:1-2 reads in a literal English translation would read:, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me: he has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 980 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Concentrate on Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 980 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Terry Bradshaw and it is: Being gifted intellectually is only a small part of the equation of success. Concentrate on the factors you have more control over: persistence, self-discipline, confidence. Far more failures are due to lack of will than lack of ability.
Concentrate on Success
While natural abilities and talents have an impact on whether a person is successful in various areas of life, it is a much smaller impact that most of us realize. I have known far too many people that have the ability to succeed, but they lack the desire to succeed. All success requires persistence, self-discipline, and confidence. All three of these traits you have complete control over. If you desire to succeed, then you must be willing to exchange the easy path of today for the rewarding path of the long term. No success can ever be achieved by talent alone, but by using your abilities, regardless of how limited they are and coupling those abilities with confidence that you can succeed. In addition to that confidence, you need the self-discipline to work through the difficult times, and the persistence to keep moving forward, even when you are weak, tired and feel like giving up. Nothing is ever gained in our lives without an equal and offsetting amount of effort, that is except for our salvation through Christ
Proverbs 13:4
Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 979 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 979 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Leading in God's Kingdom – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 979 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
What qualifications are required to be a good leader in God’s Kingdom? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Leading in God’s Kingdom
On an occasion, following a great victory, Napoleon was asked how he made his army cross the Alps, and he replied, "One does not make an army cross the Alps; one leads it across."
Whether a boss, a parent, a teacher, or a friend, the most effective way to lead others, to teach others, to motivate others, to train our children and/or to influence others is by example; that is, by who we are, by what we do, and most of all by how much we care about them. In other words, we need to model what we want others to learn and do. We need to lead the way, not by being demanding or controlling, but by showing through both our caring and our doing—by example not by telling.
Furthermore, "People don't care how much we know until they know how much we care," and as Carl Jung stated, "Where love rules, there is no will to power, and where power predominates, love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other."Jesus gives us the ground rules for leading in God’s Kingdom in Matthew 20:26-27 But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.
The Apostle Paul in his letter to his protégé Timothy specifies the qualities that a leader should have within the church, which is God’s platform for building His Kingdom on earth. 1 Timothy 3:2-5 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? That is a wrap for today’s meditation, next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 978 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 978 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Six - The Loyalist - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 978 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the thirteenth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past twelve Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. So far we took a deep dive into ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ ‘The Individualist,’ “The Investigator.” This week we will explore type Number Six “The Loyalist.” Next week we will focus on type number seven ‘The Enthusiast.’
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Six – The Loyalist
6 - THE LOYALIST
Enneagram Type Six
The Committed, Security-Oriented Type:
Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious
· Type Six in Brief
The committed, security-oriented type. Sixes are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy. Excellent "troubleshooters," they foresee problems and foster cooperation, but can also become defensive, evasive, and anxious—running on stress while complaining about it. They can be cautious and indecisive, but also reactive, defiant and rebellious.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 977 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Luggage Travels – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 977 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Luggage Travels
A traveler got to the airline counter and presented her ticket to New York. As she gave the agent her luggage, she asked, "I'd like you to send my green suitcase to Hawaii, and my red suitcase to London."
The confused agent said, "I'm sorry, we can't do that."
"Really? I am so relieved to hear you say that because, that's exactly what you did to my luggage last year!"
If you have ever traveled extensively, you may be able to relate to this story, and I hope that it brought a smile to you today.That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know, and I will continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
For our Thursday thought, we never need to be concerned about being lost for eternity. Jesus told us this:
Luke 19:9-10
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 976 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 976 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
My Guardian Angel - Wisdom Wednesday
Today is Day 976 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Do we really have personal guardian angels? What does the Bible have to say? Today’s essay will explore:
My Guardian Angel
‘Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.'These are familiar and fondly remembered words for those of us who make a holiday tradition of watching the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life. The angel Clarence helps George Bailey discover the unseen but tremendous significance his mundane life played in the lives of others. It's a heartwarming story, full of hope and encouragement. But what about its theology? Are guardian angels—like Clarence—really biblical?
Jesus' words in Matthew 18:10 suggest the answer is yes: “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father." The passage affirms that children have angels who represent them before God. Where did Matthew get such an idea?
In Job 5:1, angels are presented as mediators between God and people. Job's friend Eliphaz challenges him: “Cry for help, but will anyone answer you? Which of the angels will help you?” Eliphaz presumes that angels would act as mediators between God and Job.
This understanding was common in the biblical world. Ancient Mesopotamians, for example, believed that humans had "personal gods' who could appeal for them before the assembly of gods. We no longer need a mediator. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus now intercedes on our behalf before God 1 Timothy 2:5. There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. But the New Testament still describes angels as having an immediate ministry to believers, as demonstrated by Hebrews 1:14: Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.Also, the narrative in Acts 12 shows us a continued connection between angels and people. After an angel frees Peter from prison and execution, Peter goes to the house of his fellow believers (Acts 12:6- 10). Those inside don't believe the servant girl’s report that he is at the door. They reply, in Acts 12:15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” This statement testifies to the early Christian belief that humans had angels who acted as a kind of celestial double, attached to a person for their welfare.
The concept of angelic guardianship and activity in our lives is something we have often left to the imagination. Apparently, Hollywood gets some biblical things right. God's agents are commissioned to act on our behalf, at His direction.
That will conclude our essay for this week. Next Wisdom Wednesday we will continue in the New Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “New Testament Misquotes” - I believe you will find this another interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 975 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Behind Every Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 975 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Rick Beneteau and it is: Behind every success is a succession of failures.
Behind Every Success
When we observe the success that some people have achieved, we do not see the entire picture. It appears that successful people are just in the right place at the right time. While there is a timing factor involved, success is primarily based on the fact that a person has prepared over many years and persevered through many failures. This allows them to be ready and take advantage of opportunities when they became available. I do not know of any person who has achieved success in any area of life without going through many obstacles and failures which they have learned from and applied that knowledge to. If you desire to be successful in life, then you must be willing to have failures, hardships, and obstacles in order to achieve a level of success. If you are not willing to persevere during the difficult times, then don’t expect success in your life. Plan, prepare and preserve through the hard times and when the opportunity comes, you will be in the right place at the right time.
Proverbs 21:5
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 974 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 974 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Power of a Touch – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 974 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We have all experienced times in our lives where someone has come along beside us, and with a few words or small act of kindness been able to encourage and touch our lives in a meaningful way. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
The Power of a Touch
The power of a godly touch. Have you known it? The doctor who treated you, or the teacher who dried your tears? Was there a hand holding yours at a funeral?
Haven’t we known the power of a godly touch? Can’t we offer the same?
Some of you use your hands to pray for the sick. If you aren’t touching them personally, you’re writing notes, calling, baking pies. You’ve learned the power of a touch.
But others tend to forget. Our hearts are good; it’s just that our memories are bad. We forget how significant one touch can be.
We fear saying the wrong thing, or using the wrong tone or acting the wrong way. So rather than do it incorrectly, we do nothing at all.
James 2:17-18
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 973 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 973 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Five - The Investigator - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 973 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the twelfth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past eleven Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. So far we took a deep dive into ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ ‘The Achiever,’ and ‘The Individualist.’ This week we will explore type Number Five “The Investigator.” Next week we will focus on type number six ‘The Loyalist.’
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Five – The Investigator
5 - THE INVESTIGATOR
Enneagram Type Five
The Intense, Cerebral Type:
Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated
· Type Five in Brief
Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. They are able to concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. They become detached, yet high-strung and intense. They typically have problems with eccentricity, nihilism,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 972 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Customer Service – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 972 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Customer Service
John enters the department store in search of some new clothing. After browsing for nearly 30 minutes without anyone even offering to assist him, John located Sam, the manager and asked: "Excuse me sir, but are you looking to hire any help at present?"
Sam, a bit annoyed at the unsolicited request promptly replied: "No, we already have all the staff we need."
To which John countered: "Then would you mind getting someone to assist me?" I think we can all relate to this experience, and I hope that it brought a smile to you today.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know, and we will continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
For our Thursday thought, remember to always be ready to help those who in need:
Acts 20:35
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 971 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 971 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Jesus Declars War - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 971 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
While reading or listening to most news today, you would think that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Too many of us forget that the Lord of Heavens Armies is prevailing, even today. Today’s essay will explore:
Jesus Declares War
Let’s start our essay with familiar verses for both Protestants and Catholics, but we will dig much deeper to the cosmic meaning behind this verse. Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
The “powers of hell”? Why did Jesus respond to Peter's confession in Matthew 16:16 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
· The Powers of Hell in Cosmic Geography
When we read “hell.” we naturally think of the realm of the unbelieving dead. But the Greek word translated “hell” (hades) is also the name for the Underworld—Hades, the realm of all the dead, not just unbelievers. The Hebrew equivalent to Hades is Sheol—the place “under the earth” where all went after this life ended.
Sheol is a place of no return (Job 17:16) in which “ropes trap its inhabitants” (2 Samuel 22:5-6), preventing any escape (Job 7:9). Both the righteous and the unrighteous went to Sheol. The righteous believer, however, could hope for deliverance and eternity with God (Psalms 40:15) But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.
While the imagery associated with the Underworld would have unnerved the disciples, Jesus’s reference to the gates (powers) of Hades would have jolted them for another reason. If they knew their Old Testament well, they understood that they were standing before those very gates or powers as Jesus spoke.
· The Gates (Powers) of Hell in Terrestrial Geography
Matthew 16 takes place in Caesarea Philippi, situated near a mountainous region containing Mount Hermon. In the Old Testament, this region was known as Bashan, a place with a sinister reputation.According to the Old Testament, Bashan was controlled by two kings; Sihon and Og, who were associated with the ancient giant clans: the Rephaim and the Anakim as describe in (Deuteronomy 2:10-12 and Joshua 12:1-5). The two main cities of their kingdom were Ashtaroth and Edrei, home to the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 3:1, 10-11: Joshua 12:4-5.)
These cities and their Rephaim inhabitants are mentioned by name in Canaanite (Ugaritic) cuneiform tablets. The people of Ugarit believed the Rephaim were the spirits of dead warrior-kings. They also believed that the cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei were the entry...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 970 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Growing Yourself and Growing Others – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 970 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Jack Welch and it is: Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
Growing Yourself and Growing Others
If you desire to be a leader, and successful, then you must first work on growing and improving yourself. Once you have gained the wisdom, insight, and maturity by growing yourself, then you start to become a type of person who can lead others. Once you are in a place of leadership, in order to continue to be successful and have others follow, you must assist others in their growth. With this realization, as you foster growth in others, you will continue on your path of overall success in your life by others becoming successful also. Don’t pursue honor and recognition for yourself, but for those whom you are leading. When they receive honor and recognition, then it will also reflect on you through them.Romans 15:1-2
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 969 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 969 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Facing Your Lions! – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 969 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
When trials and persecutions face you, do you fight them and try to avoid them? Although none of like to go through difficult times, but as with Daniel, we need to trust that God may not take them away, but will allow us to persevere through them. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Facing Your Lions!
So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” Daniel 6:16
Most of us will be familiar with the story of how Daniel, supposedly because of his religious beliefs, was thrown into a den of hungry lions. No question, Daniel got a dirty deal. He was set up by jealous lesser men who wanted him out of the way. It seemed as if they were about to succeed except for one thing: They overlooked Daniel's trust in God.
The interesting thing, however, about Daniel being thrown into the den of lions is that God didn't deliver him out of the den before Daniel first found deliverance in it.
Imagine if Daniel had fought against being thrown into the den (which he would have been justified in doing), and gone into the den fighting against it every inch of the way. Chances are that the lions would have torn him to pieces before he hit the floor of the den. But Daniel didn't struggle. He accepted his lot, and trusted his life to God who shut the lion's mouths.On more than one occasion when in a very frustrating situation, I have asked God that if I am not going to be delivered out of my "lion's den," would he please help me find deliverance in it.
Sometimes God has a lesson for us to learn through a difficult situation, and before he delivers us out of it, like Daniel, he delivers us in it. It is also important not to base our beliefs and actions on the way we feel. Keep in mind that it is the Word of God, the Bible, which is our final voice of authority—not the way that we feel. We need to find deliverance in it. The good news is that once we learn the needed lesson, we don't have to go through the same experience again. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of the past 968 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 968 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Four - The Individualist - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 968 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the eleventh episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past ten Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. So far we took a deep dive into ‘The Reformer,’ ‘The Helper,’ and ‘The Achiever.’ This week we will explore type Number four ‘The Individualist.’ Next week we will focus on type number five “The Investigator.”
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Four – The Individualist
4 - THE INDIVIDUALIST
Enneagram Type Four
The Sensitive, Introspective Type:
Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental
· Type Four in Brief
Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. They typically have problems with melancholy,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 967 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Mom's List – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 967 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Mom’s List
MOM'S LIST OF THINGS SHE DOES NOT WANT TO HEAR
-
I swallowed the goldfish.
-
Your lipstick works better than crayons.
-
Does grape juice leave a stain?
-
The principal called...
-
But DAD says that word all the time!
-
What's it cost to fix a window?
-
Has anyone seen my pet snakes?
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Look, I painted your shoes pretty!
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The dog doesn't like dressing up in your underwear.
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I'm running away from home.
(... well, maybe some days ...)
If you’re a mom or dad, I hope that brought a smile to your face today.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know, and we will continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
As a father of five kids and seven grandkids I know that sometimes parenting certainly has its challenges, but take heart as we are told in:
Proverbs 22:6
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 966 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 966 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Answers From The Dead Sea Scrolls - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 966 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
While there were many fragments of manuscripts available from the Old Testament previously, newly found manuscripts last century opens our understanding more fully of the ancient times. Today’s essay will explore:
Answers From The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered between 1947-1956, transformed biblical studies. Found in a series of caves near an archaeological site on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea known as Qumran, they contributed to research on ancient scribal practices and the history of the Hebrew language. But beyond this research, the scrolls also directly affected an issue that has long been debated—the Old Testament canon. Did this find solidify what should or should not be included in our Bibles?
The word “canon” refers to the collection of books considered sacred and authoritative by a religious community—in this case, Judaism and Christianity. Historical evidence reveals that within the Jewish community, there was still uncertainty about some books such as Esther and the Song of Solomon, or portions of books, specifically Ezekiel 40-48 after AD 100. The question of whether Jewish leaders of earlier centuries had similar doubts—or different ones—was shrouded in mystery before the discoveries at Qumran.Fragments of all the Old Testament books in the current Protestant evangelical canon have been found among the scrolls—all except the book of Esther. However, its omission by the Jewish community at Qumran does not indicate much about its canonical position today.
The omission of the book tells us nothing about how the Qumran community actually felt about Esther. The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in modern times are only a fraction of the material originally stored at Qumran. The ravages of time have left us an incomplete picture, nullifying such a definitive conclusion.
In addition, the Jews at Qumran were one sect of Judaism among several. Even if there was evidence that they had rejected Esther, that position would have represented only a segment of opinion. Even today, major segments of modern Christendom do not agree on the canon. That certain books meet approval or disapproval provides no guidance as to which opinion is correct.Beyond this, Qumran scribes often indicated a book’s sacred status by citing the book as authoritative for some point of belief or practice in their community documents. They also indicated a book's sacred status through produced commentaries. However, not every biblical book of today’s Old Testament canon meets this criterion. For example, Judges, Jeremiah, and Job are never cited in community documents; they have not been the focus of a commentary. The incomplete nature of the discovery makes this no surprise. Conversely, the scribes at Qumran considered some books canonical tha...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 965 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Before Success... – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 965 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Napoleon Hill and it is: Before success comes in any persons life, they are sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some failures. When defeat overtakes a person, the easiest and the most logical thing to do is to quit. That's exactly what the majority of people do.
Before Success…
The true measure of success for a person is based on the levels and magnitude of obstacles, setbacks, temporary defeats and even outright failures that they face in their pursuit of success. Any time you have a setback or failure, the natural inclination for all of us is to quit and give up. While that indeed may be the easiest course of action, and we can even justify or rationalize that it is most logical, those who choose this path will not succeed in much of life. Unfortunately, this is the choice of the majority of people. None of us should be satisfied or desire to be average or below average, but to become all that God created us to be. We need to use our God-given talents and abilities to serve Him and to build His kingdom. If we commit our actions to God, and continue on through setbacks and failures, ultimately we will succeed in our endeavors for Him.Proverbs 16:3
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 964 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 964 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Facing Your Giants! – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 964 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
There are many giant obstacles and problems that come into our lives. It is our natural inclination to turn and run, to avoid the problems. While it may be advisable to pause and prepare, most obstacles do not go away if we ignore them. In our Meditation Monday today, I want us to reflect on…
Facing Your Giants!
David replied to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!" 1 Samuel 17:45-46
David sees what others don't and refuses to see what others do. All eyes, except David's, fall on the brutal, hate-breathing hulk. All eyes, except David's, are set on the Giant of the Philistines. All journals, but David's, describe day after day in the land of the Neanderthal. The people know his taunts, demands, size, and strut. They have focused solely on Goliath.
David sees the armies of God. And because he does, David hurries and runs toward the army to meet the Philistine as found 1 Samuel 17:48, "As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him."
You might say that David knew how to get ahead of his giant.
When was the last time you did the same? How long since you ran toward your challenge? We tend to retreat, duck behind a desk of work, or crawl into a nightclub of distraction or a bed of forbidden love. For a moment, a day, or a year, we feel safe, insulated, anesthetized, but then the work runs out, the liquor wears off, or the lover leaves, we hear Goliath again. Booming. Bombastic.
Try a different approach. Rush your giant with a God-saturated soul. Giant of divorce? You aren't entering my home! Giant of depression? It may take a lifetime, but you won't conquer me! Giant of alcohol, bigotry, child abuse, insecurity…You're going down! How long since you loaded your sling and took a swing at your giant?
Too long, you say? Then David is your model. God called him as is mentioned in Acts 13:22, "But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do." He gave this designation to no one else, not Abraham or Moses or Joseph. He called Paul an apostle, John his beloved, but neither was tagged a man after God's own heart.
One might read David's story and wonder what God saw in him. The fellow fell as often as he stood, stumbled as often as he conquered. He stared down Goliath, yet ogled at Bathsheba; defied God-mockers in the valley, yet joined them in the wilderness. An Eagle Scout one day and humming with the Mafia the next...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 962 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Chocolate Exchange – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 962 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Chocolate Exchange
Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the woman if she would like a ride. With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car.
Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a white bag on the seat next to Sally.
"What's in the bag?" asked the old woman.
Sally looked down at the bag and, smiling, said, "It's a box of chocolates. I got it for my husband."
The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said: "Good trade."
I trust that brought a bit of cheer to your day… Husbands, treat your wives well so that you are worth far more than a box of chocolates. For today’s Thursday Thought – husbands, love your wives.
Ephesians 5:28
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 961 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 961 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Bizarre Visions for the Worst of Times - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 961 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
If we are not studying God’s Word regularly and living by His precepts, we may have a very tainted perspective of God from some of the Old Testament passages. Today’s essay will explore:
Bizarre Visions for the Worst of Times
We are prone to make assumptions about God and His favor towards us when life has us down due to sin, mistakes, or incomprehensible circumstances. Of all the Scripture passages we might turn to during these times, the bizarre vision that opens the book of Ezekiel would not register high on our list. However, reading this passage with its original ancient context in mind reveals a powerful message
for its original recipients and for every believer.
· The Babylonian Context
If you have never read the visions contained within the book of Ezekiel, it is an unusual and fascinating read. Ezekiel had his vision in Babylon as one of the captive exiles (Ezekiel 1:1-3). Comparing his vision to Babylonian iconography reveals that Ezekiel saw a divine '"throne-chariot” of the heavens, widely described in the ancient biblical world. Just as human kings had chariots, so did deities. It is said that a deity would traverse the heavens in his chariot throne, inspecting his domain and exercising authority over it. In Ezekiel‘s vision, this throne sits above the surface or expanse in Ezekiel 1:26 which is the same word used in Genesis 1:6-8 for the heavens. Psalms 29:10 and Psalms 150:1 also gives us a snapshot of God's abode.
Back to the divine throne, wheels supported the chariot throne, along with four unusual creatures identified as cherubim in Ezekiel 10:4. Each creature had four faces: human, lion, eagle, and ox (Ezekiel 1:10). Next to each cherub were four gleaming wheels in Ezekiel 1:15-16. These wheels were set on edge, since they are described as "tall” in Ezekiel 1:18. They had wheels within them—that is, each one had at least one concentric circle within it. The vision describes the outer edge, or "rim,” of each wheel as having “eyes,” which is translated from the Hebrew word “Ayin.” The prophet Daniel, who was also in Babylon, described the very same blazing throne with wheels Dan 7:9.
· The Vision in Context
The four faces of the four animals or cherubim correspond to the iconography of the Babylonian zodiac. Each represents a seasonal constellation in Babylonian astrology, and each face or constellation also represented one of the four directions, North, South, East, and West. This is also referred to as the quadrants of the sky. Babylonians knew that the heavens were connected to what happened on earth such as times, seasons, crops, and weather. The Babylonians believed their gods controlled those functions. Information about the stars was laid out on Mesopotamian astrolabes,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 960 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Be of Good Cheer – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 960 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Helen Keller and it is: Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere, and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.
Be of Good Cheer
There are few people in this world that have contributed so much to the good of the human race than Helen Keller. Yet she was significantly handicapped by not being able to see, speak, or hear. Helen Keller was able to overcome what seems like insurmountable obstacles in her life and achieved success that few have ever achieved. First, she was of good cheer. She chose to look at life positively in spite of her difficulties. She overcame those obstacles and what some may consider failures to bring to the world much that is good. In fact, she found joy in overcoming the obstacles in life. She realized that through her effort she was able to bring beauty into her world although she could not see it with her eyes, hear it with her ears, or utter the praises that the joy brought her. We need to practice the same. In our pursuit of success in all areas of life, we need to be of good cheer, regardless of our obstacles because no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.Jesus taught us in John 16:33
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 959 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 959 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Blessed Assurance! – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 959 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Although we look forward to the time when Jesus Christ will return to earth to reign as our King, we have the assurance and strength every day to live according to God’s precepts. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Blessed Assurance!
