Wisdom-Trek © - Archive 3

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 896 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Divine Arrow – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-896/ (Day 896) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.

Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. God is omniscient, which means He knows everything before it takes place. There are several passages in the Bible, though, that describe God consulting with His heavenly court, referred to as His armies in today’s passage, and allowing their input in the means to a predetermined outcome. Today’s essay explores one such incident as we will focus on…

The Divine Arrow

To set the picture for today’s essay, I will read from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+kings+22%3A1-28&version=NLT (1 Kings 22:1-28.)

For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel. During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-Gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!”

Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-Gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”

So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-Gilead, or should I hold back?”

They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.”

The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah.”

Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”

So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah, son of Imlah.”

· Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!”

All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-Gilead and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!”

Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”

But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”

When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-Gilead, or should we hold back?”...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 895 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Preparation for Success – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-895/ (Day 895) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Joyce Brothers, and it is,“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.”

Preparation for Success

To be successful, you must prepare for success. You must see yourself as successful in your mind before success will ever be achieved in any area of life. An appropriate and balanced positive self-image, which includes loving yourself, is a requirement before any success can be achieved. When you realize that you are made to be the bearer of God’s image, then you will realize that God desires you to be successful in all that you do.

One admonition that must be considered is that what the world considers as successful, which is usually an abundance of wealth, is not what God considers as successful. Success in God’s eyes is our obedience to His precepts, which are found in His Word, the Bible.

God shows us His pattern for success when He encourages in servant Joshua prior to entering The Promised Land in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1:7&version=NLT (Joshua 1:7), “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 894 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Pplay so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-896/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 894 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Don’t Quit – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-894/ (Day 894) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There are many people that are ready to give up because of trials and hardships. You may be one of them. Instead of giving up, let us put our energies into encouraging others. It is then we will have purpose and meaning in our own lives and will have the strength to “Keep Moving Forward.” In our Meditation Monday today, we will learn…

Don’t Quit

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Corinth in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A7-9&version=NLT (2 Corinthians 4:7-9,) “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”

There are times when all of us feel overwhelmed by problems and feel like quitting. I’ve been there, but couldn’t find anything better than my Christian faith to quit to. Today I thank God for the courage to keep going, knowing that God was allowing trials to strengthen my faith and to help me grow.

If you feel like giving up and quitting, perhaps the following poem will encourage you to hang in, hang on, but never hang up when the going gets tough.

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low, and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must—but don’t you quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow— You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than It seems to a faint and faltering man, Often the struggler has given up When he might have captured the victor’s cup, And he learned too late, when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out— The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit— It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

It reminds me of the quote, “Tough times never last. Tough people do.”

God never forsook the Apostle Paul who faced incredible trials and opposition. He will never forsake you or me as long as we place our trust in him. We are reminded of His steadfastness in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A5-6&version=NLT (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you. I will never abandon

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 893 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Dont’ Worry, Be Joyful – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-893/ (Day 893) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’ goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. With the recent high-profile celebrity suicides and the fact that suicide rates are increasing in all cultural and age groups, it seems as if more people are losing hope in our world today. So the question today is:

“Hey Gramps, How is it possible to maintain hope in our lives and accept that we are worthwhile and have a purpose that is greater than ourselves?”

Don’t Worry, Be Joyful

While I do not generally have an issue with depression and have never experienced bouts with feeling worthless, I do have family members and friends that do. There are many causes for depression, such as mental or physical illness, what we eat, and whether we are getting adequate exercise. Even what we allow to enter into our minds through TV, videos, audio, reading, and listening to the advice of others impacts us.

In most western cultures people strive relentlessly to be happy, but no external resources or circumstances will bring us lasting happiness. In fact, I would encourage you to stop striving for happiness because it is, at best, as temporary as the morning fog. Instead, on a daily basis, we need to seek deep and abiding joy.

Joy can only be realized when we realize who we are in God’s eyes. If God loves us and considers us worthwhile and precious, we need to have that same view of ourselves. Here are some Bible passages that will help you to change your thinking about yourself, so that, in all circumstances, you will love and accept yourself for who you are, for who God designed you to be. You can never love others properly and be loved by others until you first love yourself properly. We are truly valuable because we are God’s masterpiece.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A10&version=NLT (Ephesians 2:10) says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

If you want to lessen your depression, you need to change the way you think. No longer can we think and act as other people do. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A2&version=NLT (Romans 12:2) reminds, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Before you were ever born, God knew and loved you....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 892 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Allergic to Gravity – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-892/ (Day 892) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled…

Allergic to Gravity

Today I want to tell you a story about John and Sam. John’s story reminds me a lot about myself and the attitude that I try to have. There are also many similarities to my fall from a ladder last year with a chainsaw in my hand where I ended up with a fractured femur bone right below my hip socket.

For many, John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He always seemed to be in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!” He was a natural motivator.

If a fellow associate was having a bad day, John was there telling them how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made Sam curious, so one day he went up and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?”

John replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood, or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim, or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life! I choose the positive side of life.”

“Yeah, right! It’s not that easy,” Sam protested.

“Yes, it is,” John said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live your life.”

Sam reflected on what John said. Soon after that, Sam left the company they both worked at to start his own business. They lost touch over the years, but Sam often thought about John when he made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, Sam heard that John was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

Sam happened to run into John about six months after the accident. When Sam asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?”

Sam declined to see his wounds, but he did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

This was John’s reply, “The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,” John replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 891 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom When Giants Walked the Earth – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-891/ (Day 891) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.

Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors.

In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The Bible is full of rich imagery and stories that fill our minds with wonders and questions. Today’s essay explores one such incident as we will focus on…

When Giants Walked the Earth

If they haven’t read it, most people have at least heard the story of David and Goliath of Gath (‘‘the Gittite”). The names of the hero and villain have iconic status. But how many people know anything about the giant Goliath, other than that he lost his head to a boy named David from Israel?

This story can be found in, 2 Samuel [21:15]-22 and 1 Chronicles 20:4-8. The story tells us that there were other unusually tall warriors among the Philistines. The lists are not identical, but putting them together we read that there were four: Saph (also called Sippai), Lahmi, Ishbibenob, and an unnamed warrior. The descriptions are similar to that given Goliath, noting “great stature” and the dimensions of their weaponry. Unlike Goliath or any of the other named warriors, the unnamed giant is said to have six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. This malformation, known as polydactylism, is only mentioned in the description of this giant. The Bible does not mention it when it discusses other giant clans.

· Wait a minute—giant clans? There are several people groups described as giants or among whom giants lived in the Old Testament:

There are the Anakim, who are descendants from the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6:4, which reads, “In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.” The descendants of those giants lived in Cannan, which was considered The Promised Land and are encountered by the Israelites under both Moses and Joshua. In Numbers 13:33 the spies reported back, “We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next, to them, we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

At one time, before the children of Israel traveled through the Transjordan, the land to the east of the Jordan River was heavily populated with tall people known as Emites, which is found in Deuteronomy 2:10-11, “A race of giants called the Emites had once lived in the area of Ar. They were as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites, another race of giants. Both the Emites and the Anakites are also known as the Rephaites, though the Moabites call them Emites.” They are also referred to as Zamzummites in Deuteronomy, “That area was once considered the land of the Rephaites, who had lived there, though the Ammonites call them Zamzummites.”

The Amorites, another group that stood in the way of Israel claiming the promised land, are described as being exceptionally tall in Amos 2:9, “But as my...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 890 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Persistence + Effort = Success – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-890/ (Day 890) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Elbert Hubbard, and it is, “A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.”

Persistence + Effort = Success

True and lasting success is never gained quickly nor through shortcuts. Success cannot be determined during the process while you are in the midst of the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Sometimes success is not fully realized until long after a project or situation has ended. In fact, there have been many times where a person has not been recognized as a success until long after they have died.

Success cannot and should not be measured by monetary accumulation, but for the impact of transforming the lives of others positively. All of the truly great persons of history were willing to put in the time and the sacrifice to further God’s kingdom without the consideration of whether they were going to be successful. We should be willing to do the same.

As we conclude, today we are reminded in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+13:11&version=NLT (Proverbs 13:11,) “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.”

Also, success comes from wisdom gained through understanding and following God’s precepts as found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1:3&version=NLT (Proverbs 1:3,) “Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 889 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-891/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 889 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Foolishness – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-889/ (Day 889) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflecting and renewing your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There are many foolish people and situations in our world today which we should not follow or become involved with. There is an exception to this, and in our Meditation Monday today we will learn about…

Foolishness

When Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected on the meaning of the cross, he concluded, “A king who dies on the cross must be the king of a rather strange kingdom.” After all, everything about Jesus’ life was counter to the kingdom that his contemporaries were expecting and the empire that Rome had established. Perhaps, therefore, it is not so unusual that the nature of his kingdom would be “strange” to modern-day sensibilities? Even easier to reject. Especially a kingdom where the king suffers in apparent foolish weakness.

Brennan Manning said, “Jesus entered our world as the music man, but the world was disturbed by his song…” But did the nails silence the music? Could it be that, in those nails, God succeeded in putting into operation his new creation and plan for the world? Could it be that, in those nails, a new kind of music could be heard?

Anyone who looks at the cross as a single screenshot on the monitor of their mind will think God is not loving or powerful but cruel and unfeeling. But when we see the cross as a part of the whole story, we will see it as a shining tile in the divine mosaic that is the story of God.

That this tile reveals to us that God is not waiting for us on the other side of suffering. He understands its significance and meets us in the midst of our suffering. We may never know why God allows suffering, but we know that God allows his heart to break as we suffer. To those who do believe, to those who embrace the foolishness, Jesus opens up a new reality that transforms the poverty of our nature by the riches of his grace. It is in this strange kingdom that we find grace that lays its arm down a wooden beam and never stops reaching out to bring us eternal life.

Our faith and our calling do not rest in human wisdom, but in the power of God. This means we must pray daily for this kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. It is an invitation for us to take up our cross, the apparent foolishness of it and the scorn that may come because of it, and confront the world’s foolish power with the fact there is a different way of wielding power. Defined and characterized by love.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1%3A18-21&version=NLT (1 Corinthians 1:18-25) tells us, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say,

‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.’

So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 888 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The State of the World, Communications – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-888/ (Day 888) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue with part 3 of 3 for our question from last week which was…

“Hey Gramps, listening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?”

The State of the World, Communications

Nearly everyone in the western world, and even in many developing nations own a smartphone or at least a mobile phone. One of the most prevalent areas where we have seen great advancements and improvements in our world is in the area of communication.

Many of us take it for granted now, but in 2017, we had 3.8 billion people connected on Earth. That is ½ of the entire world’s population, including all children. In the next five years, we’ll see the deployment of the 5G global network that Qualcomm has been developing, which will enable many more types of connected devices.

We’re about to see Facebook and Google launch large amounts of balloons, drones, and satellites. The company, OneWeb has plans to deploy 900 satellites leveraging a $1.2 billion Softbank investment. In addition to that 4,425 satellites are being launched by SpaceX. Within the next 5-10 years, it will provide connection capability to every single human on the planet with a gigabit connection speed. This will be a gigabit connection for everyone, effectively for free.

That connection represents a lifeline for health sciences. It’s an ability to upload data or enable AI support. Imagine doctors in the US or other countries being able to perform advanced surgeries remotely to areas where health care is limited or unavailable. Think of all the good that can be brought about by these advancements in communications and connectivity. Imagine how much easier it will be to reach the world to build God’s kingdom through the proliferation of His Good News to every tribe and nation. This is truly great news.

And it doesn’t slow down. With the “Internet of Things” and a proliferation of sensors, by 2020 we’ll have 50 billion connected devices with a trillion sensors in the world. By 2030, we’ll see 500 billion connected devices with 100 trillion sensors.

Regarding health, every single person will have the ability for real-time monitoring. Every single element of their lives – their glucose, their blood pressure, their microRNAs, their vitamin D levels – will be able to be uploaded to an AI that can convey their exact health...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 887 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Old Has Become Cool – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-887/ (Day 887) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.

Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. It is something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.”We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled…

The Old Has Become Cool

Gramps and his grandkids had been up in the attic together doing some cleaning and organizing. The kids uncovered an old manual typewriter and asked, “Hey Gramps…what’s this?”

“Oh…that’s an old typewriter,” he answered, thinking that would satisfy their curiosity.

“Well, what does it do?” they asked.

“I’ll show you,” Gramps left the attic and returned with a blank piece of paper. He rolled the paper into the typewriter and began striking the keys, leaving black letters of print on the page.

“WOW!” they exclaimed, “That’s really cool…but how does it work like that? Where do you plug it in?”

“There is no plug,” Gramps answered. “It doesn’t need a plug.”

“Then where do you put the batteries?” they persisted.

“It doesn’t need batteries either,” he continued.

“Wow! This is so cool!” they exclaimed. “Someone should have invented this a long time ago!”

Make it a day full of cheer.

As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1%3A9-10&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+1%3A9-10&version=NLT ( 1:9-10), “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, ‘Here is something new!’ But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new.”

Sourced at: http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/ (www.mikeysFunnies.com)

That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-888/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 886 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 886 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Righting the Wrong – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-886/ (Day 886) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important in order to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Have you ever made a vow or a promise to God or a person and regretted it afterward? In today’s essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to explore one such vow made by Jephthah, one of the Judges of Israel. We will compare and contrast this vow to a New Testament story of Jarius where Jesus reversed this foolish vow. In Judges 10-11 we will focus on…

Righting the Wrong

The story of Jephthah and his tragic vow is paralleled by other stories—including a New Testament story that subverts it.

· The Story After the brief judgeship of Jair (a man from Gilead), the people of Israel fell into idolatry by worshiping foreign gods. This account is found in Judges 10:6, “Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.”

As a result of this disobedience, God then allowed a foreign enemy to oppress the Israelites as punishment. This time it was the Ammonites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan in a place also known as Gilead. The Philistines and the Ammonites oppressed Israel for 18 years, and finally, the people called on God for deliverance.

God had his fill of their disobedience, and in Judges 10:13-14, God tells them, “Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!” After

much pleading and putting away all idols, God once again relented by calling Jephthah, another judge from Gilead, to deal with the Ammonites who were getting ready to wage war against them to take back some land.

In Judges 11, Jephthah sends a message to the king of the Ammonites. He wonders why the king is not content with the land that his god Chemosh had given to the Ammonites. Jephthah’s plea is flawed: based on historical data from that time period, Milkom also called Molech was the chief deity of Ammon, not Chemosh. It won’t be the last time he makes a theological blunder.

When Jephthah leads Israel against Ammon, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him for battle. Just before the fight, he utters his horrible vow…“And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, ‘If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.'”After a resounding victory, we pick up the story in verse 34, “When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy.”

· The Story Behind the Story The ancient Israelites believed that geographical areas and nations were under the dominion of other lesser gods, who were fallen heavenly beings, and...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 885 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Living Successfully – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-885/ (Day 885) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Living Successfully

Today’s quote is from Mother Teresa, and it is her 10 steps for living successfully:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you invest years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

As we conclude, today we are reminded in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+3:8&version=NLT (Titus 3:8,) “This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 884 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-886/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 884 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Through the Power of the Work in Us – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-884/ (Day 884) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The three controlling forces which most people strive for are power, money, and sex. If you study groups of people for very long, such as politicians, business people, and unfortunately even ministers, you will soon realize that most are driven by one of these three motivators. We may disguise it as something else and many times even convince ourselves that we do not fall prey to them, but when all the chaff is blown away, we see the real kernel of truth.

As Christ followers this is most unfortunate. We have unmeasurable power and riches dwelling within us, and yet we do not accept it or plug into those resources that are so readily available. Our Meditation Monday today we will learn that we can do anything…

Through the Power at Work in Us

Jesus desires his disciples to praise the Father! Ponder Paul’s beautiful prayer in the verses below. He not only praises the Father, but he also asks for the Father’s help. In particular, this great church-planter and disciple-maker prays for the strengthening of the fellow Christ followers he loves. He does not pray for generic strength, but for the Holy Spirit’s empowered strength in Ephesians 3:16, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.”

The result of this prayer for strength should make your heart beat a little faster. While the glory for the great things that the Holy Spirit does will go to God, the people through whom the Spirit works will be folks just like you and me, Jesus’s disciples. Notice something else that Paul prays in Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

God can and will do “infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Notice how it is done “through His mighty power at work within us.”

So here are several things to ponder, and then take appropriate action:

Pray frequently for God to strengthen specific followers of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Pray regularly that their work inspired by the Spirit will bring God glory.

Pray passionately that these Christ followers will be used by God to accomplish — and that they get to experience — “infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Paul prayed these things for the Christ followers who received his letter called Ephesians. You should pray these things regularly for each other. Imagine releasing the power that comes from the Father, Son, and Spirit — into the lives of people you love. Think about all the people in your spiritual family who need God’s comfort, strength, and grace.

Invite the Holy Spirit to move mightily through you, your fellowship, your congregation, your home gatherings, and your small groups. Pray that you and your fellow Christians bring the Father glory and bring Jesus Christ’s...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 883 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The State of the World, Technology – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-883/ (Day 883) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue with part 2 of 3 for our question from last week which was:

“Hey Gramps, listening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?”

The State of the World, Technology

We take the technology and the empowerment we have today for granted. This week’s answer will focus on the advances in technology that we have experienced over the past several decades.

Technology permeates our entire life now. Technology in and of itself is amoral. As with any advancement, it can be used for good or bad, but certainly a lot more good has resulted with these advancements than bad. If you have had any type of major surgery recently, I am sure you agree.

Here are some highlights:

Consider storage, which is critical for the genomics world today, which will transform healthcare and rapidly advance the cure for most diseases such as cancer.

In 1981, 1 gigabyte of storage cost half a million dollars. Today, it’s 25 million times cheaper at 2 cents per gigabyte.

How about computation? In 1971, Intel put out its first computer chip, the Intel 4004. It had 2,300 transistors on at $1 each.

Intel no longer actually tells you how many transistors are on their chips, but the recent Core i7 had 14.4 billion transistors at less than a millionth of a penny each.

This represents a 330 billion-fold increase in price performance in 45 years.

If you have a smartphone, you have more computational power in your hand than all the governments on the planet had just 30 years ago.

But that doesn’t compare to what’s coming next in quantum computing. This year, we expect to see “quantum supremacy” – that moment in time where a quantum computer can solve a problem that no classical computer can do.

Google recently unveiled Bristlecone. This new quantum computer chip has 72 qubits. By the time it gets to 300 qubits, it will be able to perform more calculations than there are atoms in the known universe.

We’re about to see an extraordinary revolution in drug discovery.

Pharmaceutical companies today are investing decades and billions of dollars in discovering molecules that affect us. But soon, quantum computers will allow us to model molecular interactions at a level like never before.

Imagine an individual working on a quantum computer on the cloud who is able to look at the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 882 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Reflections of Love – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-882/ (Day 882) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

Reflections of Love

An older couple, Jim and Jonnie, were lying in bed one night. Jim was almost asleep when Jonnie started reflecting on all the love they had shared. As Jim was just drifting off to sleep, Jonnie nudges Jim and says, “Honey, do you remember how we used to hug?”

Jim rouses and says, “Yes, dear,” and rolls over and gives Jonnie a big hug.

He then rolls back over and was almost asleep again, when Jonnie nudges him again and says “Honey do you remember how we used to kiss?”

“Yes, dear,” Jim says, and he rolls over and gives her a big kiss.

Jim rolls back over and was almost asleep when Jonnie nudges him again and says, “Honey, do you remember how you used to nibble on my ear?”

At that Jim throws off the covers, somewhat frustrated, sits up in bed, and gets up. Jonnie says, “What are you doing?” In an exasperated tone, Jim says, “I’m going to go get my teeth.”

Make it a day full of cheer.

As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday’s Thought…“Don’t take yourself so seriously, no one else is.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+8:21&version=NLT (Job 8:21,) “He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”

Sourced at: http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/ (www.mikeysFunnies.com)

That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-883/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 881 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-883/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 881 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Most Horrific Bible Story – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-881/ (Day 881) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important in order to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.

Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order help us to all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. One factor that supports the authenticity of God’s Word is that it includes narrative of the good, the bad, and the ugly. In today’s essay, we will take a closer look at one of the stories that is both bad and ugly but also leads us to a truth that we need to understand. In today’s essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to explore Judges 19-20 where God’s Word presents a tale that is considered…

The Most Horrific Bible Story

“In those days, there was no king in Israel.” This line, repeated throughout Judges, frames the horrific tale of the Levite and his concubine. The grim details of this story showcase the anarchy and spiritual decay of the period, but this story is not just a cheap thriller.

When reading this story, our attention fixates on the grim details of murder, rape, war, and abduction. But there are crucial, less repugnant elements that include tribal affiliations and the locations of events. The story was designed to prompt readers into favoring kingship, the people needed a Messiah, a savior.

The book of Judges does not name its author: it was likely written after the time of David. All of these elements add up to not only a rationale for kingship—but a polemic for the superiority of a king from Judah (David), not Benjamin (Saul) or Ephraim.

By the time Judges was being written, Saul had already failed God as a spiritual leader. Anyone reading the story would be prompted to follow God’s new choice of kingship, the line of David. Any other ruler would spell chaos, evil and tragedy. I am going to summarize this passage, but I would encourage you to read Judges 19-20 to get the full spectrum of this horrific story, which is a precursor to the kings of Israel and culminates in Jesus Christ as the King of Kings.

The Events in the Story What Does This Teach Us?

In Judges 19-20 a Levite is retrieving his fugitive concubine from her father’s house in Bethlehem, located in the tribal territory of Judah.

The concubine’s father, who is from Judah, treats the Levite with warm hospitality. The Levite is shown warm hospitality in Judah, David’s tribe.

The Levite and his concubine travel home to Ephraim. On the way, he has the option to stay in the city of Jebus, a Benjamite territory.

He decides not to remain since Jebus is under the rule of Gentiles, non-Hebrews. The Levite could have stopped in Jebus—which is later known as Jerusalem. It is a missed oasis in the hellish sea of Benjamin.

He journeys on to Gibeah, also a Benjamite territory. In Gibeah, an old man—also from Ephraim—offers refuge to the Levite and his concubine ([19:15]-16).

A throng of wicked men surround the old man’s house and demand that the Levite be surrendered to them so they could molest him. The Benjamite rapists of Gibeah are clearly wicked. Saul, the first king of Israel,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 880 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Attitude Affects Success – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-880/ (Day 880) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from William James, and it is,“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.”

Attitude Affects Success

Success in any endeavor is, in part, based on your attitude during the entirety of the task. A good attitude at the beginning of a difficult task is one of the most important elements in determining a successful outcome.

If you are fearful or doubting when you begin a difficult task, then is it almost assured that the task or project will fail, at least in part. Attitude is probably the biggest single factor of success or failure in any aspect of life.

The more difficult the tasks, the more important your attitude is. A good positive and practical attitude will pave the road to success. This is what God told Joshua when he was about to move into and conquer The Promised Land. Listen as I read https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1:7&version=NLT (Joshua 1:7,) “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 879 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-881/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 879 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom It’s a Jungle Out There – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-879/ (Day 879) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Life is not always easy, but that should not stop us from moving forward for God will create a path for our trek. Our Meditation Monday today we will learn that with life…

It’s a Jungle Out There

The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, “Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!” The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, “I am the path.”

We ask the same questions, don’t we? We ask God, “Where are you taking me? Where is the path?” And he, like the guide, doesn’t tell us. Oh, he may give us a hint or two, but that’s all. If he did, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us a far greater gift. He gives us himself.

Does he remove the jungle? No, the vegetation is still thick.

Does he purge the predators? No, danger still lurks.

Jesus doesn’t give hope by changing the jungle; he restores our hope by giving us himself. And he has promised to stay until the very end. Matthew 28:20 tells us, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

We need that reminder. We all need that reminder. For all of us need hope.

Some of you don’t need it right now. Your jungle has become a meadow and your journey a delight. If such is the case, congratulations. But remember – we do not know what tomorrow holds. We do not know where this road will lead. You may be one turn from a cemetery, from a hospital bed, from an empty house. You may be a bend in the road from a jungle.

And though you don’t need your hope restored today, you may tomorrow. And you need to know to whom to turn.

Or perhaps you do need hope today. You know you were not made for this place. You know you are not equipped. You want someone to lead you out.

If so, call out for your Shepherd. He knows your voice, and he’s just waiting for your request.

Next week we will continue our trek on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-884/ (Meditation Monday) as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-880/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-880/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 878 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 878 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The State of the World, Life Span – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-878/ (Day 878) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since this is a week of travel for Granny & Gramps, today’s episode will be shorter and serve as the 1st part of my answer to today’s question.

“Hey Gramps, listening to most news sources and even many preachers, it seems like the world is getting worse each year, but is that really the case?”

The State of the World, Life Span

While there are concerns about the moral and ethical direction of many cultures throughout the world today, there have been many times in ages past where it was much worse. One example is the Roman Empire, where immorality was widespread, slavery and servitude were rampant, people were massacred for sport, and there were wars and rumors of war all over the world. In comparison, the world today is pretty mild.

The area that we will focus on today is the contextualizing improvements in human progress. This includes the worldwide level of poverty, lifespan, and the related death rates. Here are a few facts to consider.

With the exception of lifespans before the flood of Noah, from that point forward lifespans have become shorter with each age until recent history.

It’s hard to remember how extraordinary the world is today when we’re bombarded 24/7 by news about problems and disasters. History provides valuable context, however.

Some 700 years ago, the Plague killed 200 million people in a single year – 40 percent of England.

About 500 years ago, famine claimed 3 million lives in France.

100 years ago (in 1918) World War I claimed 16 million lives while the flu pandemic caused 50 million deaths, all in a single year.

If these were our current headlines, we would be in shock.

We forget how much the world has progressed in the past century alone.

The per-capita income for every nation on the planet has tripled. The human lifespan has doubled. The cost of food has dropped thirty-fold. The cost of transportation decreased hundreds of fold. The cost of communications reduced millions of fold.

The human lifespan is another way to contextualize progress:

During the days after the flood, the average lifespan continued to decline. Food in many areas of the world was scarce, and infant mortality was high. While many people lived to be older, the average lifespan dipped to about 30.

In the Middle Ages, the average human lifespan grew to 35.

Just a century ago, it was the mid-40’s.

Today, it’s around 80.

There are...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 877 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Keeping Your Commitments – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-877/ (Day 877) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.

Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled…

Keeping Your Commitments

In the not so distant past, there was an old man named Jim who worked all his life and saved all his money. He was a miser, he lived like a pauper, he hardly had food, but he loved his money more than just about anything else in the world.

Just before he died, he said to his wife, Martha, “When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I need my money in the afterlife. Can you promise me that you’ll do that?”

His wife was faithful, so she promised Jim with all her heart that when he died, she would put all his money in the casket.

When Jim died, Martha gave him a proper funeral. He was laid out in a beautiful casket, and his faithful wife was in the front row at the funeral parlor dressed in black, sitting beside her best friend, Sue. When the ceremony ended, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, Martha rose from her seat and said, “Wait just a minute!”

With that, Martha placed an ornate box inside the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket and rolled it away.

When Martha returned to her seat, Sue grabbed her by the arm and said, “Martha, I know you weren’t fool enough to put all that money in the casket with Jim, were you?’

Martha said to Sue, “Listen, I am a Christian woman, and I can never lie. I promised Jim that I was going to put the money in his casket with him and I did.”

Sue was horrified and asked, “You mean to tell me that you put all that money in the casket with Jim?”

Martha replied, “I sure did…I wrote him a check for the full amount.

As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday’s Thought from:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+28:7&version=NLT (Psalm 28:7,) “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”

Make it a day full of cheer.

Sourced at: http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/ (www.mikeysFunnies.com)

That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.

As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-878/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 876 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 876 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Is My Bible Accurate? – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-876/ (Day 876) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday.

The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical Worldview. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We hear a lot about “fake news” today, and it is getting to the point where it is difficult to trust any major media outlet. Certainly, the internet is also awash with all sorts of theories and opinions, many of which have little or no basis in truth.

While I believe that God’s word is inspired in its original revelation, throughout the ages there are some subtle nuances in the various translations that do affect our understanding of certain passages. None of these differences impact the major doctrines or the overriding message of salvation through Jesus Christ. As I gain a better understanding of the Bible in the language and culture in which it was written, it helps me to gain a better understanding of how God is building up His kingdom throughout the world today. In today’s essay from Dr. Heiser, we want to look at Deuteronomy 32:8-9 where God divided up the human race of the world at that time…

Is My Bible Accurate?

After the great flood, everyone had one language. Humanity congregated in the region of Babylonia (“the land of Shinar”) and started building a tower that would reach into the heavens as told to us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+11&version=NLT (Genesis 11:1-9). God stopped the project by transforming the single language into many—dispersing humanity over the earth and creating the 70 nations and regions listed in Genesis 10 from the decedents of Noah. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+11&version=NLT (Genesis11:7-9) tells of this scattering of people, “Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other. In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way, he scattered them all over the world.”

Most people think it ends there, but there’s more. The story picks up again in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+32%3A8-9&version=NLT (Deuteronomy 32:8-9), and the story changes, depending on what Bible version you use. Here is the reading from the New Living Translation.

When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+32%3A8-9&version=NLT#fen-NLT-5743a (a)]

For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession.

In the Dead Sea Scrolls, it reads the number of the sons of God, and Greek version, which reads the number of the angels of God; Masoretic Text reads the number of the sons of Israel. The difference is due to these ancient manuscript...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 875 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Built Over Time – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-875/ (Day 875) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Maria Razumich-Zec, and it is, “Your reputation and integrity are everything. Follow through on what you say you’re going to do. Your credibility can only be built over time, and it is built from the history of your words and actions.”

Built Over Time

Both your integrity and reputation can only be built over a long period of time where others are able to observe your actions and speech. You may be able to talk a good talk, but unless you walk a good walk, it will mean nothing. Although it takes years to build an example of pure integrity and good reputation, both can be destroyed in a matter of seconds if your walk and talk do not match.

We only have to read the latest headlines to understand that in a moment the most well-known people in business, news media, acting, politics and, yes, even in the ministry can be destroyed. Their reputations and integrity crumble because of the revelation of past or recent practices and actions.

What we have to understand and realize is that in nearly every case it was not just one action that brought the mighty to their knees but a progressive set of decisions and choices that were made over time that is the cause of their downfall. Yet it begins with that one choice to compromise your reputation and integrity that begins the snowball effect to start the downhill slide. Let us be careful of every decision and choice that we make because all subsequent choices and decisions are based on the previous one.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3%3A3-4&version=NLT (Proverbs 3:3-4) give us the guidelines that we must follow:

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 874 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play, so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-876/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 874 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Pray This Way – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-874/ (Day 874) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. So often we try to live life on our own terms while God desires us to live on His terms. We can only know God’s way through His Word, including prayer. This is why Jesus’s disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. On our Meditation Monday, we will learn that Jesus teaches all of us to…

Pray This Way

Of all the things the disciples could have asked of Jesus, they asked to be taught how to pray. As we read Jesus’s words of how to pray, ask the Holy Spirit for fresh revelation, for how you can practically respond to His instruction.

Worship is the Alpha and the Omega of prayer as is found in Matthew 6:9 & 13, “Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'”

Jesus taught the disciples and us that in prayer we are to pay homage to the reality that this is His kingdom.

God has control over everything, and He can and will answer our prayers. There is nothing impossible with God like Luke 1:37 reminds us, “For the word of God will never fail, For nothing is impossible with God.”

Jesus continues his teaching in Matthew 6:10, “May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” He desires His kingdom to come. It is His will, His purpose. He has set before us a vision of a renewed community and people in unity. Jesus’s prayer reminds us that extending God’s kingdom is included in our decision to follow Him.

Matthew 6:11 says, “Give us today the food we need.”

Can we live in this kind of simplicity and trust, like a little child? Can we be grateful for the food, regardless of how little or much that is set before us today? This is one place we repeatedly allow our peace and contentment to be stolen. We compare our provision to other people.

Matthew 6:12 reads, “and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” To be forgiven, you must forgive. You must live in forgiveness daily toward everyone: your spouse, friends, enemies, children, and most of all yourself. There is great freedom in forgiveness; it is the key to the kingdom—confessing our sins, seeking forgiveness, and forgiving others.

Christ instructs us to pray a very honest prayer in Matthew 6:13, “And don’t let us yield to temptation.” As shocking as the thought may be, the Lord allows us to go through times of trials, testing, and temptation. The Lord desires to produce pure gold out of our lives. Also, far too many of us are not in a position to face the temptations of sin and attacks of the enemy when they come. For our protection, the Lord is able to chain up the roaring lion that seeks to tempt and destroy us. The Apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:9, “So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 873 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Kick Junk Food and Eat Healthy – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-873/ (Day 873) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week we will continue our answer to last week’s question. Spring and summer gives us extra opportunities to get outside and exercise more, and there are many more opportunities to buy healthy locally grown produce. It is a great time to begin new habits of healthy eating and exercise. So our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, I have a difficult time avoiding junk food. Even though I know I should make better food choices, I so often fall back into the habit of gorging myself with the food that is unhealthy and causes me to gain weight. How can I change?”

Kick Junk Food and Eat Healthy

This is a somewhat complex question, so I split my response into two parts. Last week we explored why we crave junk food, and this week we will explore how to change your eating habits. Check out Wisdom-Trek.com/day-868 to listen to the first part of my answer. Like last week, I want to ask you a question before we dive in. Do you really desire to change? No amount of scientific proof or logic will cause you to change unless you accept responsibility for yourself and choose to change your eating habits.

The good news is that the research shows that the less junk food you eat, the less you crave it. My own experiences have mirrored this. Over the many years, as I have eaten healthier, I’ve noticed myself wanting pizza and candy and ice cream less and less. Some people refer to this transition period as “gene reprogramming.”

Whatever you want to call it, the lesson is the same…If you can find ways to gradually eat healthier, you’ll start to experience the cravings for junk food less and less. I’ve never claimed to have all the answers (or any, really), but here are three strategies that might help.

Use the “outer ring” strategy and the “5 ingredient rule” to buy healthier food.

The best course of action is to avoid buying processed and packaged foods. If you don’t buy it when you are out and don’t have it in your home, you can’t eat it. Furthermore, if you don’t think about it, you can’t be lured by it.

We’ve talked about the power of junk food to pull you in and how memories of tasty food in the past can cause you to crave more of it in the future. Obviously, you can’t prevent yourself from ever thinking about junk food, but there are ways to reduce your cravings.

First, you can use my “outer ring” strategy to avoid processed and packaged foods at the grocery store. If you

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 872 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Head Hog – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-872/ (Day 872) of our trek, and it’s time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast provides a short and clean funny story to help you lighten and live a rich and satisfying life.

Something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled…

The Head Hog

A church secretary, Margaret takes a call. The caller says, “This is Sam Smith from Tuscaloosa. Is the head hog at the trough there?”

Margaret says, “Please, Mr. Smith, do not refer to our pastor as the ‘head hog at the trough.’ That is very insulting.”

Sam says, “Oh, I’m very sorry. I meant nothing by that. It’s just a local phrase we use in the part of the country I come from. The real reason I called was to donate $50,000 to your building fund.”

Margaret says, “Hold on. I see the ‘Big Oinker’ coming through the door right now.”

As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought, “I hope life isn’t a big joke because I don’t get it.”

King Solomon tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+8:15&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 8:15,) “So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.”

Make it a day full of cheer.

Sourced at http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/ (www.mikeysFunnies.com)

That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-873/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past 871 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-873/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 871 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Love Potion: Numbers 5 – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-871/ (Day 871) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.

To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since the beginning of human history, people have been searching for a love potion. There is little verifiable proof that there are any secret potions. There is an odd potion found in the Old Testament, though, that seems a bit strange. In today’s essay, we want to look at Numbers 5 where God gave Moses the recipe for what we will call…

Love Potion: Numbers 5

When’s the last time you heard a sermon on https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+5%3A11-31&version=NLT (Numbers [5:11]-31)?

One of the things that Dr. Heiser enjoys telling people in conversations about Bible study is that “If it’s weird, it’s probably important.” This passage certainly qualifies in both respects. The strangeness of the passage is easily detectable, but only careful Bible study makes its importance apparent.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+5%3A11-31&version=NLT (Numbers [5:11]-31) describes a water ritual to determine the guilt or innocence of a woman suspected of adultery. Let me read this passage so you will have a bit of understanding on this strange ritual. This section of Scripture is called…

· Protecting Marital Faithfulness And the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.”

Suppose a man’s wife goes astray, and she is unfaithful to her husband and has sex with another man, but neither her husband nor anyone else knows about it. She has defiled herself, even though there was no witness and she was not caught in the act. If her husband becomes jealous and is suspicious of his wife and needs to know whether or not she has defiled herself, the husband must bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring an offering of two quarts of barley flour to be presented on her behalf. Do not mix it with olive oil or frankincense, for it is a jealousy offering—an offering to prove whether or not she is guilty.

The priest will then present her to stand trial before the Lord. He must take some holy water in a clay jar and pour into it dust he has taken from the Tabernacle floor. When the priest has presented the woman before the Lord, he must unbind her hair and place in her hands the offering of proof—the jealousy offering to determine whether her husband’s suspicions are justified. The priest will stand before her, holding the jar of bitter water that brings a curse to those who are guilty. The priest will then put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sex with you, and you have not gone astray and defiled yourself while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune from the effects of this bitter water that brings on the curse. But if you have gone astray by being unfaithful to your husband, and have defiled yourself by having sex with another man.”

At this point, the priest must put the woman under oath by saying, “May the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 870 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Nothing to Hide – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-870/ (Day 870) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is,“With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide.”

Nothing to Hide

I find that so many people are fearful about life, relationships, poverty, decisions, and the future. When you live your life based on a bedrock of Biblically-based values, there is nothing to fear.

We do not need to fear relationships because God is always with us. We do not need to fear decision making because God has promised us wisdom, all we need to do is ask for it. We do not need to fear poverty because God owns a cattle on a thousand hills and had promised to always take care of us. We do not even need to fear death because to be absent from this body is to be present with God.