Blessed Assurance is not only a loved hymn, but it is also our seal of redemption through God’s Spirit. All creation waits on tiptoe for the day Jesus returns and brings us home to the Father. On that day, we will experience "the total redemption of our bodies that comes when our adoption as children of God is complete. However, we realize that not only is the Holy Spirit our "guarantee, a down payment of the things to come," but He is also God’s sustaining power and presence in our lives and will help us in many ways. Here are three truths we will find in the verses today:
The Spirit intercedes for you when you pray and even "steps in and articulates your.. with groaning too profound for words"when you can't find the words to pray.
The Spirit's presence is a constant reminder that, because of Christ presence at the Father's side, nothing can ever separate you from the His love.
The Spirit whose power raised Jesus from the dead is your assurance of ultimate victory just as Jesus was victorious over sin, death, and hell.
Treasure these assurances. Trust in the Spirit's presence. Glory awaits!
· Verses to Live
There are so many good things that await us. Even though we cannot see them now, we yearn for them. That is why Jesus promised that He would not leave you alone, but that I would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be with you and to help you until He comes back for you (Acts 2:32-33; Titus 3:3-7; John 14:18-26). So today, the verses come from things that Paul wrote to the Romans about blessings that the Spirit brings to Christians, including you; As I read them to you, find a few especially meaningful sentences to memorize. Then when times are tough, let the Holy Spirit remind you of these truths and fill your heart with the assurance that you are the Father's child, Christ beloved co-heir of the kingdom of God, and a person in whom the Spirit of the Almighty God lives. Absorb the truths that are in Romans 8:18-39
The Future Glory
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 958 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Two - The Helper - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 958 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the ninth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past seven Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. Last week we took a deep dive into type number One which is referred to as ‘The Reformer’ or ‘The Perfectionist.’ This week we will continue with type number two, ‘The Helper.’ Next week we will focus on type number three, ‘The Achiever.’
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Two – The Helper
3 - THE HELPER
Enneagram Type Two
The Caring, Interpersonal Type:
Generous, Demonstrative, People-Pleasing, and Possessive
· Type Two in Brief
Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own nee...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 958 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number Two - The Helper - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 958 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the ninth episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond differently to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past seven Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's or prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. Last week we took a deep dive into type number One which is referred to as ‘The Reformer’ or ‘The Perfectionist.’ This week we will continue with type number two, ‘The Helper.’ Next week we will focus on type number three, ‘The Achiever.’
Since we are exploring the Enneagram in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number Two – The Helper
1 - THE HELPER
Enneagram Type Two
The Caring, Interpersonal Type:
Generous, Demonstrative, People-Pleasing, and Possessive
· Type Two in Brief
Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own nee...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 957 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Appearances Can Be Deceiving – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 957 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
A man was flying from Seattle to San Francisco. The plane had to make an unexpected stop in Sacramento along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft, the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.
Everybody got off the plane except one gentleman who was blind. The flight attendant had noticed him when he boarded and could tell the gentleman was blind because his seeing-eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of him throughout the entire flight.
The flight attendant realized this man must have flown this very flight before because the pilot approached him, and calling him by name, said, "Bill, we're in Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?"
The blind man replied, "No thanks, but maybe my dog would like to stretch his legs." The pilot said, sure I will gladly take him for a walk.
Picture this: All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a seeing-eye dog. The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!
Remember ... things aren't always as they appear. For today’s Thursday Thought – we need to be very wise when judging others. Luke 6:37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 956 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Every day’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 956 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
He, Him, Me, Myself, and I - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 956 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Have you ever wondered what about some of the odd grammar structures in the Bible? Today’s essay will explore the important question of:
He, Him, Me, Myself, and I
How strange would it sound if a friend described what they did this morning like this? ''After she got out of bed, she took a shower and then made a quick breakfast for herself—just some coffee and a bagel. I was in such a hurry that I didn't even finish my bagel and just took the coffee with me!’
Be honest. You would probably wonder if your friend needed medication. Although your friend was describing what she did this morning, the first few details sounded like she was talking about someone else. If the information was about her and spoken by her, why not use “I” and “my”—what we call “first-person pronouns in grammar? Why would she refer to herself in the third person? We just don’t talk or write like that.
Neither would the biblical writers, but that is exactly what we read in many biblical passages. Consider the Ezekiel 1:1-4:
On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. (The Lord gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him.) As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.
The first two verses use the first person (“I”), which leads us to believe that Ezekiel himself is writing. But then there is a switch to the third person in verse three, as though the writer was not the famous prophet (“to Ezekiel ’: “him”). Then it’s back to the first person (“I”) again in verse four. What’s going on? Can’t Ezekiel decide if he’s writing or not?There’s no multiple personality disorder here. The switch between grammatical persons is simply the tell-tale sign of an editor. Someone other than Ezekiel inserted verse three to make it clear that the prophet wasn’t crazy: The prophet saw God and was led by the Spirit to describe what follows in the book.
Who had the authority to edit the Bible like this? The short answer is whomever God moved to do so under inspiration. The longer answer is that, in the case of the prophetic writings, someone accepted by the believing community of Israel to be a member of the prophetic class or tradition served as editor of the preaching and teaching of the prophets.
A picture of a prophetic class emerges during the time of Elijah and Elisha....
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 955 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Appreciation Creates Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 955 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Shaka Smart and it is: Appreciation is the currency of success.
Appreciation Creates Success
Success is a result of bringing value to the lives of other people and appreciating those who help you. If you do not show appreciation for what others do for you, then you will soon find that others will not assist you. We all need others to help us along our trek of life to provide encouragement and support. In the same manner, we need to be ready and willing to assist others that may need our help. Appreciation is the currency of success in all aspects of life. The more appreciation you show to others the more assistance you will receive from others in order to bring about the success that you desire. Always maintain the attitude of gratitude for everything that happens in your life. Even if your current situation is not pleasant, none of us know what blessings will come from them.Show appreciation at all times to everyone then you will see success flow to you.
1 Corinthians 16:18
They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 954 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 954 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Everyone Needs Grace – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 954 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Even the most moral person and an ethically upright person cannot live up to God’s standard of righteousness. Because of this, we need a substitute to take our place. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Everyone Needs Grace
Unfortunately, much of the world has repeatedly given up honoring the Creator. Most in the world have chased after worthless and depraved things. In addition, even those who seek to honor the Creator have also sinned. However, some of these religious people think that their religious knowledge and rules will save them. Many of the Jews in Paul's day had this belief. Unfortunately, some religious people in your day also have this belief. They think because they have made a religious confession, have read God’s Word, and have gone to religious meetings that they are somehow better. They forget Jesus’s words:
"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'"
Matthew 7:21-23 NLT
Paul wrote the parts of Romans that are now chapters 2, 3 and 7 to remind all people — religious and non-religious, Jews and non-Jews — that their deeds, their rules, their book, their religious pedigree, and their church attendance will not bring them God’s grace. Salvation is by the Father's grace (Romans 3, Romans 5). This grace is received through faith (Romans 4). You share in this grace by participating in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection which is represented through baptism (Romans 6). This grace is empowered by the Holy Spirit, Who brings the Father's will to life in you (Romans 8).
So the collection of verses today is a reminder of what Paul said in Romans chapters 2 and 3. He was emphatic: nothing and no one except faith in Jesus can make you right — not law, not Scripture, not race, not religious pedigree. Ultimately, all of these things have failed to enable people to live up to the God’s perfect standard of holiness. When you fail in one part of law-keeping, you are guilty of all (James 2:10). If you break one law, you are a lawbreaker.
Paul wanted the Roman believers, and other believers who came after them, to understand that no one can be saved without the Father's gift of grace purchased by Jesus’s death on the cross and empowered by the Holy Spirit. By their failure, all people stand condemned to live righteously without flaw and have missed God’s holy standard. Jews have failed to live up to the full standards demanded by the Mosaic law. Gentiles have failed to live up to the righteous standards of holiness. Everyone needs a Savior. No one can claim religious superiority.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 953 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Type Number One - The Reformer - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 953 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the eight episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This empathy can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past seven Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with nine interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's and the prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy, click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal located on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first seven episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works and then presented an overview of all nine personality types. On today’s trek, we will take a deep dive into type number one which is referred to as ‘The Reformer.’ Next week we will continue with type number two, ‘The Helper.’
Since we are exploring this tool in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Type Number One – The Reformer
1 - THE REFORMER
Enneagram Type One
The Rational, Idealistic Type:
Principled, Purposeful, Self-controlled, and Perfectionistic
· Type One in Brief
Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical of themselves and others, and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and impatience. At their Best: wise,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 952 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
General Moses on a Rescue Mission – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 952 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your Vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
General Moses on a Rescue Mission
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned at Sunday school.
"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and wiping out the enemy, but and all the Israelites were saved."
"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.
"Well, no. But if I told it the way the teacher taught it, you'd never believe it!"
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, when you are in need, God will rescue you:
Exodus 14:13
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 951 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 951 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Where is the Ark of the Covenant? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 951 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Have you ever wondered what happened to the Ark of the Covenant? Today’s essay will explore the important question of:
Where is the Ark of the Covenant?
I can still recall the thrill of seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. Dr. Heiser also agreed when he said, as a senior in high school, I had already been infected with the archaeology bug. This movie boosted my interest to a whole new level. As Providence would have it, I followed the path of Indiana Jones—at least academically. I'm still fascinated by the ark, but I no longer believe it is lost and awaiting discovery. I have Jeremiah to blame for that.
The idea that the Ark of the Covenant survived Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Judah is based on the absence of any explicit reference to the ark being among the vessels of gold carried to Babylon in 2 Chronicles 36:5-8. Likewise, the list of items brought back to Judah after the end of the exile makes no mention the ark Ezra 1:5-11. The simplest explanation is that the ark was among the items that were stripped away from the temple in 2 Kings 24:13 As the Lord had said beforehand, Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the treasures from the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace. He stripped away (cut apart] all the gold objects that King Solomon of Israel had placed in the Temple. No one would pay to see that movie.
From ancient times until the present day, people have resisted the idea that God would allow Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Israel’s holiest object. Testifying to the power of this resistance, there are nearly a dozen theories as to how the ark survived.Some of these theories are drawn from biblical events. Perhaps Hezekiah gave the ark to Sennacherib as part of his tribute payment 2 Kings 18. Might it have been removed by faithful priests when Manasseh put an idol in the temple 2 Kings 21:1-9? Indiana Jones told millions that Pharaoh Shishak took the ark to the city of Tanis in Egypt when he invaded Jerusalem 1 Kings 14:25-26. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.
Perhaps the most intricate theory involves Menelik I, the alleged son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, taking the ark to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian royal chronicle, the Kebra Nagast, presents this idea so seriously that rulers of Ethiopia well into the 20th century had to prove their descent from Menelik I.
Other theories grew out of specific passages in ancient texts. Second Maccabees 2:5 records Jeremiah hiding the ark in a cave before Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion. Second Baruch 6:1-9 describes the ark being supernaturally swallowed up by the earth before the invasion,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 950 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Friend's Success – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 950 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Oscar Wilde and it is: Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's successes.
A Friend’s Success
Most of us do sympathize with a friend as they go through struggles and pain because we do not like to see them suffer. We may even be able to empathize with a suffering friend if we have gone through something similar. A mature person though will sympathize with a friend who is successful and do so without jealousy and envy. We should be able to do both. Too often we start dispising friends who are successful, especially if we are not successful ourselves. Let us rejoice with those who receive the good things of life in the same way that we console with those who suffer.
Romans 12:15-16
Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 949 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 949 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Thought Become Actions – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 949 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
What do you allow your mind to think about throughout your day? Where do those thoughts take you? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Thoughts Become Actions
Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions.
Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s temper tantrum.
Today’s bigotry is tomorrow’s hate crime.
Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse.
Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery.
Today’s greed is tomorrow’s embezzlement.
Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear.
Could that be why Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged
Some folks don’t know we have an option.
Paul says we do in 2 Corinthians 10:5 : We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage--“destroy every obstacle,” “capture rebellious thoughts” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies.
It was for Jesus. Remember the thoughts that came his way courtesy of the mouth of Peter? Jesus had just prophesied his death, burial, and resurrection, but Peter couldn’t bear the thought of it. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things as recorded in Matthew 16:22-23 “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
See the decisiveness of Jesus?
What if you did that? What if you took every thought captive? What if you took the counsel of Solomon in Proverbs 4:23: Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.You are not a victim of your thoughts. You have a vote. You have a voice. You can exercise thought prevention. You can also exercise thought permission.
Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others?
Paul says absolutely! It’s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We’ve got to let the good stuff in. It’s not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We have to cultivate a list of blessings. The same verb Paul uses for keeps in the phrase “keeps no records of being wrong” is used for think in Philippians 4:8: And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 948 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - An Overview of the Nine Types - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 948 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the seventh episode in our series delving into what makes each of us respond to life situations and circumstances. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This can be achieved by utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past six Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with 9 interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today's and the prior week’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy of it click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend the book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery from a Christian perspective.
In the first six episodes, we explored how The Enneagram System works. On today’s trek, we will explore an Overview of the nine Enneagram types. Starting next Friday, we will take a deep dive into each type, one per week for the following nine weeks.
Since we are exploring this tool in detail, and I would also recommend reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – An Overview of the Nine Types
1 - THE REFORMER
Enneagram Type One
The Rational, Idealistic Type:
Principled, Purposeful, Self-controlled, and Perfectionistic
Type One in Brief
Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical of themselves and others, and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and impatience. At their Best: wise, discerning, realistic, and noble. Can be morally heroic.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 947 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Having a Wife – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 947 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Having a Wife
In Sunday School, they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs.
Later in the week, his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and said, "Johnny what is the matter?"
Little Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, being blessed with a godly wife is one of lives greatest blessings:
Proverbs 18:22
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 946 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 946 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Jeremiah: Double Vision? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 946 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Should we be concerned when there are differences in the ancient text which our modern Bibles are translated from? Today’s essay will explore one such instance and how we should consider the outcome:
Jeremiah: Double Vision?
If we look beyond the details of Jeremiah's anguish and apparently fruitless ministry, we can spot a dual emphasis in the book that bears his name: judgment and repentance. Emphasis is not the only double issue. Two full versions of the book have survived from antiquity—and they diverge in many ways.
· The “Jeremiah Problem”
The book of Jeremiah has come to us in two versions—a Hebrew version, the Masoretic Text, and a Greek version, the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament). Our modern English Bibles follow the arrangement and content of the Masoretic Text. The Septuagint version (or lxx) was translated from a Hebrew text of the book that differed in many ways from the Masoretic Text. Because of this, the Greek version is roughly one-eighth shorter than the Masoretic Text, and after Jeremiah 25:13, the order of the chapters differs dramatically.
Despite attempts to solve the ‘Jeremiah problem,’ the textual history of both versions remains unresolved. We still don’t know which Hebrew text is older—the one we have today Masoretic Text or the one used by the scribes who created the Septuagint.
The fragmentary scrolls of the book found among the Dead Sea Scrolls usually follow the order and content of Masoretic Text, but some of the material matches the Hebrew manuscript that was translated into the Septuagint. Consequently, the Dead Sea Scrolls cannot offer a definitive answer regarding which version of the book more closely aligns with the time of the prophet.
We also find mixed results when examining the history of these versions. The Jewish community favored the Masoretic Text version, but this is only apparent from around 100 AD onward, after the time of Jesus and the apostles. New Testament writers favored the Septuagint when quoting the Old Testament.
Studies reveal that when the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament, the wording found in the Greek New Testament, the Masoretic Text, and the Septuagint differs in some way 80 percent of the time. Word-for-word quotations of Masoretic Text are not common, amounting to less than five percent. Even when factoring in nearly identical quotations of Masoretic Text, it is clear that the New Testament writers only appear to have used Masoretic Text 20 percent of the time. The New Testament writers most often quoted from the Septuagint, but this doesn’t mean they endorsed or preferred it, since they used both versions. They were writing in Greek, and so using a Greek translation would have been natural.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 945 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Resolution to Succeed – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 945 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Abraham Lincoln and it is: Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.
Resolution to Succeed
Success in any area of life is a combination of timing, talent, and resolution or persistence. Of these three elements, the resolution to succeed will supersede the other two. Without the persistence to succeed all the talent in the world, and even the best timing, will not bring about the success desired. Hard work and the resolution to keep going when the path to success becomes difficult will ensure that the talent you may have, and the wisdom to ascertain the proper timing be utilized fully. I have known many a successful person overcome a lack of innate talent when their resolution to achieve and succeed is strong. Resolution is not a short-term attribute but must be incorporated into the very fabric of your life. As I have mentioned several times in the past much of success is rooted in the habits of being consistently persistent over a long period of time. Yes, talent and timing will expedite success, but without the resolution to succeed talent and timing are useless. Proverbs 21:5
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 944 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 944 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Aching Arms – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. This is Day 944 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Have you ever worked or exercised so hard that you were bone tired and could barely hold up your arms? A time where your arms felt as if they were made of rock or iron. In times like these, we need others to come along beside us to help us. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Aching Arms
A fairly well-known story in the Old Testament also gives us another example of someone with aching arms, and this is found in Exodus 17:11-12
As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.I don't know why God required Moses to keep his hands raised when the ancient Israelites were in battle against the Amalekites—unless it was to acknowledge Israel's total dependence on God. Whatever the reason, it was a smart move to get a helping hand from Aaron and Hur, as Moses never could have made it by himself. It is also a good lesson for all of us because none of us can get through life without a helping hand from others.
I believe it was Paul Harvey who made the following comment: "We have always tended to revere the airplane pilot who did it alone and the country doctor who never left the bedside…. Such a spirit of independence served us well and caused us all to grow tall. But we'd never have made it to the moon without a spirit of interdependence. And we'd never have eradicated typhoid and smallpox and polio without a cooperative effort. We've found that no person alone can fetch oil from beneath the ocean. We've found that we are becoming increasingly interdependent—not only in our country but also all around the world…. On the steep slope ahead, holding hands is necessary."
I might also add that in the quiet of our home with our spouse, children and grandchildren, and even among friends holding hands is also necessary. We need to help when others become weak, just as we will need help at times when we are weak. This will allow us to encourage and strengthen each other as we are told in
1 Thessalonians 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 943 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - Directions of Integration (Growth) and Disintegration (Stress) -
Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 943 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the sixth episode in a new series delving into what makes each of us respond as we do to life situations. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This is utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past four Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with 9 interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today’s and the prior weeks Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy of it click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend a recently released book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery.
When I discovered the depth of the Enneagram, it opened up a new horizon of understanding of myself first, and also helps me to understand others better. The Enneagram is the most useful tool of this type I’ve encountered for personal growth. We are exploring this tool in detail, and I would recommend also reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. If you have any questions or would like additional resources, please send me a message from the Wisdom Journal page, and I will reply. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several week or months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – Directions of Integration (Growth) and Disintegration (Stress)
As we in last Friday’s podcast and journal the Levels of Development, the nine personality types of the Enneagram are not static categories: they reflect our change over time. Further, the sequence of the types and the arrangement of the inner lines of the symbol are not arbitrary. The inner lines of the Enneagram connect the types in a sequence that denotes what each type will do under different conditions. There are two lines connected to each type, and they connect with two other types. One line connects with a type that represents how a person of the first type behaves when they are moving toward health and growth.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 942 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Fool's Letter – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 942 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
A Fool’s Letter
One Sunday a pastor found several letters awaiting him when he arrived at the church. He opened and read each one. Most of the letters expressed their appreciation for him and encouraged him. He came to the last one and opened it. This letter contained only the word, "Fool!"
Quietly and with becoming seriousness he shared this letter with the congregation and announced, "I have known many an instance of a person writing a letter and forgetting to sign their name, but this is the only instance I have ever known of someone signing his name and forgetting to write the letter."
Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, remember, we are known for the words that we use.
Proverbs 10:21 - The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 941 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 941 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Standing in the Council - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Today is Day 941 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you also have to have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing each Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
What does it take to be a Prophet of God? Today’s essay will lay out the qualifications as we explore…
Standing in the Council
Most people think a prophet is someone empowered by God to foretell the future. No doubt, prophets announced God's intentions, but forecasting future events wasn’t their primary job description. A prophet's chief task was to serve as God’s mouthpiece to His covenant people Israel and to her enemies. So how did someone become a prophet? Was there some sort of heavenly qualification? In fact, there was.
You might think the standard for a prophet was whether their words came to pass exactly as uttered as described in Deuteronomy 18:15-22. That is actually a by-product of the real litmus test, which we read about in Jeremiah 23:18 & 22.
“Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence (or the council (sod))
to hear what he is really saying?
Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
If they had stood before me (the council (sod)) and listened to me,
they would have spoken my words,
and they would have turned my people
from their evil ways and deeds.”
What does it mean to “stand in the council”? The one essential test of a prophet—that preceded their ability to deliver a divine message was that the prophet had to see and hear God in His council or presence.
In the Bible, God and His heavenly host were thought to live and conduct business in the divine throne room. This assembly, with God as its Judge or CEO, is called “a divine council or heaven’s court” (Psalms 82:1: 89:5-7). God chose prophets and commissioned them directly for ministry. When a prophet “stood in the council,” he had a direct encounter with God in His throne room. This motif of “standing in the council” is a repeated pattern in the Bible.
In the case of Isaiah, the prophet was transported to the throne room of Yahweh (Isaiah 6:1-6) to receive his call to service (Isaiah 6:8-9). For Ezekiel, the circumstances were reversed, with the throne of the Lord coming to him (Ezekiel 1:1-14. 26-28). Jeremiah was also commissioned via a direct encounter with God. At the beginning of his ministry, the “word of the Lord” came to him (Jeremiah 1:4) and appointed him a prophet. The “word” is identified as Yahweh (Jeremiah 1:6-7) who has come in human form. He reaches out His hand to touch Jeremiah's mouth (Jeremiah 1:9). It was this encounter that distinguished Jeremiah from false prophets.The pattern began with the first man Adam, as Job 15:7-8 indicates.
"Were you the first person ever born?
Were you born before the hills were made?