Have integrity in your life, but do not have fear. There is nothing hidden from God anyways, so live for Him! Let me leave you with two verses to ponder for today.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4:13&version=NLT (Hebrews 4:13) – Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A10&version=NLT (Isaiah 41:10) – Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 869 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-871/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 869 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Great Helper – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-869/ (Day 869) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We all need helpers in our life to come alongside us when we are weak and vulnerable. When Jesus took on humanity and lived among people, they came to rely on him. Since he was fully human, with a divine nature, his ability to help others was limited to his physical nature. There was no way Jesus could minister to all the people on earth. Because of this, when Jesus had completed his earthly ministry, he promised to send us a helper as his replacement. We will build on last Meditation Monday, and today the title of our meditation is…

The Great Helper

Jesus’s ascension back to the Father was a wonderful blessing. The disciples would love to have His physical presence continuing with them – to see Him, minister, heal, cast out demons, teach, and preach. Jesus’s closest disciples were left behind as He ascended to the Father, so He told them not to believe that He was going to abandon them but instead send a helper for them. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16:7&version=NLT (John 16:7) reads, “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”

Without Jesus’s ascension, His departure, the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have come to their aid and the Helper wouldn’t be available to aid you.

Jesus’s ascension meant that He would send the Holy Spirit to be His people’s Helper, your Helper, and Advocate. The Spirit helps His disciples, including us, point others to the truth about Him. The Helper gives Christ followers strength to face their trials. The Helper works through us friends when they proclaim Him. The Helper convicts lost people of their sin, of their need for righteousness, and of their need to change because the world they trust, along with the powers of evil behind it has already been defeated. The Helper guides Jesus’s beloved disciples into the truth about Him through God’s Word.

The book of Acts shares Jesus’s story of grace with the whole world, regardless of ethnicity, but He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, before beginning their mission. The Spirit’s coming on the day of Pentecost ignited them on their mission with power as we read in https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Acts%202.1-4 (Acts 2:1-4,) “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

All that Jesus promised them about the Helper came true as they lived out this mission. This little band of believers, propelled by the power and presence of...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 868 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Why We Crave Junk Food – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-868/ (Day 868) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.

Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to.

No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask our dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. While any time of year we can fall prey to eating junk food, we are no less tempted during summer cookouts and family gatherings. Spring and summer give us extra opportunities to get outside and exercise more, and there are many more opportunities to buy healthy locally grown produce. It is a great time to begin new habits of healthy eating and exercise. So our question for today is…

Why We Crave Junk Food

This is a somewhat complex question, so I am going to split my response into two parts. This week we will explore why we crave junk food, and next week we will explore how to change your eating habits.

I want to ask you a question before we dive in. Do you really desire to change? No amount of scientific proof or logic will cause you to change unless you accept responsibility for yourself and choose to change your eating habits.

Most of us know that junk food is unhealthy. We know that poor nutrition is related to heart problems, high blood pressure, and a host of other health ailments. You might even know that studies show that eating junk food has been linked to increases in depression.

But if it’s so bad for us, why do we keep doing it?

There is an answer, and it has much more to do than just your willpower. If you understand the scientific reasons why you crave junk food, then you can make a choice to also avoid it.

Much of this information comes from a report titled “Why Humans Like Junk Food” written by Steven Witherly, a food scientist. He explores the scientific reasons why junk food is so desirable to all of us. According to Witherly, when you eat tasty food, there are two factors which make the experience pleasurable.

First, there is the sensation of eating the food. This includes what it tastes like (salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), what it smells like, and how it feels in your mouth. This last quality, known as “orosensation,” can be particularly important. Food companies will invest millions of dollars to discover the most satisfying level of crunch in a potato chip. Their scientists will test for the perfect amount of fizz in a soda. These factors all combine to create the sensation that your brain associates with a particular food or

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 867 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Prepared Marriage – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-867/ (Day 867) of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will be a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up toward the end of each week – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today, so let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled…

A Prepared Marriage

Two elderly women, Maggie and Sue, met for the first time since graduating from high school. Maggie asked Sue, “You were always so organized in school. Did you manage to live a well-planned life?”

“Yes,” Sue said. “My first marriage was to a millionaire; after he died my second marriage was to an actor; unfortunately he died also, and my third marriage was to a preacher, and after his untimely death I am now married to an undertaker.”

Maggie then asked Sue, “Oh my, with so much misfortune in your life, what do all those marriages have to do with a well-planned life?”

Well, Sue said, “One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.”

As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday’s Thought:

Each day I try to enjoy something from each of the four food groups: the bonbon group, the salty-snack group, the caffeine group, and the “whatever-the-thing-in-the-tinfoil-in-the-back-of-the-fridge-is” group.

King Solomon tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+9:7&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 9:7,) “So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!”

Make it a day full of cheer.

Sourced at: http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/ (www.mikeysFunnies.com)

That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know, so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-868/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 866 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-868/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 866 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom There’s a Devil in the Details – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-866/ (Day 866) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There is an old idiom which says, “The devil is in the details,” which means “The details of a plan, while seeming insignificant, may contain hidden problems that threaten its overall feasibility.” In today’s essay, we want to look at an Old Testament Jewish Holy Day where literally…

There’s a Devil in the Details

Yom Kippur, which is the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16, is a central element of the Jewish faith, even though it is not practiced today as it was in ancient times. Although many Christians have heard of the day, most would be startled to learn that a sinister figure lurks in the shadows of Leviticus 16.

The Day of Atonement ritual required a ram, a bull, and two goats. The ram was for a burnt offering intended to please God. The bull was taken “from the herd and served as a sin offering for Aaron, the high priest, and his family.” In this case, the sin offering restored the priest to ritual purity, allowing him to occupy sacred space and be near God’s presence, which we reviewed last week.

Curiously though, two goats taken “from the congregation” were needed for the single sin offering for the people. Listen as I read https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+16%3A3-5&version=NLT (Leviticus 16:3-5,) “When Aaron enters the sanctuary area, he must follow these instructions fully. He must bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He must put on his linen tunic and the linen undergarments worn next to his body. He must tie the linen sash around his waist and put the linen turban on his head. These are sacred garments, so he must bathe himself in water before he puts them on. Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.” Elsewhere the sin offering involved only one animal (e.g., https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lev+4%3A1-12&version=NLT (Lev 4:1-12)). So why two goats?

The high priest would cast lots over the two goats, with one chosen as a sacrifice “for the Lord.” The blood of that goat would purify the people. The second goat was not sacrificed or designated “for the Lord.” On the contrary, this goat, the one that symbolically carried the sins away from the camp of Israel into the wilderness, was “for Azazel.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+16%3A8-10&version=NLT (Leviticus 16:8-10) reads, “He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 865 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Minor Lapse of Integrity – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-865/ (Day 865) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Tom Peters, and it is,“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.”

A Minor Lapse of Integrity

We are all prone to occasionally make decisions that, in hindsight, are not wise, or are lacking prudence. There is a stark difference between those decisions and decisions made based on our core values.

Our integrity is built on the bedrock of our values. Our decisions, therefore, will always be in line with those bedrock values. Decisions that result in Infidelity, theft, murder, lying, hate, and prejudice are all based on what we allow to harbor in your mind and heart.

For instance, infidelity is never a minor lapse of integrity but is a result of thoughts which we have allowed to permeate into our thinking process and which have corrupted our bedrock values on which our integrity is rooted. To have never changing integrity we must have a firm foundation of values from which all decision making is based.

Instead of making excuses for a lack of integrity in your decision making, take responsibility for your decisions and actions and build a stronger moral foundation from which your integrity is based. A life of integrity is a treasure that lasts through eternity. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+2:7&version=NLT (Proverbs 2:7) reads, “He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 864 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-866/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 864 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Let’s Stay Connected! – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-864/ (Day 864) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We have just celebrated Mother’s Day in the United States. For most of us, the bond we have with our mother is one of the strongest that we will ever experience. The mother’s love is stronger than we will ever know. Usually, we will make contact with our mothers on this day set aside to honor them. We desire to remain connected with those we love. There is another relationship that may even be stronger than the one we have with our mother, but only if we stay connected. The title of our meditation today is…

Let’s Stay Connected!

Before He ascended to the Father, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send the Spirit. Jesus promised He would pour out the Spirit on people with faith in Him as they were baptized into Him. On the night Jesus was betrayed, He reiterated this promise over and over again as He talked to His closest disciples about the Spirit being their Helper when I was gone. This is found in John chapters 14-16. The Helper’s presence would be their assurance and seal that the Father, Son, and Spirit would abide in all who put their faith in Jesus. God will never leave or forsake you.

In most of the world, a house can have many power outlets. However, the electric devices and appliances won’t be able to fulfill their purposes unless they are connected to the power source. The same is true for the work of the Spirit in your life. The Helper is Jesus’s power source for you. You need the Spirit’s presence and power in your life to fulfill your purpose as Jesus’s disciple. Jesus emphasized that your part of this process is to love Him and obey what He calls you to do:

Jesus teaches us in John https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A21&version=NLT (14:21), “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Your obedience and your commitment to abide in Jesus and live for Him connects you to that power source found in the Helper’s presence. Today’s verses, which are part of this podcast, will remind you to stay connected to Jesus. Our relationship is organic and relational, not mechanical or just organizational.

Jesus said, “You abide in Me. I am your vine. You are my branch.” There is no source of true life for a literal branch unless it remains connected to the vine, and there is no everlasting source of life in you unless you remain connected to Jesus! When you remain connected to Jesus, you connect to the power source of the Holy Spirit, the Helper He has sent to you; this is when you choose to love.

In Jesus’s earthly ministry, He taught the importance of love being the guiding star in your life as you seek to live for Him as is written in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A34-40&version=NLT (Matthew 22:34-40), “But when the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 863 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Parenting Is Not About Raising Well-Behaved Children – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-863/ (Day 863) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Granny and Gramps have had the privilege of raising 5 children to adults and now have 6 grandchildren with the 7th one on the way. Raising kids is not always easy, but if God blesses you with the opportunity and responsibility, then it is a sacred trust. So our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, Raising kids is really tough. How can we love them, care for them, and mentor them so that they are well-behaved as kids and become confident, well-adjusted, and responsible adults?”

Parenting Is Not About Raising Well-Behaved Kids As I was contemplating this question, I came across a blog post by Todd Friel that I felt provided a very interesting perspective on balanced parenting. Here is how Todd explains it.

If you view your kids as sinners who need salvation, you’ll see parenting as a rescue mission. Christian children are never naughty. Yes, you heard me correctly.

Christian children are never naughty; Christian children commit sins. Labeling your child’s behavior biblically will change the way you engage with your child when there is a ruckus in your home.

When you think your child is simply a brat, it is easy to scowl, yell, or even hit. But when you remember that your child’s conduct is a sin against God, you no longer see bad behavior as something that must be curbed. You will now see your interaction with your child as a rescue mission.

When your children sin, they do not need to be yelled at. They need to be taken to the cross where a sin/forgiveness transaction can take place.

The next time you hear screaming and crying in the other room, before you shout, “Knock it off, or I will give you something to scream and cry about,” remember, they are not naughty; they are sinning. In other words, your parenting is no longer about conformity to your rules, it is about helping them to understand God’s precepts in His Word. This is earnest business.

Typically, you want your kids to stop being naughty for the following reasons:

They are getting up in your face and on your nerves.

You just want some peace and quiet.

You want to do something, and they thwart your goals.

You are worried about being embarrassed in public by their bad behavior.

If you begin to see your children as image-bearers of God with a sin nature in need of the gospel applied to their hearts, then you will respond to your children’s naughtiness...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 862 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Coffee or the Cup – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-862/ (Day 862) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged.

We are going to switch our Thursday podcast to a clean anecdotal or funny short story to help you lighten up towards the end of each week. It’ll be something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

Today’s short story is…

The Coffee or the Cup

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, and some exquisite – he told them to help themselves to the coffee.

After all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

“Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it’s just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was a good coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups…and then began eyeing each other’s cups.”

“Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”

God brews the coffee, not the cups…Enjoy your coffee.

As we conclude our story, let me leave you with a Thursday Thought, “Some of your best memories will come from some of your most foolish decisions.” Make it a day full of cheer.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know, so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-863/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 861 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 861 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sin Offering vs. Forgiveness – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-861/ (Day 861) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical Worldview.

To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors.

In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser which he has compiled into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. To be in a good relationship with others, we must be willing to forgive them when they wrong us or fall short of our expectations. Forgiveness is even essential to maintain a healthy mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual life. In today’s essay, we will explore the purpose of the Old Testament for the sin offering and if it actually provided forgiveness.

Sin Offerings vs. Forgiveness

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A4&version=NLT (Hebrews 10:4) proclaims, “For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Leviticus seems to tell a different story. Even casually reading the book, we notice that Israelites who bring proper sacrifices “will be forgiven.” One example of this is Leviticus 4:20, “Just as he does with the bull offered as a sin offering for the high priest. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven.”

Have we reached an impasse or are there contradictions in God’s word?

Rather than labeling this a contradiction, we might examine our own perceptions of Old Testament sacrifices—specifically, the sin offering. “Sin offering” is a translation of the Hebrew term (chatta‘t), which has the basic meaning of “to miss the mark” or “to fall short.” In using a traditional, familiar rendering, many English Bible translations cause us to misunderstand this sacrifice.

· The Goal of the Sin Offering The label “sin offering” assumes that the goal of this sacrifice was forgiveness for moral failures or violations, or sins, as we think of them. Leviticus reveals this is not the case. The sin offering was used in cases where people suffered from a bodily discharge (Lev 15), at the dedication of a new altar (Lev 8), or when a Nazirite completes a vow of abstinence (Lev 12).

The real goal of the sin offering was ritual purification. It was designed to guard sacred space or territory sanctified by God’s presence—from infection by impurity. By definition, every person or object “falls short” of divine perfection and must, therefore, be ritually marked as acceptable for holy ground. The sin offering—better rendered as “purification offering,” was therefore applied to people and inanimate objects to mark them as acceptable before God. These people (and objects) were not unacceptable because they had done evil, but because they were imperfect. Instead they “fell short” of the holy perfection that God’s presence required. The ritual reinforced the idea of the complete otherness of God.

Depending on the individual’s status in the community, whether priest or commoner, the blood of the offering was either used outside or inside the sanctuary. When the sin offering was for a priest, the blood was brought inside the sanctuary. This signified the priest’s undeserved,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 860 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Six Foundation Stones – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-860/ (Day 860) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is,“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty.”

Six Foundation Stones

For any structure to be solid and secure, it must be built on solid foundation stones. It is also imperative that these foundation stones rest of solid bedrock and not shifting sands. Our lives are exactly the same. Our values are the bedrock from which we build a balanced life and the foundation stones that rest on that bedrock are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty.

Unless we have the solid bedrock of values and each of these six foundation stones, then our lives will be out of balance and eventually begin to crumble which will impact all other areas of our lives.

Jesus taught us this principle in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A24-27&version=NLT (Matthew 7:24-27,) “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 859 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-861/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 859 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God’s Mission: Your Adoption – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-859/ (Day 859) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The past two weeks we diverged from our regular daily podcast themes due to my schedule where I was away from my home office. We read through some of the parables of Jesus. Jesus was a master storyteller, weaving everyday experiences into his teachings.

It certainly is a good model to follow as we share with others. It is my mission to emulate this style of storytelling as I share each day on our podcast. Today we want to explore a mission that is much more important as the title of our meditation today is…

God’s Mission: Your Adoption

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens.

You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice, he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love, he cannot dismiss you. So in an act that stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God’s justice and love are equally honored. And you, God’s creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn’t end with God’s forgiveness. We read in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A15-16&version=NLT (Romans 8:15-16,) “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”

This is emphasized again in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+4%3A4-5&version=NLT (Galatians 4:4-5,) “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.”

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but he does more. He takes you home. He takes you home to the Great House of God.

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don’t mean to offend any biological parents – I’m one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases, our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child, and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I’ve heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I’ve never heard of an unplanned adoption.

That’s why adoptive parents understand God’s passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God’s ardor for his children, it’s someone who has...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 858 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Lost Son – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-858/ (Day 858) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Due to my heavy travel schedule this week, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead I will be reading through the parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes that serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

Many of Jesus’s parables refer to simple everyday things, such as a woman baking bread, a man knocking on his neighbor’s door at night, or the aftermath of a roadside mugging. Yet they deal with major religious themes, such as the growth of the Kingdom of God, the importance of prayer, and the meaning of love.

In Western civilization, these parables formed the prototype for the term parable, and in the modern age, even among those who know little of the Bible, the parables of Jesus remain some of the best-known stories in the world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parables for today are taken from Luke [15:11]-31 and is about…

The Lost Son

To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story. “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home, even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 857 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Lost Sheep and Coin – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-857/ (Day 857) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel schedule for this week, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

In Western civilization, these parables formed the prototype for the term “parable;” and in the modern age, even among those who know little of the Bible, the parables of Jesus remain some of the best-known stories in the world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parables for today are taken from Luke 15:1-10 and are about…

The Lost Sheep and Coin

· Parable of the Lost Sheep Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

So Jesus told them this story…If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

· Parable of the Lost Coin Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.

On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-858/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will continue with the parables of Jesus. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-858/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 856 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 856 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Good Samaritan – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-856/ (Day 856) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Due to a heavy travel schedule this week, I will be switching from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

In Western civilization, these parables formed the prototype for the term parable; and in the modern age, even among those who know little of the Bible, the parables of Jesus remain some of the best-known stories in the world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parable for today is taken from Luke [10:30]-37 and is about…

The Good Samaritan

Jesus replied with a story. “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

By chance, a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

‘Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?’ Jesus asked.

The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’

Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same.'”

On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-857/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will continue with the parables of Jesus. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-857/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past 855 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-857/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 855 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Three Servants – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-855/ (Day 855) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel schedule this week, I will be switching from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parables for today are taken from Matthew [25:14]-30 and is about…

Three Servants

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, “Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.”

The master was full of praise. “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”

The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, “Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.”

The master said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”

Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, “Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.”

But the master replied, “You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.”

Then he ordered, “Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 854 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Ten Bridesmaids – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-854/ (Day 854) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Due to my heavy travel schedule this week, I will be switching from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parable for today is taken from Matthew 25:1-13 and is about…

Ten Bridesmaids

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight they were roused by the shout, “Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!”

All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, “Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.”

But the others replied, “We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.”

But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, “Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!”

But he called back, “Believe me, I don’t know you!”

So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Next week we will continue our trek on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-859/ (Meditation Monday) as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-855/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will continue with the parables of Jesus. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-855/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 853 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 853 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Great Feast – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-853/ (Day 853) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Due to my heavy travel schedule for two weeks, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the Parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

Many of Jesus’s parables refer to simple everyday things, such as a woman baking bread. A man knocking on his neighbor’s door at night. Or the aftermath of a roadside mugging. Yet they deal with major religious themes, such as the growth of the Kingdom of God, the importance of prayer, and the meaning of love.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parables for today are taken from Matthew 22:1-14 and are about…

The Great Feast

Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!”

So he sent other servants to tell them, “The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!” But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, “The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.” So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. “Friend,” he asked, “How is it that you are here without wedding clothes?” But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, “Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-854/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will continue with the parables of Jesus. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 852 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 852 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Evil Farmers – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-852/ (Day 852) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel schedule for the next two weeks, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the Parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parables for today are taken from Matthew [21:33]-46 and are about…

Evil Farmers

Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, “Surely they will respect my son.”

But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, “Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!” So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “What do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.

On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-853/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will continue with the parables of Jesus. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-853/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 851 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 851 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hidden Treasures – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-851/ (Day 851) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Due to a heavy travel schedule for the next two weeks, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the Parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our Parable for today is taken from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt+13%3A44-58&version=NLT (Matthew [13:44]-58) and is about…

Hidden Treasures

· Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.”

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!”

· Parable of the Fishing Net “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?”

“Yes,” they said, “we do.”

Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

· Jesus Rejected at Nazareth When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-852/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will continue with the parables of Jesus. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-852/ (tomorrow) for another day of our...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 850 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wheat, Weeds, Seeds, and Yeast – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-850/ (Day 850) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel schedule for the next two weeks, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the Parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parables for today are taken from Matthew [13:24]-43 and are about…

Wheat, Weeds, Seeds, and Yeast

· Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Here is another story Jesus told: The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

The farmer’s workers went to him and said, “Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?”

“An enemy has done this!” the farmer exclaimed.

“Should we pull out the weeds?” they asked.

“No,” he replied, “you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.”

· Parable of the Mustard Seed Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

· Parable of the Yeast Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:

“I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”

· Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.”

“Just as the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 849 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Farmer Scattering Seeds – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-849/ (Day 849) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Due to a heavy travel schedule for the next two weeks, I will be diverting from our regular daily topics, and instead, I will be reading through the Parables of Jesus.

Jesus’s parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, that all convey messages. Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes, which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our parable for today is taken from Matthew 13:1-23 and is about…

The Farmer Scattering Seeds

Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 848 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom How Much Is Enough? – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-848/ (Day 848) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any other areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It seems like no matter how much we earn or how many “things” we have, we always desire more. We work ourselves sick to accumulate wealth, only to use that wealth to get better. It all becomes a vicious cycle. Instead of grasping for more, we need to learn to enjoy what we have now. So our question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, How can I gain a proper perspective and balance between striving for more and being satisfied with what I have today?”

How Much Is Enough? To answer the question for today I am going to tell a story, or parable, that was recently posted in a blog from a friend of mine. Listen to see if it makes sense to you.

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, “Only a little while.”

The American then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish.

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.

The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos…I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should invest more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But how long will this take?”

To which the American replied, “At least 15-20 years.”

“But what then?”

The American laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 847 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Personal Integrity – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-847/ (Day 847) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Michael Josephson, and it is, “Personal integrity is important, not because it gets us what we want, but because it helps us be what we want.”

Personal Integrity

In nearly every situation in life and with most people, our decisions and choices are made because there is some inherent benefit for us. We subconsciously think, “What’s in it for me?” It takes genuine personal integrity and love for others to realize it’s not as important to get what we want as it is to make decisions so that we can become what we should be.

Personal integrity may require temporary sacrifices on our part, in order to mature and grow into a selfless person. A selfless person does not think less of himself but seeks to think of himself less as he helps others to become all that God intended them to be.

Personal integrity is about becoming more instead of gaining more. Personal integrity will never push someone else down in order to climb higher, but help others climb to heights they never thought possible.

A person with personal integrity will practice what we read in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A15-16&version=NLT (Ephesians 4:15-16,) “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-848/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 846 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-848/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 846 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Counting the Ten Commandments – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-846/ (Day 846) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday, we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our personal moral code and that of every country are based on a set of values. In most western cultures, this code is or was based on what we consider “The Ten Commandments.” Most of the world’s modern cultures have a similar value system, even if it does not have the same base. In today’s essay, let’s look at some of the details and even the number of actual commandments which were given by God…

Counting the Ten Commandments

One of the most enduring elements of the Bible and the Judeo-Christian worldview within Western culture is the Decalogue, or what we refer to as the Ten Commandments. Even if you can’t recite them all, most people have seen the fiery finger of God etch the commandments into two stone tablets as Moses, played by Charlton Hesston, watches in awe.

It seems to go without saying that the list of the Ten Commandments is something that Judaism and Christianity have always agreed upon. Well, that is not exactly true. Historically speaking, Jews and Christians—and even denominations within Christianity—have disagreed on exactly how the Ten Commandments should be listed and expressed. In fact, how to precisely spell out the commandments was an issue of considerable importance during the Protestant Reformation.

The difference concerns how many commands are to be found in the first six verses and last two verses of Exodus 20:2-17. As I read the initial listing of the commandments received by Moses at Sinai, it may become evident why there were some confusion and disagreement.

Then God gave the people all these instructions:

“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

“You must not have any other god but me.

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 845 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Be a Person of Vision and Purpose – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-845/ (Day 845) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Cecil Beaton, and it is,“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.”

Be a Person of Purpose and Vision

So often we muddle through life without a purpose or vision. We are on a treadmill of life where the scenery never changes, and we really don’t make any advancement. We are stuck in one place going through the same motions as if we were robots with little artificial or real intelligence. We become slaves of the ordinary.

This should not be. We have an abundance of God-given abilities and talents, and yet we choose not to utilize them. We would rather wallow in mediocrity that is comfortable than excel in the challenges that require effort. Break free of the shackles that bind you. Be daring, different, even impractical at times. Move forward faster and farther than you feel that you can, but always with the integrity of purpose and imaginative vision.

The Apostle Peter puts it this way in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A9&version=NLT (1 Peter 2:9.)

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 844 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-846/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 844 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Tomorrow – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-844/ (Day 844) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend we had the privilege of attending the show Annie: The Musical, in which our granddaughter Aurora, who is six, played one of the orphans in the orphanage where Annie was also an orphan. The performance was amazingly good and was presented to a sold-out crowd at “The People’s Bank Theater.”

Of course, we are very proud of the great job that Aurora did. As I reflect on the performance, my mind keeps going back to one of the theme songs in Annie, which is called “Tomorrow.” The message is clear that regardless of how difficult some days may be, there is always hope in our tomorrows. In today’s meditation, let us explore…

Tomorrow

All of us have difficult days and even difficult seasons of life. Sometimes it seems like those seasons will never end. This is not the case, though. Just as night always turns to day and winter always turns to spring, so our difficult and dark todays will always turn into our better and brighter tomorrows.

Since I have the opportunity to travel by plane a lot, one thing that I know will always happen is that the sun will always be shining bright above the darkest of clouds. Think about your tomorrows as I read the lyrics to the song.

The sun’ll come out Tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar That tomorrow There’ll be sun…

Just thinkin’ about Tomorrow Clears away the cobwebs, And the sorrow ‘Til there’s none…

When I’m stuck a with day That’s gray, And lonely, I just stick out my chin And Grin, And say…

The sun’ll come out Tomorrow So ya gotta hang on ‘Til tomorrow Come what may…

Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya, tomorrow You’re always A day Away…

When I’m stuck a with day That’s gray, And lonely, I just stick out my chin And grin, And say…Oh

The sun’ll come out Tomorrow So ya gotta hang on ‘Til tomorrow Come what may…

Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya, tomorrow You’re always A day Away…

Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya, tomorrow You’re always A day Away

When our days are difficult, we also have a loving God that we can turn to. Yes, the pain and darkness of today may be severe, but the hope of tomorrow will shine ever brighter. Meditate today on https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A19-24&version=NLT (Lamentations [3:19]-24).

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

And as we close our meditation for today let us think about tomorrow in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+4:18&version=NLT (Proverbs 4:18), “The way of the righteous is like the first

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 843 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Controlling Your Money – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-843/ (Day 843) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps.

Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Money is something that affects us every single day of our lives. It’s used to pay for our shelter. It’s used to purchase food for our families. It’s used to purchase heat in the winter. It’s used to purchase necessary medical care. The list could go on and on.

So our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, I have a very difficult time controlling my spending. Even when we receive more money than expected, or needed, it seems to be gone so quickly. What can I do to help control the money I have so I can get ahead in life.”

Controlling Your Money

This is a topic that is near and dear to me because I see so many of my friends, family members, and associates struggle to get control of how they use their money. Financial controls seem relatively easy for me, but I realize that I am the exception. Since money is so important to our daily lives, you’d think we’d devote more time trying to keep it. However, it seems like most people regularly devote more time trying to find new ways to spend it. It is akin to an addiction for most people.

First, as with so many aspects of life, you need to change your thinking. All the money and other resources we possess is not really ours. It has been given to us by God, and during the few years we have on earth, we are only managers or stewards of God’s resources. We are held accountable for how wisely we manage the money and other resources that we have. You came into this world naked with nothing, and so it is when you leave this world. At best, we are stewards of what we are blessed with. Once you have this mindshift firmly engrained in your mind, then you start looking at those resources differently.

Due to this interesting paradox, I find it necessary to occasionally sit back and reflect on my financial life. To do this, I ask myself a few questions regarding my current financial health. Each question is very short and is designed to get me thinking about the bigger picture of keeping and investing the money I have been given to manage. I encourage you to ask yourself these same questions in order to keep a proper mindset of the resources that you are responsible for managing.

· “Is the Money Being Invested in the Things That Truly Matter to Me?” Are there items in your budget that could be removed or reduced to help better utilize your income? Does your use of money reflect your values? Do you even attempt to budget your money?

· “What Was The Last Item I Regretted...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 842 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom No More Excuses! – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-842/ (Day 842) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Laura Schlessinger, and it is, “People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.”

No More Excuses!

Is your word your bond? There was a time where a handshake was as good as a contract because the reputation and integrity of an individual were based on the fact that if he gave his word he followed through.

We should always follow through with our commitments, which are promises, no matter what. We do not have to make excuses because our word is more important than any personal loss that may result from following through with our commitment. We can be the same today.

Even if contracts are required, and most of the time recommended, our actions should be exactly the same whether there is a contract in place, or not. It seems to be a rare person who consistently follows through with his promises. Instead of trying to make excuses for non-performance focus on performing as you promised, we need to accept responsibility for our actions, and not make excuses or place blame on people, places, or circumstances.

It may cost you dearly in the short term, but throughout your life, if you are a person of integrity, you will follow through and do what you said you would. Jesus taught us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5:37&version=NLT (Matthew 5:37), “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-843/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 841 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-843/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 841 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Tale of Courage We Never Teach – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-841/ (Day 841) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s Word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser, which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There were some practices during the Old Testament timeframe and culture that are difficult for us to understand today. As we continue to explore the Old Testament, our topic today is one such situation. Many preachers and Bible scholars avoid such passages, but we will look at one in our essay today titled…

A Tale of Courage We Never Teach

Moses’ encounter with God in Exodus [4:21]-26 is arguably one of the strangest, most confusing events recorded in the Bible. In this passage, Moses is heading back to Egypt, seemingly following God’s call to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh’s vice-like grip. But then something shocking happens…

And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son. I commanded you, “Let my son go, so he can worship me.” But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!’”

On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.

This passage is not only difficult and confusing, but it raises numerous questions. Why would God want to kill Moses right after calling him to deliver Israel? In addition to this theological conundrum, there are other uncertainties. We are startled and confused when Zipporah, Moses wife (Exodus [2:21]), deals with this threat by immediately circumcising her son Gershom and touching the foreskin to Moses “feet.” What does that mean? And why would her action pacify God’s wrath?

· Doing the Wrong Thing: Moses’ Negligence If we looked at the original Hebrew text of this passage, we would notice that the name Moses does not actually appear in the phrase translated as “touched Moses’ feet.” The text literally reads, “touched his feet.” Consequently, Zipporah could have taken the foreskin and touched either Moses or Gershom, which would affect our interpretation. However, since Moses is the major character in the wider context, it seems logical to conclude that God is angry with Moses, not Gershom.

Why is God angry? We can infer the answer from two considerations: the difference between Egyptian circumcision and that prescribed by the Abrahamic covenant (Joshua 5:2-9; Gen 17), and the circumstances of Moses’ birth and childhood (Exodus 1-2).

Circumcision was practiced in Egypt, but Egyptian circumcision did not remove the foreskin; instead, the foreskin was...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 840 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Be True to Yourself – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-840/ (Day 840) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Ray Lammie, and it is,“One person you can never get away from is yourself. Be true to yourself. Respect yourself. Live life with integrity.”

Be True to Yourself

The primary person which you must face in life is the one you see when you look into the mirror. Yes, we are ultimately accountable before God, but every single moment of each day you are accountable to yourself. You must accept the responsibility, and the consequences, of every decision and choice that you make in life.

When you look into the mirror, deep into your eyes, to your very soul, who do you see? A person you love, respect, and admire? A person that has unchanging and unwavering integrity? You can fool almost everyone for a period of time, even close family members. You can never get away from yourself, nor from God’s omniscience.

As we look into the mirror of our heart and mind, let us see a person that is true to ourselves, a person that we can love, respect, and admire. A person that we would want to emulate. A person of integrity

As we are instructed in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4:13&version=NLT (Hebrews 4:13), “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”Let us not only be accountable before God, but also ourselves. It is then we will be the person that we want our spouse, children, grandchildren, and everyone else we impact to emulate.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 839 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-841/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 839 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom As a Child! – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-839/ (Day 839) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As I grow older, although it is hard to accept, I realize I am not a child, or a teenager, or a young adult anymore. Even with the advances in medical technology and understanding of human physiology, I am still aging. The Apostle Paul instructs us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+13:11&version=NLT (1 Corinthians 13:11), “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.”Yet Jesus said there is one area where we should not be. In today’s meditation let us explore…

As a Child

When we read the verses below, I want you to notice Jesus’s interactions with His disciples regarding a rich public official who turned away from following Him. Jesus challenged His disciples to think through His rejection of His call to focus their attention on those who are worthy of their emulation. Religion gets far off track when the focus becomes a question of who is most important, most religious, and most deserving of the Father’s love.

Jesus came to us as God. The rich public official in the story that I will read today missed this truth. He called Jesus “good,” and only God is truly good. So Jesus challenged him to listen to Him as God. Jesus told him that he needed to drop his religious game of trying to earn the Father’s love.

He needed to quit trying to outdo all the others around him in his religious practices. He needed to look deep into his own heart and see that there was an idol he held as more important than obeying the voice of the Father. However, he dismissed what Jesus said. He refused to give up his idol — his great wealth — for two reasons:

He didn’t think of Jesus as God. He dismissed what Jesus said as just more religious teaching. He didn’t accept what Jesus said as the very commands of God.

He was rich and his idol — his real god — was his money. Unfortunately, he thought he could earn the Father’s favor just like he had earned his money.

Sadly, he walked away from Jesus and from the joy of His kingdom because he couldn’t give up what was false.

Just before the description of this rich public official’s visit with Jesus, you meet children who are the model for the kind of heart that receives His kingdom. Just after this official, you meet Jesus’s disciples. In childlike amazement, they wonder how anyone can be saved if someone who has lived a good life, like this rich public official, couldn’t find his way into His kingdom.

Jesus reminded them that they were thinking in human terms. In human terms, it is impossible. But the Father, Son, and Spirit — make the impossible, possible. All that Jesus’s disciples had to do was look at themselves and what they had given up.

You see, nothing is impossible for the heart totally yielded to Jesus. You cannot give up more for Him than you will receive many times over in the age to come.

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 838 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom True Friendship – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-838/ (Day 838) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps. Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We all desire to be liked and accepted by others; it is part of our nature. To expand that into having close friends is more difficult.

So our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, I desire to have close friends, and also be friends to others, but I find this is difficult for me. What is true friendship, and how can I have friends and also be a good friend to others?”

True Friendship

The first principle is “to have friends and to be a friend you must show yourself friendly.” The second overall principle is that “you cannot like or love others unless you love yourself.”

It is impossible to love and accept others without first loving and accepting yourself. God created you uniquely to be a bearer of His image. You are a child of the King, joint heirs with Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me,” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A13-15&version=NLT (John [15:13]-15).

Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His “friends.” What is more, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him.

There is an example of true friendship between David and King Saul’s son Jonathan, who, in spite of his father Saul’s pursuit of David and attempts to kill him, stood by his friend. You will find that story in 1 Samuel chapters 18 through chapter 20.

Proverbs is another good source of wisdom regarding friends. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17%3A17&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:17) says, “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” Also https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+18%3A24&version=NLT (Proverbs 18:24) reads, “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” The issue here is that in order to have a friend, one must be a friend. Being a friend also means that sometimes you have to confront your friend as found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+27%3A6&version=NLT (Proverbs 27:6), “Wounds...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 837 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Integrity Starts at Home – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-837/ (Day 837) of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from an unknown source, and it is, “Integrity starts at home. Learn to be a person of your word and stick with your commitments even when you no longer feel like it.”

Integrity Starts at Home

No one knows you better than your close family, especially your spouse and kids. They see you are your best and, unfortunately, at your worse. We all tend to be less patient and considerate of our close family members than we do with those we work with or go to church with.

To build a life of integrity, it must start at home, with those you love most and who love you. You must keep your commitments to your family, even when the demands of work, organizations, and ministry pull you away.

Being available and present is so important. This includes physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually. As the years go by, you will not be remembered for the things that money can buy for your family, but for all the precious moments that money can never buy. Be present, be active, and above all keep your commitments, even when you do not feel like it, even when you feel pulled in other directions.

Your family will learn their integrity from you, especially your children. As we are instructed in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+20:7&version=NLT (Proverbs 20:7) , “The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-838/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 836 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-838/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 836 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Abandoned Child Is a Basket Case – Wisdom Wednesday

Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-836/ (Day 836) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several months on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview. To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.

Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s Word, we are investing the next several months on Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser, which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Being abandoned as a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a person. That abandonment can include both physical and emotional abandonment. It would make most of us a basket case as adults. As we continue to explore the Old Testament from the time frame and culture in which it was written, the topic of our essay today is…

The Abandoned Child Is a Basket Case

In modern stories, people destined for greatness rarely start off privileged. They are dropped off at the doorstep of an orphanage or abandoned in the rain. This literary motif goes back to ancient stories, where writers use the abandoned child theme to identify a character that rises from obscurity to privileged hero status. It’s a motif found in the biblical account of Moses’ birth. But is that really the whole story?

Moses’ story begins when Pharaoh feels threatened by the growing Hebrew population in Egypt and commands that all Hebrew male infants be killed. This narrative is found in Exodus [1:16]-22. Moses’ mother hides her newborn son for three months and then devises a risky but calculated plan: She sets him adrift on the Nile in a small basket made of papyrus reeds, waterproofed with tar and pitch as described in Exodus 2:1-3.

About this time, a man, and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.

Moses’ older sister, Miriam, watches as the basket floats to where the daughter of Pharaoh bathes. God uses these circumstances to bring Moses under the protection of Egypt’s ruler portrayed in Exodus 2:4-10.

Ancient literature outside the Bible attests to several stories in which a child, perceived as a threat by an enemy, is abandoned and later spared by divine intervention or otherworldly circumstance. Roughly 30 stories like this survive from the literature of ancient Mesopotamia, Canaan, Greece, Egypt, Rome, and India.

The Mesopotamian work known as the Sargon Birth Legend offers the most striking parallels to the biblical story. It relates the birth story of Sargon the Great, an Akkadian emperor who ruled a number of Sumerian city-states around 2000 BC, centuries before the time of Moses. The infant boy is born into great peril: His mother is a high priestess, and he is illegitimate. Consequently, his mother sets him adrift on a river in a reed basket. The boy is rescued and raised by a gardener named Akki in the town of Kish. He becomes a humble gardener in Akki’s service until the goddess Ishtar takes an interest in him, setting him on the path to kingship.

Some assume that the biblical story of Moses birth was based on the Sargon Birth Legend, but this is...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 835 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom One With God – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-835/ (Day 835) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Ike Reighad, and it is, “Integrity is when you are one with God, yourself, and your loved ones.”