Were you listening at God’s secret council (sod)?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?"
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 940 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Daily Review Your Progress – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from John C. Maxwell, and it is, "Allow time for acceptance. Head into action. Expect problems. Always point to your success. Daily review your progress."
Daily Review Your Progress
There are certain steps that must be taken to ensure success in any area of life. When you initially come up with an idea you will need to accept the fact that this idea could be successful. Once that kernel of truth is firmly planted in your mind, then you must take action on your plan.
When the action is taken, you must expect and realize that you will run into problems on your journey to success. Don’t allow those problems to distract you from your plans and goals. When obstacles do fall across your path, find a solution over them, around them, under them, or through them. When you successfully navigate through the problems, large or small, celebrate those victories.
To sustain and maintain your path towards your ultimate success in this area you must review your progress daily to make sure you are still on the correct path and that your destination remains the same. If these steps are followed consistently with persistence, then you will achieve success in any area that you choose in life.
You must faithfully prepare the ground for success, plant your seeds of success, and till the garden for success before you can ever reap the harvest of success.
Hebrews 12:11 - No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 939 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 939 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Work Is Holy – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 939 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Work…most people either hate it or barely tolerate it. As a Christ follower, our work is to be holy, regardless of our occupation or calling. In our Meditation Monday, today I want us to reflect on…
Work Is Holy
Heaven’s calendar has seven Sabbaths a week. God sanctifies each day. He conducts holy business at all hours and in all places. He makes the uncommon into the common by turning kitchen sinks into shrines, cafés into convents, and nine-to-five workdays into spiritual adventures.
Are you speaking of workdays, the daily 9-5 grind? Yes, workdays. God ordained your work as something good. Before he gave Adam a wife or a child, even before he gave Adam britches, God gave Adam a job. “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it,” Genesis 2:15. Innocence, not indolence, characterized the first family.
God views work worthy of its own engraved commandment, “You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest,” Exodus 34:21. We like the second half of that verse. The emphasis on the day of rest might cause us to miss the command to work, “You have six days each week for your ordinary work.” Whether you work at home or in the marketplace, your work matters to God.
And your work matters to society. We need you! Cities need plumbers. Nations need soldiers. Stoplights break. Bones break. We need people to repair the first and set the second. Someone has to raise kids, raise cane, and manage the kids who raise Cain.
Whether you log on or lace up for the day, you imitate God. Jehovah himself worked for the first six days of creation."But Jesus replied, 'My Father is always working, and so am I,'" John 5:17. Your career consumes half of your lifetime. Shouldn’t it broadcast God? Don’t those forty to sixty hours a week belong to him as well?
The Bible never promotes workaholics or addiction to employment as pain medication. God unilaterally calls all the physically able to till the gardens he gives. God honors work. So honor God in your work. "So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God," Ecclesiastes 2:24.
Here is a big idea:
Use your uniqueness (what you do)
to make a big deal out of God (why you do it)
every day of your life (where you do it).
At the convergence of all three, you’ll find your sweet spot.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becomin...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 938 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - The Continuum of the Levels of Development - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 938 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the fifth episode in a new series delving into what makes each of us respond as we do to life situations. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. This is utilizing a profound tool call ‘The Enneagram.’ If you have missed any of our past four Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with 9 interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like a PDF copy of it click on the link in today’s Wisdom Journal on our website Wisdom-Trek.com.
I would also recommend a recently released book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery.
When I discovered the depth of the Enneagram, it opened up a new horizon of understanding of myself first, and also helps me to understand others better. The Enneagram is the most useful tool of this type I’ve encountered for personal growth. We are exploring this tool in detail, and I would recommend also reading the Wisdom Journal for each Friday to see the diagrams presented each week. If you have any questions or would like additional resources, please send me a message from the Wisdom Journal page, and I will reply. As helpful as the Enneagram is, keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. All decisions and actions that we make in life must be in harmony with God’s precepts.
So the questions for the next several week or months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – The Continuum of the Levels of Development
The continuum is comprised of nine internal Levels of Development—briefly, there are three Levels in the healthy section, three Levels in the average section, and three Levels in the unhealthy section. It may help you to think of the continuum of Levels as a photographer’s grayscale which has gradations from pure white to pure black with many shades of gray in between. On the continuum, the healthiest traits appear first, at the top, so to speak. As we move down the continuum in a spiral pattern, we progressively pass through each Level of Development marking a distinct shift in the personality’s deterioration to the pure black of psychological breakdown at the bottom.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 937 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
To Kiss or Not to Kiss – Humor Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 937 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
To Kiss or Not to Kiss
At the end of their first date, Sam takes Sally back to her home. On the front porch, leaning against the wall with a bit of swagger, Sam decides to try for that important first kiss.
"Hey sweet thing, how 'bout a good night kiss?"
"Oh, I couldn't do that. My parents will see us!"
"Oh come on! Who's gonna see us at this hour?"
"No, please. I would just die of embarrassment if someone saw us."
"Sally, there's nobody around, they're all sleeping!"
"No way. It's just too risky!"
"Oh please, please, I like you so much, and it was such a nice date!!"
"No. I like you too, but I just can't risk it!"
"Oh yes you can. Please, Sally”
"No, no. I just can't."
Just then the porch light goes on, and the girl's sister shows up in her pajamas, sleepy, hair disheveled. "Dad says to go ahead and give him a kiss. Or I can do it. Or if need be, he'll come down himself and do it. But for crying out loud tell him to take his hand off the intercom button!"For Thursday’s Thought, Sam should have understood that even though he did not realize that he was pressing the intercom button, there is one who sees and knows all that we do, say and think:
Job 34:21
“For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 936 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 936 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Immanuel's Mother: Virgin or Not? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 936 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Words are important. As part of creating a solid Biblical Worldview, it is important to study some key and maybe controversial words within the Bible. While the human authors of God’s Word had a specific meaning in mind when they chose certain words, translating them can cause us to have questions. Especially those who want to try and dispute the Bible. So today’s essay explores
Immanuel’s Mother: Virgin or Not?
The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is among the most well-known passages in the book of Isaiah. It's also one of the most controversial, for many reasons.
All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin (almah) will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
It's difficult to get through the Christmas or Easter season without seeing one of the major news periodicals or educational television networks cast doubt about the meaning of almah in Isaiah 7:14 which is usually translated as virgin.
A favorite argument is that the Hebrew word almah cannot mean "virgin” but instead refers to a young woman of marriageable age, without respect to prior sexual activity. The more precise word for "virgin" is betulah a word not used in Isaiah 7:14. The New Testament author Matthew, we are so often told, mistakenly assumed the term meant “virgin.” The argument is that his ignorance of the original Hebrew word led to the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus. But are these assertions correct?
It's true that betulah refers to someone who has been sexually inactive but does that mean almah never means virgin? (Leviticus 21:3; Judges 21:12; Deuteronomy 22:23&28; Exodus 22:15). Outside of Isaiah 7:14, the word almah occurs only six times in the Old Testament. In all but one of those occurrences, the context provides no clue as to the sexual status of the young woman or women (Genesis 24:43; Exodus 2:8; Psalms 68:25; Song of Solomon 1:3&6:8: Proverbs 30:10). Virginity is suggested, however, in Song of Solomon 6:8 where almah occurs in the plural alamot: “Even among sixty queens and eighty concubines and countless young women.”
The distinction between queens, concubines, and alamot is important. A queen was a royal wife, which obviously entails a sexual relationship with the king. A concubine was a sexual partner who held certain privileges, but not to the level of a wife. This would suggest that the third group, the alamot, had no sexual relationship with the king. An almah in this text is a candidate to become a concubine or a wife.
This is precisely what we see in the book of Esther. Esther 2:3 Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 935 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Imagine What the Future Could Be – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 935 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Brian Tracy and it is: All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
Imagine What the Future Could Be
Every success in life first begins with a dream within your imagination. You must imagine a successful outcome before setting out on that trek which will lead you to your destination. Along the trail that you follow may be many detours, obstacles, and setbacks but it is through these fires what success is forged. Liken success to being at the bottom of the mountain. As you approach the mountain, you may be able to see the summit far in the distance, but once you start up the steep and treacherous trail, there are many times where the destination is blocked. As you take one step after another although it is difficult to tell at times you are getting closer each day to that desired summit. That is your goal and purpose to reach new heights each day. Some days very little progress will be made, other days you will achieve great forward motion. The key to success is to continue on each day and soon you will reach your destination. When the days are long, and you are tempted to give up remember what we are told in Isaiah 40:31
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 934 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 934 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Power of a Creed – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. This is Day 934 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Creeds are principles by which to live. If we want to live worthwhile and purposeful lives, it pays to choose and believe in a worthwhile and purposeful creed. Many have been written by others. A well thought-out one was written by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. It is as follows: In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
Th Power of a Creed
"I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
"I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.
"I believe that the law was made for man and not man for the law; that government is the servant of the people and not their master.
"I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living, but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.
"I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living and that economy is a prime requisite of a sound financial structure, whether in government, business, or personal affairs.
"I believe that truth and justice are fundamental to an enduring social order.
"I believe in the sacredness of a promise, that a man's word should be as good as his bond; that character—not wealth or power or position—is of supreme worth.
"I believe that the rendering of useful service is the common duty of mankind and that only in the purifying fire of sacrifice is the dross of selfishness consumed and the greatness of the human soul set free.
"I believe in an all-wise and all-loving God … and that the individual's highest fulfillment, greatest happiness, and widest usefulness are to be found in living in harmony with His will.
"I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world; that it alone can overcome hate; that right can and will triumph over might."
We would all do well to read this creed often and practice it all year long.
Another short creed from God’s Word is contained within Micah 6:8
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 932 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - The Wings and Levels of Development - Ask Gramps
We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, Ohio. Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 933 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Today is the fourth episode in a new series delving into what makes each of us respond as we do to life situations. Understanding ourselves and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with more love and compassion. We began with an overview of the enneagram specifically from a Biblically based perspective. We then looked at how the Enneagram system works. Last week we explored a little deeper the aspects of why the enneagram is such a powerful tool in understanding yourself, and how it can help you to understand others that you interact with and impact. Today we will explore what is referred to as ‘wings’ which are the numbers on either side of your predominate personality style. If you have missed any of our past three Friday series, I would recommend going back and listen to them or read the Wisdom Journals. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with 9 interconnected points (Ennea refers to 9 and Gram referring to a drawing). Check out today’s Wisdom Journal for a representation of it. I have also included in today’s Wisdom Journal a copy of ‘The Enneagram At-A-Glance’ which was compiled by Suzanne H Eller. If you would like me to send you a PDF copy click on this link. The Enneagram At-A-Glance . I would also recommend a recently released book ‘The Road Back to You’ written by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. It is an excellent book about an enneagram journey to self-discovery.
When I discovered the depth of the Enneagram, it opened up a new horizon of understanding of myself first, and also helps me to understand others better. The Enneagram is the most useful tool of this type I’ve encountered for personal growth. Keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word.
So the questions for the next several week or months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – The Wings and Levels of Development
The Wing
No one is a pure personality type: everyone is a unique mixture of his or her basic type and usually one of the two types adjacent to it on the circumference of the Enneagram. One of the two types adjacent to your basic type is called your wing.
Your basic type dominates your overall personality, while the wing complements it and adds important, sometimes contradictory, elements to your total personality. Your wing is the “second side” of your personality, and it must be taken into consideration to better understand yourself or someone else. For example, if you are a personality type Nine,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 932 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Inheritance – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 932 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
The Inheritance
Ms. Jones, the 6th-grade teacher, posed the following problem to one of her arithmetic classes: "A wealthy man dies and leaves ten million dollars. One-fifth is to go to his wife, one-fifth is to go to his son, one-sixth to his butler, and the rest to charity. Now, what does each get?"
After a very long silence in the classroom, little Dewey raised his hand. The teacher called on Dewey for his answer.
With complete sincerity in his voice, little Dewey answered, "A lawyer."Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
I hope that has brought a smile to you for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, we can be thankful that we have an inheritance which is far great than any earthly inheritance:
Ephesians 1:11
Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 931 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 931 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. Today is Day 931 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled ’I Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.’
Most people who know anything about the Bible if they were to be asked who wrote the Book of Proverbs, they would probably say Solomon. It is my favorite book of the Bible, and that is the name that comes to my mind. Today’s essay explores
Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs?
The first chapter and verse of Proverbs announce: These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. This is reiterated in Proverbs 10:1 and Proverbs 25:1. By its own testimony, though, the book of Proverbs had many authors: Proverbs 24:23 tell us: “Here are some further sayings of the wise” which literally means, wise ones. This same idea that the proverbs in the book were written by a number of sages is reiterated in Proverbs 1:6 and 22:17. We find that old traditions die hard, and the authorship of these proverbs is still debated. What role did Solomon actually play in writing this Wisdom literature?
· Solomon Had a Pen Name?
In some passages of Proverbs, the sages who wrote the book are named. Proverbs 30 was written by Agur, son of Jakeh as is noted in chapter 30:1. An interesting fact is that we know nothing else about him. Some believe Agur is a pen name for Solomon. However, there is little evidence to support this. The name may also be translated more commonly as “the assembler, ' which may point to an anonymous collector of Proverbs who also wrote chapter 30.
Proverbs 31:1 informs us that King Lemuel wrote the famous chapter about the virtuous woman. In this verse, we learn that Lemuel was taught proverbs by his mother. There is little else known about this elusive king. Jewish tradition views the writer as yet another pen name of Solomon, but there is no reliable proof for this connection.
· In the Tradition of Solomon
Proverbs 25:1 provides another insight into authorship: These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah. The word translated “copied "can also mean “transcribed.' This suggests that some of the proverbs, perhaps chapters 25-29, were produced by scribes living in the days of Hezekiah which was 715-687 bc, well after the lifetime of Solomon.At least one anonymous sage did contribute to Proverbs. Portions of Proverbs 22-23 come from an Egyptian wisdom text composed before Solomon’s lifetime, The Instruction of Amenemope. In addition, Proverbs 1:25 appears to be quoting Jeremiah 20:7 and certain portions of Zechariah 7. However, just because there may have been later additions to the book of Proverbs doesn’t mean the entire book is dated later than Solomon. There is also the possibility that Jeremiah and Zechariah were drawing on Proverbs.
· In the Tradition of Egypt
Because Proverbs 22-23 draws on an ancient Egyptian wisdom text that pre-dates Solomon,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 930 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Do Not Imitate the Success of Others – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 930 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Harrison Ford and it is: All I would tell people is to hold onto what was individual about themselves, not to allow their ambition for success to cause them to try to imitate the success of others. You’ve got to find it on your own terms.
Do Not Imitate the Success of Others
Nearly everyone desires to be successful in one or many areas of life, which is admirable. Unfortunately, many people attempt to become successful by imitating the success of others. You will never be truly successful imitating others. True success is becoming the best possible person that you can become. Success is to fully utilize your God-given talents and opportunities and fulfill His will for your life. You are created uniquely by God for a specific purpose that only you can fulfill. If you attempt to be successful in imitating the success of someone else you may miss that unique opportunity that only you can become. Do not rob the world of the impact your success can bring. You and the world will be much richer by you successfully becoming you.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 929 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 929 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Challenging Fear – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at ‘The Big House’ in Marietta, OH. This is Day 929 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
What makes a person beautiful and attractive as opposed to someone who is considered ugly and unattractive? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on:
True Beauty
We read in 1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”In Western culture and in fact, in most cultures, tremendous emphasis is placed on physical beauty. There's nothing wrong with being beautiful and keeping ourselves attractive, but if that's what controls our life and is a cover-up for insecurity, we will be left very empty inside—and even more so as the years take their toll on our body.
Sophia Loren says that "beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical." Sure that was easy for Sophia to say with her incredible physical beauty, but what she said was true. Better said, it would be, "True beauty is what you are inside." If we are only loved for our physical beauty, we will never feel truly loved because that is not the real person.
As Saint Exupery said, "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Ralph Waldo Emerson put it this way, "Though we search the world over for the beautiful, we find it within or we find it not."
Furthermore, we can only ever be loved to the degree that we are known—and that has nothing to do with our external appearance, but all to do with our inner being.According to God's Word in Proverbs 31:30, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a person who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."
Look for the true beauty in everyone that you meet, and even in yourself.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of the past 928 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 928 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Enneagram System - The Centers - Ask Gramps
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 928 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.
Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
A couple of weeks ago, we began a new series delving into what makes each of us respond as we do to life situations. Understanding this and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with love and compassion.
We began with an overview of the Enneagram specifically from a Biblically-based perspective. Last Friday we looked at how the Enneagram works. This week we will explore a little deeper why the Enneagram is such a powerful tool in understanding yourself and how it can help you to understand others that you interact with and impact. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with 9 interconnected points (ennea refers to 9 and gram referring to a drawing). See a representation of it below.
When I discovered the depth of the Enneagram, it opened up a new horizon of understanding of myself and also helped me to understand others better. The Enneagram is the most useful tool of this type I’ve encountered for personal growth. Keep in mind, though, it is still only a tool and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s word.
So the questions for the next several weeks or months will be…
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
The Enneagram System – The Centers
The Enneagram is a 3 x 3 arrangement of nine personality types in three Centers. There are three types in the Instinctive Center, three in the Feeling Center, and three in the Thinking Center, as shown below. Each Center consists of three personality types that have common assets and liabilities of that Center. For example, personality type Four has unique strengths and liabilities involving its feelings, which is why it is in the Feeling Center. Likewise, the Eight’s assets and liabilities involve its relationship to its instinctual drives, which is why it is in the Instinctive Center, and so forth for all nine personality types.
The Centers of the Enneagram
The inclusion of each type in its Center is not arbitrary. Each type results from a particular relationship with a cluster of issues that characterize that Center. Most simply, these issues revolve around a powerful, largely unconscious, emotional response to the loss of contact with the core of the self. In the Instinctive Center, the emotion is Anger or Rage. In the Feeling Center, the emotion is Shame, and in the Thinking Center, it is Fear. Of course, all nine types contain all three of these emotions, but in each Center, the personalities of the types are particularly affected by that Center’s emotional theme.
The Dominant Emotion of Each Center
Thus,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 927 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
You Driver's License Photo – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 927 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit of levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
Your Driver’s License Photo
When I went to get my driver's license renewed, our local motor-vehicle bureau was packed as usual. I took my number and waited and waited.
The lines inched along for almost an hour until it was finally my turn. By the time I got to the counter, I was not happy. I impatiently went through all the paperwork, got my picture taken, and finally got my license.
As I inspected the photo for a moment I commented to the clerk, "I was standing in line for so long, I ended up looking pretty grouchy in this picture."
The clerk looked at his picture closely. "It's okay," he reassured me, "That's how you're going to look when the cops pull you over anyway."
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
I hope that has brought a smile to you for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, we need to learn to be pleasant at all times, as Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 926 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 926 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Slaying the Sea Monster - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Today is Day 926 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors.
In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
You may have a good grasp of the creation account found in Genesis, but there are aspects to it that our modern translations miss. Today’s essay explores an aspect of creation you may have overlooked…
Slaying the Sea Monster
When we think of creation, we think of everything beginning with God's spoken word, as Genesis l tells us. But some Old Testament writers concentrate on another aspect of creation—and a weird one at that. In the middle of God’s ordering of the sea and dry land and His establishing of the sun, moon, stars, and the seasons in Psalm 74, we find another event: God destroying sea monsters.
Psalm 74:12-17
You, O God, are my king from ages past,
bringing salvation to the earth.
You split the sea by your strength
and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan
and let the desert animals eat him.
You caused the springs and streams to gush forth,
and you dried up rivers that never run dry.
Both day and night belong to you;
you made the starlight and the sun.
You set the boundaries of the earth,
and you made both summer and winter.
· Warring the Sea Monster
The reference to God smashing “the heads of the sea monster" and crushing “the heads of Leviathan" has led many on a desperate study of Old Testament zoology. But this, along with many other confusing Old Testament images, has a cultural context.
In the ancient world, the original (“primordial") chaotic conditions of creation were often portrayed as a monstrous dragon. This is reflected in stories from ancient Babylon and Israel’s closest neighbor, Ugarit (ancient Syria, just north of Israel).
In the literature of ancient Ugarit, the god Baal battles the sea, who is portrayed as a chaotic, churning sea and a terrifying sea dragon named Tannum and Litanu. These terms are equivalent to the Hebrew words in Psalm 74:13-14, “You divided the sea by your might; you smashed the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan.”
Other parallels are found elsewhere in the Old Testament. In Ugaritic stories, Litanu is described as a “twisting serpent” and a “fleeing serpent.” Those precise phrases are used to describe the sea beast Leviathan in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 27:1 - In that day the Lord will take his terrible, swift sword and punish Leviathan, the swiftly moving serpent, the coiling, writhing serpent. He will kill the dragon of the sea.
Job 26:13 - His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent.
· What’s the Point?
God didn't really fight a literal dragon at the beginning of creation.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 925 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Aim for Success, Not for Perfection – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 925 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged.
Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.
Today’s quote is from Dr. David M. Burns, and it is, "Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life."
Aim for Success, Not Perfection
Admit it, none of us will ever reach perfection. While you should strive to be the best you possibly can be based on your current knowledge, skills, and innate abilities, aim to be as successful as possible with the realization that you will never be perfect.
Allow for setbacks and failures along the way because they are sure to happen. Use those setbacks and failures to be a time for learning so that when you move forward again, you can reach new heights of success. Don’t ever allow setbacks to stop you.
Yes, you may have to take a different path the next time, but there is no turning back. With each day that passes, you will have gained new knowledge and experiences that will propel you forward as you begin again. Look forward to every opportunity with the realization that you are more knowledgeable and better prepared than at any point in the past. Each time you move forward is another opportunity to aim for success.
God desires our success because it brings glory to Him as Psalm 90:17 illustrates.
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 924 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 924 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Challenging Fear – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This is Day 924 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.
Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
I find that so many people are fearful today. Fear of the political situation. Fear of financial crises. Fear of health issues. Fear of abandonment. Fear of the future. There is a healthy fear that we should have of imminent danger, but most fear is not healthy. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…
Challenging Fear
We are told in 1 John 4:18,"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love."