One With God

To have integrity is to be without pretense or subterfuge. It is being true to yourself and to be able to stand before God and your loved ones without a trace of guile or deceit. It means to be honest and transparent in all transactions and interactions with everyone.

Pure integrity means that every action you take, every decision you make, in every possible situation, you can unashamedly stand before God and your close loved ones who know you best. To be one with God means that you can stand before Him with complete transparency. To be a person of integrity is to be sincere.

The word “sincere” comes from the Latin words sine cera, which means “without wax.” The phrase comes from a practice where people would hide the cracks in cheap pottery with wax in order to pass the pottery off as being worth more than it actually was. Quality products were often stamped with the words sine cera to show it had not been doctored. It would be similar to those products today that are stamped “all natural” or “100% pure.” So should a life of integrity be…100% pure.

As the Apostle John tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A18-19&version=NLT (1 John 3:18-19), “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 834 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-836/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 834 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Managing Money with Spiritual Wisdom – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-834/ (Day 834) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The most prominent issue that faces most of us in our daily lives, especially in western cultures is the earning and use of money. We never seem to have enough. We struggle to make ends meet. We fight for it. We work long and hard to earn it, all the while neglecting what is really important in life. In today’s meditation, let us explore…

Managing Money with Spiritual Wisdom

Throughout the ages, it has been the same. People freely talked with each other about almost everything, except how they spend or invest their money. Once the talk about managing earthly, monetary, physical blessings starts, people tend to get defensive and exaggerate their situation to try and impress others.

I appreciate the authors of the gospels and their accounts of Jesus’s life and the way they emphasize many practical and spiritual teachings about Jesus’s ministry. They instruct us about food and feasts, prayer and praise, the work of the Holy Spirit, poor and rich people, and Jesus’s teaching on the use of money.

Let’s explore one of those passages about money and how you should manage your assets for spiritual ends. This is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A19-21&version=NLT (Matthew 6:19-21) where Jesus us, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

We lose sight of the most important principle about money and other resources. We don’t own and never will own anything. We are stewards of God’s resources to manage them for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.

Use the money and physical assets that the Father has entrusted to you to store up heavenly treasures. Why? Because the Father is going to know how you use your money and where you invested it.

Your heart is always drawn to where your treasure is invested. So use your assets to bless those who cannot repay you, to empower the mission which Jesus gave you, to redeem the lost, to restore life, to renew opportunity for those who are left out and forgotten, and to give hope to the marginalized. Isn’t that what you saw Jesus investing His life doing? That is where Jesus invested His energy and time; shouldn’t you do the same?

When you read from the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings, what we call the Old Testament, what do you see about the heart of God and where He wants you to invest your assets? His focus and Jesus focus are perfectly aligned. Does your focus align with what Jesus taught?

The problems in your life don’t need to include money if your heart is on the things that matter most to your Father in heaven. This principle is true whether your assets are small or large. However, if the way you use...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 833 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Enjoying the Seasons of Life – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-833/ (Day 833) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps.

Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old you are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we transition from winter into spring, we see once again the dead of winter spring into new life. We enjoy the birds singing and the flowers poking their heads through the soil like magic displaying their beauty to all.

When we take the time to reflect upon the natural environment, we begin to observe a complex, yet very beautiful world cycling through patterns, phases, and stages of transition. We also quickly realize that nothing ever stands still, that nothing ever maintains its current state, identity, or shape for very long. In fact, all of nature cycles through seasons of change and transformation, effortlessly and naturally.

So our question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, it seems like life is rushing by so quickly and I am having difficulty just enjoying life where I am today. How can I change my perspective so that I enjoy every season of life to make an impact where I can and accept what I cannot change?”

Enjoying the Seasons of Life

· Understanding the Cycles of Life Life cycles through phases of transformation and change that are unavoidable, inevitable, and yet very manageable. These natural cycles of life are beneficial for our personal emotional and spiritual growth.

· Seasons Change Constantly The seasons of life are constantly changing as a result of the choices and decisions that we make on a daily basis.

A seemingly insignificant choice today could very well change the tide of the seasons as we move into tomorrow.

For things not to change, we must stay the same. However, we cannot remain unchanged if we are constantly making new choices and decisions about our conditions and circumstances.

Life is all about change, we are constantly changing, and our circumstances are simply a reflection of the choices we make.

· Seasons Transition Naturally The seasons of life transition naturally from one phase to another as a result of the thoughts, values, and beliefs we are consistently cultivating in our minds.

We transition through each of these seasons naturally because they are simply a reflection of our human nature and even the smallest of choices that we make each day.

· Seasons Are Temporary The seasons of life are as temporary as the raindrops that fall on your head, as the thunder that rages outside, or as the wind that blows up the storm. None of these events will last forever. They are temporary in nature, just as the seasons of life are temporary on a psychological

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 832 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Integrity Is Not Conditional – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-832/ (Day 832) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from John D. MacDonald, and it is, “Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn’t blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will.”

Integrity Is Not Conditional

Integrity, like the truth, does not change based on political correctness, or the latest philosophy about right and wrong. Your integrity is a mirror reflecting who you really are. You may attempt to put a mask on to change how others may perceive you, but in the end, the mask will fall away. And you will be seen for who you truly are.

A person of integrity is honest, truthful, full of honor, reliable, and upright. A person of integrity does not change his values to fit in or be accepted. He stands for what is right and truthful, no matter the cost to him personally.

We cannot open ourselves up to situational ethics or situational integrity. It is never right to do wrong in order to have the opportunity to do right in the future. Right is right even if no one is doing it, and wrong is still wrong even if everyone else is doing it.

Our integrity impacts our standing before God as we are told in Psalm 15:1-3.

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-833/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 831 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-833/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 831 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Why Circumcision? – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-831/ (Day 831) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several weeks on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical Worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s Word, I would like to invest the next several weeks reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser, which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If you study local customs or cultures within nations around the world, you are likely to find certain practices that just will not make sense to you. This may apply to diet, dress, rituals, superstitions, or physical changes. One such practice that God set forth as a sign of separation from the world and dedication to Him was the practice of circumcision for all males that are the decedents of Abraham. These descendants became the Nation of Israel. So the topic of our essay today is…

Why Circumcision?

Circumcision is mentioned nearly 100 times in the Bible. It is a central focus for Old Testament and New Testament theology as mentioned in Romans 4:9-12.

Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!

Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

More details about circumcision in the New Testament is also found in Galatians 2 and 5.

If we’re honest, circumcision as a covenant sign just sounds absurd. Was it unique to the Abraham and the Nation of Israel? Not really. Circumcision was the sign or mark of God’s covenant with Abraham and is found in Genesis 17:9-14, “Then God said to Abraham, ‘Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant. Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.'”

If you study the cultures in that area where Abraham was from, you will find that it was also widely practiced in the ancient Near East although the method wasn’t always the same. Jeremiah 9:25-26 notes that Israel’s neighbors were circumcised,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 830 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Solid Value Foundation – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-830/ (Day 830) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

Today’s quote is from Michael Baisden, and it is,“Integrity is choosing your thoughts and actions based on your values rather than personal gain.”

A Solid Value Foundation

If you find yourself making choices based on personal gain, it is time to reexamine your values and indeed your entire moral compass. These choices include both your thoughts and your actions. There is a very short distance between thinking about taking action and the actual action itself. That is why is it so important to guard your thoughts.

No amount of personal gain, fame, power, or fortune is worth compromising the foundation on which your values are based. Your value foundation must be strong and must be based on a moral code. The superior moral code that is solid and has stood the test of all time is the moral code found in God’s Word.

It is God’s Word on which your values must be established. It represents that solid foundation on which to build a life of integrity. This reminds me of the parable that Jesus taught His disciples about building, which is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt+7%3A24-27&version=NLT (Matthew [7:24]-27)

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

What type of foundation is your value system built on? This will determine your level of integrity.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 829 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play, so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-831/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 829 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Getting Past Your Worries – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-829/ (Day 829) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Last Meditation Monday we considered the topic of fear. Today let’s ponder what it means to worry and the sins that lie behind so many of our worries, such as greed and insufficient faith! Listen carefully as we explore three key principles in the verses of today’s meditation. Jesus gave these principles to His disciples to help them defeat the power of worry in their lives. Please know that Luke wrote about these three principles to help you defeat worry, too! In today’s meditation, let us explore…

Getting Past Your Worries

· Principle #1 You’d better be on your guard against any type of greed, for a person’s life is not about having a lot of possessions.

Greed is insidious and destructive — in fact, it is a form of idolatry https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A5&version=NLT (Colossians 3:5).

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Greed means the things you have are never enough. Greed opens the door for you to trample all over people to get things. Greed makes you think you deserve and own the things that you have, rather than seeing them as blessings from the Father, Son, and Spirit to be used to bring the influence of God’s kingdom into your fallen world.

· Principle #2 Don’t reduce your life to the pursuit of food and drink; don’t let your mind be filled with anxiety. People of the world who don’t know God pursue these things, but you have a Father caring for you, a Father Who knows all your needs.

When we considered fear in last week’s Meditation Monday, we were reminded that you are precious to God the Father, Son, and Spirit. Please remember and believe that truth. Why would the Father send Jesus to be sacrificed for you if you were not precious? Why would Jesus pour out the Holy Spirit upon you to live within you if you are not precious? With so many less important things in your world that receive God’s gracious provision, why would the triune God ever abandon you when you are so precious?

· Principle #3 Since you don’t need to worry — about security and safety, about food and clothing — then pursue God’s kingdom first and foremost, and these other things will come to you as well. We do not need to be afraid. God is your Father, and your Father’s great joy is to give you His kingdom.

Worry is often the byproduct of having your focus on the wrong things and not having sufficient faith in God and His promises. If your consuming passion is to follow Jesus Christ and to bring the gracious benefits of God’s kingdom to your broken world, then you are not going to have time to focus on temporary stuff that doesn’t ultimately matter. Honor the Father with all of your heart. Love people as He loves you.

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 828 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom You Are What You Eat – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-828/ (Day 828) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Nearly everyone is concerned about their health, and most of us will say we want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is a huge difference, though, between being passively involved in your health journey and being committed to good health. It reminds me of a breakfast of eggs and bacon. The chicken is passively involved in the breakfast, the pig is committed to making it happen. Maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle takes commitment.

So our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, I would like to start living a healthy lifestyle, including losing some weight. There are so many diets and supplements on the market today that it is really confusing. Can you give me some advice on how I can live a healthy lifestyle including losing the weight that I need to?”

You Are What You Eat

This topic is a plateful for sure…pun intended. There have been thousands of books written about healthy lifestyles and diets. Much of that information could be useful, but we also find that much of it is contradictory. While I am not a doctor and have never played one on TV, but I will be 62 this August and have been able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and my current weight for many years. I have never followed a structured diet, nor participated in a structured exercise or wellness program. For some people, this may be needed to maintain the discipline to stick with it, but ultimately it must be an internal desire for change.

By learning a few simple principles and sticking to them, I feel that anyone who is committed to living a healthy lifestyle can be successful. I do realize that genetics and environment can play a role in being successful, but unless you are committed, then there will be no transformation. It is no easier for me to maintain my weight and lifestyle than it is for anyone else, but I do have a commitment and burning desire to do so.

So here are some basic principles that will lead to a healthy lifestyle which includes: strengthening your body, losing weight, and refreshing your mind and soul.

First, is to get some exercise each day. You may never enjoy this, but it is imperative if you are committed to a healthy lifestyle. At a minimum, walk as briskly as you can for 30 minutes. This could be inside your home, on a treadmill, or outside if at all possible. If you can’t walk for 30 minutes at once, build up to it by three 10 minutes walks during the day. Walking all at one time is preferred to get your heart...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 827 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Three Qualities Needed – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-827/ (Day 827) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Warren Buffet, and it is, “In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”

Three Qualities Needed

As a business owner or manager, one of the most crucial tasks is to hire team members that fit your culture and have the ability to excel personally as they help the company to excel and prosper. The culture of an organization is passed down from its leaders.

If there is a lack of integrity, intelligence, and energy among team members, then most certainly that is because there are flaws in those individuals who are leading and directing that business or organization. If you desire to succeed as a business or organization, then it is imperative that everyone maintains the highest possible level of integrity.

This starts with the hiring process. It needs to be crystal clear to potential team members that only the highest of ethical and moral standards will be tolerated. It is also to be clear that integrity is valued more importantly than natural talents and abilities because, without integrity, all else will suffer.

Within any business or organization, it would be good to adopt the principles located in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph+5%3A3-4&version=NLT (Ephesians 5:3-4), “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-829/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 826 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-828/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 826 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Spellchecking the Bible – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-826/ (Day 826) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several weeks on Wednesday, we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, I would like to invest the next several weeks reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser, which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I write a lot for both work and the scripts for this podcast. At some point, I would like to write a novel series that is a Christian space-based theme. While my spelling has improved considerably over the years with all of this writing, I would be lost without a good grammar and spell checker.

The grammar checker does have various options depending on the type of writing and the context. This also plays a factor in a book we usually don’t consider needing a grammar or spell check, which is the Bible. With the numerous translations available today, it may be prudent to consider. So the topic of our essay today is…

Spellchecking the Bible

The words of the original Biblical text cannot always be read with certainty. Genesis [49:10] is a famous example. These three translations show the differences.

NASB

ESV NLT

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.”

Three translators arrived at different conclusions because the Hebrew text itself is ambiguous. The problem is one word made up of four Hebrew letters which is translated (shiyloh).

The NASB takes these four letters as spelling “Shiloh,” the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept during the days of the Judges, Samuel, and David. As it is written, this is how the word should be pronounced, but “Shiloh” is not spelled this way anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible. The odd spelling has led many translators to suspect that “Shiloh” is not the correct translation.

Another problem with translating this word as “Shiloh” is that the Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible produced a few centuries before Christ, which is often quoted by the New Testament writers—has a different rendering. The Septuagint literally reads, “until that which is stored away for him comes.” The Hebrew text used by the Septuagint translator did not read (shiyloh).

The Septuagint translator saw one of two things. The four consonants in our problem word could have been divided into two words: (shay loh). That option would result in “until tribute comes—is brought to him.” The ESV reflects this option.

One text of the Septuagint translator may have had three consonants instead of four. His Hebrew Bible may have read (shiloh). Although this is a frequent spelling for “Shiloh” in the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint translator did not regard the word as the place name.

Instead, he took the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 825 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Practice What You Preach – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-825/ (Day 825) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Dwight D. Eisenhower, and it is,“If a man’s associates find him guilty of being phony, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose.”

Practice What You Preach

“Practice what you preach” is a familiar saying that is probably centuries old, but is still as applicable today as it ever was. No one wants to be associated with a person who is phony and not genuine.

We need to have integrity and high purpose in all areas of our life. If you invest time with those people who lack integrity, you will not only be thought of in the same light, you will become like them. We are the average of the five people we invest the most time with.

If you desire to be ethical in all that you do, you must associate with those who are unashamedly ethical. People who will continue to do what is right in every situation because it is the right thing to do. A person who is unwilling to taint his integrity for personal gain.

To be phony is to be pretentious, deceiving, insincere, and to be a sham. In all activities of life, there is a great need to live a life of integrity and high purpose. Do not associate with those who are not because they will bring you down to their level. As the Apostle Paul teaches us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+15:33&version=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:33), “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for ‘bad company corrupts good character.'”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 824 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-826/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 824 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Don’t Let Fear Intimidate You! – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-824/ (Day 824) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Fear is all around us. The news media and their commentators are constantly bombarding us with bad news. Politicians make us feel like the opposite political party is driving our country into the brink of destruction.

Unfortunately, even many well-meaning preachers and religious teachers focus on all the bad things that happen instead of the good. It is no wonder why the world is driven by fear and anxiety. In today’s meditation, let us explore what Jesus taught us about fear. We will learn…

Don’t let fear intimidate you!

People are afraid of many different kinds of things. That’s why one of the most frequent commands in the Scriptures is not to be afraid. It is also a command that Jesus gave several times to His disciples. Fear is a real issue for people in our fallen world.

The Father sent Jesus to deal with fear and to defeat the power behind our fears. To defeat, the devil who uses sin and death to keep mortals enslaved to fear. The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus’s role in defeating the devil and his power to use death to enslave us in fear.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+2%3A14-15&version=NLT (Hebrews 2:14-15) – Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

In today’s meditation, we are journeying with Jesus to Jerusalem as we read from the Gospels in these devotionals. When Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem is complete, He will have died for our sins, He will be buried, and He will be raised from death to life to conquer hell, giving us glorious life beyond our death. The apostle Paul says it this way:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+7%3A24-25&version=NLT (Romans 7:24-25) – Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A56-57&version=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:56-57) – For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Father is the only one who should truly be feared, but only if you are not His child. If you are a Christ-follower, you are the Father’s child. Then you don’t need to fear Him. You are more precious to the Father, Son, and Spirit than you ever can imagine. The Father sent Jesus to save you at great cost. He went to the cross to redeem you and destroy the devil’s hold on you...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 823 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Take Your Job and Love It – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-823/ (Day 823) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’ goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Nearly all of us have to work at some sort of occupation in order to live and meet our financial obligations. From the very beginning of creation, God made us to work. Genesis 2:15 tells us, “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.”Granted, because of the choices that Adam and Eve made in the garden to disobey God’s command, work became more difficult, but that is not where work began. My experience is that most people don’t love their work. Many like it, some tolerate it, but it is a minority who find work they love that also supports their lifestyle.

So our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, I am really struggling to enjoy my work. How can I change my situation?”

Take Your Job and Love It

When you do not enjoy your job or it does not bring you satisfaction, does that mean you must live in frustration, desperately seeking that perfect job you can be passionate about? Not at all.

First of all, as with most things in life, your choice of attitude about your job will determine the level of satisfaction that you have. You can and should choose to find enjoyment in your work. Doing so is very valuable to your life in many ways, including greatly increasing your probability of financial success. The fact is, though, you don’t have to love or even like your overall job to enjoy everyday aspects of it.

It is critical to distinguish between the job and the way you do it. This is important because every job has aspects that will be very unpleasant for you. You need to be able to get through them with a smile on your face.

As an example, even when you work for yourself, which seems like it would be ideal, it has significant drawbacks, and most people are not suited to own their own business. I remember my mom saying, “When you work for yourself, you only have to work half days, and you can decide which 12 hours of the day you want to work.” As someone who has been an entrepreneur and small business owner for most of my adult life, I can tell you, that statement is very true. There are long hours to be worked, and at times the rate per hour turns out to be very low. Even with this, I have chosen to love my work although there are days that I don’t really like it.

You may not be passionate about your job, but you should be passionate about how well you perform your work. For a few people, they are working in their dream job. For most,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 822 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Have The Courage – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-822/ (Day 822) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget

Today’s quote is from W. Clement Stone, and it is, “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.”

Have The Courage

Most of us are so easily swayed by others that we are willing to compromise our values, morals, and integrity just to “fit in” or be accepted. We need to resolve to say no when faced with ethical dilemmas. To stand for truth, regardless of the potential consequences. To do what is right and to stand for what is right because it is the right thing to do.

Giving in to fit in is never a good strategy. Failure to stand for what is morally right is the prelude to being the victim of what is criminally wrong. Having the courage to stand regardless and to always do what is right is the key that will allow your life to be a life of integrity. A life that is both good and godly. A light that will be a shining light in a world that is often dark. As we are instructed in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+31:24&version=NLT (Psalm 31:24), “So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-823/ (tomorrow) for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 821 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-823/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 821 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Even the Bible Needed Upgraded – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-821/ (Day 821) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several weeks on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.

Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, I would like to invest the next several weeks reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser that he has compiled into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I have been closely involved in the computer industry since 1980, which is 38 years now. When I first became involved, the personal computer had just started being released to the public, and they were too expensive for most people. One thing we could count on from the very earliest days of the industry is that there would be frequent upgrades needed to keep up with the most current computers.

The smartphones of today, which is literally a handheld computer, is thousands of times more powerful than when I was first involved with them. All technology devices are frequently upgraded along with their documentation. Another piece of documentation that was upgraded, which few of us are aware of, is the topic of our essay today which is…

Even the Bible Needed Upgrading

Wait a minute. The Bible needed an upgrade?

Those sound like fighting words to anyone with a high view of Scripture. An upgrade implies that something needed updating, but the Bible is timeless! That’s true, but in this case, I would have to excuse myself from the ring. I wouldn’t want to tangle with those responsible for the improvements – the Biblical writers and, well, the Spirit of God.

Believe it or not, there is evidence that the Bible was updated. That may sound strange, but if you read closely, it’s undeniable. Take https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen+14%3A14&version=NLT (Genesis [14:14]) as an illustration.

When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan.

Did you notice the problem? This is the time of Abram, a time before Moses and Joshua—before there was a promised land divided among the tribes of Israel. There wasn’t even an Israel yet. So what’s up with reference to the land that belonged to the tribe of Dan?

If we plotted out the battle Abram described in this verse on a map, with place names appropriate for Abram’s day, we’d see that the writer really meant that the enemy was pursued all the way to a place called Laish, not Dan.

Many Bible critics would call this an error, but it isn’t. Much later, in the days of Israel’s judges, Laish was renamed as Dan as we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+18%3A29&version=NLT (Judges 18:29,) “They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel’s son, but it had originally been called Laish.”

Evidently, an unnamed editor updated the text of Genesis [14:14] after the name change took place. The editor likely did this to make sure readers of his own day would understand the geography. What most casual Bible students are not aware of is that much of the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible was finally recorded during the Babylonian...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 820 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Non-Hypocritical Integrity – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-820/ (Day 820) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Charles Swindoll, and it is, “Few things are more infectious than a godly lifestyle. The people you rub shoulders with everyday need that kind of challenge. Not prudish. Not preachy. Just cracker jack clean living. Just honest to goodness, bone-deep, non-hypocritical integrity.”

Non-Hypocritical Integrity

When we think of infections, our minds go to colds, flu, or even more serious diseases. While none of us want to be infected by or infect others with disease of any kind, our lives can be infectious in a very positive manner. Whether in churches, companies, organizations, or in politics if you are not true, you will eventually be recognized as someone who is not genuine. That is not the type of person who we should desire to emulate.

We need to live lives that are both good and godly. We should not just put on a mask of being a good or godly person, but actually live a life that is genuine, a life that may not be perfect, but is real. When we live a life that is real, good, and godly, we do not need to be self-righteous, nor to be preaching to others.

Our lives will be a shining beacon in a world that is dark. We need to live lives to our very core that are clean, honest, good, godly and display non-hypocritical integrity in every area of life. As the Apostle Paul tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A24&version=NLT (Ephesians 4:24), “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 819 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-821/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 819 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom People Count Most – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-819/ (Day 819) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Let me ask you a question today as we take time to meditate on the most important aspects of our life. How do you treat those people who you know don’t like you and oppose you? Would you go to their house for dinner if they invited you? In today’s meditation, let us explore how Jesus reacted to his opponents in a lesson called…

People Count Most

Let us look at Jesus’s example and hear His words in the verses which we will explore today. They merge into one, simple, clear message…People count most!

We find Jesus at a dinner in the house of a leader of the Pharisees, His most vocal opponents. Why? Why go to a meal with people who are hounding Him and trying to trap Him? Because He loves them! They matter to the triune God — Father, Son, and Spirit. Their hearts need the opportunity to be exposed to His truth, and seeds need to be planted in their hearts, seeds that can blossom into faith and bear fruit after these people see His Crucifixion (referred to as His passion) and hear about His resurrection.

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit desire that all people have an opportunity to change their hearts and come to faith in Jesus as their Savior. Jesus goes to the house of this leader and a dinner with his friends, people who regard Him as their enemy, for one simple reason…People count most!

Jesus challenges this leader and his Pharisee and scholar friends to see this same truth in their own religious understanding. They help their children who are in trouble on the Sabbath. They help their animals that are in distress on the Sabbath. They do not see these gracious actions as a violation of their traditions of the Sabbath rest. When they have the ability and opportunity to help, comfort, encourage, or ease a brother or sister’s distress or trouble, the Pharisees and scholars must come to see that a person in trouble must be helped regardless of the day…People count most!

As a Christ-follower and disciple, we need to understand this truth as we seek to apply His teaching — this principle that Jesus taught and lived as an example for all of us to follow…People count most! Jesus came to seek and to save lost people, to ransom you and I and all of humanity from the grip of sin and death in our lives, and to bring His grace to all. That is why Jesus went to the house of those who wanted to get rid of Him. That is why He emphasized the need to help people on the Sabbath even if it violated the tradition of the Pharisees. Most of all, that is why Jesus voluntarily headed to Jerusalem to die as the Lamb of God Who will take away the sins of the world. Because people count most!

· Verses to Live As we read through the verses that follow, ask the Holy Spirit to help you visualize the scene. What are the expressions on the people’s faces? What are the smells in the room as we get ready to share this meal? Can you feel the tension between these leaders and Jesus? Can you feel...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 818 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Age of the Universe – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-818/ (Day 818) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

No matter how old you are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Granny and I are blessed to have a heritage of ancestors dating back to the early explorers of what was once referred to as The Northwest Territory for the fledgling United States. In fact Marietta, Ohio was the first organized settlement in The Northwest Territory.

I am a direct decedent of the General Putnam who was an officer in the revolutionary army and served directly under George Washington before he was President. They also were some of the men who surveyed the land in this area of Ohio. The Big House is the family home my great-grandparents built and lived in. While we are honored to be part of this heritage, it is such a short time period compared to our world and the universe.

Being a space and sci-fi enthusiast, I like to learn as much as I can about our universe. The more I study, though, the more I realize that within our finite minds we will never comprehend its mysteries. From the vast cosmos to the subatomic particle, we can never grasp all that God has created. We are locked into a mindset of space and time, God is not. As God tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55%3A8-9&version=NLT (Isaiah 55:8-),

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

There is a question though that we all wonder about, our question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, what is the age of the Universe?”

Age of the Universe

In https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Gen%201.1 (Genesis 1:1), we are told that “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

The Bible gives no date for the creation; the only hint is that it happened “in the beginning.” In Hebrew, the word for “beginning” is bereshith, meaning literally “head or start.”

As a Christ-follower who believes that the Holy Bible is the revelation that God chose to share with us, I am convinced that God created the universe. Where Christians have a difference of opinion is in the interpretation of the word day (Hebrew yom) in Genesis 1. Those who hold to a literal, twenty-four-hour “day” believe in a comparatively young earth; those who hold to a non-literal, poetic “day” believe in a much older earth.

Many scholars and Christian scientists believe the word “day” in Genesis refers to a literal, twenty-four-hour day....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 817 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Ambition Is a Powerful Force – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-817/ (Day 817) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is, “Ambition, fueled by compassion, wisdom, and integrity, is a powerful force for good that will turn the wheels of industry and open the doors of opportunity for you and countless others.”

Ambition Is a Powerful Force

Ambition like many character traits that we may have can be a force for good or bad. What will make the difference is the underlying foundation and motive that is fueling that ambition. First, there should be compassion for that ambition, this compassion should be to help others, to improve yourself, and to positively impact your world.

Next ambition must be built on the strong foundation of wisdom and integrity. With this strong foundation in place that ambition will result in a positive and powerful force for good. When this is the case, you will set in motion the changes needed to burst open the doors of unlimited opportunity for yourself and all those that you impact. Being wise with integrity and ambition is the key to success, as we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12:14&version=NLT (Proverbs 12:14),“Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com/ (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-818/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 816 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-818/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 816 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Walk Like an Israelite – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-816/ (Day 816) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several weeks on Wednesday we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical Worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, I would like to invest the next several weeks reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser which he has compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If you ever invest much time around teenagers, and even adults for that matter, you will soon realize that within a certain group, they will start acting very similar, dressing the same, walking the same, using the same vernacular, and even taking on many of the same practices and traditions.

It was not any different when God called Abraham as a chosen person to start a new nation. Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and indeed the entire nation of Israel had many of the same practices, habits, and traditions of the surrounding nations and people groups. We in our western culture and society through the millennium have morphed into a much different mindset and practice. Because of this and the practices we have adopted, it is difficult to take on the mindset of the ancient Israelites and the surrounding nations.

So our essay for today is titled…

Walk Like an Israelite

Dr. Heiser explains his mindset change came during graduate schools when he took a course the Ugaritic language, which came from the Persian area and dates back prior to the calling of Abraham. Heiser puts it this way, “Cuneiform tablets changed my life. I’m not kidding. As I look back on my 15 years of graduate school in biblical studies, the turning point in how I view the Bible was my course in Ugaritic, a cuneiform language very similar to biblical Hebrew. This class compelled me to transform how to ‘read the Bible in context’ from a naive platitude to an issue of spiritual integrity.”

· A Bible Study Epiphany Most of us have had the impression that interpreting the Bible in context meant learning about a piece of pottery here, an odd custom there, or a factual acquaintance with who was alive, and what those people were doing at the time of the biblical events.

Through his study in his Ugaritic course, Heiser learned that all of that can divorce the Bible from the ancient world in one critical way: It can exclude religious or theological ideas from all the “context talk.” It’s easy to presume that most of the Bible’s theological content was unique to Israel. We usually think that Israel shared some cultural customs with pagan Gentiles—like diet, dress, marriage, and family structure. When we come to think about Israel’s religious worldview, we think it was uniquely handed down from heaven, having no common links with paganism. Not true – the similarities in the Ugaritic tables is striking.

For starters, the people of Ugarit, which was a city-state in ancient Syria, described their gods with words and phrases that were in the Old Testament—in a number of cases word for word. Their chief deity shared the same name (El) as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. An important difference is the El of Ugarit could hardly be called holy by biblical standards. The honorary titles and other descriptions of the Ugarit El and his primary assistant, Baal, are applied to the

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 815 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Integrity of Intent – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-815/ (Day 815) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from an Anonymous source, and it is,“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”

Integrity of Intent

Regardless of whether you are an introvert, extrovert, or like most of us something in between, the fact is that in certain areas of your life, you are a leader. Since we have this impact or influence on others, let us make sure we excel within our God-given abilities.

At times it will require confidence to do what is right, even when everyone else is not. To have the courage to make those tough decisions. To be compassionate, even when we do not feel like it. We can only do this when we take actions with quality and the purest integrity because it is the right thing to do.

We need to lead, whether actively or passively, by living a good and godly life. To be a true leader does not mean you have to be forceful or “rally the troops,” but to live as the Apostle, Paul wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A14-15&version=NLT (Philippians 2:14-15), “Do everything without complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 814 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-816/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 814 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Light Shining in the Darkness – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-814/ (Day 814) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If you listen to most media outlets today, even within many Christian communities, you would get the idea that the world is a dark and scary place. I believe most of those tactics are to scare us into fear and unrest. There are a lot of good and positive things taking place in our lives each day that we should be grateful for.

I do recognize though we all face times of darkness in our lives, even during the dark times, we have to realize that darkness can never extinguish a light. Imagine for a moment being shut in a room with no lights, windows, and doors. As dark as that room would be, if you lit just one small match it would shine extra bright. The darker the night, the brighter even a small candle will appear. So in today’s meditation, let us examine what Jesus said about…

Light Shining in the Darkness

When seen in the darkness of a moonless sky away from the light pollution of the cities, the billions upon billions of stars merge into a deep and comforting glow at the near reaches of our universe. The brightest of stars shine even more brilliantly. The darkest of nights reveals just how brightly the stars of the heavens shine. The darkness does not snuff out their light but only makes it more visible!

In a similar but far more important way, Jesus is the spiritual light in a world of darkness as is listed in John 8:12, “I am the Light that shines through the cosmos; if you walk with Me, you will thrive in the nourishing light that gives life and will not know darkness.”

The Apostle John, who refers to himself as the one whom Jesus loved, emphasizes throughout his gospel that Jesus is this Light. His light shines through the darkness of the entire cosmos. His light shines into the deepest darkness of your world. His light shines out in life’s darkest moments to give you light in your darkest of moments.

As Jesus journeyed through the darkness of rejection, betrayal, abandonment, trials, and crucifixion, His light continued to shine. His light will shine on and shine into the darkness, and that light never will be extinguished, not even in His death.

Remember this truth as you reflect on how Jesus submitted to the Father’s will and let Satan have his way with Him on the cross. Even as darkness appeared to have overcome Jesus and scattered and shattered those who love Him, His light shines and gives hope to those trapped in the deepest darkness as John describes in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-5&version=NLT (John 1:1-5).

In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 813 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Spend or Invest? – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-813/ (Day 813) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. In the United States, most individuals are gathering together their financial and tax-related documents so they can prepare to file their tax returns. So the question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, I have completed my tax return and am going to get a sizable refund. Should I spend or invest this money?”

Spend or Invest?

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear this question is why are you getting a sizable refund? Yes, it is nice to get a big tax refund, but if it is because you had more taken out each pay period than what was needed, then you have loaned the government money all year without getting any interest paid for the use of your money.

The IRS does not mind providing refunds to individuals because it allows them to use billions, if not trillions, of dollars per year without having any interest due. If a large refund is a regular occurrence for you, then my first recommendation would be to adjust your withholding so that you are not getting as large of a refund. The objective should be to break even if possible. This will require that you are disciplined enough to set aside that same money each pay period and place it in a savings account where you can earn interest on it. Then you will have both the amount of your refund and at least a little bit of interest.

Second, there is a big difference between spending and investing your tax refund. I prefer to have the mindset of investing in all things, whether it is money, time, talents, or any other resources. When you invest, there is a multiplying effect of what you are investing so that you end up with more than you started with.

For example, when you invest time by positively impacting the lives of others, then that time is multiplied many times over as it will not only impact that person, but also everyone that that person impacts. It is the compound effect, just like earning more interest on money that is already earning interest.

When you have the mindset of investing instead of spending, this multiplication principle comes into effect. Here is another way to think of it. Say you had 100 grains of wheat. You could eat those grains of wheat to satisfy your hunger today, or you could sacrifice today and plant those 100 grains which could result in 100 to 400 times what you started with. As with most things in life, it boils down to the laws of planting and harvesting. You have to be willing to sacrifice today to benefit on a much greater scale tomorrow.

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 812 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Legacy You Live – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-812/ (Day 812) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Bob Proctor, and it is, “Every person is going to leave a legacy. What kind of legacy do you want to leave?”

The Legacy You Live

Everyone has a reputation, especially with those who know us best. In the same manner, we all have a living legacy and will leave a legacy when we die. The only question is “What type of legacy are you living?” Although a legacy of material resources can be used to help others, a more important legacy that will impact generations to come is the positive influence and impact that you have on the lives of others.

Never underestimate the impact, positive or negative, that you have on those in your sphere of influence. That sphere of influence is much greater than you realize. Just as when a rock dropped into a lake has ever-expanding rings that ripple out from the point of impact, your life impacts those who are closest to you but then ripples out to many others. The only legacy that will live on through eternity is the impact you have on the lives of others, which will ripple through generations to come.

Focus on living a legacy each day then the legacy that you leave when you die will already be rippling through many generations to come. Let us follow the example in Titus 2:7, “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-813/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 811 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-813/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 811 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Ancient’s Guide to the Galaxy – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-811/ (Day 811) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. The past several weeks on Wednesdays, we have been focusing on interpreting current events through a Biblical worldview.

To establish a Biblical worldview, it is important that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of God’s word, I would like to invest the next several weeks reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser, which have been compiled into a book titled I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Although we are technically still in winter as I am creating this podcast, there are signs of spring in the air with the daffodils sprouting and birds making their nests in preparation of raising a new family for this year.

Spring is always a time for renewal, a time of new beginnings. As we explore God’s Word from a new perspective, that is the perspective of an Old Testament Israelite, allow it to be a time of growth in your spiritual life, a time of renewal.

So our essay for today is titled…

The Ancient’s Guide to the Galaxy God chose a specific time, place, and culture to inspire people to produce what we read in the Old Testament: the ancient Mediterranean and the ancient Near East of the second and first millennia BC. Understanding the worldview of this culture can lead to more faithful understandings of Scripture on our part, especially when it comes to an understanding of how the Israelites viewed God and the universe.

· Old Testament Cosmology “Cosmology” refers to the way we understand the structure of the universe. The biblical writers’ conception of how the heavens and earth were structured by God represents a particular cosmology.

The Israelites believed in a universe that was common among the ancient civilizations of the Biblical world. It encompassed three parts: a heavenly realm, an earthly realm for humans, and an underworld for the dead. These three tiers are reflected in the Ten Commandments: “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea,” Exodus 20:4.

· The Heavens We find an Israelite understanding of the heavens in Genesis 1:6-8, which describes it as an expanse, with waters above and below, “Then God said, ‘Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.’ And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space ‘sky.'”

The sky, thought to be a solid firmament, separated the waters above from the waters below as is described by Lady Wisdom in Proverbs [8:27]-28:

I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.

The firmament dome surrounded the earth, with its edge meeting at the horizon as we read in Job 26:10, “He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundary between day and night.” It was supported by “pillars” or “foundations,” thought to be the tops of mountains, whose peaks appeared to touch the sky. The heavens had doors and windows through which rain or the waters above could flow upon the earth from their storehouses Psalms 78:23, “But he commanded

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 810 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Carve Your Legacy on Hearts – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-810/ (Day 810) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Shannon L. Alder, and it is, “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.”

Carve Your Legacy on Hearts

When we die, I believe that all of us have an innate desire to be thought of in a positive light. To be praised for living a good and godly life. A life filled with integrity. A life to be modeled by others. This will not happen if our life focus is on accumulating worldly possessions, money, or building an empire.

What will make an impact on others both now and after you die is if your focus is on positively impacting the lives of others through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. No amount of accumulated wealth will make a bigger impact on lives than these traits – a legacy that is etched into the minds and hearts of everyone you impact both now and into eternity.

If you truly desire to create a living legacy then practice what Jesus taught us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A19-21&version=NLT (Matthew 6:19-21),“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 809 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-811/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 809 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Rest for the Soul – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-815/ (Day 809) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday.

Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Are you constantly busy, continually run down and stressed? Are you setting aside the proper time to rest and restore your mind, body, and soul? Today’s short meditation is taken from Max Lucado’s book called Traveling Light, and it is…

Rest for the Soul

When God gave the Ten Commandments, and it came to Sabbath rest, His message was clear, “If creation didn’t crash when I rested, it won’t crash when you do!” You know we need to rest. For a field to bear fruit, it must occasionally lie fallow. And for you to be healthy, you must rest. When David says in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PS+23%3A2-3&version=NLT (Psalm 23:2-3), “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.”

With His own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place, He planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy. Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of the shepherd when the work is completed, and he sees his sheep rest in the tender grass? Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of God when we do the same?

Take some time this week, even today, to rest in green meadows and renew your strength.

Next week we will continue our trek on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-814/ (Meditation Monday) as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-810/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-810/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 808 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-810/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 808 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Tools for Self-Management – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-808/ (Day 808) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can Ask Gramps.

Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. And I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Last week we explored why Time Management is a Myth. Gramps helped us to realize that we can’t manage time. All we can do is manage ourselves by making decisions and choices that focus on what is most important in our lives and what will have the greatest positive impact. We want to expand on this, so the question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, how do you specifically stay focused on those tasks, obligations, and responsibilities so that you are most effective and have the biggest impact?”

Tools for Self-Management

Granny and I stay very busy with all aspects of our life, which includes managing our own two small companies as well as running the financial or technical support work for five other companies. Let me share with you the four simple tools that help us to stay focused and not miss any of the many very important time-sensitive tasks that we are required to complete on a monthly basis.

Fortunately, most of the work we do for our client can be done remotely, so we can literally work from anywhere we have an internet connection. We have selected tools which can be accessed on any device we happen to be working on, so even if we are not at our own in-office computers, we can access all personal and client information from other computers, our smartphones, or our tablet devices. Here are the four tools.

Gmail for email: We switched several years ago to this platform because of the flexibility and accessibility from any device. Email still remains a crucial aspect of communications internally and with our clients. We have all of our email accounts for personal and multiple businesses populate into a common inbox, so we have one repository for all communications.

Google Calendar: We place all travel related events as well as all personal and business engagements which have a specific date and time with it on our calendar. This calendar also lists all birthdays, appointments, and important events. A companion application to this which resides on our smartphone is called Tiny Calendar. Granny and I share a common calendar, so we are always aware of any upcoming events. At the beginning of the year, we plan out as much of our calendar as possible for the year.

Go Task: This smartphone app allows me to log all tasks that I have to accomplish during the day, but these tasks do not have a specific time of day related to it. This app allows me to create recurring tasks, such as daily, weekly, monthly, or even annually.

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 807 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Best Legacy – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-807/ (Day 807) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Thomas Scott, and it is, “A man cannot leave a better legacy to the world than a well-educated family.”

The Best Legacy

What we choose and the decisions that we make each day become the legacy that we are. The impact that you have on your family should be your most important impact. The two most important things to teach your family is to love God and follow His precepts, and then teach them to love others and treat everyone with kindness and patience. In https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A37-40&version=NLT (Matthew 22:37-40) , “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Once those two truths are firmly in place, teach your family to grow in learning, to work hard, and as John Wesley is quoted as saying:

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-808/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 806 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-808/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 806 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Accept Whom God Made You – Loving Yourself – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-806/ (Day 806) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical Worldview. As a Christ follower, it is important to view all situations and events in life through the lens of the Bible. That is a view of the world that is aligned with what the Bible teaches us.

We are exploring current issues that impact our world and society and comparing them through the lens of the Bible, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media. I do not desire to tell you what to think, but teach you how to think so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical Worldview. I may explore opposing views and challenge you to think. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. On today’s trek, we will return to our discussion from two weeks ago. The information we are exploring is from a web interview in The Christian Post with Nancy Pearcey, a former agnostic who teaches at Houston Baptist University.

Nancy recently published a book titled Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality. I will continue to share some of the insights from this interview as it closely aligns with my Biblical worldview on the core concept about the sanctity of life. If you would like an in-depth analysis of this topic, I recommend that you purchase Nancy Pearcey’s book I mentioned earlier.

So our topic today is…

Accept Whom God Made You – Loving Yourself

Today’s topic is a controversial one for some, even within the Christian community, as we discuss same-sex relationships and transgenderism. This is particularly close to my heart because I have close family members who have chosen a same-sex lifestyle, including marriage. They are Christ followers with sincere beliefs that God’s Word does allow for or permits this choice.

With years of in-depth study of God’s Word, I have come to two conclusions within my Biblical worldview about sexuality and marriage. First is that sex outside your own marriage, regardless of gender preference, is not in line with God’s precepts. Secondly, that marriage should only be between a man and a woman for life.

My relationship with these family members or with anyone who has made choices contrary to my Biblical Worldview does not impact my love for them. My love is unconditional, just as God’s love is for all of us. Yes, from a Biblical perspective, I do not agree with their choices, but it is their choice. And I will not condemn or judge their choices. They alone must answer to God for their choices, just as I must answer for all the choices that I make. I am sure there are choices that I make which, according to others, would not be in agreement with their worldview.

Before we explore a few thoughts that Nancy Pearcey shares in her interview and book Love Thy Body, I will share some of the basis for my Biblical worldview on this topic.

First, every reference to marriage in God’s Word is always between a man and a woman, there are no exceptions. Marriage was established in Genesis from the very beginning of creation.

“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one,” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2:24&version=NLT (Genesis 2:24). This phrase is also repeated in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19:5&version=NLT (Matthew 19:5),...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 805 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Better Skills and Wisdom – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-805/ (Day 805) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Jim Rohn,and it is, “Don’t wish life was easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for fewer problems; wish for more skills. Don’t wish for fewer challenges; wish for more wisdom.”

Better Skills and Wisdom

So often we desire the easy trails of life with few problems or challenges, but that is not what life is. First, how we view events and circumstances in our lives is our choice.

There are those who view practically everything in life as bad. Their lives go from one drama to the next, and their mindset reminds me of the old television program Hee Haw, where a line in one of their songs was “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” This mindset creates a “victim mentality” where everything in life is out to get them. This thinking also creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and indeed, because of their mindset, their world is a mess.

They wish for the easy life with few problem or challenges, but they are not willing to change their mindset and choose to make it happen. My Grandma Burkhart has an old saying, “You can spit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first.” I think you get the picture.

No ones life is easy and free from problems or challenges, but we can still have a life that is full of immense joy in the midst of those problems and challenges. None of us will grow, mature, and flourish if our lives are easy and without problems. We need to become better, learn new skills, and then seek for wisdom as if it were a buried treasure.

It is then we will improve, grow, mature and find that immense joy of overcoming the obstacles and trials of life. As Jesus’ half-brother James teaches us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NLT (James 1:2-4), “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 804 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 804 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Prison of WANT – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-804/ (Day 804) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Are you in prison? I don’t mean a physical prison, but self-created shackles and bars. Anything that stifles us from reaching our God-given potential is bars that will imprison us. Today’s meditation is taken from a book written by Max Lucado, and it is…

The Prison of WANT

Come with me to the most populated prison in the world. The facility has more inmates than bunks. More prisoners than plates. More residents than resources.

Come with me to the world’s most oppressive prison. Just ask the inmates. They will tell you. They are overworked and underfed. Their walls are bare, and their bunks are hard.

No prison is so populated. No prison is so oppressive. And, what’s more, no prison is so permanent. Most inmates never leave. They never escape. They never get released. They serve a life sentence in this overcrowded, under-provisioned facility.

The name of the prison? You’ll see it over the entrance. Rainbowed over the gate are four cast-iron letters that spell out its name:

W-A-N-T The prison of want. You’ve seen her prisoners. They are “in want.” They want something. They want something bigger. Nicer. Faster. Thinner. They want.

They don’t want much, mind you. They want just one thing. One new job. One new car. One new house. One new spouse. They don’t want much. They want just one.

And when they have “one,” they will be happy. And they are right – they will be happy. When they have “one,” they will leave the prison. But then it happens. The new-car smell passes. The new job gets old. The neighbors buy a larger television set. The new spouse has bad habits. The sizzle fizzles, and before you know it, another ex-con breaks parole and returns to jail. Are you in prison? You are if you feel better when you have more and worse when you have less. You are if joy is one delivery away, one transfer away, one award away, or one makeover away. If your happiness comes from something you deposit, drive, drink, or digest, then face it – you are in prison, the prison of want.

The Apostle Paul in his 1st letter to his protégé Timothy explains it this way in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”

When we surrender to God the cumbersome sack of discontent, we don’t just give up something; we gain something. God replaces it with a lightweight, tailor-made, sorrow-resistant attaché...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 803 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Time Management Is a Myth – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-803/ (Day 803) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.”

Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are not able to. No matter how old you are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. For most of us, life is hectic, and we all seem to have much more to do than the time to do it in. Since we all have 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, why it is that some people seem to get so much more accomplished in a day or week than other people do? So the question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, why does it appear that you are able to manage your time more effectively and efficiently than most people? How can I improve the management of my time?”

Time Management Is a Myth

You probably have heard about time management since you were young. You had to learn how to integrate school, homework, playtime, and extracurricular activities. Then as you grew older, you had to start learning how to integrate work with studies and relationships. As you continued on as an adult, it was about integrating all of the tasks at work with all of the tasks at home.

Time management is directly linked to your work-life balance, or as I like to refer to it as work-life integration, and thus it’s directly linked to your stress, health, happiness, and productivity. How you manage your time proportionally influences how you manage your life.

This means time management is more than just managing the hours on the clock. None of us can slow down, speed up, or change the amount of time that we have in our day. There are 24 hours in a day. You can’t change that. So how do you manage time if you have no control over it?

You don’t. Time management is a myth. It’s all about decision or choice management. Or as Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”

Do you ever wonder why it feels like some people have more time than others? Why do some people achieve so much more than their peers?

Every person only has 24 hours, but there are some who have learned how to make better decisions or choices on how to use that time. These individuals don’t manage their hours—they manage themselves.

To use an illustration that may be useful, I would like you to think of yourself as a tree. This tree is made up of four quadrants. We will relate this to what President Eisenhower is credited with creating and used when he was both a general and the President. It is referred to as:

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix was popularized by Stephen Covey when he adapted it to his Time Management Matrix in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” This...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 802 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Reading Is Fundamental – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-802/ (Day 802) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Daniel J. Boorstin, and it is, “Books are the main source of our knowledge, our reservoir of first faith, memory, wisdom, morality, poetry, philosophy, history and science.”

Reading Is Fundamental

Reading and the study of books is the fundamental source and foundation of knowledge. It has been verified over and over that those who are avid readers advance faster and farther in all areas of life. With today’s technological breakthroughs and access to thousands of resources on the internet for little or no cost, there is little reason not to consume books on a regular basis.

Books can be consumed on a variety of devices from smartphones, to tablets, to computers, and in audio format, which allows you to perform another task while listening to great content. Here are some practical ways that I have found successful in maintaining a steady habit of reading or listening to a variety of information.

I listen to my Bible reading, devotional materials, emails, and podcast while I exercise first thing in the morning. Since I work at my computers throughout the day, many days for up to 12 hours, I am able to consume vast amounts of information about a variety of subjects. I also listen to many audio books while driving, working outdoors, cooking dinner each night, and renovating the various rooms inside our home.

If you enjoy reading from a physical book, set aside planned time each day to further your knowledge and learning. Books are also a great source of relaxing while enjoying a great mystery, sci-fi thriller, history, or any other genre of books. Create a habit of reading physical books or listening to audiobooks on a daily basis. It is an investment into your future self that pays huge dividends.

This type of study was what God commanded Joshua before he led the Israelites into the promised land as we read in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1:8&version=NLT (Joshua 1:8), “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-803/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 801 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 801 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The God Kind of Love-Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-801/ (Day 801) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical Worldview.

As a Christ follower, it is important to view all situations and events in life through the lens of the Bible. That is a view of the world that is aligned with what the Bible teaches us. We are exploring current issues that impact our world and society and comparing them through the lens of the Bible, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media.

I do not desire to tell you what to think, but teach you how to think so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical Worldview. I may explore opposing views and challenge you to think. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am going to diverge this week from the topic of loving yourself that we started last week, and we will finish that topic next Wisdom Wednesday. Since this episode is being released on Valentine’s Day, I decided to explore a Biblical Worldview of what true love really is according to God’s Word.

So our topic today is…

The God Kind of Love

If I talk a lot about God and the Bible and the Church, but I fail to ask about your needs and then help you, I’m simply making a lot of empty religious noise.

If I graduate from theological seminary and know all the answers to questions you’ll never even think of asking, and if I have all the degrees to prove it and if I say I believe in God with all my heart, and soul and strength, and claim to have incredible answers to my prayers to show it, but I fail to take the time to find out where you are and what makes you laugh and why you cry, I’m nothing.

If I sell an extra car and some of my books to raise money for some poor starving kids somewhere, and if I give my life for God’s service and burn out after pouring everything I have into the work, but do it all without ever once thinking about the people, the real hurting people – the moms and dads and sons and daughters and orphans and widows and the lonely and hurting – if I pour my life into the Kingdom but forget to make it relevant to those here on earth, my energy is wasted, and so is my life.

Here is what love is like – genuine love. God’s kind of love. It’s patient. It can wait. It helps others, even if they never find out who did it. Love doesn’t look for greener pastures or dream of how things could be better if I just got rid of all my current commitments. Love doesn’t boast. It doesn’t try to build itself up to be something it isn’t. Love doesn’t act in a loose, immoral way. It doesn’t seek to take, but it willingly gives. Love doesn’t lose its cool. It doesn’t turn on and off. Love doesn’t think about how bad the other person is, and certainly doesn’t think of how it could get back at someone. Love is grieved deeply (as God is) over the evil in this world, but it rejoices over truth.

Love comes and sits with you when you’re feeling down and finds out what is wrong. It empathizes with you and believes in you. Love knows you’ll come through just as God planned, and love sticks right beside you all the way. Love doesn’t give up, or quit, or diminish or...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 800 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 800 – The Riches of Gratitude – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-800/ (Day 800) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and it is, “In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others.”

The Riches of Gratitude

As we reach our 800th day on our Wisdom-Trek, I want to thank you for coming along with me on this trek. Whether you have just trekked with me 1 day or all 800 days, thank you for the privilege of sharing with you as your guide, mentor, and friend on this trek that we call life. Because of the time I have invested into Wisdom-Trek, my life is filled with the riches of gratitude for this opportunity to share with you.

As with all aspects of life, some days we are on a high plateau, the sun is shining brightly, and our trail is smooth. Other days it feels like we are pushing uphill in a violent storm, and we have to navigate around or over obstacles every few feet.

In much the same way, creating, recording, editing, and publishing a daily podcast has its share of joys and hardships. It is my prayer that over the long haul I am able to provide you with the tools needed to provide you with the strength and encouragement to continue on your trek each day.

I pray that my life through Wisdom-Trek will always radiate the fruit of the Spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” If you have any feedback on how I can better serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast, please let me know at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 799 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-801/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 799 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Small Things Can Have a Big Impact – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-799/ (Day 799) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Throughout the Scriptures, God uses the example of small things that have a great impact. Some of these are ants, the tongue, and a rudder on a ship. In language, changing just a single letter in a word in some instances can change the entire meaning. In today’s meditation, we will explore how our faith, even though it may be small can produce huge results.

Small Things Can Have a Big Impact

During Jesus’s ministry on earth, He talked about how important a person’s heart is. https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Mark%207.1-23 (Mark 7:1-23) is just one example that we will review in a moment. The Jewish religious leaders had made all sorts of rules to be sure the people of God kept themselves ritually clean. Matthew and Mark placed Jesus’s words about the importance of the heart right before the events we will read about today. This sequence can help you see a key point Jesus made in His life. While Jesus’s earthly ministry was focused primarily on Jews, “the lost sheep of Israel” (https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Matt%2015.24 (Matthew [15:24])), He reached out to all kinds of people who were normally considered “unclean” by many fellow Jews.

Tyre and Sidon were places where old enemies of the Jewish people lived. Jesus’s very presence there, especially with His ministry to these non-Jews, was very shocking. Then Jesus traveled back to Decapolis or “the area of the Ten Cities,” another largely non-Jewish area on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus blessed, taught, and healed in this region just as He did in Tyre and Sidon.

The focus of Jesus’s work was once again on people’s hearts. Were they open and receptive? Were they seeking after God? Did they long for grace? Jesus’s focus was not on culture, nationality, or ethnicity. He was willing to help, bless, and be with people who His fellow Jews considered “unclean”!

This background of our scripture today is very important for you to know when we read the following story of the woman from Syrophoenicia. Jesus’s words are a little distorted by our modern translations because you can’t hear the subtle nuance of one letter. The little “i” in Greek makes a big difference and turns the word for a dog (kunaron) into the word for a puppy (kunarion) and changes Jesus’s words from an ugly ethnic slur into an invitation for faith.

Even today, so often people of different ethnic groups use slurs to dismiss the value of another person. Jesus used a play on words similar to an ethnic slur to invite the woman from Syrophoenicia to display both her wit and her faith. She was desperate and wanted help. She came expecting to be called a strange and mangy dog — the way many Jews would have referred to her and she would have referred to them.

However, Jesus took the term and softened it to mean puppy or lap dog — something that was often...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 798 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Perfect Marriage – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-798/ (Day 798) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Marriage is the first institution designed by God himself. It is designed to be both wonderful and beautiful, a picture of Christ and the church. It does have its challenges, though, as two independent lives are merged into one.

Over the years there have been both correct and incorrect teachings about what God’s design is so that marriage can flourish and grow. More specifically, what roles should the husband and wife fulfill to allow the marriage to be as harmonious as possible? Paula and I will be celebrating our 39th anniversary this August, and for the most part, we have an extremely wonderful and fulfilling relationship. So the question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, how can we structure our relationship so that our marriage is pleasant, fulfilling, and honoring to God?”

The Perfect Marriage

In today’s politically correct society, the God-designed picture of marriage has been tainted. This unfortunate scenario is not isolated to the secular world. Over the centuries, there have been many cases of abuse either condoned or at least tolerated within the church as well. This is not what God has designed for marriage.

When God, through Jesus Christ, dwelled among us, He broke many societal norms on what had become commonplace for a woman’s status both in society and in marriage. Over the centuries since, though, a husband and wife’s role and responsibility has not always been taught properly, even within the church.

As a foundation to the question today we will look at Ephesians [5:21]-33.

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

As...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 797 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Friend of God – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-797/ (Day 797) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Rick Warren, and it is, “Every time you trust God’s wisdom and do whatever he says, even when you don’t understand it, you deepen your friendship with God.”

A Friend of God As a Christ follower, I believe all of us would like to be considered a friend of God. When we accept Christ by faith as our atoning sacrifice for our sins, then we automatically become a friend of God, and that will never change.

What does it take, though, to grow that friendship so that we are in close communion with God on a daily basis? That growth will happen over time as we put our faith into action. It is one thing to say we believe; it is quite another thing to show that belief through what we do for God.

We are not always privy to why God permits situations to impact our lives, especially if we consider them adverse. Sometimes we suffer because of choices we make, and we are living the consequences of those choices. Other times, God permits adversity into our lives to grow and mature us, or to allow others to grow and mature based on how we handle that adversity. We do have a prime example of this in the letter that James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote to 1st century Jewish Christ-followers in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A18-24&version=NLT (James [2:18]-24).

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-798/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 796 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 796 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Sanctity of Life – Loving Yourself (1) – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-796/ (Day 796) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical Worldview.

I do not desire to tell you what to think, but to teach you how to think so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical Worldview. I may explore opposing views and challenge you to think. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The past few weeks we discussed that a Biblical Worldview should incorporate within it the sanctity of all human life. My personal Biblical Worldview includes the strong conviction and belief that all life is precious regardless of whether it is an unborn child; someone who through advanced age, illness, or accident may be nearing the end of life; or are severely restricted in life.

One reason that modern society devalues life for certain segments of society is that we have a warped view of God’s love for us, our love for God, our love for others, and love for ourselves. A proper love for ourselves will include the realization that we were created to be bearers of God’s image. As a Christ follower, we must understand that our bodies are the dwelling place of His Holy Spirit. A proper love for self will include love and respect for others.

The entire #metoo movement stems from the fact that certain men and women don’t respect or love other persons, their bodies, or the sanctity of life. Because of this, they abuse others physically, emotionally, and mentally.

I recently came across a web interview in The Christian Post with Nancy Pearcey, a former agnostic who teaches at Houston Baptist University. Nancy recently published a book titled Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality. For this week and next, I will share some of the insights from this interview as it closely aligns with my Biblical Worldview on the core concept about the sanctity of life. If you would like an in-depth analysis of this topic, I recommend that you purchase Nancy Pearcey’s book I mentioned earlier.

So our topic today is…

The Sanctity of Life – Loving Yourself (1)

Arguably no subject divides Americans and most of the western world more passionately than what it means to be a human being, especially when it comes to sexuality, identity, and the body. What lies beneath the bitter cultural squabbles over physician-assisted suicide, abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgenderism is a secularist ideology that wages war against the human body.

Pearcey, who The Economist describes as “America’s pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual,” stresses in the book’s introduction, “We live in a moral wasteland where human beings are desperately seeking answers to hard questions about life and sexuality.”

But there is hope. In the wasteland, we can cultivate a garden. We can discover a Biblical Worldview of a reality-based morality that expresses a positive, life-affirming view of the human person — one that is more inspiring, more appealing, and more liberating than the secular worldview.

Human life and

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 795 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Effective Father & Mother – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-795/ (Day 795) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Gordon McDonald, and it is, “All effective fathers learn the importance of a wise and flexible response to their children’s calls for attention. No busy signals here. No ‘hold’ button.”

The Effective Father and Mother

If a father or mother desires to effectively make a positive impact on their children, they will need to learn how to be both wise and flexible. Children are often very demanding, and it is not in their best interest to give in to their every whim and desire.

On the flip side of that, we should not withhold from our children the love and attention that they not only desire but need. There is a huge difference between giving our children what they desire and providing our children with what they need.

Although there is nothing wrong with providing material goods to our children, what they need most is to see us living our lives in both word and deed according to God’s precepts found in His Word. What our children need is our time and attention coupled with an abundance of unconditional love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and deep abiding joy. To be an effective father or mother, give to your children the gifts that are most precious and will impact them for all eternity.

Just as our children will ask us for things, Jesus taught us that we are to ask of God when we have needs and that He will provide us with what is best for our lives.

Matthew 7:7-11 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 794 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-796/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 794 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God’s Truth through Storytelling – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-794/ (Day 794) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend we had the privilege of celebrating our grandson Kip’s 6th birthday. He wanted to have the party at The Big House so his local cousins could also attend. We are thrilled to see him growing both physically and spiritually.

As parents and grandparents, we make sure our children receive proper nutrients and clothing so they can flourish physically. In the same manner, we must be careful to nourish our children spiritually through our daily walk and weaving stories about God into all that we do as Deuteronomy 11:18-20 tells us, “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Jesus often used stories to apply the truths of God to everyday life.

God’s Truth through Story Telling

Jesus loved to tell stories from everyday life and connect them to heavenly truths. There is a reason for that. You can remember stories better than you can remember abstract words. You see things in your everyday life that tie stories back into your conscious mind. You can repeat these stories to others. You can pass these stories down to your children and grandchildren. These recollections and the retelling of Jesus’s stories all help you feel and see the truths in His stories as well as know their spiritual messages when you most need them.

The narrative in today’s verses is one of the most important stories that Jesus told. This story, or parable as they are referred to, has several different uses.

Jesus used it to challenge people to look into their hearts and see what kind of followers they really were. You need to know that you can choose how you hear what Jesus says. In the verses below, the concept of how people hear what Jesus says is presented in terms of how different types of soil receive seeds that are sown and then how the types of soil represent how different people receive Jesus’s teachings. Also, Jesus wants people to know that they actually choose which kind of soil they will be — they choose what kind of heart they have for His good news.

Jesus used this story to alert His disciples to the fate of many of those who follow Him. There are many people who at some point in their journey with Jesus are very excited about following Him. However, more than a few who start down the road of discipleship end up becoming distracted and are unfruitful. Some, regrettably, never even follow Jesus at all — they look up one day, and any interest they had in Him is gone!

Jesus is heartbroken when He sees people who lose interest, not bear up under trial, succumb to temptation, or become distracted by the cares of the world. His disciples needed to know these...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 793 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Renovation and Remodeling on a Limited Budget – Ask Gramps – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-793/ (Day 793) of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our trip to assist Aunt Pauline has been delayed again since she still remains in rehab and does not have a discharge date yet. On the home front, we do hope to get started on the renovation of our bedroom this winter, but so far this year, we have either been traveling or have had family in every weekend. Our bedroom is the last room in the main part of the house which we have not renovated yet.

We do still have the third floor, which is a large open gathering room to renovate, and also the basement, but those are farther down our list. We are starting to come to the point where some of the rooms that we renovated early on are now in need for additional TLC, but nothing close to the initial work we completed. Living in the homestead that my great-grandparents built in 1903 is a blessing, but it also requires a lot of time and resources to maintain The Big House in good shape. So the question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, what is the best way to approach renovation or remolding of our house, considering that we are on a limited budget?”

Renovation & Remolding on a Limited Budget

When considering major renovation or remolding of your home, the first thing you need is a lot of patience, especially if you are on a limited budget. Here are some tangible suggestions that may make the process more enjoyable.

First, if you can do the renovations and remodeling without borrowing any funds, that is always the first thing to consider. You may have to delay some of the work as you save and sacrifice, but in the long term, it is a much better approach.

If the scope of the project is large, and it would be nearly impossible to save the money before beginning, then a general rule of thumb is to ask, “Will the value of your home increase more than the cost of the renovation/remodeling?” If so or if the repairs are needed to keep your home safe, then you may consider using an equity line of credit based on the current value of your home.

The next step is to determine both the long-term and then the short term plans for your renovation/remodel. What is the scope of the overall project, and how can that be broken down into segments that you can complete on a timely basis and that fits within your current short-term budget. Make sure you are able to complete the entire segment, so you do not have multiple unfinished project segments left partially completed.

Although most of us would like...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 792 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wise and Cheerful– Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-792/ (Day 792) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Michel de Montaigne, and it is, “The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness.”

Wise and Cheerful Do you consider yourself a cheerful person? A cheerful person is one who is full of joy and can share cheer with other people, even when their situation if less than ideal. It takes a wise person to understand this.

A person who is wise realizes that life doesn’t always go as planned and all of us face trials and tribulations of various degrees throughout our lives. A wise person also realizes that they can be cheerful in spite of the problems in life.

Being cheerful is a heart attitude. A wise person chooses to first act cheerful because it leads to being cheerful. As we are taught in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.”

When you are cheerful it also leads to good health as we learn from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

A wise and cheerful person is also a loving and sharing person as Peter teaches us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter+4:8-10&version=NLT (1 Peter 4:8-10), “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-793/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 791 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-793/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 791 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Euthanasia – When Is It Right to End a Life? – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-791/ (Day 791) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical Worldview.

I do not desire to tell you what to think, but teach you how to think, so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical Worldview. I may explore opposing views and challenge you to think. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We are making tentative plans to travel to Ft. Myers next week to assist Aunt Pauline in the transition from the rehab center to assisted living. Although she is quite frail and 90 years old, we feel that it is important to assist her in any way possible so that her remaining years here on earth are as rich and satisfying as possible.

Our personal Biblical Worldview includes the strong conviction and belief that all life is precious regardless of whether it is an unborn child, or someone who through advanced age, illness or accident may be nearing the end of life, or is severely restricted in life.

Last week we considered what a Biblical Worldview is for a yet to be born child. Today we will consider the other end of the spectrum. There is a growing trend around the world to accept physician-assisted suicide, and as a Christ follower, we need to ask ourselves, what is a Biblical Worldview on euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide? So that we all understand the term: “euthanasia” and “physician-assisted suicide” refer to deliberate action taken with the intention of ending a life, in order to relieve persistent suffering.

A Biblical Worldview, at its core, is grounded in the fact that the Bible is God’s Word and contains all truth that God chose to reveal to us. Even with that understanding, I realize that there are many interpretations of parts of the Bible, and even the most learned Bible scholars and theologians will disagree. Let us take time to pause and consider how we should view this topic.

So our topic today is…

Euthanasia – When Is It Right To End a Life?

With the advancement of technology and medical knowledge, life can be extended much longer than at any time during history. So the question/dilemma which we now face is, at what point should a patient, family members, or doctor be permitted to end a life which could be extended through medication, surgery, or other measures? While it may appear to be some gray area on this subject, there is a distinct difference between an advance directive declaration and choosing to prematurely end your life.

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to spell out your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They give you a way to tell your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals and to avoid confusion later on. The key here is that this only comes into effect during a life or death situation and if that person who is in that condition cannot communicate themselves what their wishes are.

Euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide is where a person, who may be suffering, chooses to take medication or drugs which will end their...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 790 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom, Will & Work – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-790/ (Day 790) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Condoleeza Rice, and it is, “Terror and tragedy have made us more aware of our vulnerabilities and mortality…We’re living through a time of testing and consequence, and pray that our wisdom and will are equal to the work before us.”

Wisdom, Will, & Work

What seems like terror and tragedy can strike us without warning. This can happen to us personally or as a nation. When it is personal, such as a serious illness, accident, a breakup, or the death of a close relationship can bring us to our knees with the realization that we certainly are vulnerable and mortal.

2017 was such a year for our family. With our granddaughter being diagnosed with leukemia along with me breaking my femur bone falling from a ladder, we were shaken to our core on how quickly our lives can change. Each of us face times of testing and consequences, and we must daily gain wisdom and the will to continue on.

Not only should we continue on, but constantly seek how to grow, learn, and mature as part of the process. We need the terrors and tragedies of life to hone and discipline us. When we do, we will have a similar affect on us that the Proverbs should have on our lives as is mention in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1:3&version=NLT (Proverbs 1:3), “Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.”

And it is further mentioned in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+2:9&version=NLT (Proverbs 2:9), “Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.”

So while none of us desire terror and tragedy on a personal, national, or global basis, we can allow those times of testing to strengthen and teach us. To allow us to grow in wisdom and will, so we will be prepared for the work that is before us.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 789 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-791/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 789 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Choose the Correct Path – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-789/ (Day 789) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our pair of Red Shouldered Hawks which have nested for the past few years in the large oak tree outside our office windows have returned and have started their annual repairs to their nest. It is so interesting to watch them diligently work preparing their nest for this year’s chicks.

They are very particular to choose just the right sticks and other materials to provide a comfortable and safe environment for their chicks. Today let us reflect on why it is important for us to be particular in choosing what paths we take in life so that we can live in a manner that is in alignment with God’s precepts and teachings found in His Word.

Choose the Correct Path

The Father is holy and wholly given to doing what is right, just, holy, gracious, and merciful. What about you? What is your consuming passion? Is it to honor the Father? Is it to obey His words and follow His example? Is it to be conformed to the righteous character and gracious compassion of God?

In all ages, even long before the instant age, we find ourselves inhabiting, many people wanted an instant and easy holiness. The evil one has long twisted the truth and deceived the gullible into taking shortcuts. God’s Word warns us about four deceptions and temptations that the devil will offer us in the name of religion:

The wide door and the easy path — the ones that suggest all religions are okay and equal — but that lead to destruction.

The sweet deceiving words of false prophets whose lives (their bad fruit) show they cannot be trusted.

Nice sounding religious words of praise and adoration that are disconnected from a life of obedience and end in shocking condemnation.

A religion that is quickly embraced, shallowly believed, and focused on appearances, but cannot stand the stress and strain of real life.

There is one path, one way, and one truth https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/John%2014.6 (John 14:6), “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'”

Many in our world today don’t like such talk. In fact, you may bristle at it yourself because you’ve had the easy way peddled to you by false prophets who talk a good religious game while living any way they want. Such talk is foolish. It’s not new or innovative or post-modern; it’s just the lie of the old deceiver who wants to steer you the wrong way so that when the floods of life come…well, he can be there for your destruction.

Don’t be deceived. Follow God. Obey God. Trust God. Doing so may look narrow and hard, but Jesus promises you this in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11:28&version=NLT (Matthew [11:28])-30:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 788 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Is Work-Life Balance Possible? – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-788/ (Day 788) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since we did not have to travel to Ft. Myers as anticipated this week, it has been a good week to focus on all the tax related issues that need to be completed for our business and our client’s businesses before the end of this month.

While on a personal level, we have until April 15th to file tax returns, companies are required to send out the W2s and 1099s by the end of January. There are also several quarterly and annual returns that have to be filed by the end of the month. Since we handle these duties for four companies, I utilized this time to complete these requirements. It is not always easy to balance work-related duties along with ministry, family, and other duties that each of us has in the course of our lives. So the question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, how can I effectively handle the demands of work, family, personal needs, and leisure so I can properly invest sufficient time in each area?”

Is Work-Life Balance Possible?

In our busy technology-driven culture, we all struggle with what is the proper balance in order to accomplish all that we are pressured to complete. We constantly ask ourselves if we are devoting enough time to family, work, leisure, health, fitness, sleep, socializing, and the various ministries or volunteer activities which we are part of. It is almost enough to send us “over the edge” on a daily basis. I continue to ask myself those same questions at times in an effort to make sure that I am prioritizing all aspects of life.

“Work-life balance” is such a “buzz word” these days that I get tired of hearing the phrase. While I agree with what is intended by those words, I feel we are approaching it in the wrong manner. We should not and actually cannot compartmentalize our lives into these different silos or containers.

Life is an integrated fabric that should be woven together and includes all that we are, and all that we do. This fabric of life should be a beautiful picture of a life well lived.

I see a great danger when we attempt to compartmentalize our lives in such a manner because it leaves it open for potential ethical and moral cracks in certain compartments. This is one reason we see leaders in churches and business who appear to be loving and Godly people with their families end up having affairs or becoming involved in other questionable practices.

When you realize that your life is one integrated piece of fabric where a decision in one area is...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 787 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gift of Encouragement – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-787/ (Day 787) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from John O’Donohue, and it is, “One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.”

The Gift of Encouragement Similar to the attribute of kindness, we all flourish when we are encouraged by others. With this in mind, we should make it a habit to encourage everyone that we meet each day with genuine sincerity. Encourage on a regular basis so that when others describe you as a person they will use the verb encourager.

The most meaningful and precious gifts which we can give to each other cost us nothing monetarily. Instead, they are multiplied each time they are given. When you encourage others, it helps them to fulfill their God-given potential for their lives and also for yours.

The writer of Hebrews encourages us in the same manner in Hebrews 10:24-25, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

If you are already an encourager, continue to do so as we are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-788/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 786 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-788/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 786 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-786/ (Day 786) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical Worldview.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As mentioned in Monday’s podcast, we had anticipated being in Ft. Myers, Florida with Paula’s Aunt Pauline due to her failing health, but at the last moment, we changed plans as she was able to temporarily go into a nursing home for rehab after a few days in the hospital.

We are on-call to travel there once we know when she will be released from rehab. We will need to assist in her moving to an assisted living center. Assisting family in this manner is incorporated into our Biblical Worldview that all of life is precious from conception until death. God is the author of life, and He knows every moment of our lives. As King David wrote in Psalms 1[39:13]-16,

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

A Biblical Worldview, at its core, is grounded in the fact that the Bible is God’s Word and contains all truth that God chose to reveal to us. Even with that understanding, I realize that there are many interpretations of parts of the Bible, and even the most learned Bible scholars and theologians will disagree. The last Wisdom Wednesday episode where we explored a Biblical Worldview we looked at additional aspects of https://wisdom-trek.com/day-781/ (Creation vs. Evolution). Which is true? Is it a blend of both?

The very core of the Creation vs. Evolution debate is centered on the argument between whether we are created by an all-loving God who made heaven and earth or are we here by random chance and circumstance. In the first scenario, every person is specifically created for a purpose that is unique to that person. In the second scenario, it is survival of the fittest where the strong survive, and the weak die off so that the human race can evolve and become better. In the case of Aunt Pauline who is 90, frail, and in poor health…Is her life any less important than a healthy young adult? What about a baby that is not yet born? Is that child less valuable than a healthy productive contributor to society?

This week marks the 45th anniversary the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in all 50 states. Let us take time to pause and consider how we should view this decision. So our topic today is…

Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life

When most people hear the phrase Pro-Choice or Pro-Life, they equate it to whether a person is for or against aborting unborn children or...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 785 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Yesterday I Was Clever – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-785/ (Day 785) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget

Today’s quote is from Rumi, and it is, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

Yesterday I Was Clever When we are young and starting out our adult lives, we think we know everything. We have an opinion about nearly every subject and are dogmatic in expressing that opinion. We see ourselves as clever and with the ability to influence and persuade masses of people to the point where we can truly change the world.

As we age and mature, we should also be gaining and growing in wisdom. If we become wise, then we will realize that it is nearly impossible to change others, for change is internal. We realize that the only way that we can impact others is by changing ourselves.

As we age and mature, we also realize that life is short. We realize that we need to maximize each day and impact others through a life of integrity. In other words, we need to be both good and Godly. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+90:12&version=NIV (Psalm 90:12) reinforces this when it says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” We are also taught how very valuable wisdom and understanding are in Proverbs [3:13]-14.

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 784 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-786/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 784 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God’s Good News Always Begins with a Servant – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-784/ (Day 784) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For some, it may just be a time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been an extremely busy month of traveling, Christmas celebrations, and client work. Just when we thought we would be able to remain in Marietta for a few weeks, we found out that Paula’s Aunt Pauline has had a downturn in her health, so we are heading back to Fort Myers this week to help Aunt Pauline move from her senior apartment to an assisted living facility.

We visited her the last week of December and celebrated her 90th birthday with her but did not anticipate that we would have to return so quickly. We are thankful that we can serve in this manner. Service to others should be what drives us on each day. It helps to get our mind off ourselves and on what is truly important in life. Today let us reflect on a person whose entire life’s trek or purpose for life was to prepare the world to receive the Messiah…

God’s Good News Always Begins with a Servant I love the way Mark begins his good news story about Jesus Christ in Mark 1:1-4.

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

This introduction is Mark’s way of saying that Jesus’s ministry, Jesus’s whole story, begins with a servant — and this servant’s name is John the Baptizer. There are no birth stories about Jesus in Mark. Nothing about His childhood is written in Mark. There are no genealogies that tell about Jesus’s ancestry. Mark is clear, purposeful, and to the point: for people to hear and believe the good news about Jesus, God most frequently uses those who offer themselves to Him to be servants so others can believe. That’s why in God’s Kingdom, the greatest is always a servant. As He said during His earthly ministry in Matthew 23:11-12, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Just as John the Baptizer was a servant who prepared the hearts of others to know Jesus, please know that you are to have that same role in the lives of your friends and family. For the good news about Jesus to reach the hearts of your friends, associates, and family, they must know that you do what you do for them because of your love for Jesus as well as for them.