Most of us struggle with fear of one sort or another at various seasons of life. Some mild, some serious, some healthy, and some unhealthy and self-defeating.
Healthy fear is a self-protective mechanism. We rightly fear (or should) driving through a red light or doing anything that could hurt us or others. Unhealthy fear is that which is caused by someone who hurt us deeply, especially when we bury and deny it. This fear can become floating anxiety and cause us to be fearful of everyday living, separate us from close relationships and cause loneliness, give us ulcers or other physical ills, or cause us to hide it and "protect" ourselves with anger.
Fears that are relatively harmless can often be overcome by doing the thing we fear and thereby reconditioning our response to the particular thing we fear.
Unhealthy or self-defeating fears need to be dealt with at their root cause. For example, if you were abused or abandoned as a child, you may be fearful of being treated the same way as an adult. Unless you face and resolve this fear, you will tend to either withdraw from close relationships or be attracted to people who will repeat the abuse or abandonment you experienced in the past. Sadly, the things you fail to resolve you are destined to repeat.
As today's Scripture points out, "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear." Thus,
to be made perfect in love means we need to resolve any unhealthy fears. To do this, these fears need to be recognized and if repressed, they need to be brought into the conscious mind so they can be confronted and resolved.
Look at the symptoms in your life. Do you avoid close relationships? Is your life filled with anxiety? Are you an angry person? Do you have any impaired close relationships? Is your marriage a wreck? If any of these apply to you, chances are you may have unresolved fear. So when you pray, admit these and any other issues to God and ask him to give you the courage to see the root cause of these—and to lead you to the help you need to overcome these. Ultimately all unhealthy fear is rooted in our mindset and requires changing the way we think. The underlying cause is a lack of faith that God loves you and is ready and willing to help you.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 923 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
How the Enneagram System Works - Ask Gramps
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 923 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
Starting last week, we began a new series delving into what makes each of us respond as we do to life situations. Understanding this and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with love and compassion. We started last Friday with an overview of the Enneagram specifically from a Biblically based perspective.
Each week we will explore a little deeper the aspects of why the enneagram is such a powerful tool in understanding yourself and learn how it can help you to understand others that you interact with and impact. As a review, the tool that we refer to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) is a circle with 9 interconnected points (“ennea” refers to 9 and “gram” referring to a drawing). See a representation of it below.
As I mentioned last week, throughout our personal life and business careers over the past 40 years, Paula and I have both used and marketed personality profile tools such and DISC, Myers Briggs, and Profiles International hiring and management tools. While we think these tools are very useful, especially in a business or ministry situation, we also found that they were somewhat limited and focused primarily on outward personality traits and not core behavior traits.
When I discovered the depth of the Enneagram, it opened up a new horizon of understanding of myself first and also helped me to understand others better. The Enneagram is the most useful tool of this type I’ve encountered for personal growth. Keep in mind, though, it is still only a tool and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s word.
So the questions for the next several week or months will be:
“Hey, Gramps, why do people act and react to situations and circumstances in life differently? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
How the Enneagram System Works
This explanation covers the basics that you will need to understand how the Enneagram works and will be especially helpful for beginners. As you will see, only a few simple concepts are needed to begin your journey of self-discovery. The Enneagram, however, is ultimately subtle and complex, as you will appreciate the more you use it in your life.
· Structure
The Enneagram’s structure may look complicated, although it is actually simple. It will help you understand the Enneagram if you also sketch it yourself.
Draw a circle and mark nine equidistant points on its circumference. Designate each point by a number from one to nine, with nine at the top, for symmetry and by convention. Each point represents one of the nine basic personality types.
The nine points on the circumference are also connected with each other by the inner lines of the Enneagram. Note that points Three, Six,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 922 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Magician – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 922 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled...
The Magician
"What's your father's occupation?" asked Mary, the school secretary on the first day of the new academic year.
"He's a magician, ma'am," said Little Johnny.
"How interesting. What's his favorite trick, Johnny?"
"He saws people in half."
Mary replied, "Wow that is interesting!
Wanting to find out more Mary asked, "Now, next question. Johnny, do you have any brothers or sisters?"
Why, yes, said Johnny, "One half-brother and two half-sisters."
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
I hope that has brought a smile to you for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, when God adopted us into His family we became full heirs as we read in Ephesians 1:5.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 921 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 921 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Cooking the Books - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 921 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I believe that all of us have heard or read about revisionist history. This is where history is rewritten based upon a certain slant or paradigm. It may not necessarily contain false information, but selectively uses only certain facts that will lead the reader to think about this segment of history from a skewed perspective. Today’s essay explores a similar situation about the Kings of Israel and Judah…
Cooking the Books
Corporations cook their books. Politicians get caught taking bribes. Scientists fudge data. Should the writer of Chronicles be judged the same way?
It's widely known that the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles are a reiteration of the history of Israel found in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings. What isn't as well known is that the writer of Chronicles carefully and deliberately omits any negative material about David and Solomon from his historical record. Try to find the account of David’s adultery and murder of Uriah in 1 Chronicles—you won’t be able to.
Why would the Chronicler omit it?
History written this way isn't necessarily unreliable or deceptive. If I picked up a book entitled The Native American History of the Pioneer West, I know what I’m getting. I have no reason to believe the contents will be misleading; I have every reason to believe the work is selective and incomplete. I know the book was written with a specific slant, so I won’t take it as the last word on the American West.
1 & 2 Chronicles deserve the same consideration. Those books went into the Hebrew Bible (and later bibles) along with the books of Samuel and Kings. Anyone who read their Bible would learn about the unsavory acts of David and Solomon. No one would be fooled. Deception could not possibly be the point.
There was another agenda.
1 & 2 Chronicles were written during (or shortly) after the exile of the Jews in Babylon. Israel would once again have its own nation and leadership. The writer of Chronicles wanted the new generation returning to the land to remember and keep the covenant God made with David, and remember that his dynasty had been chosen to rule. Disloyalty to David’s dynasty had fractured the kingdom, producing a deviant religion and, ultimately, the destruction of Israel. The Chronicler wanted to revive loyalty to David’s line, so David and Solomon are cast as ideal monarchs. The Chronicler didn't want to deceive, but inspire. In 2 Chronicles 6:14-17, we listen in on Solomon’s prayer to God.
He prayed, "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 920 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Any Action Is Better Than No Action – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 920 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Norman Vincent Peale, and it is, "Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all."
Any Action Is Better Than No Action
It has been said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. In order to make progress in any area of life, you must take action. Success never happens if you choose inaction. Inaction is rooted in fear and can be paralyzing. Yes, there will be times when action ends up with failure, but failure is only permanent when you stop.
I have failed thousands of times in my life, sometimes significantly. The only way to overcome those failures is to get back up, hold your head high, and take action once again. With each action, you choose you will be one step closer to success. With every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
You will face obstacles, trails, setbacks, and even failure at times, but don’t allow it to paralyze you into inaction. Take the next step towards success in any area of life. It is then you realize that when you persevere taking one step at a time you will eventually complete your 1,000-mile journey.
Romans 5:3-5 gives us this principle, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. If you would like to listen to any of our past 919 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 919 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's Going To Be Okay – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us today for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 919 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices.
In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are broadcasting from our studio at the The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. What is your vocation or work? Do you love it? Even if you are a stay at home parent, what is your attitude toward the tasks you are called to do each day? In our Meditation Monday today, we need to learn how to…
Worship Through Your Work
Unfortunately, many people dread their work. Are you one of them? If you are, try changing your perspective and attitude toward your work! God has given you your work for this season of life. He watches how we perform the tasks that He has granted for us to do – the work of our hands. Think about Joseph in prison as a slave to Pharaoh in Egypt, or Daniel a servant of Nebuchadnezzar, or Nehemiah the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. Each of these men was in less than an ideal employment situation for sure.
Maybe you are a stay at home parent with three kids under five, and all you can accomplish is wiping noses, changing diapers, and washing dishes. Regardless of your situation, wherever God has placed you for this season of life that is your place of worship. You are performing divine tasks each day. Indeed all work should be a form of worship.
Don’t fall into the thinking of others as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." So, let every detail in your life – your words, actions, whatever – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus. Be like Joseph, Daniel, and Nehemiah who performed their tasks as an act of worship to God.
We are told in Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." You don’t drive to an office, you drive to a sanctuary. You don’t attend school, you attend a temple. You may not wear a clerical collar, but you could, because your work is God’s pulpit!Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of the past 918 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek p...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 918 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Is the Enneagram? - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 918 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Starting this week, we are beginning a new series delving into what makes each of us respond as we do to life situations. Understanding this and how others may interpret life through their paradigm will allow us to interact with each other with love and compassion. We are going to take a deep dive into an ancient tool of wisdom that many scholars feel is based on a Christian perspective dating back to the early centuries after when Christ was on earth.
This tool is referred to as the Enneagram (Any-a-Gram) which refers to its 9 points (Ennea refers to 9, and Gram referring to a drawing). You can see a representation of the drawing below. We will start with a brief overview today, and with each subsequent “Ask Gramps” episode, we will do a deep dive into its strengths and potential weaknesses. This tool has experienced a very strong interest growth during the past 20 years and is now being taught in many Christian based ministries.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Throughout the years Paula and I have both used and marketed personality profile tools such and DISC, Myers Briggs, and Profiles International as hiring and management tools. While we think these tools are very useful, especially in a business or ministry situation, we also found that they were somewhat limited and focused primarily on outward personality traits and not core behavior traits.
When I started to discover the depth of the Enneagram, it opened up a new horizon of understanding of myself first, and is helping me to understand others better. The Enneagram is the most useful tool of this type I’ve encountered for personal growth. Keep in mind though, it is still only a tool, and cannot replace or usurp the precepts that are found in God’s Word. The questions for the next several week or months will be…
“Hey, Gramps, what makes certain people act and react to situations and circumstances in life? How can I gain wisdom to better understand myself and others so that I can love, serve, and minister to them on a deeper level?”
What is the Enneagram?
At first glance, the Enneagram might look like another “personality test,” and personality factors significantly into it. But it goes much deeper than that. It helps us see core fears, motivations, desires, strengths, blind spots, stressors, and sins that most often trip us up. When used in Christian contexts, it shows us aspects of God’s character and connects us more closely to the truth that we are made to be image bearers of Him and are to reflect him in the world.
As you can see from the symbol that is found in the Wisdom Journal for today, the Enneagram contains nine spaces or types, with each number representing a dominant personality, mindset, and core worldview. Each space also has a primary strength or gift that reflects an attribute of God and a primary struggle that emerges in insecurity or unhealthy behaviors.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 917 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Flight to Egypt – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 917 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit of levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."
Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...
The Flight to Egypt
Kathy, an experienced Sunday School teacher, asked her class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. All the students eagerly set about their tasks. As Kathy went from student to student reviewing their pictures, she was puzzled by little Sammy’s drawing – it showed four people on an airplane!
Kathy asked him, "What Bible story is that?"
Sammy excitedly replied, "It's the flight to Egypt."
Kathy paused a moment and finally said. "I see...and that must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus...But who's the fourth person?"
Sammy emphatically announced, "Oh, that's Pontius, the Pilot."
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com I hope that has brought a smile to you for today.
For Thursday’s Thought, while Joseph may have been very apprehensive about heading to Egypt, he knew God would direct him as we are told in Proverbs 3:5-6.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 916 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 916 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
1003 BC - God or Satan? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 916 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Census are taken quite often in the United States and other countries to determine a variety of information, in addition to the count of people. Although there are several places in the Bible where the people were counted, God wanted David to rely solely on Him and not the size of the population. David was not supposed to take a census of his army or people. Today’s essay explores an interesting topic which is…
1003 BC Census – God or Satan?
One of the more vexing problems in the Old Testament is how to parse the parallel accounts of 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 and 2 Samuel 24:1-25.
1 Chronicles 21:1-2
2 Samuel 24:1-2
Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.”
Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.
So the king said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—so I may know how many people there are.”
The two accounts are nearly identical, save for one glaring disparity: The Chronicler's version has Satan as David's instigator, while 2 Samuel names Yahweh, the God of Israel, as the provocateur. The Chronicler’s account notes that David’s act “was evil in the sight of God,” but this line is omitted in 2 Samuel. Both accounts have God posing three punishments before David, but David leaves the decision to the Lord.
The Angel of Yahweh executes a plague on the land in both versions. The two accounts are contradictory. The options for resolution are all somewhat disconcerting. If we want to blame Satan, we must identify Yahweh as Satan. The reverse strategy requires that we identify Satan with the Sovereign Yahweh. If Satan can somehow be removed from the picture, then we are faced with the fact that Yahweh incited David to do something, and then punished him for doing so. Is there any way out of this mess?
The solution is surprisingly straightforward. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for satan is not a proper personal name. This is because the definite article in Hebrew (the word “the”) is nearly always attached to it. Like English, Hebrew does not permit its definite article to be paired with a proper personal name (I don’t call myself, “the Guthrie”). The noun satan, paired with the definite article, simply means “the adversary.”
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 915 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Dependability Is Critical – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 915 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget...
Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar,and it is, "Ability is important in our quest for success, but dependability is critical."
Dependability Is Critical
Yes, in order to be successful in any profession, whether it is in business, sports, music, ministry, or even a hobby, you need to have either natural or learned ability to succeed. And even then success is not guaranteed. It is only when you combine that ability with dependability through being persistently consistent that success will be achieved.
No amount of natural or learned talent will make a person successful if he is not willing to be very dependable on a daily basis. Therefore dependability is as important, or even more important, as ability.
Yes, I realize that no matter how dependable I am at 5’ 4” tall, I will never be a quarterback for the NFL or play Center in the NBA. In most situations and opportunities in life though, if I desire to be successful and am willing to invest the energies and resources needed with dependability I should succeed. You can do the same.
Proverbs 12:11 - A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
Proverbs 21:5 - Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 914 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 914 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's Going To Be Okay – Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 914 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. How many times have you blown it in life or failed miserably? How many times have you been cast aside by family or friends when you needed love and mercy? How many times have you chastised your kids for something they did without showing mercy? In our Meditation Monday today we need to realize that…
It’s Going To Be Okay
I came across the following true story in a book The Number of Hope by Max Lucado, which I thought would make for a good meditation today. Here it is:
Bill Tucker was sixteen years old when his dad suffered a health crisis and consequently had to leave his business. Even after Mr. Tucker regained his health, the Tucker family struggled financially, barely getting by.
Mr. Tucker, an entrepreneurial sort, came up with an idea. He won the bid to reupholster the chairs at the local movie theater. This stunned his family. He had never stitched a seat. He didn’t even own a sewing apparatus. Still, he found someone to teach him the skill and located an industrial-strength machine. The family scraped together every cent they had to buy it. They drained savings accounts and dug coins out of the sofa. Finally, they had enough to pay cash for the machine.
It was a fine day when Bill road with his dad to pick up the equipment. Bill remembers a jovial, hour-long trip discussing the bright horizons this new opportunity afforded them. They loaded the machine in the back of their truck and secured it right behind the cab. Mr. Tucker then invited his son to drive home. I’ll let Bill tell you what happened next:
“As we were driving along, we were excited, and I, like any sixteen-year-old driver, was probably not paying enough attention to my speed. Just as we were turning on the cloverleaf to get on the expressway, I will never ever, ever forget watching that sewing machine, which was already top-heavy, begin to tip. I slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. I saw it go over the side. I jumped out and ran around the back of the truck. As I rounded the corner, I saw our hope and our dream lying on its side in pieces. And then I saw my dad just looking. All of his risk and all of his endeavor and all of his struggling and all of his dream, all of his hope to take care of his family was lying there, shattered.
“You know what comes next, don’t you? ‘Stupid, punk kid driving too fast, not paying attention, ruined the family by taking away our livelihood.’ But that’s not what he said. He looked right at me. ‘Oh, Bill, I am so sorry.’ And he walked over, put his arms around me, and said, ‘Son, this is going to be okay.’If you feel your life has been shattered into pieces like the Tucker’s sewing machine, then God is whispering the same to you. Those are his arms you feel. Trust him. That is his voice you hear. Believe him.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 913 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
What Is Your Secret? - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 913 of our Trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
Since Gramps has been answering questions about various areas of life for several months now, next week Gramps will begin a new multi-week series exploring and explaining what really drives each of us at our very core. Addressing and answering the questions of why we act and react to situations and events of life. We will also explore how we can better understand those with whom we interact and have the opportunity to impact. We will dig into the details starting next week on our Friday’s “Ask Gramps” episodes.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. For those of you who have listened to my podcast or read the daily journals, you know that I am a big proponent of taking excellent care of our soul, mind, and body. It is important that we focus on all three areas simultaneously because they are intertwined with each other and cannot be separated. One aspect directly impacts both of the other ones. So the question today is…
“Hey Gramps, even though you are over sixty now, you are still very active and appear to take care of your body, mind, and soul. What is your secret and what type of regimen do you stick to?”
What Is Your Secret?
First of all, there is no secret. There are no secret pills or diets that will allow you to lose 50 pounds or more and keep you slim. There are no magic devices that will give you rock-hard abs in a week. There are no business books or online resources that will allow you to be a genius and an overnight success. There are no devotional study books, study Bibles, or special prayers that will make you super-spiritual in a month.
If you want to take care of your soul, mind, and body properly, then it is up to you and will take months or even years to achieve. It is not about a special plan, but a change in mindset and lifestyle. This starts with the changing of your mind. Romans 12:2, says "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Yes, I will be 62 next month, but the older and wiser I become, the more I realize that I still have much to learn. Learning is a lifelong process.
Many years ago and every day since, I determined that I did desire to be healthy, wealthy, and wise in all areas of my life. Although it is a continual uphill trek, and there are times of respite and rest, and even times where I have slipped back a bit, the key is that my desire is to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle and strong, robust relationships with others. That desire drives me forward each day.
Although my exercise routine, eating habits, sleeping habits, study habits, and devotional time vary slightly in different seasons of the year and seasons of my life, they remain consistent over long periods of time.
Keep in mind that what works for me, may not work for you.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 912 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Beauty in Only Skin Deep – Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 912 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:
Beauty is Only Skin Deep
Little Jimmy watched, fascinated, as his mother gently massaged cold cream on her face.
"Why are you rubbing that on your face, Momma?" he asked.
"To make myself beautiful," said his mother.
He watched with interest as Momma diligently applied the cream until her entire face was covered, even down on her neck. Momma sat there reading a book and chatting with little Jimmy. After about 20 minutes she began removing the cream with a tissue. This surprised Jimmy.
"What's the matter?" Jimmy asked his momma. "Are you giving up?"
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com For Thursday’s Thought, don’t ever give up on being a beautiful person:
Proverbs 31:30-31
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 911 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 911 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Sanctified Dirt - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 911 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.  Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word.  Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Gods Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled  âI Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. When I was young, I used to love playing in the dirt.  Many times it was very evident as I did not hold to the staying that âCleanliness is next to godliness.â Even today, I love to dig in the soil, to plant trees, and a few vegetables that we grow.  There is something about nature and digging in the soil that brings me closer to God.  Todayâs essay explores an interesting topic which is:
Sanctified Dirt
Elisha's healing of Naaman the leper, commander of the army of the king of Syria, is a familiar storyâ to many which is found in 2 Kings 5:1-27. Â Naaman hears that Elisha, the prophet of Israel, can heal him, so he makes the trip. When the two meet, Elisha tells him rather dismissively through his servant that he needs to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman who is used to ordering his army around doesnât take this well and prepares to go home. At the bidding of some servants, he consents to dip himself in the Jordan. He is miraculously healed by the simple act after the seventh dip. The display of power, so transparently without sacrifice or incantation, awakens Naaman to the fact that Yahweh of Israel is the true God. Here's where the story usually ends in our telling, but that would result in the omission of one very odd detail, what Naaman asks to take back home.
The core of this portion of the story is located in 2 Kings 5:15-19 so let me read that portion. Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, âNow I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.â
But Elisha replied, âAs surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.â And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused.
Then Naaman said, âAll right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.â
âGo in peace,â Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.As we see in this passage, the elated Naaman returns to Elisha and begs him to take payment for healing him. Elisha repeatedly refuses. Finally, before embarking for Syria, Naaman makes a strange request: to load two mules with dirt to take back with him.
Dirt? I can think of a few favors I would ask of a prophet in a receptive mood, but dirt certainly isn't one of them. The request is so odd that it's hard to avoid wondering if Naaman needed some other kind of therapy. Why would he ask for dirt?
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 910 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Firm Foundation â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 910 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged.  Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from David Brinkley and it is: Â Â A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her.
A Firm Foundation
Success is never easy. If it were not hard enough to succeed based on obstacles that you will face, some obstructions come from other people. Some of these may be family and friends. You will run into people that try to trip you up or discourage you from your trek to success. You will even have some people that will figuratively throw bricks at you. The truly successful person is one who through consistent persistence continues to press forward, regardless of the situations or people that obstruct their way. We need to take our failures, and the lessons learned to construct a firm foundation that will be able to withstand the buffeting winds of life. Success is personal, and should rarely be equated with monetary success. Success at its very core will be made up of peace of mind and contentment. Success is a place of quiet rest after going through the raging storms that will battle against us at the most inopportune time.  Proverbs 21:5 reminds us that, Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
We need to realize that success is not made up of only working hard, but enjoying the results of that labor as we are reminded in Psalm 127:2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.True success is built on a firm foundation and also includes a place of quiet rest.
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 909 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 909 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Stuck in a Sinkhole â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 909 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind. SERVE Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. Many people in the world seem to be selfish and self-serving. While some proclaim that it is much worse today, I would suggest it has been that way since the beginning of time. When times of crises hits though, many will reach out in acts of selflessness. As a Christ-follower, this should be part of our daily lives, not just in times of major disasters. In our Meditation Monday today we will learn how to:
Serve One Another In Love
In the letter of Philippians 2:7-8 we see how Jesus was selfless even unto death.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,   Â
 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminalâs death on a cross.
Letâs follow His example as we are told in 1 Peter 5:5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for âGod opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.â
Jesus entered the world to serve. We can enter our jobs, our homes, our churches. Servanthood requires no unique skill or seminary degree. Regardless of your strengths, training, or church tenure, you can ... Love the overlooked. Jesus sits in your classroom, wearing the thick glasses, outdated clothing, and a sad face. Youâve seen him. Heâs Jesus. Jesus works in your office.  The lady who is pregnant again, she shows up to work late and tired. No one knows the father. According to water-cooler rumors, even she doesnât know the father. Youâve seen her.  Sheâs Jesus.
When you talk to the lonely student, befriend the weary mom, you love Jesus. He dresses in the garb of the overlooked and ignored. Like we are told in Matthew 25:40 âAnd the King will say, âI tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!ââ
You can do that. Even if your personality strengths have nothing to do with encouraging others, the cure for the common life involves loving the overlooked.
Especially in our politically charged world we now live in, you can also ... Wave a white flag. We fight so much. As Jesusâs half-brother James tells us in James 4:1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Donât they come from the evil desires at war within you? Serve someone by swallowing your pride.
One more aspect of servanthood.....Every day do something you donât want to do. Pick up someone elseâs trash. Surrender your parking place. Call the long-winded relative. Carry the cooler. It doesnât have to be a big thing. Helen Keller once told the Tennessee legislature that when she was young, she had longed to do great things and could not,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 908 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Goals vs. Systems - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 908 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series.  Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can âAsk Gramps.â   Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible.  No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.  As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, Ohio. I have always been a proponent of setting goals or milestones in life in order to achieve desired outcomes in all areas of life. As I have matured and grown in wisdom and in life, I have realized that there is actually something more important than setting goals.  So the question today is:
âHey Gramps, I desire to reach milestones in all areas of my life such as spiritually, physically, financially and in relationships. I have tried to set goals but seem to quickly lose focus and rarely achieve them. What can I do?â
Goals vs. Systems
We all have things that we want to achieve in our lives â getting into the better shape, building a successful business, raising a wonderful family, writing a best-selling book, winning a championship, and so on.
For most of us, the path to those things starts by setting a specific and actionable goal. At least, this is how I approached life when I was younger. I would set goals for business growth, for an exercise regimen, for devotional time, and relationships.
What I have come to realize, however, is that when it comes to actually get things done and making progress in the areas that are important to you, there is a much better way to do things.
It all comes down to the difference between goals and systems.
·      The Difference Between Goals and Systems
What's the difference between goals and systems?
If you're a coach, your goal is to win a championship. Your system is what your team does at practice each day.
If you're a writer, your goal is to write a book. Your system is the writing schedule that you follow each week.
If you're a runner, your goal is to run a marathon. Your system is your training schedule of several month preparations starting small and incrementally increasing.
If you're an entrepreneur, your goal is to build a million dollar business. Your system is your sales, marketing, and financial process.
Now for the really interesting question:
If you completely ignored your goals and focused only on your system, would you still get results?
For example, if you desired to run a marathon in 12 months and you focused on running a little bit each day while incrementally increasing the distance each week, would you still get results?  Indeed you would.As a personal example,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 907 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Go Eat Your Breakfast â Wisdom Unplugged
 Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 907
Check for Spend or Spent
Hello, my friend, and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Guide to Wisdom and Creating a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 907 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.  Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today.  So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled:
Go Eat Your Breakfast
Little Johnny was eating breakfast one morning and got to wondering about things: "Mommy, why has Daddy got so few hairs on his head?" he asked his mother.
"He thinks a lot," replied his mother, pleased with herself for coming up with a good answer to her husband's baldness.
"So why do YOU have so much hair?" Little Johnny asks.
"Go eat your breakfast!" snarled his mother.
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com For Thursdayâs Thought, letâs not be like little Johnny in our story today but be careful what we think about:
Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'  If you would like to listen to any of our past 906 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 906 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Promise Undelivered - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 906 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.  Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word.  Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Gods Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled  âI Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. None of us like to have something promised to us, and then that promise is not fulfilled.  It seems like most political candidates to that when they are running for office, but once they are elected do not fulfill that promise. Unlike that situation though, we know that Godâs promises will be fulfilled, but that fulfillment may be based on our belief and faithfulness to Him. Todayâs essay explores one such incident as we will focus on:
Promise Undelivered
To set the picture for todayâs essay, I will read the entire chapter of 2 Kings 3 the setting for this passage is shortly after the death of wicked King Ahab of Israel.  Ahabâs son Joram began to rule over Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphatâs reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twelve years. He did what was evil in the Lordâs sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up. Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.
King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But after Ahabâs death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria. On the way, he sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: âThe king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in battle against him?â
And Jehoshaphat replied, âWhy, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.â Then Jehoshaphat asked, âWhat route will we take?â
âWe will attack from the wilderness of Edom,â Joram replied.
The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their animals.
âWhat should we do?â the king of Israel cried out. âThe Lord has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us.â
But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, âIs there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.â
One of King Joramâs officers replied, âElisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijahâs personal assistant.[b]â
Jehoshaphat said, âYes, the Lord speaks through him.â So the king of Israel, King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom went to consult with Elisha.
âWhy are you coming to me?â[c]Â Elisha asked the king of Israel. âGo to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!â
But King Joram of Israel said, âNo! For it was the Lord who called us three kings hereâonly to be defeated by th...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 905 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
A Successful Marriage â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 905 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged.  Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Mignon McLaughlin and it is: Â Â A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
A Successful Marriage
Marriage is the blending of two uniquely created people into an even greater entity where the whole is much greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is a picture of Christ and His church.  When a man and a woman choose to love each other as themselves, it is a beautiful picture. Marriage is much more than falling in love, because that is based on feelings and circumstances. That is purely infatuation, which will eventually taper off.    A marriage that is successful is one where both spouses choose to love each other every day, regardless of the circumstances of that day. A successful marriage is where both spouses are 100% committed to what is best for the other spouse. A successful marriage is one of mutual admiration and submitting to the other.  A successful marriage is where both spouses will challenge each other to fully reach their God-given potential. A successful marriage is one that strengthens each other, shows kindness to each other, respect for each other, and shows unconditional love to each other.
Paula and I will be celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary in August, and desire to be a picture to our children, grandchildren, and everyone that we impact of what a mature, healthy marriage should be. It is a marriage of choice. Choosing to love and respect each other new every day. That is what is required. The passage that sums up a successful marriage the best is Ephesians 5:21-33
 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of Godâs word.  He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.
As the Scriptures say, âA man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.â  This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 904 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Stuck in a Sinkhole â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 904 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. No feats of greatness nor great failures happen overnight. Neither do you grow strong spiritually nor have great moral failures overnight. Everything we do, good or bad is based on a series of small decisions on a daily basis. There are no overnight successes nor overnight failures. In our Meditation Monday today we will learn about:Â
Stuck in a Sinkhole
Letâs first look at the story of King David in 2 Samuel 11:2-3 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, âShe is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.â
This reminds me of a story from a little over 20 years ago. "In December 1985 an enormous sinkhole swallowed a house and carport and forced the evacuation of four homes in a retirement community in Florida. The hole was about the size of a pickup truck when it was discovered. Within three hours it had grown to 30 by 40 feet and had swallowed half of a small house. Two hours later it had expanded to more than 70 feet, and the house with its carport was gone. Authorities were grateful that it finally stopped growing without doing even more damage.â
In the passage in Samuel, David discovered that sin is like an ever-expanding sinkhole. As he was walking on the flat roof of his palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of turning away, he stood and gazed at her beauty. At this point, the sinkhole was small but expanding.  When seeing her, he could have made the decision to go back to the palace and not take any action. That did not happen. When he inquired about who she was, the sinkhole grew larger. After finding out that she was already married, he should have made the decision to forget about her. He did not. In verse 2 Samuel 11:4-5 it tells us: Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, âIâm pregnant.â  What started out as only a look ended in tragedy for all involved which included King David ordering the murder of Bathshebaâs husband, the death of the child, and despair.
Many people, like David, find themselves falling into the sinkhole of temptation because they leave the door open for temptation to enter.
Temptation works the same for all of us. It's progressive. It can start with an innocent look, then a thought, and then if we linger longer on the look, the thought progresses to desire, then to becoming blind to reality and fooling ourselves into rationalizing that it won't hurt,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 903 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
I Will Make a Difference Today - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 903 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series.  Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can âAsk Gramps.â   Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible.  No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.  As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, Ohio. I am convinced that the primary purpose God created us and is allowing us to live in this particular time in history is so that we can build His kingdom on earth by making a positive influence on everyone that we come in contact with.  So the question today is:
âHey Gramps, With so much negative news, hurting people, and struggles in life, how can I make a difference in the world and for Godâs kingdom every day?â
I Will Make a Difference Today
Let me answer this question by putting my response in the first person voice so that you can adopt these thoughts and incorporate them into your life.
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. Itâs OK to stumble... I will get up. Itâs OK to fail... I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will invest time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A person can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A person can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will invest at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, my children, and my friends.
As God gives me the opportunity,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 902 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
We Are All Free â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 902 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.  Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today.  So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled:
We Are All Free
The Fourth of July was coming up, and the nursery school teacher took the opportunity to tell her class about patriotism. "We live in a great country," she said. "One of the things we should be thankful for is that, in this country, we are all free."
One little boy came strutting up to her from the back of the room. He stood with his hands on his hips and said, "I'm not free. I'm four."
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.comÂ
For Thursdayâs Thought, letâs look at how we should use our freedom:
Galatians 5:13-14
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But donât use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: âLove your neighbor as yourself.â
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'  If you would like to listen to any of our past 901 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 901 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Declaration of Independence - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 901 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.  In honor of Independence Day in the United States, I am going to delay our next essay and instead provide you with an overview of the Declaration of Independence.
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. While we cherish the freedom that we have in the United States, and I am thankful to be born and live in the United States, true freedom can only come from God through Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and donât get tied up again in slavery to the law.Â
Declaration of Independence - Overview
The significant aspect of the Declaration of Independence is that it changed the American "rebellion" against Great Britain into a "revolution." From April 19, 1775, until July 2, 1776, the war was being fought so the colonists could regain their rights as Englishmen which had been taken away by the British for the past 12 years, from 1763-1775. On July 2, 1776 the Second Continental Congress approved the resolution by Richard Henry Lee from Virginia that "these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved ......."
This was truly a revolutionary statement. John Adams felt that July 2 would be the day that would be "solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shows, games, sports, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this Continent to the other ......."
July 4 is the day that has been chosen as our âIndependence Day.â That was the day that the Second Continental Congress approved, but did not sign, the Declaration of Independence mostly written by Thomas Jefferson. It was actually signed on August 2nd, 1776.Other important historical events have had a lot to do with the sanctity of July 4. It was on that day that the news of the Louisiana Purchase arrived in Washington, Henry David Thoreau arrived at Walden Pond, and President Abraham Lincoln learned of the Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. Â However, the one incredible event that happened to ordain July 4 as something significant were the deaths of both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, only hours apart from each other.
The Declaration of Independence is on public display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. There are a lot of very interesting facts that surround Independence Day. You would be well served to study them on your own.  The United States is a great country to live in and to become a citizen. Just think how much greater our heavenly citizenship will be.Next Wisdom Wednesday we will return to the Old Testament as we look at Dr. Heiserâs next essay titled, âPromised Undeliveredâ I believe you will find this another interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical Worldview.
Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute Humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer which will help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life.  So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of our past 900 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 900 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Freedom â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 900 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged.  In 100 short days, we will have created, edited and produced a millennium of the Wisdom-Trek podcast. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Nelson Mandela and it is: Â Â As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.
Freedom
As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States tomorrow, I felt this quote was so fitting. The lack of freedom is so much more than living under an oppressive dictator, or being trapped within prison walls.   Freedom is a state of mind. Freedom is a choice. Freedom is breaking free of the self-imposed shackles that you have allowed to bind your heart, soul, and mind. Freedom is the ability to enjoy life fully, even when you may be physically impeded in any manner. The bars of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior,  will bind you so tightly that you will be imprisoned within yourself. We need to do away with these shackles and be set free with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! In John 8:34-36 we are instructed: Jesus replied, âI tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'If you would like to listen to any of our past 899 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 899 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Moving Out â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 899 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.
In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and, body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. During the summer months, many people end up moving. College graduates finally move out of their childhood homes, high school seniors move out to college or to start their own lives, many empty nesters downsize to smaller homes. In our Meditation Monday today we will learn aboutâ¦
Moving Out
One of the marks of Godâs people has been their acceptance of "moving out," that is, following the Father's lead and journeying to the places and people where He sends His people. Think of Abraham leaving the security of his good life to journey to a place the Father would show him. Remember the children of Israel leaving Egypt to follow Moses into the desert as they journeyed to the Promised Land. Consider David going to face Goliath in a battle he should not have been able to win. Recall Esther going before the king, without an invitation, at the risk of her own life in order to save the lives of Godâs people. These are great examples of the "moving out" principle.
In the events in the verses below, you will find three kinds of circumstances that helped instigate Christâs faithful followers in their "moving out" into a new future that blessed many.
Obstacles in their paths â the persecution that began with Stephen's martyrdom caused the believers in Jerusalem to be scattered and moved them to other places, and they shared Jesusâs message wherever they went.
Opportunities given them â Saul, who later was known as Paul, and Barnabas ministered in Antioch in response to the reports of Jesusâs "grace in action" that moved them to go there and help grow this great multi-cultural group of Christ followers who were the ones first called Christians.
Outward calls for them â Agabus' prophecy of a famine moved them to give to those in need.
I want you to look for these same three types of circumstances â obstacles, opportunities, and outward calls â in your spiritual journey. When you find yourself presented with something that seems like one or more of these, prayerfully consider if it is Godâs signal for you to be "moving out" with Christâs grace to bless others! Unfortunately, you can get so busy and distracted by the world's stuff that you miss Godâs purpose for you in these sets of circumstances. Let these circumstances nudge you to bring Godâs grace through Christ to the lost, to bring helpful encouragement and growth to those newly saved, and to bring tangible help to the broken and needy.
Christ left the safety and security of being with the Father and the Spirit by "moving out" and coming to earth. He chose "moving out" and living among you and sharing your mortal existence so you could be caught up in His life, eternal life.
Remember those in the early years of Christâs church "moving out" to bring His grace to others.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 898 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Life's Echo - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 898 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can âAsk Gramps.â Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.
We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If you listen to most news sources today, it would appear that more people are becoming less civil, or kind, to each other. We have to understand that which we send out from us is what we will receive back, usually increased many times. So the question today isâ¦
Hey Gramps, âHow can we stop the unkindness and become more civil with each other? It seems like it is getting out of control.â
Life's Echo
Unfortunately we cannot control others, but fortunately, we can control ourselves if we choose to. Others can be influenced by our actions, but ultimately it is their decision. We need to fully understand that what we send out from us is what will be returned to us. If you live in the state of negative drama most of the time, then negative dramatic events will multiply and come rushing back to you. If you send out kindness, then eventually kindness will return.
Let me explain with the following parable.
A father and his young son were hiking on a steep mountain trail one summer day. Suddenly, his son slips and falls, scraping his leg. And he screams, "AAAhhhhhhhhhh!" To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain, "AAAhhhhhhhhhh!"Â He was not expecting anyone to reply to him.
Curious, he yells, "Who are you?"
He receives the answer, "Who are you?"
Angered at the response, he screams, "Coward!"
He receives the answer, "Coward!"
He looks to his father with surprise and asks, "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says, "Son, pay attention."
And then he screams to the mountain, "I admire you!"
The voice answers, "I admire you!"
Again the man screams, "You are a champion!"
The voice answers, "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but still does not understand.
Then the father explains, "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do.
Then the father explains further. The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are.
Then the father explains that the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians in Galatians 6:7-10, "Donât be misledâyou cannot mock the justice of God.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 897 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Candy from Strangers â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 897 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength."
Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny, which is titled...
Candy from Strangers
As I left the grocery store, I noticed two little kids, maybe six or seven years old, selling candy bars in front of the store to raise money for their school band. Since I try to minimize my candy intake and really didnât need or want a candy bar. I came up with a solution that I thought would work so that I could also support the band.
"I'll buy a chocolate bar on one condition," I said to the boys. "You eat it for me."
I bought one and handed the candy back to one of the boys. He shook his head. "I can't," he said.
Puzzled by this response, I asked, "Why not?"
Looking me in the eye, he responded gravely, "I'm not supposed to take candy from strangers."
Make it a day full of cheer.As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought:
How do you interact with strangers? Are you hospitable? In our western cultures, our basic reaction is to avoid them not to communicate with them. Many eastern cultures welcome strangers. We should be more like that. We are told in Hebrews 13:2, "Donât forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 896 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 896 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Divine Arrow - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 896 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. God is omniscient, which means He knows everything before it takes place. There are several passages in the Bible, though, that describe God consulting with His heavenly court, referred to as His armies in todayâs passage, and allowing their input in the means to a predetermined outcome. Todayâs essay explores one such incident as we will focus onâ¦
The Divine Arrow
To set the picture for todayâs essay, I will read from 1 Kings 22:1-28.
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel. During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, âDo you realize that the town of Ramoth-Gilead belongs to us? And yet weâve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!â
 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, âWill you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-Gilead?â
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, âWhy, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.â Then Jehoshaphat added, âBut first letâs find out what the Lord says.â
So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, âShould I go to war against Ramoth-Gilead, or should I hold back?â
They all replied, âYes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.â
But Jehoshaphat asked, âIs there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.â
The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, âThere is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah.â
Jehoshaphat replied, âThatâs not the way a king should talk! Letâs hear what he has to say.â
 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, âQuick! Bring Micaiah, son of Imlah.â
· Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahabâs prophets were prophesying there in front of them. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, âThis is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!â
All the other prophets agreed. âYes,â they said, âgo up to Ramoth-Gilead and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!â
Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, âLook, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.â
But Micaiah replied, âAs surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.â
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 896 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Divine Arrow - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 896 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. God is omniscient, which means He knows everything before it takes place. There are several passages in the Bible, though, that describe God consulting with His heavenly court, referred to as His armies in todayâs passage, and allowing their input in the means to a predetermined outcome. Todayâs essay explores one such incident as we will focus onâ¦
The Divine Arrow
To set the picture for todayâs essay, I will read from 1 Kings 22:1-28.
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel. During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, âDo you realize that the town of Ramoth-Gilead belongs to us? And yet weâve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!â
 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, âWill you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-Gilead?â
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, âWhy, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.â Then Jehoshaphat added, âBut first letâs find out what the Lord says.â
So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, âShould I go to war against Ramoth-Gilead, or should I hold back?â
They all replied, âYes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.â
But Jehoshaphat asked, âIs there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.â
The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, âThere is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah.â
Jehoshaphat replied, âThatâs not the way a king should talk! Letâs hear what he has to say.â
 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, âQuick! Bring Micaiah, son of Imlah.â
· Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahabâs prophets were prophesying there in front of them. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, âThis is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!â
All the other prophets agreed. âYes,â they said, âgo up to Ramoth-Gilead and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!â
Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, âLook, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.â
But Micaiah replied, âAs surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.â
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 895 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Preparation for Success â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 895 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Joyce Brothers, and it is,"A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success."
Preparation for Success
To be successful, you must prepare for success. You must see yourself as successful in your mind before success will ever be achieved in any area of life. An appropriate and balanced positive self-image, which includes loving yourself, is a requirement before any success can be achieved. When you realize that you are made to be the bearer of Godâs image, then you will realize that God desires you to be successful in all that you do.
One admonition that must be considered is that what the world considers as successful, which is usually an abundance of wealth, is not what God considers as successful. Success in Godâs eyes is our obedience to His precepts, which are found in His Word, the Bible.
God shows us His pattern for success when He encourages in servant Joshua prior to entering The Promised Land in Joshua 1:7, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do."Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 894 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Pplay so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 895 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Preparation for Success â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 895 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Joyce Brothers and it is: Â Â A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.
Preparation for Success
To be successful, you must prepare for success. You must see yourself as successful in your mind before success will ever be achieved in any area of life. An appropriate and balanced positive self-image, which includes loving yourself, is a requirement before any success can be achieved. When you realize that you are made to be the bearer of Godâs image, then you will realize that God desires you to be successful in all that you do.  One admonition that must be considered is that what the world considers as successful, which is usually an abundance of wealth, is not what God considers as successful. Success in Godâs eyes is our obedience to His precepts which are found in His Word, the Bible.
God shows us His pattern for success when He encouraged in servant Joshua prior to entering The Promised Land in Joshua 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 894 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 894 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Quit â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 894 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. There are many people that are ready to give up because of trials and hardships. You may be one of them. Instead of giving up, let us put our energies in to encouraging others. It is then we will have purpose and meaning in our own lives and will have the strength to âKeep Moving Forward.â In our Meditation Monday today we will learn:
Donât Quit
The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9: We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.  We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
There are times when all of us feel overwhelmed by problems and feel like quitting. I've been there, but couldn't find anything better than my Christian faith to quit too. Today I thank God for the courage to keep going, knowing that God was allowing trials to strengthen my faith and to help me grow.
If you feel like giving up and quitting, perhaps the following poem will encourage you to hang in, hang on, but never hang up when the going gets tough.
Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you mustâbut don't you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slowâ
You might succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside outâ
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hitâ
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.
It reminds me of the quote, âTough Times Never Last. Tough People Do.âGod never forsook the Apostle Paul who faced incredible trials and opposition. He will never forsake you or me as long as we place our trust in him. We are reminded in Hebrews 13:5-6,
Donât love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 894 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Don't Quit â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 894 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.
In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There are many people that are ready to give up because of trials and hardships. You may be one of them. Instead of giving up, let us put our energies into encouraging others. It is then we will have purpose and meaning in our own lives and will have the strength to âKeep Moving Forward.â In our Meditation Monday today, we will learnâ¦
Donât Quit
The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.  We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed."
There are times when all of us feel overwhelmed by problems and feel like quitting. I've been there, but couldn't find anything better than my Christian faith to quit to. Today I thank God for the courage to keep going, knowing that God was allowing trials to strengthen my faith and to help me grow.
If you feel like giving up and quitting, perhaps the following poem will encourage you to hang in, hang on, but never hang up when the going gets tough.
Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you mustâbut don't you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slowâ
You might succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside outâ
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hitâ
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.