Let’s back up and reread Mark 1:1-4 and continue through verse 8.

· John the Baptist Prepares the Way The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 783 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Always In Control (2) – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-783/ (Day 783) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the past three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them in advance of this time.

As we continue into this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored the first part of God Is Always In Control, and today’s we will finish this attribute.

God is Always in Control (2) · God’s control of nations follows.

God fixed the boundaries for the peoples of the world.

He can make a nation large or small.

In the affairs of the world and its rulers, the Lord puts down one leader and lifts up another.

He uses heathen nations to accomplish the disciplining of His disobedient people

So far as it has suited His purposes, He has allowed nations to go their own way.

Behind the strange and sometimes unexpectedly generous actions of unbelieving rulers towards God’s people at various times is the working of God in their hearts without their knowledge. Examples are Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and Artaxerxes. They pursued their own chosen paths, and it served the furtherance of God’s will, though in their personal lives they were disobedient, self-willed, and sinful.

· God’s control of history follows. His dominion is everlasting, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation, thus all the events of human history are under His direct control.

He fixes the epochs of human history and the limits of human territory. “From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries,” Acts [17:26].

God is at work in unrecognized events and processes to achieve His purposes of blessing. It was the Lord who sent Joseph ahead of his brothers to Egypt. It was the Lord who turned the hearts of the Egyptians to hate God’s people. It was the Lord who called Cyrus, a heathen ruler, “His anointed” because He was going to use him to accomplish His will for His people.

The outstanding example of God at work in an event to achieve His will – unrecognized at first – was the the Cross. “But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him,” Acts [2:23].

In all the events of history, God is working out His purpose of calling into one body, the Church, men and women of every nation and people, saved through His Son Jesus Christ.

· God’s control of all circumstances follows. God, not chance, decides what happens in human affairs.

Behind every circumstance is the Lord.

He can shorten life or lengthen it.

The Lord brings both prosperity and disaster. Success and victory in battle and the ability to get wealth are from Him. He has the power to bring illness or to remove it. Ordinary daily needs are within His concern and control.

God is always in control of everything…let us never forget this and His love for us.

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-784/ (Monday) we will return to our regular Wisdom-Trek episodes with Meditation Monday, where we will take time to meditate and renew our minds. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-784/ (Monday) for another day of our...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 782 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Always In Control (1) – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-782/ (Day 782) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the past three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we continue with this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God Never Changes. Today and tomorrow our attribute is…

God Is Always In Control God controls all things, working out everything in conformity with the plan and purpose of His own will.

· God’s control extends to the whole universe. He is the only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. For “at just the right time, Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords,” 1 Timothy [6:15].

His throne is in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.

He sustains the whole universe by His powerful word.

The government of the entire universe is His

· God’s control of nature follows. All natural forces are in His control.

The elements are at His command.

All the processes of nature are at His direction.

It is the Lord who provides the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night, and who stirs the sea into roaring waves. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. – Jeremiah [31:35]

· God’s control of His creatures follows. His care, for example, extends to the smallest of His creatures. He gives the beasts their food.

Not a single sparrow falls to the ground apart from His will, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it,” Matthew [10:29].

He can appoint all His creatures to perform His will even for ravens to convey bread and meat to His servants.

· God’s control of human beings – and of evil individuals -follows. There are occasions when God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has put up with evil individuals due for destruction. His purpose has been to make known the riches of His glory to those whom He has purposed to save.

Sometimes God sees to it that the worst of people are allowed to be exalted so that they may fulfill His purposes without their knowing it. He uses even the enemies of His people to discipline them in their disobedience. On the other hand, He can harden the hearts of His people’s enemies so that they fall into His people’s hands or even destroy themselves.

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-783/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring Part 2 of God Is In Control. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-783/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 781 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-783/...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 781 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Never Changes – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-781/ (Day 781) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the remainder of this week, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we continue with this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. https://wisdom-trek.com/day-780/ (Yesterday) we explored that God Is Faithful. Today’s attribute is…

God Never Changes Because God never changes…my future is secure and eternal.

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow,” James [1:17].

You can count on God because He never changes. In fact, it is impossible for God to change. The influences that cause change in your life have no effect on God. He will never be stronger or weaker. He does not have mood swings. His knowledge and wisdom will not increase or diminish.

God’s unchanging purpose gives you eternal significance. God’s unchangeable ways assure you of unwavering guidance. God’s unchanging Word equips you with timeless truth.

God’s unchanging commitment guarantees you everlasting security. If you have trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can be assured of eternal life.

God’s commitment to you is as strong as He is eternally constant. The storms of life change continually, but God remains the same. He is consistent and reliable. He is your anchor.

Life and its uncertainties may shake you, but God, the Rock of Ages, does not move. If you cling to Him, He will sustain you.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” Hebrews 13:8.

For the next two days, we will explore the fact that God is in control. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-782/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past 780 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-782/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 780 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Faithful – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-780/ (Day 780) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we continue in this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. https://wisdom-trek.com/day-779/ (Yesterday) we explored that God Is Merciful. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Faithful Because God is faithful…I will trust Him to always keep His promises.

“O Lord God of Heaven’s armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful,” Psalm 89:8.

God is faithful to help you in your need. He will never fail you! He is reliable. He is trustworthy. Your holy and loving God is faithful!

God is faithful to forgive you even when you are unfaithful. Because you are still in a body of flesh, you have a tendency be unfaithful. How encouraging it is to remember God’s promise, “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself,” 2 Timothy [2:13].

God is faithful to protect you from temptation. Remember, when you are tempted, do not focus on the attractiveness of the temptation, but on God’s faithfulness to rescue you from that situation.

God is always faithful to keep His promises. He is ready and able to deliver all He has promised.

Faithfulness is at the heart of all that God is and does. His truthfulness, holiness, love, righteousness, and other attributes ensure His faithfulness. He is incapable of being otherwise.

“God can be trusted to keep His promise,” Hebrews [10:23].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-781/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring how God never changes. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-781/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 779 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-781/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 779 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Merciful – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-779/ (Day 779) of our trek, and it is time for our segment called Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For some, it may just be a time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body.

Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule this week, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them. As we continue with this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Merciful Because God is merciful…He forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them.

“The Lord is full of tenderness and mercy,” James [5:11].

God shows you mercy because He compassionately cares about you. The Bible is filled with examples of how Jesus was moved with compassion and acted to help those who were sick, suffering, and in need.

All humanity benefits from God’s mercy to some degree. He demonstrates his mercy both by withholding punishment we so rightfully deserve and by showering us with blessings we do not deserve.

But God also has a sovereign mercy He shows to those who are His. To experience God’s full mercy, we must repent of our sin and self-centeredness and accept God’s forgiveness.

God wants us, in turn, to be merciful to others. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy,” Matthew 5:7.

Your loving heavenly Father is committed to your well-being. Out of His great compassion, He generously bestows on you His grace and mercy.

“Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most,” Hebrews [4:16].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-780/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring that God is faithful. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-780/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 778 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-780/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 778 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Love – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-778/ (Day 778) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the next two weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God Is Just. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Love Because God is love…He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.

“This is real love–not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins,” 1 John [4:10].

God’s love is unconditional. It is not based on how good you are. He loves you because He is God and you are His creation.

God’s love never fails. His love will not be terminated because of disappointment or a change of heart. He defines love, and He demonstrates what true love looks like – Jesus gave His life on your behalf.

We, in turn, are to love God wholeheartedly. God has created us to find our greatest joy and fulfillment in loving Him.

God also enables us to be channels of His supernatural love. On our own, we are incapable of loving as we should, but God has an unending supply of love. It is for us to claim, to enjoy, and to share with others.

When we begin to love God, love our neighbors as ourselves, and love our enemies, society will change for the better through the transforming power of God’s love.

“Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans [8:39].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-779/ (Monday) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring how God is merciful. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-779/ (Monday) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 777 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-779/ (Monday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 777 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Just – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-777/ (Day 777) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the next two weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God Is Righteous. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Just Because God is just…He will always treat me fairly.

“I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve,” Jeremiah [17:10].

Because God is just, He will always treat you fairly.

Justice is a pillar of society, ensuring that the innocent are vindicated, and the guilty are punished. But all too often, this standard of justice is compromised for personal gain by corrupt judges and unscrupulous lawyers. Consequently, many people mistakenly believe they can manipulate God’s system of justice. They think that God is fooled by their excuses and alibis.

However, as the holy and righteous sovereign of the universe, God cannot ignore any act of sin or self-centeredness. God hates sin with a holy passion. God’s anger over sin should never be underestimated. But God also rewards right behavior. Although your salvation is secured by faith in Jesus Christ, your good works determine the rewards you will receive from Him.

We serve a just God, so what you do in this life will matter for eternity.

“God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad,” Ecclesiastes [12:14].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-778/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s Character exploring how God is love. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-778/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 776 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-777/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 776 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Righteous – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-776/ (Day 776) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three to four weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God Is Absolute Truth. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Righteous Because God is righteous…I will live by His standards.

“The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness,” Psalm 1[45:17].

We live in an age where the distinction between right and wrong is becoming increasingly blurred. Our culture has adopted the principle of situational ethics, which proposes that what is morally right varies from person to person and situation to situation. Yet God’s standards do not change; they are timeless.

God’s laws are a reflection of His own righteous nature. Only by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord are we made righteous because we cannot keep God’s perfect standard on our own.

However, God wants you to display His righteousness in your new life, but this is possible only as you consistently submit your will to the Holy Spirit and depend on Him to empower you.

As Christians, we must hold fast to the righteous standards set forth by the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. God will hold every person accountable. Whose standards of right are you following?

“Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. He was even called the friend of God,” James [2:23].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-777/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring how God is just. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-777/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past 775 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-777/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 775 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Absolute Truth – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-775/ (Day 775) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them in advance of this time.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God is holy. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Absolute Truth

Because God is absolute truth…I will believe what He says and live accordingly.

[Jesus said] “I was born and come into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true,” John [18:37].

God wants us to know the truth. He gave us the Bible to help us understand the truth. He guides us into truth through the Holy Spirit.

God revealed the truth to us in the person of Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” John 14:6. While many people claim to know the truth, only Jesus could honestly claim to be the truth.

God is the source of all truth because He is present everywhere, knows all things, and totally understands what is real, right, and true. Therefore, whatever He says is absolutely true.

God is our anchor in a society of relativism and falsehood. Do your actions demonstrate you have bought into the lies of popular culture? Or are you consistently discovering the truth in God’s Word?

The truth will only be found by those who diligently and honestly seek it. Commit yourself daily to walk in the light of God’s truth. God is the truth.

“Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!” Psalm [86:11].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-776/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring how God is righteous. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-776/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 774 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-776/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 774 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Holy – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-774/ (Day 774) of our trek, and it is time for our segment called Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next two weeks our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them. As we start this New Year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Holy Because God is holy…I will devote myself to Him in purity, worship, and service.

“Who is like you among the gods, O Lord–glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?” Exodus [15:11].

Our God is holy. His character is perfect in every way. His moral excellence is the absolute standard of integrity and ethical purity. God’s supreme holiness infinitely sets Him apart from His creation.

Rather than reflecting the opinions and attitudes of this broken world, you are to reflect the beauty of God’s holiness. In order to reflect God’s holiness, you must first be made holy. And you can be made holy only by placing your faith in Jesus Christ.

As the holiness of God works into the fabric of your being, you will become sensitive to sin and self-centeredness, learning to abhor it as God does. As your life is transformed, you will project the light of His holiness into the darkness of this world.

God’s holiness demands your devotion. Where is your heart? Holy living involves a daily decision to surrender to the lordship of Christ.

“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy,” 1 Peter [1:15].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-1775/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring that God is all absolute truth. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-775/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 773 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-775/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 773 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Sovereign – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-773/ (Day 773) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God knows everything. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Sovereign

Because GOD is sovereign…I will joyfully submit to His will.

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom…” 1 Chronicles [29:11].

Do you feel overwhelmed by circumstances? Be encouraged. Your loving God is still in control, and He is sovereignly directing your life. In fact, difficulties and suffering are tools in God’s sovereign hands with which He shapes you into the image of Jesus. Nothing occurs without His divine permission.

God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. There is no higher authority. He is all-powerful, so no one can force Him to do anything against His will. He is present everywhere, so no one can hide from Him or escape His scrutiny. He is all-knowing, so there is nothing about which He is unaware.

God is actively directing His creation on a course that has been charted before the beginning of time. But within the context of His master plan, He gives each person the freedom to choose how he will participate. Will you choose to cooperate with Him?

“God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them,” Romans [8:28].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-774/ (Monday) we will continue to discover God’s Character exploring how God is holy. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-774/ (Monday) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 772 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-774/ (Monday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 772 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Knows Everything – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-772/ (Day 772) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God Is Present Everywhere. Today’s attribute is…

God Knows Everything

Because GOD knows everything…I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking,” James 1:5.

God knows the answers to all of life’s questions. Unlike us, God is never surprised or bewildered because He is always completely aware of all events past, present, and future.

He also knows everything about you – your desires, motives, and thoughts. God knows more about you than you will ever know about yourself.

When you face challenges or difficulties, you can be encouraged that God understands what you are going through. He knows about your pressures and problems, and He also knows the purpose for your trials.

Whatever your circumstances, whatever your need, God has the answer. He knows everything about your situation and wants to help you.

Our magnificent Creator God knows everything and is the source of all true knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. His knowledge is undefiled by any distortions or wrong perspectives. It is totally true and accurate.

“I know the plans I have for you…They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope,” Jeremiah [29:11].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-773/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring how God is sovereign. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-773/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 771 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you in the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-773/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 771 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is Present Everywhere – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-771/ (Day 771) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three to four weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God is all-powerful. Today’s attribute is…

God Is Present Everywhere

Because GOD is present everywhere…He is always with me.

“Jesus said, ‘I am with you always,'” Matthew [28:20].

God’s magnificent presence is all we need for any challenge that may come our way. No person or circumstance can ever remove us from the presence of our loving God.

Because God is an infinite Spirit, He is not restricted to being in one location at a time. In fact, we actually have the presence of Almighty God living inside us.

He is always with us, hearing our cries for help. He is always with us, protecting us from danger.

However, often we ignore His presence because we are so preoccupied with our lives. God wants us to “consciously” live in His presence each day. His ever-presence makes it possible for us to be in constant communication with Him and to depend on Him in every situation.

He is always with us, watching what we do. He is our ever-present God, Savior, Lord, and Master – our dearest friend.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast,” Psalm 139:7-10.

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-772/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring how God knows everything. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-772/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past 770 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-772/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 770 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is All-Powerful – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-770/ (Day 770) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

As we start this new year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Yesterday we explored that God is a Personal Spirit. Today’s attribute is…

God Is All-Powerful

Because GOD is all-powerful…He can help me with anything.

“O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you,” Jeremiah [32:17].

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Our all-powerful Creator who cares for us longs to exhibit His power in our lives.

No matter what you might be facing, God can help you. Nothing is too hard for Him. No need is too great for Him to meet. No problem is too complicated for Him to solve. No foe is too strong for Him to conquer. No prayer is too difficult for Him to answer.

God merely spoke, and the universe sprang into being. But all the power contained in the entire universe is but a drop compared to God’s unlimited power.

The Bible promises, “By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope,” Ephesians [3:20].

If our hearts and motives are pure and we truly seek to do God’s will, then there is nothing too difficult for us as we depend on His strength.

“I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength,” Philippians [4:13].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-771/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring God Is all Present Everywhere. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-771/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 769 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-771/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 769 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God Is a Personal Spirit – Meditation Monday

This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-769/ (Day 769) of our trek, and it is time for our new segment called Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be a time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

Due to a heavy travel and activity schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them in advance of this time. As we start this New Year, I thought it would be good to invest this time discovering God and His key attributes. Today’s attribute is…

God Is a Personal Spirit

Because GOD is a personal Spirit…I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.

“The Lord is a friend to those who reverence him,” Psalm [25:14].

Through His infinite love God has provided a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him. It’s not about keeping a set of rules or just knowing about Him. It’s about having a relationship with the Creator God.

God came down from heaven to live on earth among us. For 33 years human beings could relate to the incarnate God through their senses as they walked and talked with His Son, Jesus.

Then God even destroyed the barrier that separated us from our holy God. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. God also reveals Himself to you through the Bible. The Scriptures tell you what God is like.

God even sent His Holy Spirit to live inside Christians with His presence. We can actually enter into a warm friendship and intimate family relationship with Him. What a gracious offer and awesome privilege!

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me,” Jeremiah [29:13].

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-770/ (Tomorrow) we will continue to discover God’s character exploring that God is all powerful. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-770/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 768 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-770/ (tomorrow!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 768 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Return to Nazareth – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-768/ (Day 768) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

Due to travel and other events this next month, starting next week the Wisdom-Trek segments may be shorter so that I can pre-schedule them for the next few weeks. Today is our final installment that Gramps is telling of the Christmas story in chronological order.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This is the final Wisdom-Trek episode of 2017 as we consider the end of what is considered the Christmas story. Just like next week we will begin 2018, the Christmas story was just the beginning of the purpose for which God took on flesh and dwelled alongside us. So today let’s quietly reflect on of the final segment of the very first Christmas.

The Return to Nazareth

We will begin reading https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A19-23&version=NLT (Matthew [2:19]-23).

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

To put the finishing touches on our week of the Christmas story, let’s also look at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A39-40&version=NLT (Luke [2:39]-40).

When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

For the next three weeks, we will have abbreviated episodes of Wisdom-trek due to our travel and workload. Even though these episodes may be slightly shorter, please continue to encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-769/ (Monday) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 767 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play, so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-769/ (Monday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 768 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Return to Nazareth – Ask Gramps

The Return to Nazareth

We will begin reading https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A19-23&version=NLT (Matthew [2:19]-23).

To put the finishing touches on our week of the Christmas story, let’s also look at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A39-40&version=NLT (Luke [2:39]-40).

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-769/ (Monday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 767 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Escape to Egypt – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-767/ (Day 767) of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the next three weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

Yesterday we continued the telling of the complete Christmas story in chronological order with the Visit of the Wise Men. Today and tomorrow we will be focused on the final two events that took place after Christmas Day.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The entire purpose of our celebration of Christmas is the birth of Christ, and here is the story that we find in God’s Word. So today let us reflect on https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A13-18&version=NLT (Matthew [2:13]-18).

Today we will read about…

The Escape to Egypt After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

“A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”

That’s a wrap for today’s portion of the Christmas story. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-768/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 766 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-768/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 766 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Visit of the Wise Men – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-766/ (Day 766) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Due to heavy travel and an activity-filled schedule for the next three to four weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

Yesterday we continued the telling of the complete Christmas story in chronological order with https://wisdom-trek.com/day-765/ (Presenting Jesus in the Temple). The remainder of this week will be focused on the other events that took place after Christmas Day.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We should certainly celebrate and worship Christ during the Christmas season, but that worship should extend to every day of the year. So today let us reflect on https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A1-12&version=NLT (Matthew 2:1-12).

Today we will read about…

Visit of the Wise Men · Visitors from the East

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

That concludes the third day of our Christmas Story. https://wisdom-trek.com/day-766/ (Tomorrow) will be our fourth day of the Christmas story as we explore the flight to Egypt. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-766/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past 765 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 765 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Presenting Jesus in the Temple – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-765/ (Day 765) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Due to a heavy travel and activity-filled schedule for the next three to four weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them.

Yesterday we continued the telling of the complete Christmas story in chronological order with the birth of Christ and the shepherds. The remainder of this week will be focused on the events that took place after Christmas day.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The entire purpose of our celebration of Christmas is the birth of Christ and here is the story that we find in God’s Word. So today let us reflect on https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A21-38&version=NLT (Luke [2:21]-38).

Today we will read about…

Presenting Jesus in the Temple · Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

· The Prophecy of Simeon

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

· The Prophecy of Anna

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

That concludes the third day of our Christmas Story. https://wisdom-trek.com/day-765/ (Tomorrow) will be our fourth day of the Christmas story as we explore the visit of the Wise Men. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-765/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 764 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 764 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Birth of Christ and the Shepherds – Meditation Monday

Hello, my friend, and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Guide to Wisdom and Creating a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-764/ (Day 764) of our trek, and it is time for, Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be a time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word, and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body.

Due to a heavy travel and activity schedule for the next three to four weeks, our Wisdom-Trek episodes will be shorter so that I can pre-record them in advance of this time. On Friday we began the telling of the complete Christmas story in chronological order. Today is Christmas so we will be reading about the birth of Christ. The remainder of this week will be focused on the events that took place after Christmas day.

The Birth of Christ and the Shepherds · The Birth of Christ

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.

· The Shepherds and Angels

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

https://wisdom-trek.com/day-765/ (Tomorrow) will be our third day of the Christmas story as we explore the presentation of Jesus in the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 763 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom ‘Twas the Year Before Christmas – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-763/ (Day 763) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

Beginning with today’s podcast and for the next three to four weeks we are going to interrupt our regular podcast schedule. Due to travel and other events this next month, starting next week, the Wisdom-Trek segments may be shorter so that I can pre-schedule them for the next few weeks. Today and all next week Gramps will be telling the Christmas story in chronological order.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Christmas is just a few days away, but often during this busy time of year, we don’t invest the time to reflect on the true Christmas story as it was revealed in the New Testament. So let’s take the time these next six days to quietly reflect on all that took place during the very first Christmas.

“Hey Gramps, would you please tell us the Christmas story chronologically as it is revealed in the Bible?”

‘Twas the Year Before Christmas To get the entire Christmas story in chronological order, you must go to several passages in the books of Matthew and Luke. We will start with https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A5-56&version=NLT (Luke 1:5-56).

· The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

When...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 762 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Son of God – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-762/ (Day 762) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Dr. Luke, author of one of the four gospels in the New Testament, and it is, “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you [Mary], and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'”

Son of God

Jesus is the Son of God and holy because he was conceived in the womb of Mary through the power of the Most High, revealed to us as the Holy Spirit. This conception is not something we can understand logically. It is something we recognize as a miracle of God’s power and is reflective of God’s divine love.

Even believing in this miraculous conception is both a gift and a miracle of God’s grace and comes from the conviction of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts. If we believe that Jesus is God come in human flesh, we know that the truth of this story had to begin in a miracle that is both incomprehensible and yet very simple.

God takes on human flesh as a baby named Jesus. This baby was conceived and carried in the womb of an ordinary young woman. This miracle of conception reveals the character and compassion of the Most High God to bridge the distance from his heavenly perfection to our human mortality.

While we may not fully understand it, we can receive its truth by grace. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit who brought this miracle to Mary to open our hearts to this miracle and join with all who share the wonder of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

O Father, the One True and Almighty God, I ask that the Holy Spirit that conceived Jesus in Mary deepen my faith and awaken my sense of joy and amazement for the gift of Jesus’ birth. I ask for this grace in Jesus’ name. Amen.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-763/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 761 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-763/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 761 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Creation vs. Evolution – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-761/ (Day 761) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical worldview.

I do not desire to tell you what to think but teach you how to think, so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical worldview. I may explore opposing views and challenge you to think. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. A Biblical worldview, at its core, is grounded in the fact that the Bible is God’s Word and contains all truth that God chose to reveal to us. Even with that understanding, there are many interpretations of parts of the Bible, and even the most learned Bible scholars will disagree. As finite humans living within the constraints of time and space, it is difficult for us to comprehend the mind of God. This gap was partially bridged when God came to earth as Jesus Christ, but not completely. As the Prophet Isaiah wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+55:9&version=NLT (Isaiah 55:9),“For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

So today we will start with the creation of humans in Genesis 1:26-27, “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.’ So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Even though we cannot understand fully all that God has done and is doing, there are three points that we want to consider today about…

Creation vs. Evolution

Creation vs. Evolution – A Question of Origins The creation vs. evolution debate is a question of origins. How did we get here? Were we created or did we evolve randomly? Are we the product of purposeful intelligence or are we merely the end result of countless cosmic accidents? Does it even matter?

Creation vs. Evolution – Reason vs. Religion The popular media often portrays the creation vs. evolution debate as science vs. religion, with creation being religious and evolution being scientific. Unfortunately if you don’t agree with this label, you too are labeled. Regardless of whether you’re a creationist or an evolutionist, if you disagree with the stereotype, you’re condemned and “exposed” as a religious fanatic who is secretly trying to pass religion off as science or, even worse, trying to disprove science in order to redeem a ridiculous, unscientific, religious worldview. The fact is neither model of origins has been established beyond a reasonable doubt (otherwise, the theory of evolution wouldn’t be called the “theory” of evolution). Whether we like to admit it or not, those of us who subscribe to the theory of evolution do so by faith. It is by faith that we interpret creation through a Biblical worldview. While the recognition of...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 760 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Is Christmas? – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-760/ (Day 760) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Agnes M. Pahro, and it is, “What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.”

What Is Christmas? Christmas is that special time of year throughout the world where many people will take time to reflect on the blessings that overflow in their lives. We give gifts to each other in celebration of the gift that God gave to us. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1:17&version=NLT (John 1:17) – For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

Because of this love for us, we can reflect on the tenderness of the past. We can have courage for the present, regardless of our circumstances. We can have hope for the future. Because of God’s love for us, He became flesh and moved in alongside us. Why did he do this? https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+2:14&version=NLT (Hebrews 2:14) – Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.

It is because of this we can share our rich and eternal blessings, which will overflow into the lives of others thereby establishing true peace with everyone.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 759 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-761/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 759 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Shepherds Were Astonishing – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-759/ (Day 759) of our trek, and it is time for our new segment which we started last week called Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Only two weeks until Christmas! When God became human on that very first Christmas, it was not ushered in with great fanfare that would normally be part of a new king being born. Instead, God shared this great proclamation with the least likely people.

First, He was born in a manger with a few smelly animals to witness his birth as He was laid in their feeding bin. The next account was before those who were charged with taking care of yet more animals that smell and are rather dumb. That was the shepherds as they cared for their flocks in the hills around Bethlehem.

Today in our Monday Meditation let us consider lowly shepherds and the proclamation made by God’s Messengers. So today let us reflect on:

The Shepherds Were Astonishing

If you were a shepherd in the time when God came to earth in the form of a baby and chose to dwell among us, you would never have expected anyone to be astonished at anything you could ever say or do. You would have been “just” a lowly and despised shepherd. Most shepherds (like those who celebrated Christ’s birth) were quite young and most often ignored. Like all good shepherds, they smelled like sheep — they were not the kind of folks you invite into your house for a long conversation or a dinner party. Shepherds, in general, were not considered intellectually astute. Most people felt that shepherds would have little to say that was important. In fact, the occupation of a shepherd was looked down on, as one of the lowest occupations.

Then came Jesus’s birth. Look at what God made of these shepherds. They were the first to share the good news of Jesus’s birth. They were the first “missionaries” sent to tell the story of God coming down to live with people. These shepherds were told this good news by God’s messengers sent from the glory of heaven.

People were astonished. They were astonished that God would use shepherds. They were astonished at what the shepherds told them about the angels. They were astonished at the story the shepherds told about who Jesus was and where He was born.

Look at what the Father made of these shepherds. They were the first to know and to proclaim the astonishing good news of God coming to the world as a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in a feed bin — the glory of the newborn King of the Jews, the Messiah of Israel, and the Savior of the world.

And what about you? Are you astonishing?

If you listen closely to the passages below, you will see that Jesus has done something just as astonishing with you as He did with the shepherds. Because of Jesus, you are now “holy, blameless, and totally free of imperfection.” Just like the shepherds, you have been given the opportunity to be astonishing! Let’s look at God’s Word as we see simple shepherds share the astonishing news!

After seeing him [baby Jesus], the shepherds

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 758 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Blessed Are the Peacemakers – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-758/ (Day 758) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any other areas that come our way.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. During the holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, there are many opportunities for getting together with family, friends, and associates. During those gatherings there are usually conversations that come up that you may not agree with whether it is politics, raising kids, religion, or a myriad of other topics. So the question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, how can I avoid getting involved with conversations that may cause conflict when I get together with others?”

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

When you are either hosting or attending gatherings and parties during this festive Christmas and New Year’s season, your focus should be to enjoy the food, fun, and fellowship with others. Realize though there is always a potential for topics and conversations to come up that can cause tension and disagreements. You must understand that everyone has an opinion about every topic, and opinions are like armpits…Everyone has at least two, and if they are not maintained, they usually stink, including yourself.

That being understood, you need to comprehend that for an argument or conflict to proceed you are choosing to be an active participant. You do not need to air your opinion, regardless of how “wrong” another person may appear to be. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:14&version=NIV (Proverbs 17:14), “Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.”

Also understand that you do not have to be right about everything, or as a matter of fact, anything. Be willing to keep your mouth closed, even when you are burning with the desire to reply or retort. You probably will not change another person’s strong opinion about the topic, and even if they do concede, the old adage will probably apply, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

Office parties and family gatherings are also a hotbed for gossip about others. Four short words…Just don’t do it! As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+26%3A20&version=NLT (Proverbs 26:20), “Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.” If the people you are with talk about others behind their back, they are doing the same about you. If you participate, you are just as prone to gossip about them. It is never wise, kind or loving to gossip.

Enjoy your family, friends, and office gatherings and...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 757 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Christmas Choices – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-757/ (Day 757) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Charles Dickens, and it is, “I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”

Christmas Choices

If we are not careful, Christmas can be a time of hectic schedules, frantic preparations, and spending money we don’t really have. Instead, let this and every Christmas be a time for relaxing, reflection, and sharing with others. We need to be prepared and then choose to see that enough is enough. Yes, Christmas should be a time of giving and charity, but only within what we can afford. The most special and appreciated gifts cost us nothing and mean everything to those who receive them. Here are a few suggestions:

Making a visit

Writing letter

Making a phone call

Showing kindness to a complete stranger

Helping someone in need

Sharing what you do have with those who have less

Encouraging others who are discouraged

Inviting others into your home who do not have anyone near to share Christmas with you.

There are so many ways to give gifts in abundance that will richly bless others and not strap you financially. In return, your lives will also be blessed. Choose to make a difference in the lives of others this Christmas, just as God chose to make a difference in your life.

As we are told in Colossians 3:12, “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-758/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 756 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-758/ (Philosophy Friday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 756 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Creation or The Big Bang? – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-756/ (Day 756) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of interpreting life through a Biblical worldview.

As a Christ follower, it is important to view all situations and events in life through the lenses of the Bible. That is a view of the world that is aligned with what the Bible teaches us. We are exploring current issues that impact our world and society and comparing them through the lens of the Bible, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media.

I do not desire to tell you what to think, but to teach you how to think so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical worldview. I may explore opposing views and challenge you to think. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. A Biblical Worldview, at its core, is grounded in the fact that the Bible is God’s word and contains all truth that God chose to reveal to us. Even with that understanding, there are many interpretations of parts of the Bible, and even the most learned Bible scholars will disagree.

As finite humans living within the constraints of time and space, it is difficult for us to comprehend the mind of God. This gap was partially bridged when God came to earth as Jesus Christ, but not completely. As the Apostle Paul wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A12&version=NLT (1 Corinthians 13:12), “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

So today we will start at the very beginning and analyze Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Creation or The Big Bang?

This is quite a complex issue to deal with, so we may extend it over multiple episodes. Realize that there is no way to categorically prove that Genesis 1:1 is true or untrue. No human was present to verify this. All of what we consider truth in God’s word must be recognized and believed by faith.

As you look at the conflict between creation vs. evolution those who believe evolution say that they have scientific facts to prove it. Evolution is strictly a theory, as is creationism. One basis for science is that it has to be verified and proven by in-person observation. No one living today, nor any written narrative can prove evolution or creation. So an evolutionist argument must also be recognized and believed by faith.

In order to be transparent with you, throughout my life, I have maintained, by faith, a young earth view. I have to admit though, the more I study God’s word, the universe, and all of creation from my limited perspective, the more I realize that a young earth theory cannot be proven.

If somehow there was a way to prove that the earth and indeed the entire universe, was millions or billions of years old, would that negate the truth of Genesis 1:1? Absolutely not! Again by faith, I have no doubt in my mind that, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Although I cannot scientifically prove this verse, within the scope of my Biblical Worldview this is the very bedrock and foundation of my life.

There are so many weak areas within the camp of those who believe that the universe was some sort of happenstance and earth was the result of some sort of...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 755 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Christmas Gift Suggestions – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-755/ (Day 755) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Oren Arnold, and it is, “Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.”

Christmas Gift Suggestions

The old adage that “it is better to give than receive” rings loud and clear in nearly everyone’s heart during the Christmas season. Too often though the focus is on buying presents for family, friends, and associates which many times they don’t need and you can’t afford.

The gifts that are truly precious are those that we can give away and still keep them for ourselves. The best part of this is they are the gifts which are cherished above any other gifts. Another positive factor is that these gifts cost us nothing except for a little time and effort to give them away in love. Forgiveness, tolerance, heart, service, love, a good example, and respect.

I would also add to this list encouragement, mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. During this blessed Christmas time and then throughout the year, let us put aside our differences and be united in love.

As we are taught in Colossians 3:11-15, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past 754 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-756/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 754 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Joseph – Trial by Faith – Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-754/ (Day 754) of our trek, and today we are transitioning our focus from mindshift to meditation.

So starting today, we will be calling our segment Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be a time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We are quickly approaching Christmas and then New Years. 2017 has been a challenging time for our family. Businesswise, we are battling the ever-changing fluctuations in the oil and construction sectors. Familywise, our world was shaken to its foundations when our granddaughter Hazel was diagnosed with Leukemia on April 15th. Our lives and perspective of life will be forever changed. As Hazel goes through the treatment regimen that will last over two years, we are adapting to a life which is much different than we anticipated.

On July 8th, I fell from a ladder and broke my femur bone right below the ball socket of the hip. I am still recovering from that as I go through the healing process. The bone is healing well, but rebuilding the muscles and tendons through daily exercise is certainly more painful than exercising was before the fall.

Unexpected events and trials can certainly rock our world. As I reflect during this Christmas season, I realize that many of you go through trials and challenges too. Today in our Monday Meditation, let us consider such a trial from one of the key members in the story of Christ’s birth. Today let us reflect on…

Joseph – Trial by Faith

Most of us really dislike tests. I was not a stellar student in school, so tests brought a certain amount of stress although I certainly had some control over the outcome if I chose to. As we have experienced this year with Hazel and her numerous medical tests, these test results are completely out of our control.

As we have experienced and so have many of you, other tests are life tests. They have to do with tough times in your lives, times that are hard, painful, and discouraging. They may involve a time of illness, hardship, persecution, marriage problems, family upheaval, job difficulties, loneliness, grief, or a host of other painful experiences. Some tests are a result of the choices that we make, but many of these tests come because we live in a broken world.

Some periods of testing invade your lives because other people do evil things or make unwise choices. Sometimes, times of testing come because Satan wants to discourage you and lead you to doubt God’s love and grace. Sometimes testing comes because of your unwise or sinful choices. Bottom line: The fallout from times of testing can blow into your world and wreak havoc in your lives. Sometimes trials come because we are grasping for things to make us content instead of being content in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:5 tells us, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.'”

As we reflect on Christmas, it causes me to consider Joseph and the trials he had to endure over many years, which were completely out of his...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 753 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Seasons of Life – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-753/ (Day 753) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, send me a message at the bottom of any page on wisdom-trek.com, or text me at 740.350.5732, and I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Hazel’s blood counts rebounded enough this week, so she is back at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for her next set of treatments, which include an IV of chemo and steroids along with another lumbar puncture to administer another type of chemo.

This season of life as grandparents to Hazel has been somewhat challenging since we do not have any control over her battle with leukemia. It does bring us comfort that Nat and Elizabeth are completely engaged and are excellent parents to Hazel and her siblings as she goes through her regimen of treatments and the side effects of them.

As grandparents, we are able to engage by assisting with the other kids, their dogs, and other areas to help alleviate at least some of the surrounding details of life. As we consider our lives, just like the transition from fall to winter this month, many people struggle with preparing for and adapting to the various seasons in their life. So the question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, how can I adjust to the various seasons of life that we all go through so that I can have an even greater impact on others as I go through these times of transition?”

The Seasons of Life

Just like the world in which we live that is comprised of four distinct seasons but is actually transitioning on a daily basis, so is our lives. Our lives are made up of four progressively changing seasons. We have our childhood, which is the spring season of life where everything is new and fresh. Our young adult years are represented by summer and usually include getting married, having children, and beginning to build a career. The fall season of life is when the children start to leave home and is a time for the building of assets and settling into a pattern of life that may not be so rapidly changing and hectic. The winter season usually begins when we transition from a full-time career to a part-time vocation or hobbies and begin to enjoy life at a slightly slower pace, depending on the foundation we have built in the previous seasons.

As our culture changes and medical technology extends our lifespans so we can live a quality life much longer, these seasons are shifting based on our health and expected longevity of life. In the past 100 years, most working adults would consider “retiring” around 65, but it is feasible now to be productively working well into your 80s or 90s. For those...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 752 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Accept Yourself As You Are – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-752/ (Day 752) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from the Maxwell Maltz, and it is, “Accept yourself as you are. Otherwise, you will never see opportunity. You will not feel free to move toward it; you will feel you are not deserving.”

Accept Yourself As You Are

Yes, I realize that all of us have areas in our lives where we can improve, but we need to accept ourselves today with all of our warts, weaknesses, and flaws if we ever expect to take advantages of the opportunities that will allow us to improve. If we do not accept ourselves, others will not accept us either.

This is not an ego-driven self-love, but a realization that we are created by a loving and gracious God who loves us as we are today, not what we should be tomorrow. God does not make any mistakes and you are created to be His image bearer and to not accept yourself is to not accept what God has created.

You must move confidently forward to reach your God-given potential in life. Otherwise, you will languish in the cesspool of mediocrity. When you accept yourself for who you are today with the desire to reach your potential, then others will also accept you and the opportunities to grow will flow your way.

Even the Apostle Paul who wrote many of the letters in the New Testament accepted himself with the realization that he was still fulfilling God’s calling to be a bearer of His image. In https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A13-14&version=NLT (Philippians 3:13-14) he writes, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-753/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 751 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-753/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 751 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Two Opposing Worldviews – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-751/ (Day 751) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore our trek of life through a Biblical Worldview. It is important as a Christ follower to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical Worldview.

That is a view of the world that is aligned with what the Bible teaches us. We are exploring current issues that impact our world and society and comparing them through the lens of the Bible, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As more and more homes are decorated for Christmas, I enjoy looking at the beautiful homes. It reminds me that as part of my Biblical Worldview, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world.

A biblical worldview begins with God in Genesis 1:1. A Biblical worldview is viewing the world, the beginning of the world, people in the world, the problems in the world, governments in the world, issues in the world, solutions for the problems in the world, and the future of the world – through God’s Word.

When you boil it all down there are only…

Two Opposing Worldviews

While there are really only two opposing worldviews, in today’s world, as it has been since the beginning of time, all of us have a mix of worldviews that make up our personal worldview. The key for the Christ-follower is to continually refine your worldview to be more and more in alignment with God’s Word. It is an unfortunate fact that many Christ-followers don’t know God’s Word well enough to have a strong Biblical Worldview.

A biblical worldview requires that you know what the Word of God teaches!

Everyone has a worldview whether they realize it or not. Your response to news about an abortion clinic is based on your worldview. Your response to school shootings is based on your worldview. Your response to evolution is based on your worldview. Your response to issues of sexuality is based on your worldview. Your response to issues of life and death is based on your worldview. Everyone has developed a “system of beliefs” and core values that they operate from. The goal is to be sure that this “system of beliefs” is based completely on the Word of God!

It is also an unfortunate fact that each of us mixes our own partiality based on our own weaknesses, biases, addictions, genetic makeup, and environment into our worldview.

This is even true of those who are in what we consider full-time ministries, such as pastors and priest. Even as Christ-followers if we do not have a good understanding of the entirety of God’s Word from the perspective of the authors and their culture, our worldview will be a hybrid between a humanistic worldview and a Biblical worldview. A pure Biblical worldview cannot be based upon any human system of beliefs and values.

The best way to define a worldview is “simply how you see the world.” If you were to put on a pair of glasses that had “blue lenses” everything you see would be “blue.” If you were to put on a pair of glasses that had “green lenses” everything you see would be “green.” There is an older phrase that is used when someone is not aware that their worldview...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 750 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Without Love Is Foolishness – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-750/ (Day 750) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from John Owen, and it is, “That wisdom which cannot teach me that God is love, shall ever pass for foolishness.”

Wisdom Without Love Is Foolishness

All true wisdom comes from God and God in His very essence is love. Therefore all wisdom will ultimately teach us about God and His love for us. To grow in wisdom is to grow in our understanding of God, and it is our responsibility to follow His commands which are given to in His Word.

To grow in our knowledge of God requires spiritual wisdom. As the Apostle Paul shared with the Christ-followers in Ephesians 1:16-18, “I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”

So as we grow in wisdom, we will also grow in our love for God and for others. This is such a profound truth that Jesus taught us that the entirety of the laws and prophets of God can be summed up in two commands in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12:29-31&version=NLT (Mark 12:29-31) Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord, our God, is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Wisdom comes to you when you love God and love others.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 749 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you in through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-751/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 749 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hope For The World – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-749/ (Day 749) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. During this Christmas season, it brings a feeling of hope that regardless of the turmoil in the world that is accentuated by news media and social media that we can have peace.

Peace between countries and cultures. Peace between political parties. Peace within families. Most important is peace within ourselves. It is when we lose hope that we lose our peace. So today we want to have a mindshift as we explore…

Hope for the World

I read a story about a man who is going through very difficult times and had sought out the council of his pastor. His work was not going well. Some of his grown children had left the principles they were taught and not living as they should, and he was worried about that. The straw that finally drove him to seek council was that his wife decided to leave him. As he sat there talking with the pastor, he was slumped over in despair. It was his final sentence that was alarming when he said, “I have nothing to live for. I have lost all hope.”

The pastor shared with him that hope was the one thing he could not afford to lose. He could lose his business, his money, and even his family and still be able to rebound in life if he kept a glimmer of hope alive. It is the core that allows us to get up one more day and continue on, even when circumstances are dismal.

We can think of Abraham and Sarah who were well past childbearing age, and yet in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+4:18&version=NLT (Romans 4:18) we read, “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Campbell Morgan tells of a man whose shop burned during the disastrous Chicago fire that happened on October 8-10, 1871. A man whose shop burned completely down arrived at the ruins the next morning carrying a table. He set the table amid the charred debris, and above it, he placed this optimistic sign, “Everything was lost, except wife, children, and hope. Business will resume as usual tomorrow morning.”

Many people become bitter towards life because of the unfortunate circumstances in which they find themselves. Many quit. Others have taken their own lives. What is the difference in how a person reacts to the difficult situations of life? It certainly is not talent, ability, or intellect. The only difference between those who throw in the towel and quit and those who get back up one more time and keep going is found in the word “hope.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5:3-5&version=NLT (Romans 5:3-5) shows us a better way, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 748 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Is Your Calling? – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-748/ (Day 748) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are not able to. No matter how old you are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, or send me a message at the bottom of any page on wisdom-trek.com or text me at 740.350.5732, and I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. During this wonderful almost magical time of year where we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I tend to get wrapped up in the Christmas season.

As Christmas Day draws closer, it is more difficult to stay focused on work and other responsibilities that must be fulfilled. I would rather sit in front of a roaring fire, look at the Christmas tree, and reflect on the season.

There is a time for that, but it can’t be the entire month of December. You may find yourself having a difficult time enjoying your work or staying focused on your work most of the year. Many people do not like their work or job and have a difficult time staying focused and motivated to do good work. So the question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, how can I stay motivated and enjoy my work every day? I find it so difficult to do so.”

What Is Your Calling?

First let me start out by saying that it is unrealistic to think that you will be overjoyed every day at work, no matter how much you love what you are doing. We all have days where we don’t feel well physically, mentally, or spiritually.

With that being understood, as with all of life, enjoyment first comes when we choose to enjoy our circumstance or situation regardless of how difficult it may be. Our happiness may be impacted on our current situation or happenstance, but deep abiding joy is grounded in the fact the God is in control of every situation, and He will provide us with the peace and joy needed to endure it.

Another, maybe even more crucial point, is the understanding that as a Christ-follower our work or occupation is our calling. This may be a stay at home parent (which is very honorable), a laborer, a business owner, a doctor, a lawyer, a pastor, or an executive in a worldwide company. Whatever God has called you to do for this season of life is your calling and purpose to advance His kingdom throughout the world. As long as your work is not immoral or illegal, no work should be considered unworthy of your best effort.

During the time that most of the New Testament was written within the Roman Empire, up to 50% of the population were either slaves or indentured servants. They had no choice of occupation, and yet the Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23-24, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 747 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Life Rushes On – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-747/ (Day 747) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

Today’s quote is from the George Benjamin Curiel, and it is, “You get old too young, and wise too old.”

Life Rushes On Life rushes by so quickly and the older you are, the faster the years seem to slip by. When you are young, you have so many ambitions, dreams, and plans. As the years click off in rapid succession, you soon realize that you are not as young as you once were. With advances in medicines and technologies, our lifespans are being extended to well over 100 years.

So while life does rush by, you may have many more years of life where you can positively impact the lives of others. While our bodies may age more rapidly than we would like, we need to do all that we can to take care of them by eating right, exercising, and getting adequate sleep.

We need to take care of our minds by learning new information and remaining mentally active. We also need to take care of our soul by studying God’s Word and communing with Him in prayer. If we do these things, we will be less likely to get old too soon and wise too late in life. Seek wisdom as you take care of your body, mind, and soul. As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+12%3A12-13&version=NLT (Job [12:12]-13).

Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.

But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-748/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 746 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-748/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 746 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom 6 Conflicts with a Biblical Worldview – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-746/ (Day 746) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore the trails through a Biblical worldview.

We have invested the past five Wednesdays plotting out what a Biblical worldview is, and why it is so important as a Christ follower to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical worldview. We are now exploring current issues that impact our world and society and comparing them through the lens of a Biblical worldview, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media.

I do not desire to tell you what to think, but teach you how to think, so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical Worldview. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us and Christmas just before us, many people during this season will at least acknowledge Christ’s birth and participate in many Christmas events and traditions. It is a good thing to take time to pause and reflect during this time, but if it is not driven by a true Biblical Worldview, it will be short lived once the season is over.

In order to live as a Christ-follower all year long, your life must be based on a core set of beliefs that are in line with the precepts of the Bible, which is God’s Word. I realize that there have been a lot of misinterpretations, false teachings, perversions of passages, and abuse of the Bible over the centuries, but that is why it is so important to study God’s Word for yourself and learn from a wide spectrum of viewpoints. This is not an easy habit to establish, but its value is far greater than the world’s riches.

Before we drill down on particular issues that influence our lives in our modern cultures and society, we will explore…

6 Conflicts with a Biblical Worldview

Christ followers don’t have problems with the Biblical worldview, right? After all, it is the belief system that they should claim as their own.

The truth is, a very large percentage of self-identified Christ followers, many who are even active in church, have mixed other beliefs in with their Christian faith. Some of these other beliefs are overtly non-Biblical, such as a belief that the Bible is not the authoritative revelation of God, or that naturalistic evolution reflects the truth about human origins.

Other of these mixed in beliefs are of a different nature. Many who self-identify as Christ followers are, in fact, what could be referred to as cultural Christians. That is, they identify as Christians not because they believe and live out the teachings of the Bible, but because they were born in a “Christian family,” a “Christian country” such as America, or were baptized or confirmed when they were young.

A worldview is more than just an intellectual belief. Belief at a worldview level originates at a gut or unconscious level. Worldview beliefs are such that it is almost impossible to live in a way that is contrary to the tenets of those beliefs.

So, even though people may call themselves Christ followers, many of these same people don’t see any problem living a lifestyle or believing things which go against biblical teachings. Many will rationalize their lifestyle based on feelings or prevalent societal thought instead of understanding God’s Word. In other words, their actual worldview beliefs are not consistent with the Biblical beliefs that they claim to hold. These people may be Christ-followers in name but obviously do not base...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 745 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Clever Answers or Wise Questions – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-745/ (Day 745) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Naguib Mahfouz, and it is, “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”

Clever Answers or Wise Questions

Is it better to be clever or wise? These are not mutually exclusive to be sure. To be clever is to be shrewd, astute, ingenious, crafty, cunning, or knowing. Each of these synonyms leaves us with a slightly different impression.

A person can be wise and clever. Wise and shrewd. Wise and ingenious. To be clever without wisdom usually leads to arrogance and an inflated ego. A clever person likes to be thought of as wise, but many times their answers are often in the form of sarcasm, which can really hurt another person, which is not at all wise.

When I was younger and starting out my adult life as a business owner, I used to think I was quite witty with my answers, which were usually in the form of sarcasm. It took me many years before I gained enough wisdom to realize that I was hurting many people’s feeling in the process.

The more wisdom I gained, the less clever and overtly sarcastic answers I provided to others. I realized to really help others, it is much better to ask probing questions so that I could really gain insight into the needs of others.

It certainly is best that we ask wise questions first before providing clever and shrewd answers that are filled with wisdom. The fact is Jesus commands us to be shrewd as we trek through this life building His kingdom as is He tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10:16&version=NLT (Matthew 10:16), “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”

We are to be shrewd but never to the extent where it becomes harmful to others. To be shrewd is to be discerning, perceptive, sharp, and insightful as well as wise as we live in a world that needs the love of God shining through us.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 744 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-746/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 744 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Formula for Overcoming Discouragement – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-744/ (Day 744) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I trust that you had a blessed Thanksgiving weekend. We have much to be thankful for.

Since we celebrated Thanksgiving with family the Saturday before, the weekend allowed us to get all of the leaves picked up, blow off the roofs, and clean out all of the gutters. We were also able to plant 12 flowering saplings that should have time to take root before winter sets in. It was a very productive weekend.

Our granddaughter Hazel had to receive a unit of blood on two occasions this past week, as the most recent round of chemo has depleted her blood counts. It will still take a couple of weeks before she is able to rebound on her own. This was expected, but still difficult to see her go through. If you would like to follow her blog written by her father Nat, go to basilforhazel.org. Watching Hazel go through her treatment regimen can cause discouragement since there is little that we can do to help her. So today we want to have a mindshift as we analyze…

The Formula for Overcoming Discouragement

Discouragement has the following effect on our lives:

Keeps us from becoming what God intends for us

Hides the beauties of life from our lives

Smothers our ambitions

Causes us to gravitate into the crowd of losers

Causes our light to flicker when it should be shining brightly for Jesus

Causes us to identify with failure

Causes doubts to control our actions

Freezes our creative minds

Paralyzes our faith

Magnifies our problems

Stifles our influence on others

Forces us into becoming introverted

Clouds our vision

Dashes our dreams

Discouragement is a terrible hindrance to effective living. It is Satan’s most effective tool, for it causes people to throw up their hands and quit. Although it is impossible to live in an atmosphere totally divorced from discouragement, there are a few positive steps that will help us to have a mindshift and be victorious when discouragement surrounds us. Here is the Formula for Overcoming Discouragement:

Add up all the successes of the past. Too many times when we are discouraged, we forget our past victories. Discouragement has a tendency to make us wallow in negative thinking until we think only of failure. You may say to yourself, “I’m no good,” or “I’m always making mistakes,” or “Why can’t I ever do anything right?” You need to stop dwelling in the dark of negativism. Allow the light of past victories to shine into your dungeon of discouragement.

Subtract all of your discouraging influences. Perhaps you have friends or relatives like Job had. Maybe they hinder you instead of help you. Take a piece of paper and make a list of your friends or those you invest a lot of time with. Now write down their characteristics. Are they...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 743 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wisdom of Credit Cards – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-743/ (Day 743) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.”

Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others that come our way.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, send me a message at the bottom of any page on wisdom-trek.com, or text me at 740.350.5732. And I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we now enter the holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, many people in the western countries will be faced with the choice of how much they should spend on gifts for family and friends.

Most of us are tempted to spend more than we really should. The unfortunate reality is that many people also make these purchases with credit cards when they have no plan or idea of how they will afford those same purchases. So the question for today is:

“Hey Gramps, is it wise to use credit cards, or do you advise not using them at all?”

The Wisdom of Credit Cards

This is a tough question because there are no clear-cut answers. Some financial advisers, such as Dave Ramsey, teach that you should never use credit cards, and I understand why he teaches that. Many people do not have the financial discipline to use them prudently and effectively.

So my answer is, it depends. If you know that you are not disciplined financially, I would strongly suggest not using credit cards at all. They make it too easy to get trapped into the never-ending cycle of mounting debt, which can shackle you into the prison of financial bondage and limit the choices that you can make. When you are shackled financially, you are not be able to take advantages of wise choices and investments. You will be ever chained to a life of mediocrity with limited paths to free yourself. You will become a slave to the lender, or in this case, the loan sharks which we nicely refer to as credit card companies.

Uncontrolled credit card debt has destroyed marriages, uprooted families, and has caused untold misery to millions of people. As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+22:7&version=NLT (Proverbs 22:7), “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.”

The sad part of this situation is that most credit card purchases are for things you don’t really need to impress people you don’t really like. When you are on a tight budget, it is nearly impossible to climb out of the abyss of credit card debt unless you are fully committed to making the sacrifices that are needed.

With that being said, you probably think that Gramps is completely against any use of credit cards, but that is not true. In fact, using credit cards prudently and wisely can actually make you money. You might be thinking,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 742 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Live a Life of Thanksgiving – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-742/ (Day 742) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from the President John F. Kennedy, and it is, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Live a Life of Thanksgiving

As we celebrate this special day of Thanksgiving in the United States, let us consider the words to this quote of gratitude. Being thankful is good. It is even better to express thankfulness to others. It is great when we are able to go beyond that and actively practice the spirit of Thanksgiving by living and showing others in tangible ways through actions that you are truly thankful for them.

Let us make it a habit to live a life of thanksgiving and gratitude by encouraging and helping others with acts of kindness. Let us express in word and in deed all that we are thankful for. There are so many people and situations that we can be thankful for. Let us show them.

Our first and foremost thanksgiving should be to God, the maker of heaven and earth. The One who made us and gives us each breath that we breathe. The one who sent His Son to die on the cross so we might have life eternal.

As King David tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+100:4&version=NLT (Psalm 100:4), “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-743/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 736 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-743/ (Monday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 741 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Particular Applications of a Biblical Worldview – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-741/ (Day 741) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore new trails on how to gain wisdom through a Biblical worldview. The first few weeks we are plotting out what a Biblical worldview is and why it is so important as a Christ follower to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical worldview.

Once we lay the foundation, we will then look at current issues that impact our world and society and explore them through the lens of a Biblical Worldview, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media. I do not desire to tell you what to think, but teach you how to think, so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical worldview. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week of Thanksgiving in the United States is a time for reflection and thankfulness of the freedom that we have. Freedom of worship, freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom to work hard and prosper.

As Christ followers, this freedom allows us to explore and discuss why we view our world through the lens of a Biblical Worldview. We should be thankful and never take it for granted.

Last week on our Wisdom Wednesday we explored the https://wisdom-trek.com/day-736/ (General Implications of a Biblical Worldview,) and today we will conclude our introduction with just some highlights of what we will be exploring in the coming weeks. If you missed listening to the last four Wisdom Wednesdays, it would be good to go back to understand the foundation of a Biblical worldview. Today we will explore…

Particular Applications of a Biblical Worldview

While many examples could be offered, here are six particular applications where a Biblical worldview provides a difference in perspective:

Technology—Technology can become either an instrument through which we fulfill our role as God’s stewards or an object of worship that will eventually rule us. A Biblical worldview provides balance and insight for understanding this crucial aspect of twenty-first-century life.

Sexuality and Marriage—Sexuality has become a major topic for those entering the third millennium. Much confusion exists among Christians and non-Christians. Sexuality is good in the covenant relationship of mutual self-giving marriage. Sexual intimacy, separated from covenant marriage, in heterosexual or homosexual relations is sinful and has a distorted meaning, a self-serving purpose and negative consequences for the Christ follower.

The Environment—Environmental stewardship means we have a responsibility to the nonhuman aspects of God’s creation. Since God’s plan of redemption includes his earthly creation, as well as human (as is listed in Romans [8:18]–27), we should do all we can to live in it carefully and lovingly.

The Arts and Recreation—The arts and recreation are understood as legitimate and important parts of human creativity and community. They express what it means to be created as God’s image bearers. We need to develop critical skills of analysis and evaluation so that we are informed, intentional, and reflective about what we create, see, and do.

Science and Faith—For almost two centuries science has been at the forefront of our modern world. We must explore how we see scientific issues from the vantage point of a Biblical worldview. An understanding of God includes the knowledge we gain through scientific investigation. With the lens of faith in place, a picture of...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 740 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Be Thankful for What You Already Have – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-740/ (Day 740) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Jim Rohn, and it is, “There is no better opportunity to receive more than to be thankful for what you already have. Thanksgiving opens the windows of opportunity for ideas to flow your way.”

Be Thankful for What You Already Have We all tend to desire that which we do not have, whether we already have little or much. The only path to true joy and happiness in life is to be thankful for what we already have.

When we practice this mindset of thankfulness, then opportunities will open up to receive even more. When we are ungrateful for that which we already have, then we will not have the opportunities to receive more. In fact when you are unthankful, then that which you already have will be diminished.

Even during hard times and times of scarcity, we must possess a heart of thankfulness, and proclaim that thankfulness to others. As the Apostle, Paul instructed us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians+5:18&version=NLT (1 Thessalonians 5:18), “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

In one of His parables, Jesus taught us the principle that God expects us to follow, which is to be thankful for all that He has given us regardless of whether it is a lot or a little. If we practice thankfulness in all circumstances, then more will be given to us. Jesus says in the parable in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25:29&version=NLT (Matthew 25:29), “To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”

Let us be thankful for all that we have and in every circumstance.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 739 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe to iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-741/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 739 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Power of a Thankful Heart – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-739/ (Day 739) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend we celebrated an early Thanksgiving and a belated 87th birthday for my Dad with four of my nine siblings and other family members. We had a total of 23 people here in all. It certainly was not what we consider a large family gathering, but one of great joy, celebration, and thankfulness. Since this week we do observe Thanksgiving in the United States, today our mindshift is to consider…

The Power of a Thankful Heart

The Apostle Paul encourages us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

It is not always easy to give thanks, but this is the very thing we must do in order to see God’s will accomplished in our lives. This is how we move into higher realms of faith for ourselves, our city, our nation, and indeed for the Kingdom of God.

Thanksgiving has great power to bring joy and break the power of the enemy. Whenever you give thanks to God despite the most difficult circumstances, the enemy loses a big battle in your life. When you give thanks in the midst of difficulty, you bring pleasure to God’s heart. He is looking for Christ-followers who live in a realm of praise and thanksgiving where the enemy no longer has an ability to hold or manipulate that person. Satan is defeated when we have a thankful heart because thankfulness during difficulty is a sacrifice pleasing to God.

Are you thankful? Are you thankful for your present circumstances? Are you thankful for your salvation, your friendships, your job? Thankfulness is a key to your life. It is the key that turns your situation around because it changes you, your outlook, and your attitude. There is power in a thankful heart.

· Thanksgiving Brings Contentment Begin to thank God for all the blessings he has given you instead of dwelling on the negative. Discontentment dries up the soul. Consider what missionary Elizabeth Elliott, who lost her husband on the mission field and has faced multitudes of hardships, says about loving God’s will and being content, “To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by one who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise apportionment. It is to follow in the steps of the Master, as did Paul, who was able to say that he had learned contentment no matter what the circumstances. His circumstances when he wrote that? Prison. No easy lesson, but great gain which is the sum of godliness plus contentment.” I Timothy 6:6 – Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

Look at the example of Jesus. He followed the will of His Father to the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 738 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Value of Relationships – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-738/ (Day 738) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are not able to.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions. So please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, send me a message at the bottom of any page on https://wisdom-trek.com (wisdom-trek.com), or text me at 740.350.5732. And I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past week I was in Arizona working on our construction project. It was a very busy, productive week, and we were able to lay out the “Schedule of Values” for the entirety of Phase II.

I am sure that we will have some modifications and adjustments, but we made very good progress. Just like we create a schedule of the values within a project, we personally need to take the time to create values within a relationship, especially with a spouse or close friend. So the question for today is…

“Hey Gramps, how can I create a valuable relationship with my spouse or close friend?”

The Value of Relationships Before you can value others properly, you must first value yourself. You will never love or value another person fully if you feel that you are not valuable and loved. In order to do this, you must understand that your value is not necessarily based on who you are or what you have accomplished up to this point in your life, but whose you are.

As Christ followers, we are created by God to be bearers of His image. The Apostle Paul instructs us in Ephesians 2:8-10, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”Once you understand that your value is based on the fact that God made you and considers you valuable, then you can realize that you are truly valuable. Jesus explained the concept of how important it is for us to love ourselves so that we can properly love others. Mark 12:30-31 says, “‘And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Paul drills down even further when he says in Galatians 5:14, “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

So it begs the question, how can you love others if you do not love yourself? You can’t. If we all practiced this verse, there would be few problems in the world....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 737 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Always Be Full of Joy – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-737/ (Day 737) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from the Apostle Paul, and it is, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again, Rejoice!”

Always Be Full of Joy

Dr. Victor Frankl, the author of Man’s Search for Meaning, was imprisoned by the Nazis in World War II because he was a Jew. His wife, his children, and his parents were all killed in the Holocaust. The Gestapo stripped him of his clothes. He stood totally naked before them.

As they cut off his wedding band, Viktor said to himself, “You can take away my wife, you can take away my children, you can strip me of my clothes and my freedom, but there is one thing no person can ever take away from me—and that is my freedom to choose how I will react to what happens to me!” Even under the most difficult of circumstances, joy is a choice which transforms our tragedies into triumph.

Let’s face it, not everything goes our way. Things don’t always work out as we planned. Some days are disasters. Other days are worse than that.

Happiness comes easily when things go our way. Joy is different. It’s deeper. Joy is an attitude we select. Happiness is external and subject to what happens. Joy is an inside job in which we opt to rejoice regardless of the circumstances.

Don’t confuse happiness with joy. Happiness is a buoyant emotion that results from the momentary plateaus of well-being. Joy is bedrock stuff. Joy is a confidence that operates irrespective of our moods. Joy is the certainty that all is well, regardless of how we feel.

Joy is a divine dimension of living that is not shackled by circumstances simply because we have chosen to respond positively. Paul is saying in Philippians 4:4 that joy is not something that happens to me but rather something I deliberately and consciously select. Circumstances seldom generate lasting smiles and laughter. Joy comes to those who determine to choose it in spite of their circumstances.

So let’s read this quote from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4&version=NLT (Philippians 4:4) once again, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again, Rejoice!”

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-738/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 736 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 736 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom General Implications of a Biblical Worldview – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-736/ (Day 736) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue this Wednesday to explore new trails on how to gain wisdom through a Biblical worldview.

The first few weeks we are plotting out what a biblical worldview is and why it is so important as a Christ follower to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical worldview. Once we lay the foundation, we will then look at current issues that impact our world and society and explore them through the lens of a Biblical worldview, instead of the lens of our society, culture, modern media, or social media.

I do not desire to tell you what to think but teach you how to think, so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical worldview. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Last week on our Wisdom Wednesday, we explored the starting points of a Biblical Worldview, and today we will extend that subject and focus on the General Implications of a Biblical Worldview. If you missed listening to the last three weeks, it would be good to go back to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-721/ (Day 721), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-726/ (Day 726), and Day https://wisdom-trek.com/day-731/ (731). So today we will explore…

General Implications of a Biblical Worldview

A Biblical Worldview becomes a driving force in life, giving us a sense of God’s plan and purpose for this world. Our very identity is shaped by this worldview. We no longer see ourselves as alienated sinners. A Biblical worldview is not escapism but is an energizing motivation for godly and faithful thinking and living in the here and now. It also gives us confidence and hope for the future. In the midst of life’s challenges and struggles, a Biblical worldview helps to stabilize life, anchoring us to God’s faithfulness and steadfastness.

Thus, a Biblical worldview provides a framework for ethical thinking. We recognize that humans, who are made to be God’s image bearers, are essentially moral beings. We also recognize that the fullest embodiment of good, love, holiness, grace, and truth is in Jesus Christ as we see in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A14%E2%80%9318&version=NLT (John [1:14]–18).

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

A Biblical worldview has implications for understanding history. We see that history is not cyclical or random. Rather, we see history as linear, a meaningful sequence of events leading to the fulfillment of God’s purposes for humanity. Human history will climax where it began, on the earth. This truth is another distinctive of Biblical thinking, for Christianity is historical at its heart. In the sense that according to its essential teaching, God has acted decisively in history, revealing himself in specific acts and events. Moreover, God will act to bring history to its providential...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 735 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Do As The Romans Do – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-735/ (Day 735) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from St. Ambrose, and it is, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Do As The Romans Do

Rome was the sin capital of the ancient world. It would have made Las Vegas look like a Sunday school picnic where the saying, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Rome was filled with every kind of sin, debauchery, and immorality, which was prevalent. And when in Rome what’s expected and accepted? “Do as the Romans do!” But a certain group of people refused to indulge in such sinful behavior. They had integrity and were filled with goodness.

In fact, the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:14, “I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.” To paraphrase this “In the middle of this cesspool, you are full of goodness.” What a testimony! What a reputation! What a life! Do you have that kind of reputation? Are you full of goodness?Consider a water-saturated sponge. If we push down with our finger even slightly, water runs out onto the table. We immediately know what fills the interior pockets of the sponge.

The same is true for people. What fills the inside of a person comes out under pressure. If we are soaked with God’s grace, generosity, and goodness, when we are pushed to our limits and pressed down, the goodness of God trickles out on everyone in our presence.

Let’s face it, most, if not all of us, will never be on a magazine cover, or sit as the chairman of the board of a major corporation, or have our names in lights, but we can be good. We can make a difference in our world by doing all the good we can with all the life we have. To make our mark means far more than fame or fortune; it means helping someone along the way to be a better person or to perform a noble task.

Go forth and be good.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 734 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-736/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 734 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Outside Influences – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-734/ (Day 734) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Do you consider yourself an influential person? Who or what impacts your life choices and decisions the most? On our trek today, let’s look at…

Outside Influences

Too many times we allow outward circumstances and influences to control our actions and mold our thinking. Too often we limit our happiness by submitting to the constant pressures all around us. It is vitally important to realize that either the situations around us control our lives, or we control them. For instance, we don’t need to wait until we are happy before we sing. We can sing to make us happy. Indeed, we can create our own environment. We can make our own bed in which we choose to lie down in. We truly can color our own world with the colors that we choose.

Have you ever known someone who could walk into a room full of people and within a few short moments completely change the atmosphere? How about the person who seemingly keeps their head above water while everyone else is drowning in confusion? Do you know people who, while others are bitter and critical, can smile and spread joy? What is their secret?

Those individuals have learned to control their situation instead of allowing outside influences to control them. They have realized that the outlook of their world largely depends on what is right, not what is easy or convenient. They have learned that while conditions may not always be favorable, they must color their own world the colors they would like to see.

The following characteristics are evident in positive influencers:

They face each day with internal joy and optimism regardless of external influences.

Their radiant lives draw others around them like a magnet.

They are doing while others are doubting.

They do not wait for favorable conditions to accomplish something worthwhile.

They always lift the spirits of those around them.

They work while others worry.

They are always discovering more potential within their own lives.

They make things happen while others wait for things to happen.

The initiate good thinking and positive actions in an atmosphere that is prone to doubt and discouragement.

They seem lucky because they create their own luck through action.

Who or what influences you? Where are you right now? Are you sitting on a heap of ashes feeling sorry for yourself? Are you drowning in a pool of problems? Are you slowly being buried by the pressures of life? If so, it is time to pick up your own crayons, go to your life canvas, and start coloring your world the colors and picture you would like to see in your life.

You may ask, “How can I do this?” It may require that you have a mindshift and a great starting point is found in...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 733 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Home Sweet Home – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-733/ (Day 733) of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life sometimes we have questions about life so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.”

Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason this is not possible. No matter how old you are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any other areas that come our way.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this episode is originally released, I will be in Mesa, Arizona, working with our partners on Phase II of the Mesa Townhome project. We are the general contractor for the funding group that is having the homes built, so we are able to see the progress from breaking ground through the final sale of the home. So I thought it would be appropriate to answer a question about home buying today.

“Hey Gramps, We are looking to buy a home, should I apply for a 15- or 30-year mortgage?”

Home Sweet Home

Regardless of whether you are a first time homebuyer or a current homeowner looking to move to a new home, the same principles should apply. Let me share some background thoughts first before answering the question because they are so crucial to your decision.

First off is to make sure that you do not look to buy more of a home than you need. It is not necessary to buy a home with four bedrooms and 4 bathrooms for a family of four, especially if your budget will make it very tight. It is nice to have spare rooms for company and other purposes, but the fact is if you have to pay several hundred dollars more per month for a larger home, then it may not be a wise investment.

Second, do you have adequate reserves for a down payment? Most lending institutions require 10-20% down, and that money is not supposed to be borrowed from any other sources, including family. If you are able to purchase a home that appraises for 20% higher than the selling price, sometimes the down payment is waived. If you do not have an adequate down payment, it would be best to wait until you do. There are also several hundred or thousands of dollars in closing fees that need to be considered. Never use up all of your reserves to make a down payment, leave at least 1 to 2 months of income in an emergency fund. Unexpected expenses happen to all of us.

If you have credit card debt or significant student loans, use your reserves to pay those off before investing in a home. The only exception is if the student loan interest rates are very low, which is not the case in most instances. The actual interest paid on credit card bills is usually much higher than what is stated, especially if you are only making minimum payments.

Assuming that you can still wisely move forward with a home purchase, what amount...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 732 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Any Kindness That I Can Show – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-732/ (Day 732) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from William Penn, and it is, “I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

Any Kindness That I Can Show Kindness is not an inconvenience to be avoided but a characteristic to be embraced. Sometimes it is as simple as a pleasant smile, a warm handshake, sending a thank you note, assisting a neighbor with a household project, or being with a friend in distress. I have heard it said, “The greatest thing a man can do for his heavenly Father is to be kind to his other children.”

Kindness originates from the heart of God. God is kind because he cannot be otherwise. It is essential to his nature. Likewise, that kindness becomes a part of our new nature, which comes to us through the Holy Spirit. Kindness becomes a part of our conduct because our character is rooted in God.

Kindness provides for other people’s needs. Kindness is more than a pat on the back while saying, “Have a nice day.” Kindness gets involved. It gets its hands dirty. It’s visible and active. It moves beyond the spiritual and the emotional to the physical and practical.

The watchword of today’s society is “Don’t get involved.” But at the heart of a kind person is involvement. They see the needs and seek to fill them. They are willing to risk in order to help others out. They know they can’t do everything, but they can do something.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+Thessalonians+5%3A15&version=NLT (1 Thessalonians 5:15) – See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-733/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 731 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-733/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 731 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Biblical Worldview Starting Point – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-731/ (Day 731) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue to explore new trails on how to gain wisdom through a Biblical Worldview this Wednesday. The first few weeks we will plot out what a Biblical Worldview is and why it is so important as a Christ follower to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical Worldview.

Once we lay the foundation we will then look at current issues that impact our world and society and explore them through the lens of a Biblical Worldview, instead of our society, culture, modern media, or social media. I do not desire to tell you what to think, but teach you how to think so that you may be able to filter current issues and events through your Biblical Worldview. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this trek originally airs, I will be heading back to Arizona for a week as we continue ramping up Phase II of our Mesa Townhome project. The scope and magnitude of the project are formidable with a lot of details which we need to focus on to keep the project on schedule.

When Hazel returned to Children’s Hospital last week, her blood counts had dropped again, so they delayed her next round of chemo treatments until this week. She will be tested locally to ensure her counts are high enough before heading back. It is our prayer that she is able to continue with these treatments on a timely basis, so it does not extend her overall regimen any longer than required.

Last week on our Wisdom Wednesday we explored how to shape a Biblical Worldview, and today we will extend that subject and focus on what the starting point is when shaping a Biblical Worldview. If you missed listening to the last two weeks, it would be good to go back to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-721/ (Day 721) and https://wisdom-trek.com/day-726/ (Day 726). So today we will explore…

A Biblical Worldview Starting Point

We ended last week with the foundation of a Biblical Worldview, which comes from the Apostles Creed and says, “We believe in God, creator of heaven and earth.” A worldview must offer a way to live that is consistent with reality by offering a comprehensive understanding of all areas of life and thought, every aspect of creation.

As we said earlier, the starting point for a Biblical worldview brings us into the presence of God without delay. The central affirmation of Scripture is not only that there is a God but that God has acted and spoken in history. God is Lord and King over this world, ruling all things for his own glory, displaying his perfections in all that he does so that humans and other heavenly beings may worship and adore him.

God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The concept of the Trinity was not fully understood until Christ was bodily present on earth. Even today for some it is difficult to grasp the concept of one God manifested in three aspects.

To think wrongly about God is idolatry. Thinking rightly about God is eternal life, which https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A3&version=NLT (John 17:3) explains, “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” Thinking rightly about God should be the believer’s life objective. We can think rightly about God because he is knowable, at least to the extent we can comprehend through His Spirit that resides within us....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 730 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Which Tent Do You Live In? – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-730/ (Day 730) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from John Maxwell, and it is, “All persons live in one of two tents, content or discontent. In which do you live?”

Which Tent Do You Live In?

The contented person looks beyond circumstances and sees a better day; the discontented person looks at the circumstances and sees no other way.

The contented person understands the purpose for which he was born; the discontented person looks at others’ success with a face filled with scorn.

The contented person has surrendered to a purpose that demands his best; the discontented person has selfishly hoarded much and, grasping for more, will not rest.

The contented person has placed his values on things that will forever last; the discontented person has placed his values on things that will soon be past.

The contented person is anchored to clear goals and is hardly every swayed; the discontented person has no goals to anchor him and is usually dismayed.

The contented person counts his blessings and names them one by one; the discontented person counts others’ blessings and thinks that he will have no fun.

As the Apostle Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A7-8&version=NLT (1 Timothy 6:7-8,) “After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”

All persons live in one of two tents – content or discontent. In which tent do you live?

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-731/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 729 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-731/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 729 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What’s Your Problem? – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-729/ (Day 729) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.

You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed.

This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Have you ever met anyone who does not have problems in their life? No, I haven’t either. Now I have met some that seemed to have so many problems that “if it weren’t for bad luck, they’d have no luck at all.” They seem to go from one drama to the next, but no one has to live that way. So let me ask you…

What’s Your Problem?

Problems are many things to many people, but let’s look at it through the eyes of those people that successfully handle problems on a consistent basis. Problems are predictors. They forecast the future by exposing areas of potential weakness.

How you react to difficulties when they begin to surface will determine where you and the problems will be tomorrow. No trial will leave you as the same person that you are today. The decisions we make today concerning the problems that face us will shape our future. This requires that we are in a continual mindshift mode to most effectively handle these problems.

Remember, the circumstances in which we find ourselves today are a direct reflection of the decisions that we made yesterday. The decisions that we make are a direct reflection of what we allow to enter into our mind.

· Problems Are Reminders They remind us that we need God’s help to handle the upheavals of life. The Apostle Paul realized if he had the thought “I can do everything” that it would be an arrogant and improper mindset which would have caused problems. Instead, he knew the truth as he wrote to in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A13&version=NLT (Philippians 4:13), “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Paul knew the secret of success was much more than self-confidence, but Christ-confidence. His achievements could only come through Christ, and he succeeded because in every problem he remembered the truth.

· Problems Are Obstacles Problems frustrate us while we attempt to reach specific objectives or goals. For instance, a baby or toddler handles most obstacles by crying or whining. Some adults never outgrow that phase as they will pout, quit, blame someone else, or just ignore the entire situation. Others will come up with solutions on how to eliminate the problem, or at least work around them in order to keep moving forward. Regardless of our reaction to a problem for a time, it is an obstacle on our trek of life.

· Problems Are Blessings Problems will refine us until the dross of our frailty burns off and we become stronger on our trek through life. A smooth trail never makes a skillful hiker. Problems help to keep us alert and sharp. Otherwise, we will become complacent and unmotivated. A few problems and tensions can be good for us, as long as we address them and work through them

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 728 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Trials and Tribulations – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-728/ (Day 728) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

Last week we started on a new trek called“Ask Gramps.” This is a time where Gramps will answer questions that you would possibly like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old you are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in all areas.