It reminds me of the quote, âTough times never last. Tough people do.âGod never forsook the Apostle Paul who faced incredible trials and opposition. He will never forsake you or me as long as we place our trust in him. We are reminded of His steadfastness in Hebrews 13:5-6.
Donât love money; be satisfied with what you have.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 893 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Dont' Worry, Be Joyful - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 893 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can âAsk Gramps.â Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâ goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. With the recent high-profile celebrity suicides and the fact that suicide rates are increasing in all cultural and age groups, it seems as if more people are losing hope in our world today. So the question today is:
Hey Gramps, âHow is it possible to maintain hope in our lives and accept that we are worthwhile and have a purpose that is greater than ourselves?â
Donât Worry, Be Joyful
While I do not generally have an issue with depression and have never experienced bouts with feeling worthless, I do have family members and friends that do. There are many causes for depression, such as mental or physical illness, what we eat, and whether we are getting adequate exercise. Even what we allow to enter into our minds through TV, videos, audio, reading, and listening to the advice of others impacts us.
In most western cultures people strive relentlessly to be happy, but no external resources or circumstances will bring us lasting happiness. In fact, I would encourage you to stop striving for happiness because it is, at best, as temporary as the morning fog. Instead, on a daily basis, we need to seek deep and abiding joy.
Joy can only be realized when we realize who we are in Godâs eyes. If God loves us and considers us worthwhile and precious, we need to have that same view of ourselves. Here are some Bible passages that will help you to change your thinking about yourself, so that, in all circumstances, you will love and accept yourself for who you are, for who God designed you to be. You can never love others properly and be loved by others until you first love yourself properly. We are truly valuable because we are Godâs masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are Godâs masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
If you want to lessen your depression, you need to change the way you think. No longer can we think and act as other people do. Romans 12:2 reminds, "Donât copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know Godâs will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."Before you were ever born, God knew and loved you.
Psalms 139:13-14
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 893 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Dont' Worry, Be Joyful - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 893 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can âAsk Gramps.â Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâ goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. With the recent high-profile celebrity suicides and the fact that suicide rates are increasing in all cultural and age groups, it seems as if more people are losing hope in our world today. So the question today is:
Hey Gramps, âHow is it possible to maintain hope in our lives and accept that we are worthwhile and have a purpose that is greater than ourselves?â
Donât Worry, Be Joyful
While I do not generally have an issue with depression and have never experienced bouts with feeling worthless, I do have family members and friends that do. There are many causes for depression, such as mental or physical illness, what we eat, and whether we are getting adequate exercise. Even what we allow to enter into our minds through TV, videos, audio, reading, and listening to the advice of others impacts us.
In most western cultures people strive relentlessly to be happy, but no external resources or circumstances will bring us lasting happiness. In fact, I would encourage you to stop striving for happiness because it is, at best, as temporary as the morning fog. Instead, on a daily basis, we need to seek deep and abiding joy.
Joy can only be realized when we realize who we are in Godâs eyes. If God loves us and considers us worthwhile and precious, we need to have that same view of ourselves. Here are some Bible passages that will help you to change your thinking about yourself, so that, in all circumstances, you will love and accept yourself for who you are, for who God designed you to be. You can never love others properly and be loved by others until you first love yourself properly. We are truly valuable because we are Godâs masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are Godâs masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
If you want to lessen your depression, you need to change the way you think. No longer can we think and act as other people do. Romans 12:2 reminds, "Donât copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know Godâs will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."Before you were ever born, God knew and loved you.
Psalms 139:13-14
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 892 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Allergic to Gravity â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 892 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny, which is titled...
Allergic to Gravity
Today I want to tell you a story about John and Sam. Johnâs story reminds me a lot about myself and the attitude that I try to have. There are also many similarities to my fall from a ladder last year with a chainsaw in my hand where I ended up with a fractured femur bone right below my hip socket.
For many, John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He always seemed to be in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator.
If a fellow associate was having a bad day, John was there telling them how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made Sam curious, so one day he went up and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
John replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood, or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim, or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life! I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right! It's not that easy," Sam protested.
"Yes, it is," John said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."
Sam reflected on what John said. Soon after that, Sam left the company they both worked at to start his own business. They lost touch over the years, but Sam often thought about John when he made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, Sam heard that John was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.
Sam happened to run into John about six months after the accident. When Sam asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"
Sam declined to see his wounds, but he did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
This was Johnâs reply, "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," John replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" Â Sam asked.
John continued, "..
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 892 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Allergic to Gravity â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 892 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny, which is titled...
Allergic to Gravity
Today I want to tell you a story about John and Sam. Johnâs story reminds me a lot about myself and the attitude that I try to have. There are also many similarities to my fall from a ladder last year with a chainsaw in my hand where I ended up with a fractured femur bone right below my hip socket.
For many, John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He always seemed to be in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator.
If a fellow associate was having a bad day, John was there telling them how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made Sam curious, so one day he went up and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
John replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood, or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim, or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life! I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right! It's not that easy," Sam protested.
"Yes, it is," John said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."
Sam reflected on what John said. Soon after that, Sam left the company they both worked at to start his own business. They lost touch over the years, but Sam often thought about John when he made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, Sam heard that John was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.
Sam happened to run into John about six months after the accident. When Sam asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"
Sam declined to see his wounds, but he did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
This was Johnâs reply, "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," John replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" Â Sam asked.
John continued, "..
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 891 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
When Giants Walked the Earth - Wisdom Wednesday
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 891
Check for Spend or Spent
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 891
Check for Spend or Spent
Hello, my friend, and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your guide to Wisdom and Creating a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 891 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors.
In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The Bible is full of rich imagery and stories that fill our minds with wonders and questions. Todayâs essay explores one such incident as we will focus onâ¦
When Giants Walked the Earth
If they havenât read it, most people have at least heard the story of David and Goliath of Gath ('âthe Gittiteâ). The names of the hero and villain have iconic status. But how many people know anything about the giant Goliath, other than that he lost his head to a boy named David from Israel?
This story can be found in, 2 Samuel 21:15-22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4-8. The story tells us that there were other unusually tall warriors among the Philistines. The lists are not identical, but putting them together we read that there were four: Saph (also called Sippai), Lahmi, Ishbibenob, and an unnamed warrior. The descriptions are similar to that given Goliath, noting âgreat statureâ and the dimensions of their weaponry. Unlike Goliath or any of the other named warriors, the unnamed giant is said to have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. This malformation, known as polydactylism, is only mentioned in the description of this giant. The Bible does not mention it when it discusses other giant clans.
· Wait a minuteâgiant clans?
There are several people groups described as giants or among whom giants lived in the Old Testament:
There are the Anakim, who are descendants from the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6:4, which reads, "In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times." The descendants of those giants lived in Cannan, which was considered The Promised Land and are encountered by the Israelites under both Moses and Joshua. In Numbers 13:33 the spies reported back, "We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next, to them, we felt like grasshoppers, and thatâs what they thought, too!"
At one time, before the children of Israel traveled through the Transjordan, the land to the east of the Jordan River was heavily populated with tall people known as Emites, which is found in Deuteronomy 2:10-11, "A race of giants called the Emites had once lived in the area of Ar. They were as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites, another race of giants. Both the Emites and the Anakites are also known as the Rephaites,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 891 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
When Giants Walked the Earth - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 891 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors.
In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The Bible is full of rich imagery and stories that fill our minds with wonders and questions. Todayâs essay explores one such incident as we will focus onâ¦
When Giants Walked the Earth
If they havenât read it, most people have at least heard the story of David and Goliath of Gath ('âthe Gittiteâ). The names of the hero and villain have iconic status. But how many people know anything about the giant Goliath, other than that he lost his head to a boy named David from Israel?
This story can be found in, 2 Samuel 21:15-22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4-8. The story tells us that there were other unusually tall warriors among the Philistines. The lists are not identical, but putting them together we read that there were four: Saph (also called Sippai), Lahmi, Ishbibenob, and an unnamed warrior. The descriptions are similar to that given Goliath, noting âgreat statureâ and the dimensions of their weaponry. Unlike Goliath or any of the other named warriors, the unnamed giant is said to have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. This malformation, known as polydactylism, is only mentioned in the description of this giant. The Bible does not mention it when it discusses other giant clans.
· Wait a minuteâgiant clans?
There are several people groups described as giants or among whom giants lived in the Old Testament:
There are the Anakim, who are descendants from the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6:4, which reads, "In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times." The descendants of those giants lived in Cannan, which was considered The Promised Land and are encountered by the Israelites under both Moses and Joshua. In Numbers 13:33 the spies reported back, "We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next, to them, we felt like grasshoppers, and thatâs what they thought, too!"
At one time, before the children of Israel traveled through the Transjordan, the land to the east of the Jordan River was heavily populated with tall people known as Emites, which is found in Deuteronomy 2:10-11, "A race of giants called the Emites had once lived in the area of Ar. They were as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites, another race of giants. Both the Emites and the Anakites are also known as the Rephaites, though the Moabites call them Emites." They are also referred to as Zamzummites in Deuteronomy, "That area was once considered the land of the Rephaites, who had lived there, though the Ammonites call them Zamzummites."
The Amorites, another group that stood in the way of Israel claiming the promised land,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 890 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Persistence + Effort = Success â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 890 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Elbert Hubbard, and it is, "A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success."
Persistence + Effort = Success
True and lasting success is never gained quickly nor through shortcuts. Success cannot be determined during the process while you are in the midst of the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Sometimes success is not fully realized until long after a project or situation has ended. In fact, there have been many times where a person has not been recognized as a success until long after they have died.
Success cannot and should not be measured by monetary accumulation, but for the impact of transforming the lives of others positively. All of the truly great persons of history were willing to put in the time and the sacrifice to further Godâs kingdom without the consideration of whether they were going to be successful. We should be willing to do the same. As we conclude, today we are reminded in Proverbs 13:11, "Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time."
Also, success comes from wisdom gained through understanding and following Godâs precepts as found in Proverbs 1:3, "Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair."
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 889 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 890 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Persistence + Effort = Success â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 890 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Elbert Hubbard, and it is, "A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success."
Persistence + Effort = Success
True and lasting success is never gained quickly nor through shortcuts. Success cannot be determined during the process while you are in the midst of the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Sometimes success is not fully realized until long after a project or situation has ended. In fact, there have been many times where a person has not been recognized as a success until long after they have died.
Success cannot and should not be measured by monetary accumulation, but for the impact of transforming the lives of others positively. All of the truly great persons of history were willing to put in the time and the sacrifice to further Godâs kingdom without the consideration of whether they were going to be successful. We should be willing to do the same. As we conclude, today we are reminded in Proverbs 13:11, "Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time."
Also, success comes from wisdom gained through understanding and following Godâs precepts as found in Proverbs 1:3, "Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair."
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 889 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 889 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Foolishness â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 889 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.
In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflecting and renewing your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There are many foolish people and situations in our world today which we should not follow or become involved with. There is an exception to this, and in our Meditation Monday today we will learn aboutâ¦
Foolishness
When Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected on the meaning of the cross, he concluded, âA king who dies on the cross must be the king of a rather strange kingdom.â After all, everything about Jesusâ life was counter to the kingdom that his contemporaries were expecting and the empire that Rome had established. Perhaps, therefore, it is not so unusual that the nature of his kingdom would be âstrangeâ to modern-day sensibilities? Even easier to reject. Especially a kingdom where the king suffers in apparent foolish weakness.
Brennan Manning said, âJesus entered our world as the music man, but the world was disturbed by his songâ¦â But did the nails silence the music? Could it be that, in those nails, God succeeded in putting into operation his new creation and plan for the world? Could it be that, in those nails, a new kind of music could be heard?
Anyone who looks at the cross as a single screenshot on the monitor of their mind will think God is not loving or powerful but cruel and unfeeling. But when we see the cross as a part of the whole story, we will see it as a shining tile in the divine mosaic that is the story of God.
That this tile reveals to us that God is not waiting for us on the other side of suffering. He understands its significance and meets us in the midst of our suffering. We may never know why God allows suffering, but we know that God allows his heart to break as we suffer. To those who do believe, to those who embrace the foolishness, Jesus opens up a new reality that transforms the poverty of our nature by the riches of his grace. It is in this strange kingdom that we find grace that lays its arm down a wooden beam and never stops reaching out to bring us eternal life.Our faith and our calling do not rest in human wisdom, but in the power of God. This means we must pray daily for this kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. It is an invitation for us to take up our cross, the apparent foolishness of it and the scorn that may come because of it, and confront the worldâs foolish power with the fact there is a different way of wielding power. Defined and characterized by love.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 tells us, "The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say,
'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.'
So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the worldâs brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 889 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Foolishness â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 889 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.
In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflecting and renewing your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There are many foolish people and situations in our world today which we should not follow or become involved with. There is an exception to this, and in our Meditation Monday today we will learn aboutâ¦
Foolishness
When Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected on the meaning of the cross, he concluded, âA king who dies on the cross must be the king of a rather strange kingdom.â After all, everything about Jesusâ life was counter to the kingdom that his contemporaries were expecting and the empire that Rome had established. Perhaps, therefore, it is not so unusual that the nature of his kingdom would be âstrangeâ to modern-day sensibilities? Even easier to reject. Especially a kingdom where the king suffers in apparent foolish weakness.
Brennan Manning said, âJesus entered our world as the music man, but the world was disturbed by his songâ¦â But did the nails silence the music? Could it be that, in those nails, God succeeded in putting into operation his new creation and plan for the world? Could it be that, in those nails, a new kind of music could be heard?
Anyone who looks at the cross as a single screenshot on the monitor of their mind will think God is not loving or powerful but cruel and unfeeling. But when we see the cross as a part of the whole story, we will see it as a shining tile in the divine mosaic that is the story of God.
That this tile reveals to us that God is not waiting for us on the other side of suffering. He understands its significance and meets us in the midst of our suffering. We may never know why God allows suffering, but we know that God allows his heart to break as we suffer. To those who do believe, to those who embrace the foolishness, Jesus opens up a new reality that transforms the poverty of our nature by the riches of his grace. It is in this strange kingdom that we find grace that lays its arm down a wooden beam and never stops reaching out to bring us eternal life.Our faith and our calling do not rest in human wisdom, but in the power of God. This means we must pray daily for this kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. It is an invitation for us to take up our cross, the apparent foolishness of it and the scorn that may come because of it, and confront the worldâs foolish power with the fact there is a different way of wielding power. Defined and characterized by love.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 tells us, "The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say,
'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.'
So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the worldâs brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 888 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The State of the World, Communications - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 888 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can âAsk Gramps.â Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. Â As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue with part 3 of 3 for our question from last week which wasâ¦
Hey Gramps, âListening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?â
The State of the World, Communications
Nearly everyone in the western world, and even in many developing nations own a smartphone or at least a mobile phone. One of the most prevalent areas where we have seen great advancements and improvements in our world is in the area of communication.
Many of us take it for granted now, but in 2017, we had 3.8 billion people connected on Earth. That is ½ of the entire worldâs population, including all children. In the next five years, we'll see the deployment of the 5G global network that Qualcomm has been developing, which will enable many more types of connected devices.
We're about to see Facebook and Google launch large amounts of balloons, drones, and satellites. The company, OneWeb has plans to deploy 900 satellites leveraging a $1.2 billion Softbank investment. In addition to that 4,425 satellites are being launched by SpaceX. Within the next 5-10 years, it will provide connection capability to every single human on the planet with a gigabit connection speed. This will be a gigabit connection for everyone, effectively for free.
That connection represents a lifeline for health sciences. Itâs an ability to upload data or enable AI support. Imagine doctors in the US or other countries being able to perform advanced surgeries remotely to areas where health care is limited or unavailable. Think of all the good that can be brought about by these advancements in communications and connectivity. Imagine how much easier it will be to reach the world to build Godâs kingdom through the proliferation of His Good News to every tribe and nation. This is truly great news.
And it doesn't slow down. With the âInternet of Thingsâ and a proliferation of sensors, by 2020 we'll have 50 billion connected devices with a trillion sensors in the world. By 2030, weâll see 500 billion connected devices with 100 trillion sensors.
Regarding health, every single person will have the ability for real-time monitoring. Every single element of their lives â their glucose, their blood pressure, their microRNAs,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 888 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The State of the World, Communications - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 888 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can âAsk Gramps.â Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.
We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. Â As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue with part 3 of 3 for our question from last week which wasâ¦
Hey Gramps, âListening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?â
The State of the World, Communications
Nearly everyone in the western world, and even in many developing nations own a smartphone or at least a mobile phone. One of the most prevalent areas where we have seen great advancements and improvements in our world is in the area of communication.
Many of us take it for granted now, but in 2017, we had 3.8 billion people connected on Earth. That is ½ of the entire worldâs population, including all children. In the next five years, we'll see the deployment of the 5G global network that Qualcomm has been developing, which will enable many more types of connected devices.
We're about to see Facebook and Google launch large amounts of balloons, drones, and satellites. The company, OneWeb has plans to deploy 900 satellites leveraging a $1.2 billion Softbank investment. In addition to that 4,425 satellites are being launched by SpaceX. Within the next 5-10 years, it will provide connection capability to every single human on the planet with a gigabit connection speed. This will be a gigabit connection for everyone, effectively for free.
That connection represents a lifeline for health sciences. Itâs an ability to upload data or enable AI support. Imagine doctors in the US or other countries being able to perform advanced surgeries remotely to areas where health care is limited or unavailable. Think of all the good that can be brought about by these advancements in communications and connectivity. Imagine how much easier it will be to reach the world to build Godâs kingdom through the proliferation of His Good News to every tribe and nation. This is truly great news.
And it doesn't slow down. With the âInternet of Thingsâ and a proliferation of sensors, by 2020 we'll have 50 billion connected devices with a trillion sensors in the world. By 2030, weâll see 500 billion connected devices with 100 trillion sensors.
Regarding health, every single person will have the ability for real-time monitoring. Every single element of their lives â their glucose, their blood pressure, their microRNAs,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 887 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Old Has Become Cool â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 887 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. It is something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
The Old Has Become Cool
Gramps and his grandkids had been up in the attic together doing some cleaning and organizing. The kids uncovered an old manual typewriter and asked, "Hey Gramps...what's this?"
"Oh...that's an old typewriter," he answered, thinking that would satisfy their curiosity.
"Well, what does it do?" they asked.
"I'll show you," Gramps left the attic and returned with a blank piece of paper. He rolled the paper into the typewriter and began striking the keys, leaving black letters of print on the page.
"WOW!" they exclaimed, "That's really cool...but how does it work like that? Where do you plug it in?"
"There is no plug," Gramps answered. "It doesn't need a plug."
"Then where do you put the batteries?" they persisted.
"It doesn't need batteries either," he continued.
"Wow! This is so cool!" they exclaimed. "Someone should have invented this a long time ago!"
Make it a day full of cheer.
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought from Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, "History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, 'Here is something new!' But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new."
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 886 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 887 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Old Has Become Cool â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 887 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. It is something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
The Old Has Become Cool
Gramps and his grandkids had been up in the attic together doing some cleaning and organizing. The kids uncovered an old manual typewriter and asked, "Hey Gramps...what's this?"
"Oh...that's an old typewriter," he answered, thinking that would satisfy their curiosity.
"Well, what does it do?" they asked.
"I'll show you," Gramps left the attic and returned with a blank piece of paper. He rolled the paper into the typewriter and began striking the keys, leaving black letters of print on the page.
"WOW!" they exclaimed, "That's really cool...but how does it work like that? Where do you plug it in?"
"There is no plug," Gramps answered. "It doesn't need a plug."
"Then where do you put the batteries?" they persisted.
"It doesn't need batteries either," he continued.
"Wow! This is so cool!" they exclaimed. "Someone should have invented this a long time ago!"
Make it a day full of cheer.
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought from Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, "History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, 'Here is something new!' But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new."
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 886 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 886 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Righting the Wrong - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 886 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important in order to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Have you ever made a vow or a promise to God or a person and regretted it afterward? In todayâs essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to explore one such vow made by Jephthah, one of the Judges of Israel. We will compare and contrast this vow to a New Testament story of Jarius where Jesus reversed this foolish vow. In Judges 10-11 we will focus onâ¦
Righting the Wrong
The story of Jephthah and his tragic vow is paralleled by other storiesâincluding a New Testament story that subverts it.
· The Story
After the brief judgeship of Jair (a man from Gilead), the people of Israel fell into idolatry by worshiping foreign gods. This account is found in Judges 10:6, "Again the Israelites did evil in the Lordâs sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all."
As a result of this disobedience, God then allowed a foreign enemy to oppress the Israelites as punishment. This time it was the Ammonites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan in a place also known as Gilead. The Philistines and the Ammonites oppressed Israel for 18 years, and finally, the people called on God for deliverance.
God had his fill of their disobedience, and in Judges 10:13-14, God tells them, "Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore.  Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!" After
much pleading and putting away all idols, God once again relented by calling Jephthah, another judge from Gilead, to deal with the Ammonites who were getting ready to wage war against them to take back some land.
In Judges 11, Jephthah sends a message to the king of the Ammonites. He wonders why the king is not content with the land that his god Chemosh had given to the Ammonites. Jephthahâs plea is flawed: based on historical data from that time period, Milkom also called Molech was the chief deity of Ammon, not Chemosh. It won't be the last time he makes a theological blunder.
When Jephthah leads Israel against Ammon, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him for battle. Just before the fight, he utters his horrible vow..."And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, 'If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.'"After a resounding victory, we pick up the story in verse 34, "When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy."
· The Story Behind the Story
The ancient Israelites believed that geographical areas and nations were under the dominion of o...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 886 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Righting the Wrong - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 886 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important in order to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events.
To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Have you ever made a vow or a promise to God or a person and regretted it afterward? In todayâs essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to explore one such vow made by Jephthah, one of the Judges of Israel. We will compare and contrast this vow to a New Testament story of Jarius where Jesus reversed this foolish vow. In Judges 10-11 we will focus onâ¦
Righting the Wrong
The story of Jephthah and his tragic vow is paralleled by other storiesâincluding a New Testament story that subverts it.