We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, send me a message at the bottom of any page on wisdom-trek.com, or text me at 740.350.5732. I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast. I hope that this will become a highly interactive and informative time.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We all face hardships at times, and our life’s trek can be steep and winding with many obstacles along the path. So here is our question for today:

“Hey Gramps, why does God allow us to go through trials and tribulations?”

Trials and Tribulations

This is one question that has certainly gone through my mind several times during this year. One of the most difficult parts of the Christian life is the fact that becoming a disciple of Christ does not make us immune to life’s trials and tribulations. The question still comes to mind, though, “Why would a good and loving God allow us to go through such things as Hazel getting leukemia, or me breaking my femur bone in a freak accident, or a grown child losing the job which causes financial hardships, worry, and fear?” Surely, if God loved us, He would take all these things away from us. After all, doesn’t loving us mean He wants our lives to be easy and comfortable?

Well, no, it doesn’t. God’s ultimate purpose for His children is to mold them into being an image bearer for Him. An often misrepresentation of Romans 8:28 is that “all things work together for good.” To us “good” is often thought of as what we desire or what we think is best for us. A closer look at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=NLT (Romans 8:28) shows, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

So that must mean that the trials and tribulations God allows in our lives, He causes or shapes those circumstances that will allow us to mature as the bearers of His image.

As in all things, God’s ultimate purpose for us is to grow more and more like His Son, which continues in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A29-30&version=NLT (Romans 8:29-30), “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”

This is the goal of the Christian, and everything in life, including the trials and tribulations, is designed to enable us to reach that goal. It is part...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 727 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Today Is Like Ready Cash – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-727/ (Day 727) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from an unknown author, and it is, “Yesterday is like a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is like ready cash. Use it wisely, for today is the most precious possession you can have.”

Today Is Like Ready Cash

There is absolutely nothing that we can do about yesterday, other than applying the lessons that we have learned. No one is guaranteed that they will be alive tomorrow. We need to prepare, but not obsess over it.

Today is all that we have. We need to invest our time and resources today so that they will have the greatest impact on others and on our potential tomorrows. We must use the moments that we have today as wisely as possible to maximize their impact on the lives of others.

Too often we dwell on the past with either regret or in unrealistic yearning for the “good old days.” We yearn for the future as if it will be the cure-all for all of the problems that we face today. We should forget that which is behind and press forward to our tomorrows, but with the realistic expectation that we can only make an impact today.

Yes, we should plan and hope for the future, but we cannot dwell there when there is work to be done and an impact to be made today. Do what you know is right for today. As James the half-brother of Jesus tells us in his letter James 4:13-17, “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.’ What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise, you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-728/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-728/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 726 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom How to Shape a Biblical Worldview? – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-726/ (Day 726) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. We continue to explore new trails on how to gain wisdom this week.

Starting last week our focus is on how we can explore our trek of life through a Biblical Worldview. The first few weeks we will plot out what a Biblical Worldview is and why it is so important to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical Worldview as a Christ follower. Once we lay the foundation, we will then look at current issues that impact our world and society and explore them through the lens of a Biblical Worldview, instead of the lens of modern media or social media.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The cool fall weather and cold fall rains are upon us this week. The majority of the leaves are hanging on tight, though, so it looks like it will be late leaf harvest this year. With many mature walnut, maple, and oak trees on our over three acres of lawn, picking up all the leaves is similar to a small harvest. It is great to get out and enjoy fall in this manner.

After over a week in isolation, Hazel’s test of varicella virus (which is the vaccine given for chicken pox) came back negative, so as long as her blood count remains high, then she will start on her next round of chemo this week. It is our prayer that she is able to continue with these treatments, so it does not extend her overall regimen any longer than required.

Last week on our Wisdom Wednesday we explored what a Biblical Worldview is. If you missed listening to it, it would be good to go back to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-721/ (Day 721). Today we will explore…

How to Shape a Biblical Worldview?

A Chinese proverb says, “If you want to know what water is, don’t ask the fish.” Water is the sum and substance of the world in which the fish is immersed. The fish may not reflect on its own environment until suddenly it is thrust onto dry land, where it struggles for life. Then it realizes that water provided its sustenance.

· Everyone Has a Worldview As I mentioned last week, everyone has a worldview. We are immersed in our culture and environment, and because of this, we have failed to take the ramifications of a secular worldview seriously. I am sure it is the same for other countries, but in the United States, we also need to be careful that we do not accept the culture and societies worldview as a Biblical Worldview.

Every culture has its own coherent set of answers to the questions of why we are here and what is our purpose for life. Cultures and societies change over time, so a secular worldview is not constant. A Biblical worldview is based on the unchanging truths and precepts in God’s Word.

What is at stake is how we understand the world in which we live. An example is how a culture or society views the sanctity of human life. Over time a society or culture may vary its view on the unborn, the sick, the aged, or a certain ethnic subsector of society. If you have a secular worldview based on societal norms and values, then there may be a strong conflict between that and a Biblical worldview as a Christ follower. You cannot have both.

These issues are worldview issues. Christ followers should recognize there is a great spiritual battle raging for the hearts and minds of men and women around the world. We now find ourselves in a cosmic...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 725 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Courage Is the Foundation – Wisdom Unplugged

Hello, my friend, and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Guide to Wisdom and Creating a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-725/ (Day 725) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Keshavan Nair, and it is, “With courage, you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.”

Courage Is the Foundation

Courage is the very basis for a life well lived. Courage is the opposite of selfishness because you are willing to put what is right ahead of what you desire. Integrity is built on that foundation of courage because it provides you with the strength to always do what is right instead of what is convenient. Courage provides strength to love others, even if they are unlovable.

Courage provides the wisdom to be humble when you would be prone to swell up with pride. Courage allows you to risk the comfortable, for the uncomfortable. Courage requires faith that if we do what is right at all times that God will provide us with the strength needed when our strength begins to fail. As the Apostle Paul encouraged us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+16%3A13-14&version=NLT (Corinthians 16:13-14), “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-726/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 724 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Great Expectations – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-724/ (Day 724) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Last week was a busy work week and a bit difficult to balance between our focus on the needs of the family helping with our kids and grandkids and many work-related tasks.

Each morning I start with great expectations of how the day will go, which is good, but the day does not always go as planned. We need a mindshift throughout the day to adjust and adapt to a very fluid schedule. The expectations that you have for yourself will greatly influence overall performance and success. Since these expectations are so important, make sure that your expectations are…

Great Expectations

As we think about expectations, let me start with a story that will help to illustrate this. An elderly man and a young boy were fishing near each other by a lake. The older man noticed that the boy was having considerable success with his fishing, but observed a very unusual habit. Each time the boy caught a fish he would hold it up to his hand and measure it. If the fish were larger than his hand, he would throw it back into the water, and he only kept the smaller fish.

Finally, the older man’s curiosity motivated him to slip over to the younger boy and ask. “Son, why do you keep the small fish and throw the larger ones back into the lake?”

The boy replied, “I can’t keep the big ones, I only have a 10-inch frying pan!”

This brings to mind for me that a lot of people are shortchanging themselves because they are limited to a 10-inch frying pan. They think no bigger, see no bigger, and expect no bigger. Instead of expanding their horizons by enlarging their expectations, they reduce their potential by shrinking their hopes.

Too many people fail to realize that their expectation measures the height of their future possibilities. It is impossible to achieve success without expecting it and then acting on the expectations. Think of your expectations as seeds that you plant for future harvest. This reminds me of a verse from the Bible https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+9:6&version=NLT (2 Corinthians 9:6), “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.”

Many people are not harvesting abundantly in their lives because they have set their expectations so low. They have only planted a few seeds, so there is no possibility for a generous crop. Your expectations may have waned over time as life’s trek wears you down. Once you had dreams, but now you have doubts. Once the future looked bright with expectations, but now it looks bleak with reality. Sunny days ahead have been clouded by the bitter days behind. If this has happened to you, you need a mindshift in your expectations by adopting the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 723 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Pushing Through – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-723/ (Day 723) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.

Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Starting this week and for the foreseeable future we are going to initiate a new series called Ask Gramps. This is a time when Gramps will answer questions that you would possibly like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to.

No matter how old we are, all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in all areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical growth, and any others areas that come our way.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, send me a message at the bottom of any page on wisdom-trek.com, or text me at 740.350.5732, and I will answer them on our Friday podcast. I hope that this will become a highly interactive and informative time.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been a much cooler, and somewhat rainy week here in Marietta, and the leaves are starting to fall. I mulched, vacuumed, and hauled away six large loads of leaves last weekend. This weekend does not look real favorable as more rain is predicted, but we will invest our time when the opportunities present themselves.

One thing that I have learned over the years is that the leaves will remain on the ground until I am able to get them, so it is not something that will cause any stress. In fact, even as dusty and difficult as the task is at times, I do enjoy getting outside and getting to do some more physical work than most days allow me to. Sometimes it is difficult to push through each day with so many competing demands for our most limited resource, which is time. So here is our question for today…

“Hey, Gramps, how do you continue to push through each day even when you are tired and don’t feel like it?”

Pushing Through

I have to admit, some days are easier than others. While it is best not to compare ourselves with others, it does appear that I tend to be more disciplined than many people. So another question would be, is it my genetic make-up or habits that I have infused into my life over the years?

It goes back to the nature versus nurture scenario, and as with most questions like this, it is probably a mix of both. As I analyze this question, I have come to the conclusion that it largely boils down to WHY you practice certain habits.

Since I can only speak for myself, because I cannot really get into the mind of another person, I will answer for myself. I have found that I work best with at least some structure in my life, but not so rigid in that structure where I cannot adapt. I have practiced the habit of rising early throughout my adult life.

Currently, I get up at 4:45 am Monday through Friday. After getting dressed and taking care of bathroom functions, I start about 1.5 hours of exercising which currently includes pull-ups, leg lifts, push-ups, ab workout, stationary bike, weight machine, and treadmill. During this workout time is when I listen to Bible reading, other devotional emails, and podcast or audio books on my phone.

So what drives this, or WHY do I do this? For me, the sacrifice of getting up is offset by the physical, spiritual, intellectual, and...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 722 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Kind Word Is Never Thrown Away – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-722/ (Day 722) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Sir Arthur Helps, and it is, “Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away.”

A Kind Word Is Never Thrown Away Whenever truth and wise words are shared, there are many people that either choose to ignore them or are not receptive to those words. Wisdom-Trek’s purpose is to apply practical wisdom to everyday life as we intentionally focus on creating a living legacy each day. While wisdom is important, it must be shared and applied with kindness.

You may not see the immediate benefit to being kind to all people, especially those who are not kind to you. A kind word or deed will always germinate and sprout into something good, which will positively impact even those who are difficult.

Part of growing in wisdom is to practice kindness at all times and in every situation. Kindness always produces a reward, even if it is not immediately evident. As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A31-32&version=NLT (Ephesians 4:31-32), “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-723/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-723/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 721 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Is a Biblical Worldview? – Wisdom Wednesday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-721/ (Day 721) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Starting today and on every Wednesday, we are shifting focus to explore new trails on how to gain wisdom. We are starting a series that will help us to explore our trek of life through a Biblical Worldview.

The first few weeks we will plot out what a Biblical worldview is, and why it is so important as a Christ follower to interpret life through the lenses of a Biblical worldview. Once we lay the foundation, we will then look at current issues that impact our world and society and explore them through the lens of a Biblical worldview, instead of the lens of modern media or social media. You may not always agree with my view, and that is okay. I am open to any comments that you may have on the subjects that we explore.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. My time invested last week with our partners in Arizona was productive as we start with the construction of Phase II townhomes in Mesa. We do have a tight schedule, so it is imperative that we stay focused and are able to meet our deadlines. I have found that most of us are more productive and can accomplish much more when there is a deadline and schedule that we must adhere to.

On the home front, Hazel is back at Children’s Hospital in Columbus this week. She was scheduled for chemo treatments through an IV and Spinal Tap. Unfortunately, during their initial testing, they determined that she has contracted chicken pox, which happens to some leukemia patients since the chemo kills off the cells created from the vaccination for it. They will have to alter her treatment because of this. Your continued prayers for Hazel and her family are appreciated.

As a Christ follower, how does a Biblical worldview help us to interpret events that impact our lives? Whether it is an illness, such as what Hazel is going through, or current events around the world, the first item we need to establish is…

What Is a Biblical Worldview? The short answer is: looking at the world and all events past, present, and future from God’s viewpoint. Since we are certainly not God, what does this mean?

First, we have to understand that everybody has a worldview! From the remote tribes of the Amazon and villages in rural Africa to the staff members, officials, and elected officials at the White House, everybody has a philosophy of how they view the world.

Simply put, a worldview is simply the way that a human being regardless of ethnicity or background looks at life—the way we perceive things. This is also referred to as your paradigm or the filters by which you process life. You might say it is our “rose-colored” glasses by which we view the world.

Everyone has this lens that they look at the world through. And the way we look at the world makes all the difference in the world. It determines how we define reality, as well as how we relate to each other.

Everybody has a lens through which they interpret where life came from, why bad things happen, and what their purpose of existence is really all about. Anything from the very macro view of why are we here to minor everyday incidents, such as a flat tire.

In other words, everybody has a worldview.

If you are a Christ follower, as I am, then you should choose to have a Biblical worldview, which means that we view life through the lens of God’s Word. We believe the Bible is inspired of God, inerrant, and infallible in its original writing.

It is sad to say that few believers can put their hands on what they believe as their worldview because we really do not know what the Bible teaches. A new joint...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 720 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Fools Speak Because They Have to Say Something – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-720/ (Day 720) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Plato, and it is, “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”

One of the most beautiful sounds in the world is the sound of silence. It takes a wise and mature person to enjoy and be comfortable with silence, especially when you are with other people. All too often we destroy this peaceful bliss because we are uncomfortable with that silence.

We feel compelled to fill what we perceive is a void with conversation, even if it does not encourage or positively impact the lives of others. We engage in unproductive small talk, or meaningless chatter just so we don’t have to be alone with our thoughts.

We need to grow and mature to the point where we are comfortable with ourselves and with those who we invest time with, even if there is not a constant conversation. Certainly if what you desire to speak encourages and helps others to learn, grow, mature, and gain wisdom, then there is an appropriate time to speak, but you should keep it limited.

Don’t fall prey to the trap of spewing out verbiage just for the sake of filling the silence. Be wise and speak when you have something to say. Don’t be foolish by speaking because you just have to say something.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1:19&version=NLT (James 1:19) – Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play, so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-721/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 719 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Success Through Failure – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-719/ (Day 719) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. That is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you with practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this episode originally airs, I should be back from Arizona working with our partners on our townhome project. Everything is in place now, and we have begun Phase II. We have a tight deadline for this phase, so it is important that we streamline our processes to be successful.

We learned many lessons during Phase I. Lessons learned is a nice way of saying we had many failures. Cost overruns, labor overruns, and time overruns caused the potential profits from Phase I to evaporate. This forces us to have a mindshift in our approach, and as with most important lessons learned, we know that Phase II will be…

Success Through Failure

For most of us during this trek of life, we have had a variety of experiences that we would consider failures. The frustration, hurt, expended energy, disappointments, and loss of resources is a feeling that applies to most of us. Perhaps it’s the feeling of failure that causes many to begin to fear failure. Maybe that fear stems from the fact that we have a misconception that failure is final. Even with significant failure, if it did not result in loss of life, those failures can be used to build future success through these principles.

A failure is not a failure if it prods you to keep on trying. The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it. In fact, we are often on that line and don’t realize it. Many a person has thrown up their hands and quit when with a little more effort and patience they would have succeeded. Just as the tide goes clear out, so it comes back clear in. There is no failure except from within yourself. This is no insurmountable barrier until you give up on your pursuit.

Booker T. Washington said, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” Each person has a choice to live in one of two worlds: the crowded world of the defeated with those who quit or the roomy world of the successful with those who persist.

God does not desire for us to be defeated, but will allow hardships to grow us and mature us to handle the success. In most situations, it boils down to the laws of planning and harvesting as we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+9:6&version=NLT (2 Corinthians 9:6), “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.”

A failure is not a failure if we learn a lesson from that experience and use it for good. H. Lawrence said, “If only we could have two lives, the first in which we make the mistakes, and the second in which we profit from the lessons...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 718 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Facing Fears in the Valleys

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-718/ (Day 718) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless.

This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As I have often mentioned on the Wisdom-Trek podcast, we go through many different seasons in our lives. It is now autumn in the US, and the leaves are starting to change and fall. We will soon be covered in leaves here and invest many days with our large leaf vacuum picking them up between now and the end of the year.

I enjoy fall with its cooler, crisp days and the anticipation of building roaring fires in the library as we enjoy the cold winter nights. We could look at it differently and complain, but instead, we choose to embrace the inevitable and enjoy the changing season. Life is much the same way, we go through times of sunny bliss and times of bitter cold. Times when we are on the mountaintop, and times when we are in deep valleys that are cold and fearful. Let’s explore today the times when we are…

Facing Fears in the Valleys

Today, we are going to explore one of the most comforting and definitely one of the most well-known psalms in the Bible – the 23rd Psalm. It was written by David, who presents us with the scenes of a shepherd’s life, which he was familiar with, since he wandered the hills and valleys of Israel as a young shepherd boy. In it, he describes God’s providential care in providing refreshment, guidance, protection, and abundance, and in so doing provides grounds for confidence in His everlasting kindness.

David is someone whom most of us can relate to very well. He knew what it was like to be a lowly peasant because he served as a shepherd for his father’s sheep. He knew what it was like to be on top of the social ladder because he became king of millions of Israelites. He knew what sin was all about, having committed murder and adultery. He was a brilliant fighter and an excellent musician as well. Maybe that’s why most of us know the story of David so well; we can relate to him in some way. He was a man with a vast amount of experience, but the best thing that can be said about him was said by God, Himself. He called David a “man after my own heart.” David wrote this psalm, but he wrote it by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at the first two verses.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

What a peaceful picture! David, the shepherd of the sheep, said that God was his shepherd. The word LORD in this verse refers to Yahweh, which stands for the ever constant God, the one who had consistently been there for the Israelites, mercifully saved them from slavery to the Egyptians, led them for forty years through the wilderness, and brought them to the Promised Land. Jesus identified Himself to be that shepherd. David knew that this LORD was his shepherd. He is also the shepherd of Israel, the shepherd of the whole church in general, and the shepherd of every individual believer. He...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 717 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wise Learn From Fools – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-717/ (Day 717) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Cato the Elder, and it is, “Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise.”

The Wise Learn From Fools There are many ways to gain wisdom. What comes to mind first is to associate with wise individuals and learn from materials that teach us about wisdom. While those are probably the best way for obtaining wisdom, there is also another way that we may not think of. That is to observe those individuals who are not wise and practice foolish habits on a regular basis.

By observing those individuals and learning how not to act or live from them then, we can gain wisdom to avoid those same habits. We need to always be learning and always be gaining wisdom. We can do this by observing and learning from everyone that we meet. Some will teach us much good, others will teach us by knowing what to avoid. These three verses in Proverbs supports this thought.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10:8&version=NLT (Proverbs 10:8) – The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12:15&version=NLT (Proverbs 12:15) – Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+13:20&version=NLT (Proverbs 13:20) – Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-718/ (tomorrow) for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-718/ (Fear Less Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 716 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Lady Wisdom from A to Z – Proverbs 31

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-716/ (Day 716) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore the final chapter, Proverbs 31 from The Voice Translation, which gives us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we complete this 31 week series in Proverbs, I would like to reemphasize that all the precepts found in God’s Word have the law of planting and harvesting built into them. If you plant good seeds in life, you will reap a bountiful harvest of good. The opposite is also true.

Over the course of our lives, we will harvest what we plant. The entire book of Proverbs provides us with rich wisdom, insight, and understanding on a myriad of life issues. Regardless of where you are in your faith walk, if you follow the precepts in Proverbs, your life will be rich and satisfying. I encourage you to take them and plant the seeds of wisdom in your heart so that you will reap a harvest of wisdom throughout your life. Today we will explore Proverbs 31 about a very wise lady as we see…

Lady Wisdom from A to Z

In Chapter 31 we hear from the second non-Israelite. Like Agur, Lemuel is a wise son, but unlike Agur, Lemuel is also a king. This is “an oracle” of Lemuel (verse 1).

We don’t know anything about Lemuel, such as where or when he was a king, but just as Chapter 30 opened with Agur’s short autobiography (30:1-9), Lemuel begins with his own as well (31:1-9). We learn that all his wisdom came from his mother, who warned him about women and wine and instilled in him the high value of advocating for the poor and needy.

Women are very important throughout Proverbs as we saw the very idea of wisdom personified as a woman (Chapters 1-9). This final poem continues this theme by creating a portrait of a particularly wise woman who shows true, deep understanding.

This 22-verse poem is designed as another Hebrew alphabet poem. Each line begins with a new letter and shows how this woman embodies wisdom from A to Z. She blesses her household and is praised by her family. Just as we met Lady Wisdom at the beginning of Proverbs, it is a fitting conclusion to see this portrait of a wise woman who blesses her household and earns the praise of her family. It is a compelling vision of a life devoted to the wisdom and blessing of the LORD.

How has your life been shaped by wisdom? What areas still need to be aligned with God’s wisdom?

This marks the end of our time in Proverbs. This whole book is an exploration on how to live well in God’s good world. Come back to this book again and again as you build a life on the foundation of God’s wisdom.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 31.

1 These are the words of King Lemuel. An oracle of wisdom handed down to him by his mother:

2 Mother: What shall I say to you, my son? What wisdom can I impart, child of my womb? What insight can I share, son of my vows? 3 Do not waste your strength on women or invest yourself in women who would destroy even kings. 4 Take care, my son, O Lemuel. Kings should not drink too much wine or rulers should not crave strong drink; 5 For if they do, they will become drunk and forget the decree they just made and alter the course of justice for all the poor and afflicted. 6 Rather, give liquor to one who is dying, and offer wine to those struggling with life’s harsh realities. 7 Let such a one drink and forget what he is missing; then perhaps he won’t remember his sorrows anymore. 8 Speak out on behalf of those who have no voice, and defend all those who have been

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 715 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wise Know When to be Silent – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-715/ (Day 715) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today.

So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget. Today’s quote is from an unknown source, and it is, “Wise men are not always silent, but they know when to be.”

The Wise Know When to be Silent

As Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Specifically, in the 2nd line of verse 7, “A time to be quiet and a time to speak.” For most of us, we have no problem speaking, and many times do so without much thought. We engage our mouths before we engage our brains.

I agree with this quote that those individuals who have sought after and been blessed with a measure of wisdom need to speak up when necessary. Equally important, though, a wise person knows when not to speak. Sometimes there is a fine balance between the two. Speaking enough to help, but knowing when to hold your tongue because what you speak brings no redeeming value.

We should encourage and strengthen others with our speech. If we find our speaking is negatively impacting others or is just empty words filling the silence, then we need to keep our mouth closed. As another quote says, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” Proverbs 17:28 teaches us something similar, “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” We are also told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+21:23&version=NLT (Proverbs 21:23), “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”

If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe through iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-716/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 714 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Persistence Fuels Success – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-714/ (Day 714) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this episode originally airs I will be back in Arizona working with our partners on our townhome project. Phase II should begin this week, and we are excited to move forward with it. With several other smaller projects that need to be finished up during this month, it remains a challenge to stay on top of everything and still keep a positive cash flow. It is so easy to become overwhelmed and weary, but it is very crucial that we remain persistent to bring it all together. It takes a continual mindshift to continue on, even on those days where we don’t really feel like it. We do so because we know and understand that over the long term…

Persistence Fuels Success We all need to understand that success does not usually go to the most skilled or qualified. Success usually results by those who are most persistence, even in the face of adversity.

Regardless of how you define success, a persistent effort is one of the most important ingredients for personal, or organizational success. Numerous studies back up the fact that the one indispensable ingredient common to everyone who is ultimately successful is persistence.

Even if these same individuals had numerous failures and setbacks, they were in a continual mode of mindshift to remain persistent in their effort. In fact, the stories of greatest successes are completed by people who overcome incredible obstacles and great discouragement. Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep trying. Indeed persistence fuels success.

So my question for today is, if persistence is so rewarding, why are there so many people who become discouraged and give up? We could go on for days with reasons, I am sure, but today let’s explore five reasons why people stop progress towards the summit on their trek of life.

People do not persist because they are uncertain of what they really desire. Here is an example…Say you decide to learn a foreign language, study music, begin a new career, or train yourself physically. Will your efforts succeed or meet with failure? It depends on how much effort you are willing to put behind your decision. It requires confidence that nothing can stop or overcome your decision. That nothing will distract you from success in your decision. If you are not committed and certain of your decision, you will find yourself wandering off the trail instead of overcoming the obstacles.
People sometimes quit because they don’t feel qualified. One of the most common barriers to success is to have the mindset that success requires some genius or some magic formula. Nothing is farther from the truth. While natural abilities may allow success to come easier to some people than others, that ability will get them nowhere on its own....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 713 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Be of Good Courage

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-713/ (Day 713) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This year has been a trying time for our family and many others. With our granddaughter Hazel’s leukemia, my broken femur in a fall from a ladder, employment issues, and death of close family members, it is a time when we have needed courage to get through.

With recent hurricanes, fires, and shootings impacting our country, many thousands of people need courage to carry on with their trek of life. With these thoughts in mind, today on our trek we will explore how we need to…

Be of Good Courage

We will start out with a couple humorous stories, where fear was not as significant as what many have faced this year. I read a story about the man who bragged about how brave he was because he had cut off the tail of a ferocious man-eating lion with his pocket knife. When asked why he hadn’t cut off the lion’s head, the man replied, “Someone else had already done that.”

There is another story of the little boy having trouble sleeping during a storm. You know what this is like; most of us have been there. After his Mother tucked him in bed, and as she was about to turn off the light, he asked with a tremor in his voice, “Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?” The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t, Dear,” she said, “I have to sleep with Daddy.” A long silence was broken at last by a shaken little voice saying, “The big sissy.”

“Do not fear” or “Fear not” is a common phrase found throughout the Bible. In fact, we are warned about being fearful over 360 times from Genesis to Revelation! Therefore, I believe it must be important!

Our Scripture reference is from the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy was written by Moses 1400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the fifth of five books penned by Moses, the first five books are known as the Pentateuch (Penta – five; Teuch – book, or vessel).

It is a wonderful book written over the span of only a month. It is a compilation of speeches from Moses who lived to be 120 years old. At the end of his life, God appointed Joshua as his successor and our specific Scriptures are words of encouragement from Moses to the Nation of Israel and words of encouragement from Moses to Joshua.

Let’s read https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+31%3A+6-8&version=NLT (Deuteronomy 31: 6-8).

“‘So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.’ Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, ‘Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 712 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Starts with Humility – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-712/ (Day 712) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from an unknown author, and it is, “Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don’t have all the right answers, and the courage to learn to ask the right questions.”

Wisdom Starts With Humility A person who thinks that he knows it all, or thinks he has a great grasp of wisdom, is actually a fool. It takes real humility to know and understand, that no matter how much knowledge and wisdom that you possess, it is just like a drop in the ocean of how much more there is to learn and how much wisdom there is yet to gain.

It is impossible to gain vast amounts of knowledge in a short period of time, and it is also impossible to gain true wisdom quickly. It takes years of humiliating experiences, study, failures, and lessons learned to gain any significant amount of wisdom. Even then it is just a small percentage of the wisdom yet to be gained.

I have studied wisdom and more specifically the book of Proverbs continually for my entire adult life, and yet at the age of 61, I still feel that I have barely scratched the surface of the wisdom yet to be gained. It truly does take studying continually, asking the right questions to those that are wise, and being in a continual mode of learning with a humble spirit. Maybe by the time I am 125, I may feel a bit wiser, but I suspect, even then there will be much wisdom yet to obtain.As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1:5&version=NLT (Proverbs 1:5), “Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance,” and https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9:9&version=NLT (Proverbs 9:9), “Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.”That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-713/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 711 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Riddles of the Wise – Proverbs 30

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-711/ (Day 711) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 30 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I tend to relate to practical everyday advice and wisdom and strive to share that same practical wisdom with each listener of Wisdom-Trek. The practical advice and wisdom in today’s passage is that same type of wisdom. Wisdom can be shared in many different ways and in Proverbs 30 we read the…

Riddles of the Wise

Chapters 30 and 31 are the final parts of this ancient book of biblical wisdom. Interestingly, each chapter contains poems attributed to non-Israelite authors named Agur and Lemuel. Agur is a commoner, while Lemuel is a king. According to the superscriptions, both are referred to as sons — a fitting conclusion to a book devoted to sons acquiring wisdom.

In Chapter 30 we hear from the first wise son, Agur. There’s a mini-autobiography in verses 1-9, followed by a collection of fascinating riddles (verses 10-33). Most of these riddles explore things in life that you should avoid: slander, cursing, hate, deception, mockery, adultery, pride, and evil. As bad as these things sound, Agur’s sayings reveal that those who do such things often consider themselves innocent.

Some of these riddles are not about virtue or morality, but are simply observations about nature or relationships. Their structure consists of three observations. The first two are observations about how the world works. The third shows how the first two relate to how wisdom works.

“For as churning cream produces butter” (observation 1), and “as twisting the nose produces blood” (observation 2), “so stirring up anger produces strife” (observation 3).

The riddles, along with the autobiography, are asking us to consider the outcomes of our choices and actions. What do you need to pay most attention to as you go into your day?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 30.

1 These are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. An oracle of wisdom.

He says, “I am weary, God. I am weary and spent, O God.”[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+30&version=VOICE#fen-VOICE-16653a (a)] 2 Certainly I am a stupid man, as dumb as an ox. I don’t understand the way that most people do. 3 I have never learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge at all of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended into the heavens and then come back down? Who has collected the winds in the palm of His hand? Who has wrapped up the vast oceans in His coat? Who has plotted the ends of the earth and then fashioned them? What is His name? What is His son’s name? Do you know? Indeed, you do.

5 Every word of God will be put to the test and proven true; He is a defense for those who trust in Him. 6 Take care. Add nothing to what He has said; for if you do, He will correct you and expose you as a liar.

7 Two things I ask, O God. Sometime before I die, grant these humble requests: 8 Eliminate any hint of worthless and deceitful words from my lips. Do not make me poor or rich, but give me each day what I need; 9 For if I have too much, I might forget You are the One who provides, saying, “Who is the Eternal One?” Or if I do not have enough, I might become hungry and turn to stealing and thus dishonor the good name of my God.

10 Never run down a servant to his master because the slave might curse you and you would suffer as a result.

11 There is a kind of person who curses his father and pronounces no...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 710 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Is Health to the Soul – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-710/ (Day 710) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

Wisdom Is Health to the Soul Today’s quote is from César Vichard de Saint-Réal, and it is, “Wisdom is to the soul what health is to the body.”Although we do not always practice it, it is vitally important that we keep our bodies in good physical shape by eating properly, exercising regularly, and getting an adequate amount of sleep. If we practice these habits, it will prolong our lives, and our quality of life will be better physically, emotionally, and mentally.

We often neglect the spiritual aspect of our lives, which is our soul. This is who we truly are at our core. Just like a healthy body is required for a quality life, so our soul is strengthened by daily infusing it with wisdom, insight, and understanding. When we invest into our soul the daily input of wisdom, we are strengthened in all other areas of life.

Too often we neglect that which is most important to our long-term spiritual and physical health, but it is to our own detriment. We need to establish healthy habits for our body and our soul. God’s Word is an excellent source of wisdom for your soul. Of course, Proverbs is referred to as the book of Wisdom, but wisdom is found throughout the entirety of God’s Word. As https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+19:7&version=NLT (Psalm 19:7) says, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.”That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-711/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 709 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Opportunity Comes More Than Once – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-709/ (Day 709) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.

You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Each day we have opportunities that are presented to us, and we make choices to capitalize on those opportunities or not too. In much of the motivational rhetoric that we hear today, it would seem that opportunity only knocks once, and if we miss it, then we will never have that opportunity again.

In most situations in life, this is just not true. We need to realize that our lives are made up of different seasons, and we may have to pass up opportunities in life that are just not suited for the season of life that we are currently in. While I don’t promote procrastination or putting off something that we should do now, if an opportunity is not quite right for now, or if you are not prepared for it now, then the same, or maybe even a better opportunity will come your way in another season of life. We need to have a mindshift and be prepared when the time is right.

Let’s look at it this way. I am now 61, and in the past, that would be considered nearing retirement and winding down my activities. With today’s medical breakthroughs and staying in good physical, mental, and spiritual shape, I could easily live another 60 plus years. That being said, I look forward with anticipation to the opportunities that will come my way because of my experience, wisdom, time availability, and financial situation, which I was unable to capitalize on in the past. Instead of being of the mindset that we will lose opportunities if we don’t take them now, it is time for a mindshift to realize that…

Opportunity Comes More Than Once In the days before modern harbors, a ship would sometimes have to wait until flood tide before it could make it into port. The Latin for this was “ob porter,” which signifies a ship standing over against the port waiting for the moment when it can ride the turn of the tide into the harbor.

The English word “opportunity” is derived from this original meaning. The captain and the crew were ready and waiting for that one moment, for they realized that if they missed it, they would have to wait for another tide to come in. We cannot lose sight in this situation that there would always be another tide, maybe at a more convenient or proper time.

All is not lost if we allow an opportunity to pass us by without seizing it. It may not be the proper time, or you may not have the proper resources, or you may not prepared in some other way to capitalize on the opportunity today. Opportunities, like tides, will come again and give you another chance, when the time is more appropriate. Below are four scenarios where opportunity comes more than once.

Opportunity comes more than once if we are patient. Just as the tide comes and goes, so do opportunities. Often after we miss an opportunity, it is time...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 708 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Power to Overcome Fear – 2

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-708/ (Day 708) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we continue our lesson from last week, we pick up the story of Naaman from 2 Kings 5:1-17 where Elisha had told Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be cured of his leprosy. If you missed last Friday’s lesson, it can be found at https://wisdom-trek.com/day-703/ (wisdom-trek.com/day-703). Overcoming fear does not have to be some grand feat, but the small miracle of trusting God and His Word. Today on our trek, we will continue to explore how we need to be in a continual Mindshift mode, so we can have…

The Power to Overcome Fear (Part 2)

When General Naaman approached Elisha for the cure, Elisha didn’t even bother to come out and meet with him. Instead, he sent a servant out with orders from God. This infuriated Naaman.

He was the commander of the entire Syrian army, which comprised thousands of soldiers. He was certainly used to being shown a high level of respect. His money, power, and position had given him a great amount of prestige. The fact that Elisha did not even come to the door to greet Naaman was an insult.

Naaman’s pride got in the way of his cure. He wanted to be cured, but on his terms and not in obedience to God’s Word. He almost turned his back on God, but his officers talked him into at least trying to do what Elisha had said. He had already traveled a far distance, and they told him he had nothing to lose. This caused Naaman to have a change of heart, however reluctantly. God used Naaman’s obedience to show the world that there is power in God’s Word, even if it does not always fit societal norms.

We need to realize that in the times of deepest fears God can use these opportunities to strengthen our faith. Naaman had money, power, and prestige, but none of these could overcome his fear of leprosy. The immediate cure Naaman gained through obedience was even more miraculous because it could not be bought for any price. Using his weakness and fear, God was teaching Naaman that relief only came through obedience. Our fears can also be used to stretch and strengthen our faith when we overcome it through obedience.

Naaman found the thought of washing in a dirty river embarrassing. Just as this command was unique to Naaman, God’s call on our lives is personal. Fearing what people think of us is the opposite of fearing God. Whose approval do we fear losing? Our friends? Our family? Our leaders? Or is it God?

Oswald Chambers said, “The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear and respect God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you don’t fear and respect God, you fear everything else.”

Pride is the first enemy we have to battle when faced with our fear. Anger usually soon follows. Naaman was prideful and then angry with Elisha because it hurt his pride. Because he felt that Elisha was telling him to do something unreasonable, he was even angrier. Naaman was...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 707 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Listening or Talking – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-707/ (Day 707) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Doug Larson, and it is, “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.”

Listening or Talking Very little or no wisdom can be gained when we are talking. Wisdom is the reward when we restrict the urge to share our knowledge and wisdom with others, and instead actively listen to others as they are speaking. Not everyone who speaks will have wisdom and knowledgeable words, but as we listen throughout our lives, we will gain and glean bits of wisdom from conversations that, when connected together, will enrich our lives.

It is this slow accumulation of wisdom that will become integrated into the very fabric of our lives that will be the foundation of who we are. It is so difficult to intently listen in order to learn instead of listening to respond. The less we speak, the wiser we will become. Listening can also be through studying books of wisdom as Proverbs 1:5 tells us, “Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance.”

Wisdom truly is the reward for a life invested listening more than speaking. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12:15&version=NLT (Proverbs 12:15) says, “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.”

In fact, too much speaking is actually detrimental to our lives as we learn from, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10:19&version=NLT (Proverbs 10:19), “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.”

This is finalized with https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+6:11&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 6:11), “The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-708/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow forhttps://wisdom-trek.com/day-708/ ( FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 706 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Self-Controlled Wisdom – Proverbs 29

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-706/ (Day 706) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 29 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am blessed to have a close relationship with our grown children, and we have many opportunities to discuss issues, challenges, and struggles that we are all facing in life. I am privileged to be a mentor and provide them with counsel.

Recently I was discussing with one of our sons who works from home as a sales rep providing industrial coatings for commercial businesses about the difficulty of self-discipline and focus in work. It takes real self-control, consistency, and persistence to be successful. To successfully gain wisdom also requires long-term self-control as we will explore today from Proverbs 29 about…

Self-Controlled Wisdom

This is the last installment of wise sayings assembled by the men of Hezekiah. This chapter begins with a lesson on teachability— one of the greatest values of the wise. The wise must be able to listen and receive correction (see verse 1). Look ahead at how the collection ends. We are told to fear the Lord above any other human because it is from Him that all justice truly comes (verses 25-26). Teachability and trusting God: these two values frame everything in this chapter.

Between these opening and closing proverbs is a strong emphasis on self-control. A wise leader must be able to lead themselves if they want to lead others. Leading those under our authority (particularly children) is not an option; it is a requirement to enjoy the sweet fruit of wisdom (verses 15 and 17). Consider these three virtues: teachability, restraint, and trust in God. What theme is the Lord asking you to pay more attention to?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 29.