· The Story
After the brief judgeship of Jair (a man from Gilead), the people of Israel fell into idolatry by worshiping foreign gods. This account is found in Judges 10:6, "Again the Israelites did evil in the Lordâs sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all."
As a result of this disobedience, God then allowed a foreign enemy to oppress the Israelites as punishment. This time it was the Ammonites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan in a place also known as Gilead. The Philistines and the Ammonites oppressed Israel for 18 years, and finally, the people called on God for deliverance.
God had his fill of their disobedience, and in Judges 10:13-14, God tells them, "Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore.  Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!" After
much pleading and putting away all idols, God once again relented by calling Jephthah, another judge from Gilead, to deal with the Ammonites who were getting ready to wage war against them to take back some land.
In Judges 11, Jephthah sends a message to the king of the Ammonites. He wonders why the king is not content with the land that his god Chemosh had given to the Ammonites. Jephthahâs plea is flawed: based on historical data from that time period, Milkom also called Molech was the chief deity of Ammon, not Chemosh. It won't be the last time he makes a theological blunder.
When Jephthah leads Israel against Ammon, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him for battle. Just before the fight, he utters his horrible vow..."And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, 'If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.'"After a resounding victory, we pick up the story in verse 34, "When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy."
· The Story Behind the Story
The ancient Israelites believed that geographical areas and nations were under the dominion of o...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 885 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Living Successfully â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 885 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget.
Living Successfully
Todayâs quote is from Mother Teresa, and it is her 10 steps for living successfully: Â Â
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you invest years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
As we conclude, today we are reminded in  Titus 3:8, "This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone."
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 884 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 885 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Living Successfully â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 885 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget.
Living Successfully
Todayâs quote is from Mother Teresa, and it is her 10 steps for living successfully: Â Â
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you invest years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
As we conclude, today we are reminded in  Titus 3:8, "This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone."
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 884 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 884 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Through the Power of the Work in Us â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 884 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. The three controlling forces which most people strive for is power, money, and sex. If you study groups of people for very long, such as politicians, business people, and unfortunately even in ministry you will soon realize that most are driven by one of these three motivators. We may disguise it as something else and many times even convince ourselves that we do not fall prey to them, but when all the chaff is blown away, we see the real kernel of truth.   As Christ follows this is most unfortunate. We have unmeasurable power and riches dwelling within us, and yet we do not accept it or plug into those resources which are so readily available.  Our Meditation Monday today we will learn that we can do anything
Through the Power at Work in Us
Jesus desires his disciples to praise the Father! Ponder Paul's beautiful prayer in the verses below. He not only praises the Father, but he also asks for the Father's help. In particular, this great church-planter and disciple-maker prays for the strengthening of the fellow Christ followers he loves. He does not pray for generic strength, but for the Holy Spirit's empowered strength in Ephesians 3:16: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
The result of this prayer for strength should make your hearts beat a little faster. While the glory for the great things that the Holy Spirit does will go to God, the people through whom the Spirit works will be folks just like you and me, Jesusâs disciples. Notice something else that Paul prays in Ephesians 3:20: Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.God can and will do "infinitely more than we might ask or think.â  Notice how it is done "through His mighty power at work within us."
So here are several things to ponder, and then take appropriate action:
Pray frequently for God to strengthen specific followers of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Pray regularly that their work inspired by the Spirit will bring God glory.
Pray passionately that these Christ followers will be used by God to accomplish â and that they get to experience â "infinitely more than we might ask or think.â
Paul prayed these things for the Christ Followers who received his letter called Ephesians. You should pray these things regularly for each other. Imagine releasing the power that comes from the Father, Son, and Spirit â into the lives of people you love. Think about all the people in your spiritual family who need Godâs comfort, strength, and grace. Invite the Holy Spirit to move mightily through you, your fellowship, your congregation, your home gatherings, and your small groups. Pray that you and your fellow Christians bring th...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 884 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Through the Power of the Work in Us â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 884 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The three controlling forces which most people strive for are power, money, and sex. If you study groups of people for very long, such as politicians, business people, and unfortunately even ministers, you will soon realize that most are driven by one of these three motivators. We may disguise it as something else and many times even convince ourselves that we do not fall prey to them, but when all the chaff is blown away, we see the real kernel of truth.
As Christ followers this is most unfortunate. We have unmeasurable power and riches dwelling within us, and yet we do not accept it or plug into those resources that are so readily available. Our Meditation Monday today we will learn that we can do anythingâ¦
Through the Power at Work in Us
Jesus desires his disciples to praise the Father! Ponder Paul's beautiful prayer in the verses below. He not only praises the Father, but he also asks for the Father's help. In particular, this great church-planter and disciple-maker prays for the strengthening of the fellow Christ followers he loves. He does not pray for generic strength, but for the Holy Spirit's empowered strength in Ephesians 3:16, "I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit."
The result of this prayer for strength should make your heart beat a little faster. While the glory for the great things that the Holy Spirit does will go to God, the people through whom the Spirit works will be folks just like you and me, Jesusâs disciples. Notice something else that Paul prays in Ephesians 3:20, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."
God can and will do "infinitely more than we might ask or think.â Notice how it is done "through His mighty power at work within us."
So here are several things to ponder, and then take appropriate action:
Pray frequently for God to strengthen specific followers of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Pray regularly that their work inspired by the Spirit will bring God glory.
Pray passionately that these Christ followers will be used by God to accomplish â and that they get to experience â "infinitely more than we might ask or think.â
Paul prayed these things for the Christ followers who received his letter called Ephesians. You should pray these things regularly for each other. Imagine releasing the power that comes from the Father, Son, and Spirit â into the lives of people you love. Think about all the people in your spiritual family who need Godâs comfort, strength, and grace.
Invite the Holy Spirit to move mightily through you, your fellowship, your congregation, your home gatherings, and your small groups.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 883 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The State of the World, Technology - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 883 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to.
No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.
As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue with part 2 of 3 for our question from last week which was:
Hey Gramps, âListening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?â
The State of the World, Technology
We take the technology and the empowerment we have today for granted. This weekâs answer will focus on the advances in technology that we have experienced over the past several decades.
Technology permeates our entire life now. Technology in and of itself is amoral. As with any advancement, it can be used for good or bad, but certainly a lot more good has resulted with these advancements than bad. If you have had any type of major surgery recently, I am sure you agree.
Here are some highlights:
Consider storage, which is critical for the genomics world today, which will transform healthcare and rapidly advance the cure for most diseases such as cancer.
In 1981, 1 gigabyte of storage cost half a million dollars. Today, it's 25 million times cheaper at 2 cents per gigabyte.
How about computation? In 1971, Intel put out its first computer chip, the Intel 4004. It had 2,300 transistors on at $1 each.
Intel no longer actually tells you how many transistors are on their chips, but the recent Core i7 had 14.4 billion transistors at less than a millionth of a penny each.
This represents a 330 billion-fold increase in price performance in 45 years.
If you have a smartphone, you have more computational power in your hand than all the governments on the planet had just 30 years ago.
But that doesn't compare to what's coming next in quantum computing. This year, we expect to see âquantum supremacyâ â that moment in time where a quantum computer can solve a problem that no classical computer can do.
Google recently unveiled Bristlecone. This new quantum computer chip has 72 qubits. By the time it gets to 300 qubits, it will be able to perform more calculations than there are atoms in the known universe.
Weâre about to see an extraordinary revolution in drug discovery.
Pharmaceutical companies today are investing decades and billions of dollars in discovering molecules that affect us.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 883 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The State of the World, Technology - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 883 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series.  Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can âAsk Gramps.â   Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible.  No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.  As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue with part 2 of 3 for our question from last week which was:
Hey Gramps, âListening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?â
The State of the World, Technology
We take the technology and the empowerment we have today for granted. This weekâs answer will focus on the advances in technology that we have experienced over the past several decades. It permeates our entire life now. Technology in and of itself is amoral. As with any advancement, it can be used for good or bad, but certainly a lot more good has resulted with these advancements than bad. If you have had any type of major surgery recently, I am sure you agree.
Here are some highlights:
Consider storage, which is critical for the genomics world today, which will transform healthcare and rapidly advance the cure for most diseases such as cancer.
In 1981, 1 gigabyte of storage cost half a million dollars. Today, it's 25 million times cheaper at 2 cents per gigabyte.
How about computation? In 1971, Intel put out its first computer chip, the Intel 4004. It had 2,300 transistors on at $1 each.
Intel no longer actually tells you how many transistors are on their chips, but the recent Core i7 had 14.4 billion transistors at less than a millionth of a penny each.
This represents a 330 billion-fold increase in price performance in 45 years.
If you have a smartphone, you have more computational power in your hand than all the governments on the planet had just 30 years ago.
But that doesn't compare to what's coming next in quantum computing. This year, we expect to see âquantum supremacyâ -- that moment in time where a quantum computer can solve a problem that no classical computer can do.
Google recently unveiled Bristlecone. This new quantum computer chip has 72 qubits. By the time it gets to 300 qubits, it can perform more calculations than there are atoms in the known universe. Weâre about to see an extraordinary revolution in drug discovery.
Pharmaceutical companies today are investing decades and billions of dollars in discovering molecules that affect us. But soon, quantum computers will allow us to model molecular interactions at a level like never before.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 882 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Reflections of Love â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 882 of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.  Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today.  So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled:
Reflections of Love
An older couple, Jim and Jonnie, were lying in bed one night. Jim was almost asleep when Jonnie started reflecting on all the love they had shared. As Jim was just drifting off to sleep, Jonnie nudges Jim and says, "Honey, do you remember how we used to hug?"
Jim rouses and says, "Yes, dear," and rolls over and gives Jonnie a big hug."
He then rolls back over and was almost asleep again, when Jonnie nudges him again and says "Honey do you remember how we used to kiss?"
"Yes, dear," Jim says, and he rolls over and gives her a big kiss.
Jim rolls back over and was almost asleep when Jonnie nudges him again and says, "Honey, do you remember how you used to nibble on my ear?"
At that Jim throws off the covers, somewhat frustrated, sits up in bed, and gets up. Jonnie says, "What are you doing?" In an exasperated tone, Jim says, "I'm going to go get my teeth."
Make it a day full of cheer.
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursdayâs Thought:Â Donât take yourself so seriously, no one else is.
Job 8:21
He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
 Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.'  If you would like to listen to any of our past 881 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 882 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Reflections of Love â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 882 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.
We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
Reflections of Love
An older couple, Jim and Jonnie, were lying in bed one night. Jim was almost asleep when Jonnie started reflecting on all the love they had shared. As Jim was just drifting off to sleep, Jonnie nudges Jim and says, "Honey, do you remember how we used to hug?"
Jim rouses and says, "Yes, dear," and rolls over and gives Jonnie a big hug.
He then rolls back over and was almost asleep again, when Jonnie nudges him again and says "Honey do you remember how we used to kiss?"
"Yes, dear," Jim says, and he rolls over and gives her a big kiss.
Jim rolls back over and was almost asleep when Jonnie nudges him again and says, "Honey, do you remember how you used to nibble on my ear?"
At that Jim throws off the covers, somewhat frustrated, sits up in bed, and gets up. Jonnie says, "What are you doing?" In an exasperated tone, Jim says, "I'm going to go get my teeth."
Make it a day full of cheer.
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursdayâs Thought..."Donât take yourself so seriously, no one else is."
Job 8:21, "He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."
 Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 881 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 881 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Most Horrific Bible Stroy - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 881 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.  Creating a Biblical Worldview is important in order to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word.  Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Gods Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled  âI Dare You Not to Bore Me With the Bible.â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH. One factor that supports the authenticity of Godâs Word is that it includes narrative that the good, the bad, and the ugly. In todayâs essay, we will take a closer look at one of the stories that is both bad and ugly but also leads us to a truth that we need to understand. In todayâs essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to explore Judges 19-20 where Godâs Word presents a tale that is considered:
The Most Horrific Bible Story
âIn those days, there was no king in Israel.â This line, repeated throughout Judges, frames the horrific tale of the Levite and his concubine. The grim details of this story showcase the anarchy and spiritual decay of the period, but this story is not just a cheap thriller.
When reading this story, our attention fixates on the grim details of murder, rape, war, and abduction. But there are crucial, less repugnant elements which includes tribal affiliations and the locations of events. The story was designed to prompt readers into favoring kingship, the people needed a Messiah, a savior.
The book of Judges does not name its author: it was likely written after the time of David. All of these elements add up to not only a rationale for kingshipâbut a polemic for the superiority of a king from Judah (David), not Benjamin (Saul) or Ephraim.
By the time Judges was being written, Saul had already failed God as a spiritual leader. Anyone reading the story would be prompted to follow God's new choice of kingship, the line of David. Any other ruler would spell chaos, evil and tragedy. I am going to summarize this passage, but I would encourage you to read Judges 19-20 to get the full spectrum of this horrific story which is a precursor to the kings of Israel which culminates in Jesus Christ as the King of Kings.
The Events in the Story
What Does This Teach Us?
In Judges 19-20 a Levite is retrieving his fugitive concubine from her father's house in Bethlehem, located in the tribal territory of Judah.
The concubineâs father, who is from Judah, treats the Levite with warm hospitality.
The Levite is shown warm hospitality in Judah, David's tribe.
The Levite and his concubine travel home to Ephraim. On the way, he has the option to stay in the city of Jebus, a Benjamite territory.
He decides not to remain since Jebus is under the rule of Gentiles, non-Hebrews.
The Levite could have stopped in Jebusâ which is later known as Jerusalem. It is a missed oasis in the hellish sea of Benjamin.
He journeys on to Gibeah, also a Benjamite territory. In Gibeah, an old manâalso from Ephraimâoffers refuge to the Levite and his concubine 19:15-16
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 881 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Most Horrific Bible Story - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 881 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important in order to have a proper perspective on todayâs current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs Word.
Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order help us to all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. One factor that supports the authenticity of Godâs Word is that it includes narrative of the good, the bad, and the ugly. In todayâs essay, we will take a closer look at one of the stories that is both bad and ugly but also leads us to a truth that we need to understand. In todayâs essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to explore Judges 19-20 where Godâs Word presents a tale that is consideredâ¦
The Most Horrific Bible Story
"In those days, there was no king in Israel."Â This line, repeated throughout Judges, frames the horrific tale of the Levite and his concubine. The grim details of this story showcase the anarchy and spiritual decay of the period, but this story is not just a cheap thriller.
When reading this story, our attention fixates on the grim details of murder, rape, war, and abduction. But there are crucial, less repugnant elements that include tribal affiliations and the locations of events. The story was designed to prompt readers into favoring kingship, the people needed a Messiah, a savior.
The book of Judges does not name its author: it was likely written after the time of David. All of these elements add up to not only a rationale for kingshipâbut a polemic for the superiority of a king from Judah (David), not Benjamin (Saul) or Ephraim.
By the time Judges was being written, Saul had already failed God as a spiritual leader. Anyone reading the story would be prompted to follow God's new choice of kingship, the line of David. Any other ruler would spell chaos, evil and tragedy. I am going to summarize this passage, but I would encourage you to read Judges 19-20 to get the full spectrum of this horrific story, which is a precursor to the kings of Israel and culminates in Jesus Christ as the King of Kings.
The Events in the Story
What Does This Teach Us?
In Judges 19-20 a Levite is retrieving his fugitive concubine from her father's house in Bethlehem, located in the tribal territory of Judah.
The concubineâs father, who is from Judah, treats the Levite with warm hospitality.
The Levite is shown warm hospitality in Judah, David's tribe.
The Levite and his concubine travel home to Ephraim. On the way, he has the option to stay in the city of Jebus, a Benjamite territory.
He decides not to remain since Jebus is under the rule of Gentiles, non-Hebrews.
The Levite could have stopped in Jebusâwhich is later known as Jerusalem. It is a missed oasis in the hellish sea of Benjamin.
He journeys on to Gibeah, also a Benjamite territory. In Gibeah, an old manâalso from Ephraimâoffers refuge to the Levite and his concubine (19:15-16).
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 880 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Attitude Affects Success â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 880 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget.
Todayâs quote is from William James, and it is,"It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome."
Attitude Affects Success
Success in any endeavor is, in part, based on your attitude during the entirety of the task. A good attitude at the beginning of a difficult task is one of the most important elements in determining a successful outcome.
If you are fearful or doubting when you begin a difficult task, then is it almost assured that the task or project will fail, at least in part. Attitude is probably the biggest single factor of success or failure in any aspect of life.
The more difficult the tasks, the more important your attitude is. A good positive and practical attitude will pave the road to success. This is what God told Joshua when he was about to move into and conquer The Promised Land. Listen as I read Joshua 1:7, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do."
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 879 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 880 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Attitude Affects Success â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 880 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget.
Todayâs quote is from William James, and it is,"It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome."
Attitude Affects Success
Success in any endeavor is, in part, based on your attitude during the entirety of the task. A good attitude at the beginning of a difficult task is one of the most important elements in determining a successful outcome.
If you are fearful or doubting when you begin a difficult task, then is it almost assured that the task or project will fail, at least in part. Attitude is probably the biggest single factor of success or failure in any aspect of life.
The more difficult the tasks, the more important your attitude is. A good positive and practical attitude will pave the road to success. This is what God told Joshua when he was about to move into and conquer The Promised Land. Listen as I read Joshua 1:7, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do."
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
If you would like to listen to any of our past 879 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 879 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's a Jungle Out There â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 879 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH.  Life is not always easy, but that should not stop us from moving forward for God will create a path for our trek.    Our Meditation Monday today we will learn that with life:
It's a Jungle Out There
The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, âWhere are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!â The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, âI am the path.â
We ask the same questions, donât we? We ask God, âWhere are you taking me? Where is the path?â And he, like the guide, doesnât tell us. Oh, he may give us a hint or two, but thatâs all. If he did, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us a far greater gift. He gives us himself.
Does he remove the jungle? No, the vegetation is still thick.
Does he purge the predators? No, danger still lurks.
Jesus doesnât give hope by changing the jungle; he restores our hope by giving us himself. And he has promised to stay until the very end. Matthew 28:20 tells us, "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."We need that reminder. We all need that reminder. For all of us need hope.
Some of you donât need it right now. Your jungle has become a meadow and your journey a delight. If such is the case, congratulations. But remember â we do not know what tomorrow holds. We do not know where this road will lead. You may be one turn from a cemetery, from a hospital bed, from an empty house. You may be a bend in the road from a jungle.
And though you donât need your hope restored today, you may tomorrow. And you need to know to whom to turn.
Or perhaps you do need hope today. You know you were not made for this place. You know you are not equipped. You want someone to lead you out.
If so, call out for your Shepherd. He knows your voice, and heâs just waiting for your request.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrowâs trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.Â
If you would like to listen to any of the past 878 daily treks or read the daily journal,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 879 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
It's a Jungle Out There â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 879 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH.  Life is not always easy, but that should not stop us from moving forward for God will create a path for our trek.    Our Meditation Monday today we will learn that with life:
It's a Jungle Out There
The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, âWhere are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!â The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, âI am the path.â
We ask the same questions, donât we? We ask God, âWhere are you taking me? Where is the path?â And he, like the guide, doesnât tell us. Oh, he may give us a hint or two, but thatâs all. If he did, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us a far greater gift. He gives us himself.
Does he remove the jungle? No, the vegetation is still thick.
Does he purge the predators? No, danger still lurks.
Jesus doesnât give hope by changing the jungle; he restores our hope by giving us himself. And he has promised to stay until the very end. Matthew 28:20 tells us, "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."We need that reminder. We all need that reminder. For all of us need hope.
Some of you donât need it right now. Your jungle has become a meadow and your journey a delight. If such is the case, congratulations. But remember â we do not know what tomorrow holds. We do not know where this road will lead. You may be one turn from a cemetery, from a hospital bed, from an empty house. You may be a bend in the road from a jungle.
And though you donât need your hope restored today, you may tomorrow. And you need to know to whom to turn.
Or perhaps you do need hope today. You know you were not made for this place. You know you are not equipped. You want someone to lead you out.
If so, call out for your Shepherd. He knows your voice, and heâs just waiting for your request.
Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrowâs trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.Â
If you would like to listen to any of the past 878 daily treks or read the daily journal,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 878 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The State of the World - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 878 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series.  Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can âAsk Gramps.â   Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible.  No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.  As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, Ohio. Since this is a week of travel for Granny & Gramps, todayâs episode will be a shorter and the 1st part of my answer to todayâs question.
Hey Gramps, âListening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?â
The State of the World
While there are concerns about the moral and ethical direction of many cultures throughout the world, there have been many times in ages past where it was much worse. One example is the Roman Empire, where immorality was widespread, slavery and servitude were rampant, people were massacred for sport, and there were wars and rumors of war all over the world. In comparison, the world today is pretty mild.
The area that we will focus on today is the contextualizing improvements in human progress. This includes the worldwide level of poverty, lifespan, and the related death rates. Here are a few facts to consider.
With the exception of lifespans before the flood of Noah, from that point, forward lifespans have become shorter with each age, until recent history.
It's hard to remember how extraordinary the world is today when we're bombarded 24/7 by news about problems and disasters. History provides valuable context, however.
Some 700 years ago, the Plague killed 200 million people in a single year -- 40 percent of England.
About 500 years ago, famine claimed 3 million lives in France.
100 years ago (in 1918) World War I claimed 16 million lives, while the flu pandemic caused 50 million deaths, all in a single year.
If these were our current headlines, we would be in shock.We forget how much the world has progressed in the past century alone.
The per-capita income for every nation on the planet has tripled. The human lifespan has doubled. The cost of food has dropped thirty-fold. The cost of transportation hundreds of fold. The cost of communications millions of fold.
The human lifespan is another way to contextualize progress:
During the days after the flood, the average lifespan continued to decline. Food in many areas of the world was scarce, and infant mortality was high. While many people lived to be older, the average lifespan dipped to about 30.
In the Middle Ages, the average human lifespan grew to 35.
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 878 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The State of the World, Life Span - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 878 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to do so.
No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.
As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since this is a week of travel for Granny & Gramps, todayâs episode will be shorter and serve as the 1st part of my answer to todayâs question.
Hey Gramps, âListening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?â
The State of the World, Life Span
While there are concerns about the moral and ethical direction of many cultures throughout the world today, there have been many times in ages past where it was much worse. One example is the Roman Empire, where immorality was widespread, slavery and servitude were rampant, people were massacred for sport, and there were wars and rumors of war all over the world. In comparison, the world today is pretty mild.
The area that we will focus on today is the contextualizing improvements in human progress. This includes the worldwide level of poverty, lifespan, and the related death rates. Here are a few facts to consider.
With the exception of lifespans before the flood of Noah, from that point forward lifespans have become shorter with each age until recent history.
It's hard to remember how extraordinary the world is today when we're bombarded 24/7 by news about problems and disasters. History provides valuable context, however.
Some 700 years ago, the Plague killed 200 million people in a single year â 40 percent of England.
About 500 years ago, famine claimed 3 million lives in France.
100 years ago (in 1918) World War I claimed 16 million lives while the flu pandemic caused 50 million deaths, all in a single year.
If these were our current headlines, we would be in shock.
We forget how much the world has progressed in the past century alone.
The per-capita income for every nation on the planet has tripled. The human lifespan has doubled. The cost of food has dropped thirty-fold. The cost of transportation decreased hundreds of fold. The cost of communications reduced millions of fold.
The human lifespan is another way to contextualize progress:
During the days after the flood, the average lifespan continued to decline. Food in many areas of the world was scarce, and infant mortality was high. While many people lived to be older,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 877 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Keeping Your Commitments â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 877 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
Keeping Your Commitments
In the not so distant past, there was an old man named Jim who worked all his life and saved all his money. He was a miser, he lived like a pauper, he hardly had food, but he loved his money more than just about anything else in the world.
Just before he died, he said to his wife, Martha, "When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I need my money in the afterlife. Can you promise me that you'll do that?"
His wife was faithful, so she promised Jim with all her heart that when he died, she would put all his money in the casket.
When Jim died, Martha gave him a proper funeral. He was laid out in a beautiful casket, and his faithful wife was in the front row at the funeral parlor dressed in black, sitting beside her best friend, Sue. When the ceremony ended, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, Martha rose from her seat and said, "Wait just a minute!"
With that, Martha placed an ornate box inside the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket and rolled it away.
When Martha returned to her seat, Sue grabbed her by the arm and said, "Martha, I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in the casket with Jim, were you?'
Martha said to Sue, "Listen, I am a Christian woman, and I can never lie. I promised Jim that I was going to put the money in his casket with him and I did."
Sue was horrified and asked, "You mean to tell me that you put all that money in the casket with Jim?"
Martha replied, "I sure did...I wrote him a check for the full amount.
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursdayâs Thought from:
Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."
Make it a day full of cheer.
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 876 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 877 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Keeping Your Commitments â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 877 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.
Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
Keeping Your Commitments
In the not so distant past, there was an old man named Jim who worked all his life and saved all his money. He was a miser, he lived like a pauper, he hardly had food, but he loved his money more than just about anything else in the world.
Just before he died, he said to his wife, Martha, "When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I need my money in the afterlife. Can you promise me that you'll do that?"
His wife was faithful, so she promised Jim with all her heart that when he died, she would put all his money in the casket.
When Jim died, Martha gave him a proper funeral. He was laid out in a beautiful casket, and his faithful wife was in the front row at the funeral parlor dressed in black, sitting beside her best friend, Sue. When the ceremony ended, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, Martha rose from her seat and said, "Wait just a minute!"
With that, Martha placed an ornate box inside the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket and rolled it away.
When Martha returned to her seat, Sue grabbed her by the arm and said, "Martha, I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in the casket with Jim, were you?'
Martha said to Sue, "Listen, I am a Christian woman, and I can never lie. I promised Jim that I was going to put the money in his casket with him and I did."
Sue was horrified and asked, "You mean to tell me that you put all that money in the casket with Jim?"
Martha replied, "I sure did...I wrote him a check for the full amount.
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursdayâs Thought from:
Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."
Make it a day full of cheer.
Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 876 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 876 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Is My Bible Accurate? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 876 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical Worldview. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We hear a lot about âfake newsâ today, and it is getting to the point where it is difficult to trust any major media outlet. Certainly, the internet is also awash with all sorts of theories and opinions, many of which have little or no basis in truth.
While I believe that Godâs word is inspired in its original revelation, throughout the ages there are some subtle nuances in the various translations that do affect our understanding of certain passages. None of these differences impact the major doctrines or the overriding message of salvation through Jesus Christ. As I gain a better understanding of the Bible in the language and culture in which it was written, it helps me to gain a better understanding of how God is building up His kingdom throughout the world today. In todayâs essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to look at Deuteronomy 32:8-9 where God divided up the human race of the world at that timeâ¦
Is My Bible Accurate?
After the great flood, everyone had one language. Humanity congregated in the region of Babylonia (âthe land of Shinarâ) and started building a tower that would reach into the heavens as told to us in Genesis 11:1-9. God stopped the project by transforming the single language into manyâdispersing humanity over the earth and creating the 70 nations and regions listed in Genesis 10 from the decedents of Noah. Genesis11:7-9 tells of this scattering of people, "Come, letâs go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they wonât be able to understand each other. In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city.  That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way, he scattered them all over the world."
Most people think it ends there, but thereâs more. The story picks up again in Deuteronomy 32:8-9, and the story changes, depending on what Bible version you use. Here is the reading from the New Living Translation.
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number in his heavenly court.[a]
For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.
In the Dead Sea Scrolls, it reads the number of the sons of God, and Greek version, which reads the number of the angels of God; Masoretic Text reads the number of the sons of Israel. The difference is due to these ancient manuscript disagreements, which have major theological ramifications.
· Is It Accurate?
Many English Bibles have âsons of Israelâ or something similar because the translation is based on the traditional Hebrew t...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 876 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Is My Bible Accurate? - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 876 of our Trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.
The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical Worldview. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in Godâs word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We hear a lot about âfake newsâ today, and it is getting to the point where it is difficult to trust any major media outlet. Certainly, the internet is also awash with all sorts of theories and opinions, many of which have little or no basis in truth.
While I believe that Godâs word is inspired in its original revelation, throughout the ages there are some subtle nuances in the various translations that do affect our understanding of certain passages. None of these differences impact the major doctrines or the overriding message of salvation through Jesus Christ. As I gain a better understanding of the Bible in the language and culture in which it was written, it helps me to gain a better understanding of how God is building up His kingdom throughout the world today. In todayâs essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to look at Deuteronomy 32:8-9 where God divided up the human race of the world at that timeâ¦
Is My Bible Accurate?
After the great flood, everyone had one language. Humanity congregated in the region of Babylonia (âthe land of Shinarâ) and started building a tower that would reach into the heavens as told to us in Genesis 11:1-9. God stopped the project by transforming the single language into manyâdispersing humanity over the earth and creating the 70 nations and regions listed in Genesis 10 from the decedents of Noah. Genesis11:7-9 tells of this scattering of people, "Come, letâs go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they wonât be able to understand each other. In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city.  That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way, he scattered them all over the world."
Most people think it ends there, but thereâs more. The story picks up again in Deuteronomy 32:8-9, and the story changes, depending on what Bible version you use. Here is the reading from the New Living Translation.
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number in his heavenly court.[a]
For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.
In the Dead Sea Scrolls, it reads the number of the sons of God, and Greek version, which reads the number of the angels of God; Masoretic Text reads the number of the sons of Israel. The difference is due to these ancient manuscript disagreements, which have major theological ramifications.
· Is It Accurate?
Many English Bibles have âsons of Israelâ or something similar because the translation is based on the traditional Hebrew t...
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 875 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Built Over Time â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 875 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget.
Todayâs quote is from Maria Razumich-Zec, and it is, "Your reputation and integrity are everything. Follow through on what you say you're going to do. Your credibility can only be built over time, and it is built from the history of your words and actions."
Built Over Time
Both your integrity and reputation can only be built over a long period of time where others are able to observe your actions and speech. You may be able to talk a good talk, but unless you walk a good walk, it will mean nothing. Although it takes years to build an example of pure integrity and good reputation, both can be destroyed in a matter of seconds if your walk and talk do not match.
We only have to read the latest headlines to understand that in a moment the most well-known people in business, news media, acting, politics and, yes, even in the ministry can be destroyed. Their reputations and integrity crumble because of the revelation of past or recent practices and actions.
What we have to understand and realize is that in nearly every case it was not just one action that brought the mighty to their knees but a progressive set of decisions and choices that were made over time that is the cause of their downfall. Yet it begins with that one choice to compromise your reputation and integrity that begins the snowball effect to start the downhill slide. Let us be careful of every decision and choice that we make because all subsequent choices and decisions are based on the previous one.Proverbs 3:3-4 give us the guidelines that we must follow:
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 874 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play, so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 875 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Built Over Time â Wisdom Unplugged
Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 875
Check for Spend or Spent
Hello, my friend, and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Guide to Wisdom and Creating a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 875 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for todayâs trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs nugget:
Todayâs quote is from Maria Razumich-Zec and it is: Â Your reputation and integrity are everything. Follow through on what you say you're going to do. Your credibility can only be built over time, and it is built from the history of your words and actions.Â
Built Over Time
Both your integrity and reputation can only be built over a long period of time where others are able to observe your actions and speech.  You may be able to talk a good talk, but unless you walk a good walk, it will mean nothing. Although it takes years to build an example of pure integrity and good reputation both can be destroyed in a matter of seconds if your walk and talk do not match. We only have to read the latest headlines to understand that in a moment the most well-known people in business, news media, acting, politics and yes even in the ministry can be destroyed. Their reputations and integrity crumble because of the revelation of past or recent practices and actions.   What we have to understand and realize, that in nearly every case it was not just one action that brought the mighty to their knees but a progressive set of decisions and choices that were made over time that is the cause of their downfall. Yet it begins with that one choice to compromise your reputation and integrity that begins the snowball effect to start the downhill slide.  Let us be careful of every decision and choice that we make because all subsequent choices and decisions are based on the previous one.Proverbs 3:3-4 give us the guidelines that we must follow:
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of âWisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 874 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each dayâs trek will be downloaded automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlainâ¦.reminding you to âKeep Moving Forward,â âEnjoy your Journey,' and âCreate a Great Dayâ¦Everydayâ! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 874 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Pray This Way â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 874 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope an prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at âThe Big Houseâ in Marietta, OH.  So often we try to live life on our own terms, while God desires us to live on His terms. We can only know Godâs way through His Word, including pray. This is why Jesusâs disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray.    On our Meditation Monday today we will learn that Jesus teaches all of us to:Â
Pray This Way
Of all the things the disciples could have asked of Jesus, they asked to be taught how to pray. As we read Jesusâs words of how to pray, ask the Holy Spirit for fresh revelation, for how you can practically respond to His instruction.
Worship is the Alpha and the Omega of prayer as is found in Matthew 6:9&13 âPray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Jesus taught the disciples and us that in prayer we are to pay homage to the reality that this is His kingdom.
God has control over everything, and He can and will answer our prayers. There is nothing impossible with God Luke 1:37 For the word of God will never fail, For nothing is impossible with God.Jesus continues his teaching in Matthew 6:10
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  He desires His kingdom to come. It is His will, His purpose. He has set before us a vision of a renewed community and people in unity. Jesusâs prayer reminds us that extending Godâs kingdom is included in our decision to follow Him.
Matthew 6:11 Give us today the food we need Â
Can we live in this kind of simplicity and trust, like a little child? Can we be grateful for the food, regardless of how little or much that is set before us today? This is one place we repeatedly allow our peace and contentment to be stolen. We compare our provision to other people.Matthew 6:12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. To be forgiven, you must forgive. You must live in forgiveness daily toward everyone: your spouse, friends, enemies, children, and most of all yourself. There is great freedom in forgiveness; it is the key to the kingdomâconfessing our sins, seeking forgiveness, and forgiving others.
Christ instructs us to pray a very honest prayer, Matthew 6:13 And donât let us yield to temptation   As shocking as the thought may be, the Lord allows us to go through times of trials, testing, and temptation. The Lord desires to produce pure gold out of our lives. Also, far too many of us are not in a position to face the temptations of sin and attacks of the enemy when they come. For our protection, the Lord is able to chain up the roaring lion that seeks to tempt and destroy us. The Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment....
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 874 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Pray This Way â Meditation Monday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 874 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.
For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on Godâs Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.Â
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. So often we try to live life on our own terms while God desires us to live on His terms. We can only know Godâs way through His Word, including prayer. This is why Jesusâs disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. On our Meditation Monday, we will learn that Jesus teaches all of us toâ¦
Pray This Way
Of all the things the disciples could have asked of Jesus, they asked to be taught how to pray. As we read Jesusâs words of how to pray, ask the Holy Spirit for fresh revelation, for how you can practically respond to His instruction.
Worship is the Alpha and the Omega of prayer as is found in Matthew 6:9 & 13, "Pray like this: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'"
Jesus taught the disciples and us that in prayer we are to pay homage to the reality that this is His kingdom.
God has control over everything, and He can and will answer our prayers. There is nothing impossible with God like Luke 1:37 reminds us, "For the word of God will never fail, For nothing is impossible with God."
Jesus continues his teaching in Matthew 6:10, "May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." He desires His kingdom to come. It is His will, His purpose. He has set before us a vision of a renewed community and people in unity. Jesusâs prayer reminds us that extending Godâs kingdom is included in our decision to follow Him.
Matthew 6:11 says, "Give us today the food we need."
Can we live in this kind of simplicity and trust, like a little child? Can we be grateful for the food, regardless of how little or much that is set before us today? This is one place we repeatedly allow our peace and contentment to be stolen. We compare our provision to other people.
Matthew 6:12 reads, "and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." To
be forgiven, you must forgive. You must live in forgiveness daily toward everyone: your spouse, friends, enemies, children, and most of all yourself. There is great freedom in forgiveness; it is the key to the kingdomâconfessing our sins, seeking forgiveness, and forgiving others.
Christ instructs us to pray a very honest prayer in Matthew 6:13, "And donât let us yield to temptation." As shocking as the thought may be, the Lord allows us to go through times of trials, testing, and temptation. The Lord desires to produce pure gold out of our lives. Also, far too many of us are not in a position to face the temptations of sin and attacks of the enemy when they come. For our protection, the Lord is able to chain up the roaring lion that seeks to tempt and destroy us. The Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:9, "So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 873 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Kick Junk Food and Eat Healthy - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 873 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible.
No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.
As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue our answer to last weekâs question. Spring and summer gives us extra opportunities to get outside and exercise more, and there are many more opportunities to buy healthy locally grown produce. It is a great time to begin new habits of healthy eating and exercise. So our question for today isâ¦
Hey Gramps, âI have a difficult time avoiding junk food. Even though I know I should make better food choices, I so often fall back into the habit of gorging myself with the food that is unhealthy and causes me to gain weight. How can I change?â
Kick Junk Food and Eat Healthy
This is a somewhat complex question, so I split my response into two parts. Last week we explored why we crave junk food, and this week we will explore how to change your eating habits. Check out Wisdom-Trek.com/day-868 to listen to the first part of my answer. Like last week, I want to ask you a question before we dive in. Do you really desire to change? No amount of scientific proof or logic will cause you to change unless you accept responsibility for yourself and choose to change your eating habits.
The good news is that the research shows that the less junk food you eat, the less you crave it. My own experiences have mirrored this. Over the many years, as I have eaten healthier, I've noticed myself wanting pizza and candy and ice cream less and less. Some people refer to this transition period as âgene reprogramming.â
Whatever you want to call it, the lesson is the sameâ¦If you can find ways to gradually eat healthier, you'll start to experience the cravings for junk food less and less. I've never claimed to have all the answers (or any, really), but here are three strategies that might help.
1. Use the âouter ringâ strategy and the â5 ingredient ruleâ to buy healthier food.
The best course of action is to avoid buying processed and packaged foods. If you donât buy it when you are out and donât have it in your home, you canât eat it. Furthermore, if you donât think about it, you canât be lured by it.
Weâve talked about the power of junk food to pull you in and how memories of tasty food in the past can cause you to crave more of it in the future. Obviously, you canât prevent yourself from ever thinking about junk food,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 873 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Kick Junk Food and Eat Healthy - Ask Gramps
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 873 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.
As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible.
No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.
As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Grampsâs goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue our answer to last weekâs question. Spring and summer gives us extra opportunities to get outside and exercise more, and there are many more opportunities to buy healthy locally grown produce. It is a great time to begin new habits of healthy eating and exercise. So our question for today isâ¦
Hey Gramps, âI have a difficult time avoiding junk food. Even though I know I should make better food choices, I so often fall back into the habit of gorging myself with the food that is unhealthy and causes me to gain weight. How can I change?â
Kick Junk Food and Eat Healthy
This is a somewhat complex question, so I split my response into two parts. Last week we explored why we crave junk food, and this week we will explore how to change your eating habits. Check out Wisdom-Trek.com/day-868 to listen to the first part of my answer. Like last week, I want to ask you a question before we dive in. Do you really desire to change? No amount of scientific proof or logic will cause you to change unless you accept responsibility for yourself and choose to change your eating habits.
The good news is that the research shows that the less junk food you eat, the less you crave it. My own experiences have mirrored this. Over the many years, as I have eaten healthier, I've noticed myself wanting pizza and candy and ice cream less and less. Some people refer to this transition period as âgene reprogramming.â
Whatever you want to call it, the lesson is the sameâ¦If you can find ways to gradually eat healthier, you'll start to experience the cravings for junk food less and less. I've never claimed to have all the answers (or any, really), but here are three strategies that might help.
1. Use the âouter ringâ strategy and the â5 ingredient ruleâ to buy healthier food.
The best course of action is to avoid buying processed and packaged foods. If you donât buy it when you are out and donât have it in your home, you canât eat it. Furthermore, if you donât think about it, you canât be lured by it.
Weâve talked about the power of junk food to pull you in and how memories of tasty food in the past can cause you to crave more of it in the future. Obviously, you canât prevent yourself from ever thinking about junk food,
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 872 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Head Hog â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 872 of our trek, and it's time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten and live a rich and satisfying life.
Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
The Head Hog
A church secretary, Margaret takes a call. The caller says, "This is Sam Smith from Tuscaloosa. Is the head hog at the trough there?"
Margaret says, "Please, Mr. Smith, do not refer to our pastor as the 'head hog at the trough.' That is very insulting."
Sam says, "Oh, I'm very sorry. I meant nothing by that. It's just a local phrase we use in the part of the country I come from. The real reason I called was to donate $50,000 to your building fund."
Margaret says, "Hold on. I see the 'Big Oinker' coming through the door right now."
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought, "I hope life isn't a big joke because I donât get it."
King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 8:15, "So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun." Make it a day full of cheer.
Sourced at www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 871 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 872 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Head Hog â Wisdom Unplugged
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 872 of our trek, and it's time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten and live a rich and satisfying life.
Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a personâs strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So letâs jump right in with todayâs funny which is titled...
The Head Hog
A church secretary, Margaret takes a call. The caller says, "This is Sam Smith from Tuscaloosa. Is the head hog at the trough there?"
Margaret says, "Please, Mr. Smith, do not refer to our pastor as the 'head hog at the trough.' That is very insulting."
Sam says, "Oh, I'm very sorry. I meant nothing by that. It's just a local phrase we use in the part of the country I come from. The real reason I called was to donate $50,000 to your building fund."
Margaret says, "Hold on. I see the 'Big Oinker' coming through the door right now."
As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought, "I hope life isn't a big joke because I donât get it."
King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 8:15, "So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun." Make it a day full of cheer.
Sourced at www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thatâs a wrap for todayâs Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.
Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 871 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this trek together, let us always:
Live Abundantly (Fully)
Love Unconditionally
Listen Intentionally
Learn Continuously
Lend to others Generously
Lead with Integrity
Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 871 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Love Potion: Numbers 5 - Wisdom Wednesday
Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 871 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.
To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of Godâs word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of Godâs word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of todayâs most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since the beginning of human history, people have been searching for a love potion. There is little verifiable proof that there are any secret potions. There is an odd potion found in the Old Testament, though, that seems a bit strange. In todayâs essay, we want to look at Numbers 5 where God gave Moses the recipe for what we will callâ¦
Love Potion: Numbers 5
Whenâs the last time you heard a sermon on Numbers 5:11-31?
One of the things that Dr. Heiser enjoys telling people in conversations about Bible study is that âIf it's weird, it's probably important.â This passage certainly qualifies in both respects. The strangeness of the passage is easily detectable, but only careful Bible study makes its importance apparent.
Numbers 5:11-31 describes a water ritual to determine the guilt or innocence of a woman suspected of adultery. Let me read this passage so you will have a bit of understanding on this strange ritual. This section of Scripture is calledâ¦
· Protecting Marital Faithfulness
And the Lord said to Moses, âGive the following instructions to the people of Israel.â
Suppose a manâs wife goes astray, and she is unfaithful to her husband and has sex with another man, but neither her husband nor anyone else knows about it. She has defiled herself, even though there was no witness and she was not caught in the act. If her husband becomes jealous and is suspicious of his wife and needs to know whether or not she has defiled herself, the husband must bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring an offering of two quarts of barley flour to be presented on her behalf. Do not mix it with olive oil or frankincense, for it is a jealousy offeringâan offering to prove whether or not she is guilty.
 The priest will then present her to stand trial before the Lord. He must take some holy water in a clay jar and pour into it dust he has taken from the Tabernacle floor. When the priest has presented the woman before the Lord, he must unbind her hair and place in her hands the offering of proofâthe jealousy offering to determine whether her husbandâs suspicions are justified. The priest will stand before her, holding the jar of bitter water that brings a curse to those who are guilty. The priest will then put the woman under oath and say to her, âIf no other man has had sex with you, and you have not gone astray and defiled yourself while under your husbandâs authority, may you be immune from the effects of this bitter water that brings on the curse. But if you have gone astray by being unfaithful to your husband, and have defiled yourself by having sex with another man.âÂ
At this point, the priest must put the woman under oath by saying, âMay the people know that the Lordâs curse is upon you when he...