1 The one who remains defiant after repeated reprimands will suddenly be shattered, and there will be no remedy for him. 2 When just leaders are in power, the citizens celebrate; but when evil people gain control, their joys become moans.

3 An adult who loves wisdom and follows its ways gives his parents joy, but one who hangs out with women of the street will lose everything.

4 A king brings stability to a land with his justice, but one who makes unjust demands brings it to ruin. 5 The one who flatters his friend is laying a trap that will catch his friend’s feet. 6 An evil person is sure to be trapped by his sin, but a man who lives right is free to sing and be glad. 7 The just get involved with the poor and know their issues, but the wicked cannot comprehend such concerns. 8 Mockers stir up a city and inflame passions, but the wise know how to put out the fire and ease tensions.

9 When the wise go to court against a fool, there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.

10 Bloodthirsty men despise those who are honest, but the just find a way to help them.

11 A fool does not think before he unleashes his temper, but a wise man holds back and remains quiet.

12 When it is known that a ruler listens to the words of liars, soon he will have only scoundrels for advisors. 13 A poor man and his oppressor have this in common: the Eternal created them and provides both with light and life. 14 The king who is fair in his treatment of the poor will see his dynasty continue forever.

15 Corporal punishment and correction produce wisdom, but a child left to follow his own willful way shames his mother. 16 When evil people are free to flourish, sin...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 705 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Is A Lifelong Pursuit – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-705/ (Day 705) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Albert Einstein, and it is, “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”

Wisdom Is A Lifelong Pursuit Learning and gaining knowledge is essential to function in this ever-changing, technology-driven world, but knowledge in and of itself does not result in wisdom. It is what we learn about life as we gain knowledge that results in true wisdom. This does not happen overnight nor within a matter of a few years. Wisdom is gained through a lifelong pursuit and acquisition of knowledge and applying that knowledge practically to our trek of life.

The knowledge that is gained is only a by-product of the lessons that are acquired through perseverance. Continual persistence is required to continually grow in wisdom, insight, and knowledge. We need to seek for wisdom as if our lives depend on it.

Indeed, if we truly desire to gain wisdom, then our lives do depend on it. We need to be ever learning and through that learning allow it to change the way we think so we are learning the lessons that also bring wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge are like a hand in a glove. Knowledge that is enveloped within wisdom allows a person to be truly wise in many areas of life.

The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, knew to ask God for the dynamic duo of wisdom and knowledge as we read in, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles+1:10&version=NLT (2 Chronicles 1:10), “Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”

Later in his life, Solomon wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+8:12&version=NLT (Proverbs 8:12), “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-706/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 704 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Setbacks Are Not Stop Signs – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-704/ (Day 704) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle: In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Life is like a rollercoaster; it has many ups and downs.

This past weekend we had the privilege to celebrate our granddaughter Hazel’s third birthday. We could not have imagined how drastically our lives would change during this past year. We did not know that Hazel would be diagnosed with Leukemia and her little body would be ravished by this unseen foe and the resultant treatments. We did not know that I would break my femur in a fall that would result in several months of rehab.

There are times when the unexpected erupts, and our lives change abruptly. It is interesting to observe how people cope with unexpected setbacks, especially when these events are so life-changing that it creates a radically different lifestyle. We have all had our share of setbacks and disappointments in life where our fondest hopes and dreams are completely uprooted. It is so important that during these times we are in a state of continual mindshift because…

Setbacks Are Not Stop Signs Each difficult experience that we face is hard to take, sometimes even hard to grasp within our finite minds. Regardless of how difficult life’s trek is at times, it is not the end of the world, nor even the end of the trail that we are currently navigating.

Setbacks are only delays and detours. When our plans, hopes, and dreams are delayed, we have to have a mindshift and understand that what cannot be enjoyed today, may possibly be enjoyed later. Yes, we may have to reshuffle, or even radically change plans. Don’t lose sight of the destination, just because you are forced onto a different path.

Setbacks should be instructional. We can learn from every setback or detour on our trails of life. Valuable and rich lessons freely flow our way when our plans are denied or postponed.

Setbacks are not stop signs. There are times when evaluation is necessary in our lives. Perhaps the promotion that you were anticipating did not materialize. This may allow you to take a new path for your career. We need to remember that the path to joy and success is an uphill path which may be very difficult to hike at times.

Setbacks are times for adjustment. Too many times we so easily slide into the ruts of life. We become life robots just going through the motions, but not really living a rich and satisfying life. Some of life’s most rewarding times come when you are forced out of the ruts of life because of a setup or upheaval. It is during these times that we are forced to adjust our plans and look at life from a fresh perspective.

Setbacks allow for refocusing. When setbacks occur, it is good to take some time to analyze the reason for it, if it was under your control. If it was not under your control, it is a time to step back and incorporate

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 703 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Power To Overcome Fear

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-703/ (Day 703) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week has been extremely busy with extra projects for each of our clients. Knowing how to balance demands, or perceived demands, in every area of life can become challenging. So many times we get caught in the tyranny of the urgent where everything appears to be a priority. When this happens, it can cause inaction, paralysis, and fear. Today on our trek we will continue to explore how we need to be in a continual mindshift mode so we can have…

The Power To Overcome Fear (Part 1) I strive to be a rational and logical person in my interactions and circumstances of life. The problem, though, is that fear is neither rational nor logical, so how do we overcome it? I have found over the years of my life that sometimes overcoming fear requires doing what seems to be impractical and illogical, which is difficult for me.

Overcoming fear and living a life of obedience to God and the precepts that are found in His Word go hand in hand. How committed are you to living a life according to His precepts? From my study of the Bible, it appears that partial obedience is not acceptable. To gain complete victory over our fear, we have to be in complete obedience to God.

There is a very interesting story found in 2 Kings 5:1-17 which tells of a man named Naaman who was the commander of the army for the king of Syria. Naaman had the terrible disease called leprosy which causes your skin to flake off and become rotten. It is similar to what we think about cancer today – a dreaded, fearful disease to have that was also contagious. Let me read the story to you so that you will see clearly the circumstances:

1 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+5%3A1-17&version=NLT#fen-NLT-9625a (a)]

2 At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3 One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.”

4 So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5 “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+5%3A1-17&version=NLT#fen-NLT-9629b (b)] and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 702 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Tempered Knowledge – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-702/ (Day 702) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Peter Ritchie Calder, and it is, “Wisdom is knowledge tempered with judgment.”

Tempered Knowledge It is great to have knowledge, vast amounts of knowledge. But knowledge in and of itself has minimal value unless it comes coupled with a good dose of judgment. Knowledge with good judgment is what we refer to as common sense. It is evident as we observe life that common sense is not all that common. It is that valuable and rare trait in a person who is able to expound on truths and facts in such a way that they don’t come off as arrogant. It requires judgment to speak only when it adds value to a person or circumstance. As knowledge and judgment are coupled together in a person, that person gains wisdom, insight, and understanding.

Since all truth comes from God, common sense is also His gift to us if we learn and understand His precepts found in His Word.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+2:7&version=NLT (Proverbs 2:7) – He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3:20-22&version=NLT (Proverbs 3:21-22) – My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-703/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-703/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 701 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Good Lion, Bad Lion – Proverbs 28

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-701/ (Day 701) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 28 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Last week I invested time in Arizona working on our construction projects. We made some headway, but still have a lot to do this week as we finalize our proposal and contract for Phase II. As with all work or any activities that we are involved in, there are good aspects and bad aspects, and we need to take the good with the bad. This reminds me of Proverbs 28 that we will explore today. There is a contrast between…

Good Lion, Bad Lion As we know, chapters 25-29 were arranged by King Hezekiah’s men some 250 years after the time of King Solomon. The first part (chapters 25-27) is for people who serve under leaders, but this second part (chapters 28-29) is aimed at people who are the leaders.

What’s more, the literary design of this section is fascinating! It contains 28 proverbs, with 14 in the first half and 14 in the second. Each half begins with a proverb about lions (verses 1 and 15). One of them is a good lion, the other is bad. One is bold and dignified, and the other one just huffs and puffs. The lion, of course, is a symbol of a leader. Which type will you be? One who uses their position of authority to protect others, or one who uses leadership for selfish advantage?

The wise and righteous leader, according to this chapter, will demonstrate a heart of compassion. Look at how many times the poor and oppressed are referenced in this chapter. The one who cares for the less privileged shows true dignity, but cursed is the one who hides his eyes from the poor (verse 27). You may not view yourself as a ruler or leader, but we all lead to some degree, even if it is just among friends and family. Let these proverbs challenge how you lead your life today.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 28.

1 The wicked run away even when no one is chasing them; the right-living, however, stand their ground as boldly as lions. 2 Where there is rebellion in a land, there are many petty and contending rulers; But where there is a wise and intelligent leader, peace and order endure.

3 A poor person who oppresses others who are poor is like a driving rain that destroys the crops and leaves no food.

4 Those who turn their backs on God’s teaching applaud the wicked, while those who observe His instruction oppose them at every turn.

5 Evil people are not able to understand justice, but those who pursue the Eternal understand it completely.

6 It is better to be a pauper walking in integrity than a dishonest man, even if he is rich.

7 Whoever follows God’s teaching is a wise child, but the one who spends time with gluttons and drunks disgraces his parents.

8 Anyone who increases his wealth by charging a high rate of interest is only collecting it for another who will deal more liberally with the poor.

9 The one who turns his ear from hearing God’s instruction will find that even his prayers are detestable to God.

10 Whoever tries to deceive a good person into taking the path of evil will fall into the pit he himself made, but the truly honest shall be the heirs of all that is good.

11 A rich man may be wise in his own sight, but a perceptive pauper will see right through him.

12 There is much glory when just men celebrate; but when the wicked gain power, people take cover.

13 Whoever tries to hide his sins will not succeed, but

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 700 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Integrity Will Light the Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week, wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-700/ (Day 700) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from M.H. McKee, and it is, “Wisdom is knowing what path to take next…Integrity is taking it.”

It is hard to believe that we have been on this trek together for 700 days now. Life continues to rush on, but all we need is consistent persistence to make an impact on our world. One day at a time, one trek at a time, one step at a time. If we continue, we will persevere. As we take each step, they will connect together to our daily trek. Each day connects to the next to make up our lives.

Each day is important, and although we may not see a lot of progress made each day, as they do connect together, we can look back to see that path that we have trekked. As we look forward with wisdom, we will know which path to take next. The key is to have integrity that is part of the very fabric of our lives. When we approach paths that may be difficult for us to take, our integrity will give us the strength to take the correct path each time. It truly is one thing to know which path to take next, and quite another to take that path.

Integrity grows when your life is built on the unchanging truth of God’s Word. As it says in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A105&version=NLT (Psalm 119:105), “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-701/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 699 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Your Decisions Determine Your Destiny – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-699/ (Day 699) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Every decision, large and small that you make on a daily basis impacts your life and the lives of those that you impact. You are 100% responsible for the decisions that you make. This is why it is so important to guard what we allow into our minds because it will affect our decision-making ability.

All of us will make decisions which, after the fact, appear to be poor decisions. You must make the best decision possible, based on the information that you have at that point in time. As you learn to make better decisions by continually making a mindshift based on previous outcomes, your decision-making ability will become wiser, and results will turn out better in the long run. This is why we must be in the state of continual mindshift because…

Your Decisions Determine Your Destiny

Let me relay a story from the Old Testament about decisions that impacted an entire generation of Israelites. The importance of making proper decisions in life is illustrated by the children of Israel right when they were to enter into the Promised Land that God had promised He would give to them. At a crucial time when they were to enter the land of Canaan at Kadesh, they came to the point that had to make a crucial decision, and they began to doubt. The consequences were severe. Moses sent 12 spies to find out what they were up against and asked them to bring back a report. This is found in Numbers [13:25]-33.

After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+13&version=NLT#fen-NLT-4081a (a)] and along the Jordan Valley.”

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 698 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Power to Act In Spite Of Fear

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-698/ (Day 698) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and learn how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise.

There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I will still be in Arizona when this trek is originally released wrapping up our week as we prepare for Phase II of our Mesa Townhome Project. Certainly, large projects such as this one bring with it a bit of concern, worry, and trepidation…which all boils down to fear. If we are not careful in situations like this, the fear can stifle us from making the progress that is needed for success. We need to learn to face fear and keep moving forward.

Today on our trek, we will continue to explore how we need to be in a continual mindshift mode so we can have…

The Power To Act In Spite Of Fear

What most of us don’t seem to realize or grasp is that God has given us a spirit to do what is right even when it is fearful and difficult. When it’s time to move forward, time to act on our convictions, time to utilize our God-given talents and abilities, the monster of fear can raise its ugly head attempting to stifle us once again. Fear screams in our face, or whispers in our mind, that something bad will happen if we move forward. Last Fearless Friday we explored how your comfort zone gets smaller when fear tells you that you can’t leave it or something bad will happen.

This sort of fear is called timidity. Timidity can paralyze you to the point of inaction. This is what happened to the Israelites when they faced the Philistine army led by the giant Goliath.

When faced with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, the Israelites hid behind rocks instead of accepting the giant’s challenge. They were timid in the face of the enemy. What if they tried and failed? What if the giant demolished them? The enemy was so huge – how could they even hope to win? For forty days Goliath continued to loudly proclaim his challenge. For forty days the Israelites trembled in fear, including King Saul.

The Israelites forgot who brought them out of Egypt and destroyed Pharaoh. The Israelites forgot all the many victories they had conquering The Promised Land. They forgot the promises that David later penned in Psalms 18:2,

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.

When David, the youngest of the family, and in everyone’s eye a runt of a kid, came out to the battlefield and heard the Philistine’s proposition, his mind was steadfast on what to do. David knew who was in control, and it wasn’t himself as he proclaimed in verse 25, “Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” David immediately understood that this Philistine wasn’t just defying the army of people, but God himself.

David’s faith instantly became a model for others. God presented a giant problem in Goliath that was too big for the Israelites to handle on their own. It was too big for their strongest and...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 697 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Through God’s Eyes – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-797/ (Day 697) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is, “Wisdom is being able to see the circumstances of life as God sees them.”

Wisdom Through God’s Eyes

Being finite, it is difficult to see life’s situations as the eternal God sees them. We are so shortsighted that we feel that any situation that is difficult for us is negative and bad. We see the situations that are easy and pleasant as positive and good.

As we look back at our life though, if we are wise, we will realize and understand that the difficult situations many times turn out for our good. They force us to rely on God for our strength. When times are good, we tend to rely on ourselves and feel that life is good because of something we have done.

Certainly, our daily choices impact our lives, but God is bigger than our circumstances and sees our lives from an infinite perspective. As we grow and mature, we should welcome both the easy and difficult times because it takes both to make us who we are today and who we are growing into. As King Solomon wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+7:14&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 7:14), “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-698/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-698/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 696 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom People Are More Important Than Things – Proverbs 27

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-696/ (Day 696) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 27 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am working on-site with our partners on our construction projects in Mesa, Arizona, and it is important that we invest this time together assisting each other to make the business and projects successful. Even more important is that we are providing a product that will benefit the funding group and ultimately the purchasers of the townhomes. As we explore Proverbs 27 today, it is very important that we invest in the lives of people because…

People Are More Important Than Things

Hezekiah’s scribes arranged this collection into two parts, each with a unique design and message. Part 1 is made up of verses 1-22. Every two verses in Part 1 are linked together by a common theme. Part 2 is a one-unit poem that spans from verses 23-27.

Part 1: verses 1-22 — The Hebrew alphabet is comprised of 22 letters, and many scholars believe this section is intentionally designed to be 22 verses long. Every two verses are paired (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, etc.) and highlight different interpersonal skills. In other words, this collection is the “ABC’s of Successful Relationships.” If you ignore this wisdom, your relationships will suffer. Follow its advice, and you will nurture lasting friendships.

Part 2: verses 23-27 — This section is one long, flowing poem about leadership and is rich in farming imagery. Its purpose is to develop character in a leader (see verse 24), and the point is that leading requires constant attention and personal care. One’s resources are continually shifting and opportunities changing. The only way to create stability is through careful attention to those you lead.

Together, Parts 1 and 2 send a clear message: People are more important than things. Invest your energy into people. Do the hard work it takes to cultivate healthy relationships. Who needs your time today? In what ways can you prioritize people over tasks? Ask the Lord for insight as you go into your day.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 27.

1 Don’t brag about what may happen tomorrow because you have no idea what it will bring. 2 Let someone else praise you; compliments are always sweeter from a stranger’s lips than from your own.

3 Heavy is rock and weighty is sand, but more burdensome than either is the anger of a fool. 4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a tidal wave of fury, but who of us can stand up against jealousy?

5 Open rebuke is better than hidden love. 6 Wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove he is faithful; the abundant kisses of an enemy show his lies.

7 The person who is full has no interest in honey; but to the starving, bitterness itself is sweet. 8 Like a bird that strays far from its nest, so is a person who forsakes his own home.

9 The heart is delighted by the fragrance of oil and sweet perfumes, and in just the same way, the soul is sweetened by the wise counsel of a friend. 10 Do not neglect your friend or your parent’s friend for that matter. When hard times come, you don’t have to travel far to get help from family; A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far away.

11 Study to be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, for then your life will be my answer to anyone who hurls insults. 12 The astute see evil coming and take shelter, but the stupid plow right on and then, of course, have to pay

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 695 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Old Age Causes Wrinkles Not Wisdom – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-695/ (Day 695) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Old Age Causes Wrinkles Not Wisdom

Today’s quote is from Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby), and it is, “Wisdom doesn’t automatically come with old age. Nothing does — except wrinkles. It’s true some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place.”

Although it should be a natural progression of an aging person, there are many old people, who are not wise. Even the wisest person to ever live, King Solomon realized that age does not equate to wisdom in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+4:13&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 4:13), “It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice.”

As Dear Abby wisely observes, old age does bring on wrinkles, and there is really no way to prevent them. But it certainly does not guarantee wisdom. Another astute observation is wine which improves with age, but only if it started out with grapes that are of superior quality. In the same manner, as a person ages, they will only become wise and have integrity if that is part of the very fabric of their life at their core during their youth.

If you desire to gain wisdom as you age, then you need to make sure that you live a life of integrity and that you are in continual pursuit of more and more wisdom. Not only should you become wiser with age, as a general principle the wiser you are, the longer you will live as is described in Proverbs [3:13]-18,

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-696/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 694 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Commitment Is The Key – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-694/ (Day 694) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.

You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this trek airs, I will be in Arizona working with our partners as we prepare for Phase II of the townhome project. It takes a significant commitment to make projects of this size successful. There is rarely a short term financial gain, so we must be committed long term, exerting blood, sweat, and tears in the process.

Many people today don’t seem to have the commitment to long term success as we have become all too comfortable with instant access and gratification. We need to have a mindshift where we come to the realization that…

Commitment Is the Key History is full of people who were advised to quit just short of a great accomplishment. Experts told Benjamin Franklin to leave alone all that foolish experimenting with lighting, that it was a waste of time. Fortunately, Franklin did not quit. He was committed.

Christopher Columbus had to face an impressive panel of experts, headed by Spain’s leading geographer and scholar, who examined his plans and presented their findings to the king and queen of Portugal. They wrote, “Columbus’s plan cannot be accomplished. Quite impossible.” Columbus did not quit. He was committed.

Orville and Wilbur Wright built bicycles but decided to invest time and energy on a contraption that hopefully would fly into the air. Finally, in 1908 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright brothers taxied their crackpot idea down a sandy runway and launched the human race into the air. The Wright brothers would not quit. They were committed.

Thomas Edison performed nearly 1,000 experiments before discovering the proper material for the filament in the light bulb. Edison would not quit. He was committed.

Interestingly, Edison urged his friend Henry Ford to abandon his work on the fledgling idea of a motor car. “It’s a worthless idea,” remarked Edison. Ford would not quit. He was committed.

Experts told Madame Curie to forget her experimentation with radium. It was a scientific dead end, she was told. She went onto invent the x-ray machine. She would not quit. She was committed.

Abraham Lincoln ran for state legislator and failed. He started multiple businesses that failed and invested 17 years paying off his debt. He ran for Congress and was defeated. He ran for US Senate and lost. He finally became President of the United States. Lincoln would not quit. He was committed.

To be committed requires a continual mindshift to keep on going. The key that unlocks the door to success is the key of commitment. Without that key, the doors will never open. No amount of genius, talent, finesse, or “right connections” will ever bring the fruit of success unless it is coupled with real commitment. Most quitters never achieve their God-given potential, not because of bad breaks...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 693 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Standing In the Face of Fear

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-693/ (Day 693) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless.

This does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today on our trek we will explore how to stand in the face of fear.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our granddaughter Hazel who is battling leukemia will have a delay in her treatments this week as her immune system count needs to rebound a bit more. Her appointment for the next round of chemo and steroids has been postponed for one week. She will have an additional blood test this week to verify where her immune system level stands.

We are praying that it rebounds sufficiently so they can proceed with her regimen. As we battle this cancer with her, if we are not careful and trust in God for effective healing, then the monsters of fear and doubt will subtly creep back into our minds and try to destroy us. Today on our trek we will continue to explore how we need to be in a continual mindshift mode so we can daily be…

Standing In the Face of Fear

Fear ignites in us the natural response to run, which is called the flight instinct. This is especially true when we cannot control the situation. When we have no opportunity for flight, as is the case in most fearful situations, then the fight instinct needs to kick in so that we can move forward to deal with the fear. We cannot always conquer fear, but we can fight to keep it controlled. God desires for us to fight and move forward, overcoming our fear. A clear example of this was when Pharaoh and his armies were chasing after the children of Israel after the exodus and when they were hemmed in by the Red Sea.

This story is found in in Exodus 14:10-15, “As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’

But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!'”

When faced with the fear of death from Pharaoh and the impossible task of crossing the Red Sea in front of them, the Israelites responded naturally. In the same way, we would, they wanted to run back to Egypt. They wished they had never left. Suddenly, the pains of slavery faded in their minds. Our minds have the uncanny ability to settle for known misery opposed to the unknown.

When we are faced with the trials of life that we must overcome in order to move forward, we feel and act

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 692 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Comes From Grace – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-692/ (Day 692) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Chuck Sink who said, “Wisdom comes not from age and experience so much as it comes from grace.”

Wisdom Comes From Grace

All that we are or ever hope to be is provided by God. It is because of God’s grace to us that we are able to obtain it. As Acts 17:28 puts it, “For in him we live and move and exist.” The dictionary definition of grace is, “The free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.”

When it comes to obtaining wisdom, while age and experience should help, it is not the basis for wisdom. God provides wisdom by His grace because it is unmerited, but in His Word he clearly teaches us how to add an ever increasing supply of wisdom. The entire chapter of Proverbs 2 lays out the instruction for wisdom. Verses 2-6 are the heart of those instructions:

So we see that God grants wisdom…but we are to seek for it. Also James the half-brother of Jesus told us in James 1:5-6, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

Here we also see that God provides wisdom, but we are to ask and believe. Wisdom, it is so valuable that each of us should seek it with all of our might, and then rely on God to provide it by His grace.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-693/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-693/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 691 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom How Not to Be a Fool – Proverbs 26

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-691/ (Day 691) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 26 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since I will be heading back to our construction project in Arizona next week, I will be recording some additional episodes ahead of time. This allows me to focus on the project when I am there. This time we are preparing the bid, budget, and schedule for Phase II of the townhome project that we are working on. It is important that we make a concentrated effort and not make any foolish mistakes that could impact the profitability of the project. This requires that we gain wisdom from the mistakes of the previous phase where we did have time and cost overruns.

Today in Proverbs 26 these lessons are appropriate as we will learn…

How Not to Be a Fool Chapter 26 contains character portraits of five sketchy individuals:

The Fool (verses 1-12)

The Sluggard (verses 13-16)

The Meddler (verses 17-19)

The Whisperer (verses 20-22)

The Hater (verses 23-28)

This chapter is full of comparisons (the words “like” or “just as” are all over), which usually equates these sketchy people with really bad things (“like a maniac shooting arrows of death,” sheesh!). Notice how many comparisons are drawn from the natural world (sparrows, horses, donkeys, lions, etc.). The overall point is clear: “Don’t be one of these people!”

Don’t be the Fool. He is thoughtless and stupid. He cannot be trusted, nor can he be relied upon. He is a liability to all who send him. Don’t be the Sluggard. He recognizes problems but does nothing about them. He begins jobs that he never knows how to finish. He thinks himself wise but he can’t get out of bed.

Don’t be the Meddler. He goes snooping around and finds nothing but trouble. He causes strife and then calls it a joke. Don’t be the Whisperer. He instigates trouble and keeps the animosity burning. He knows which buttons to push and thinks it’s delicious fun. Don’t be the Hater. He harbors a grudge yet comes off like a friend. He flatters and fawns, but his deception will be brought out into broad daylight.

As you read this chapter, invest time with each character prayerfully contemplating the prospects of each way of life.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 26…

1 Like snow in the summer and rain in the time of harvest, so honor is never fitting for a fool. 2 Like a bird that flits and flutters or a swallow in mid-flight, so a curse that lacks cause will never come to light. 3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey, and a rod is for the fool’s back.

4 Never answer a fool on his own foolish terms, or you will become like him; 5 Rather, answer a fool on his own foolish terms, or he will become wise in his own eyes.

6 Like someone who cuts off his feet or drinks to his ruin, so is the one who uses a fool to pass on his message. 7 As lame legs are useless, dangling on the crippled, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 8 Like one who ties a stone in his slingshot, so is one who honors a fool. 9 Like a thorn in the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 10 Like an archer who shoots at random and injures everyone, so is a person who hires a fool or someone off the street.[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+26&version=VOICE#fen-VOICE-16552a (a)] 11 Like a dog who goes back to his own...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 690 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Proper Respect for God – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-690/ (Day 690) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Unknown, and it is, “Wisdom comes from a proper respect for God and a humble walk before Him.”

Proper Respect For God The very foundation of wisdom in your life is the acknowledgment that God is the creator of all things and that we should follow His precepts that are found in His Word. As https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+111:10&version=NLT (Psalm 111:10) proclaims, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!”

Fear in this verse is the humble understanding that God is responsible for us as we are to our own children. That He loves us, cares for us, and will only allow what is in our own best interest if we follow the guidelines for a rich and satisfying life. He has given us His complete instruction manual for our lives in His Word. It is up to us to follow those instructions.

When we follow those instructions, we will come to realize that He sent His Son Jesus to be our sacrifice so that we could become His masterpiece as declared in Ephesians 2:9-10, “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

If you desire to grow in wisdom, insight and, understanding, then you must humbly allow God to be responsible for and direct your life. Your salvation and dependence will be on Him.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-691/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 689 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Is Success? – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-689/ (Day 689) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend was a beautiful fall weekend filled with many outdoor activities. The annual Sternwheel Festival in Marietta was this past weekend also. There are always many events going on with the highlight being a huge fireworks display on Saturday night.

It rivals anything that is put on by larger cities with the fireworks being set off from a barge on the Ohio river. The fireworks display over the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers with dozens of boats watching from the river and thousands of people on the shoreline. When we are in town, we do try to attend at least the fireworks. With the great weather, the Sternwheel Festival certainly was successful this year.

With our connected society of today, we hear a lot about success. So the question has to be asked…

What Is Success? Over many years I have collected inspirational and motivational quotes covering a variety of topics. Many of them do deal with success and what success really means. When they are all synthesized down, I have come to the conclusion that success is choosing to give of yourself to a life of legacy that is greater than yourself which will have a positive impact on your world. Seven key elements will make us a living legacy.

Knowing the truth and accepting it. Since success is a choice, it involves a decision. Success is knowing the truth and accepting it. Our lives are filled with the instant gratification of fast foods, cheap thrills, entitlements, victim mentalities, false hopes and foundations of sand. We live in a day of shortcuts, loopholes, and “one more for the road,” as we look for a way to escape reality. We are not truly successful, though, until we know what is right and then do it.
Finding a need and filling it. Many people can find a need, point to the problem, and size up the situation. Only a successful person goes that next step beyond finding the need. They endeavor to fill it.

The story of the Good Samaritan vividly illustrates the difference between finding a need and filling a need. Here is the story from Luke 10:30-37, “Jesus replied with a story: A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 688 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Fear Is a Cage

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-688/ (Day 688) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise.

There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today on our trek, we will explore how fear traps us in like a cage.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We are experiencing cooler fall like temperatures this week which causes us to realize that within a matter of a few weeks we will begin our leaf harvest once again. With many mature oak, maple, and walnut trees on our property, the volume of leaves that we collect is overwhelming at times. As we explore the topic of fear on our trek today if we are not careful, fear can also overwhelm us because…

Fear Is a Cage

Fear entraps us in the same manner that a physical cage or jail cell would entrap us forcing us to become fearful as we lose our freedom to make rational choices. It closes us in and keeps us from living in freedom. Some people become so overwhelmed with fear that they cannot even leave their house. In today’s western culture it seems that phobias of all types have become almost fashionable. We label our fears and hug them tight to us as if they are things we need to keep. In our confused mental state, we coddle fears and keep them happy, so they don’t destroy us. The last thing we want to do is to provoke or stir up those fears.

That powerlessness keeps us from accomplishing great things in our lives, either personally or to advance God’s kingdom. Over the next several FearLess Fridays treks, we will explore ways to increase our faith and walk in obedience, which are the keys that will set us free from our imprisonment of fear.

As a foundation to these treks, we must believe that God, through faith in Jesus can and will help us to overcome. Too often we have faith in our mind, but not in our actions. We are like the father in Mark 9:22-24 who had a son with an evil spirit and was in dialog with Jesus, “‘The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.'” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” “The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!'”

If He can? Our faith tends to stop there because we have lost our ability to trust. Either in our minds or verbally we cry out in our fears, “If He can, if He will, if He cares enough to even think about helping.” Jesus’s answer was, “Anything is possible if a person believes.” So the question becomes, do we believe, and if we believe, how do we act upon that belief?

Each believer develops their own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. They develop their own relationship with Him. He is not the friend of a friend, nor your father’s friend, nor your mother’s friend. He is your friend. In fact, God has made us heirs explained in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8:17&version=NLT (Romans 8:17),...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 687 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Conquers Fear – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-687/ (Day 687) of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Lactantius who said, “Where fear is present, wisdom cannot be.”

Wisdom Conquers Fear

If all true wisdom comes from God, then unfounded fear should not be present in a wise person. Acknowledging God is the foundation of wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 says, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” The fear referred to in this passage is respect and honor for God and His precepts.

Baseless fear has no standing in the presence of wisdom because as you grow in wisdom, you will come to understand that God is in control of all things. Therefore we have no reason or space in our lives for fear. Worry, anxiety, and fear grows in our lives when we lack the faith that God will work all circumstances and situations out for our good. God loves us and only desires what is best for us. As we gain wisdom, fear will evaporate from within us.

Romans 8:38-39 – And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-688/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-688/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 686 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom for Leadership Development – Proverbs 25

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-686/ (Day 686) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 25 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I have experienced continual healing on my broken femur over the past three weeks. I am now able to walk completely unassisted. I do still have a slight limp and am experiencing some pain but we are very pleased with how rapidly it is healing. Paula and I invested Labor Day morning outside weeding and replacing the impatiens that we planted in the spring with burnt orange mums for the fall months.

I am thankful that my leg is healed to the point where I can now work outside and return to many of my usual duties. Some tasks are still a bit difficult and takes wisdom to know when to limit myself while still pushing towards that limit to strengthen the fracture and muscles. Wisdom is important in all areas of life.

Today in Proverbs 25, we will learn…

Wisdom for Leadership Development

Chapter 25 marks the beginning of the fifth major section of the Proverbs. Let’s review what we’ve covered so far:

Section 1 (Chapters 1-9) consisted of speeches from a father to a son.

Section 2 (Chapters 10-[22:16]) contained 375 sayings of Solomon.

Section 3 (Chapters [22:17]-[24:22]) began the “Thirty Sayings of the Wise.”

Section 4 (Chapter [24:23]b-34) included more “Further Sayings of the Wise.”

Section 5 (Chapters 25-29) enfolds even more of Solomon’s proverbs.

We know from 1 Kings [4:32] that Solomon was a prolific sage who was responsible for thousands of proverbs, though other hands are responsible for organizing and editing this book. An interesting note is that Section 5 was actually collected some 250 years after Solomon by King Hezekiah (25:1).

This section of Proverbs is all about leadership development. Chapters 25-27 are directed to royal messengers while Chapters 28-29 are addressed to people in places of authority. Imagine life as a royal servant—you’d need to know proper etiquette, protocol, and how to conduct yourself. You’d also need to learn how to resolve conflict, diffuse a tense situation, or how to make a compelling case.

All that knowledge is right here! Chapter 25 is a manual of courteous conduct for important affairs. Whether you are an ambassador for a country or a spokesperson for a company, an agent for a client or a go-between for friends and family, there is something here for you. What might the Lord teach you today about how to conduct your important affairs?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 25.

1 These words, too, are proverbs of King Solomon, words which Hezekiah, king of Judah, later told his scribes to record for posterity:

2 God’s glory is shown when He conceals things; a king’s glory is shown in his ability to explore the facts of the matter. 3 As the heights of heaven and the depths of earth are beyond comprehension, so are the hearts of kings.

4 Take away the impurities from the silver, and a good smith can create something of value; 5 Take away the wicked from among the king’s advisors, and his reign will be established with integrity.

6 Do not claim to be important in the presence of the king or vie for a position within the company of great men. 7 Truly, it is far sweeter to have someone of influence say to you, “Come up here and join us,” than to be ordered to some lower rank in front of a noble. Just because you think you have seen something 8 doesn’t mean

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 685 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Kindness Shows Wisdom – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-685/ (Day 685) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Jean Jacques Rousseau, and it is, “What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?”

Kindness, it costs us nothing and should be so easy to incorporate into our everyday lives. Why are we not kind to everyone at all times? It stems back to the fact that we become selfish and feel that getting our way is more important. Just like love is a choice that we make each day, kindness is also a choice. We need to choose to be kind to everyone and in every situation, even if others are not kind to us. In fact, it is more important that we display kindness to those who choose not to be kind to us.

Kindness is an element of the fruit of the Spirit and is a sign of maturity and wisdom. If you desire to be wise and show the fruit of the Spirit in your life, then you must be kind to all people and in every situation. Kindness is not optional.

As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4:31-32&version=NLT (Ephesians 4:31-32), “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play, so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-686/ (Wisdom Wednesday!)

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 684 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom How to Live to Your Full Potential – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-684/ (Day 684) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series.

Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Paula and I had an enjoyable and productive previous two weeks. We invested 10 days in Arizona working with our partners on our construction projects and five days in Anaheim, California attending the annual Podcast Movement Conference. It was great to learn and visit with our friends within the podcast community. I had the opportunity to speak at the conference as one of 12 speakers in the PMx speaker competition.

All speakers were excellent, and while I did not win the competition, it was an honor to be able to participate. I spoke on The Art of Captivating Story Telling through Podcasting. While I have room for improvement in my public speaking, I do enjoy the opportunity. I choose to take advantage of those opportunities when they become available.

It is also our choosing to have the mindset to live up to our God-given potential. God desires us to soar to our greatest heights possible. When we choose otherwise, we minimize what God has planned for us. So on our trek today, we will explore…

How To Live To Your Full Potential

Very few, if any person lives up to his or her God-given potential. From the beginning of creation, this has been the fact. Adam failed to become all that his Creator, God, intended him to be. A perfect relationship between God and humanity became imperfect. A life of discovery and joy became a life of drudgery. Beauty was replaced by ashes. Serenity was washed away by sweat. Thorns and weeds displaced flowers and sin placed its ugly mark on humanity. Why? Because Adam and Eve failed to become all that God intended them to be.

The greatest waste of energy in our world is not that of electricity or fuel. The greatest energy waste shortage today is the unused potential within the lives of people. How about you? If each of us would raise our potential level by 25 percent, just think about how different our world would be for the better.

Let’s explore three waypoints on our trek today that will enable you to become more of the person God desires you to be.

Discover Your Potential I read a story about a young farm boy whose father raised chickens in the mountains of Colorado. One day this adventuresome boy climbed to a high place in the mountains and found an eagle’s nest. Discovering an unhatched egg, he brought it back with him to the farm and slipped it under a setting hen.

The hen didn’t know the difference and instinctively sat on her eggs until they hatched. So out came the eaglet with the chicks and they all lived together as a family of chickens. The young eaglet did not know the difference and assumed he looked like all the other chicks. For a while, he was content scratching the ground for worms and other food as he saw his mother do.

Just like...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 683 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear

This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-683/ (Day 683) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Currently, we are focusing on how to live with less fear.

Since Paula and I will be traveling for business the last half of August, I will be recording all these podcasts in advance, so we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks. Next week we will return to our regular format.

This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Ambrose Redmoon, and it is, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”

Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear

Courage in the face of fear is a choice that we make. Yes, all of us have fears in our life, and even if there is not a solid basis for our fears, they are real to us. The people who display courage also have very real fears, but have chosen to push through those fears because their desired outcome is more important than their fears. We can let fear chain us so that we are ineffective in life, or we can choose to break free from those chains of fear that bind us and move on. Even when the chains are broken, that does not eliminate the fears, but the fears no longer control our destiny. Choose courage in the face of fear.

Even Moses’s understudy after 40 years of training had to continually be reminded by God to have courage. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1:9&version=NLT (Joshua 1:9) says, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

That’s a wrap for today. Next https://wisdom-trek.com/day-688/ (FearLess Friday) we will return to our longer segments as we dig deep into the subject to “Fear Not.” I know you will find these insights interesting and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life.

Our next trek is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-684/ (Mindshift Monday) where we will help you live differently by thinking differently. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-684/ (Monday) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-684/ (Monday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 682 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom We Must Live As We Think – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-682/ (Day 682) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

Today’s quote is from Paul Bourget who said, “We must live as we think. Otherwise, we shall end up by thinking as we have lived.”

We Must Live As We Think There are two choices when it comes to directing how we live. We can proactively think forward to what we desire, or we can reactively live based on our thinking in the past.

A wise person will direct positive change in their lives by absorbing information that will project them positively forward. Realizing that if they can change how they think and what they think about, then they can truly change the destiny of their lives.

An unwise person will be stuck in the mud and mire of the past because they believe the lie that there is no way to change past thinking and circumstances, so they are forever doomed to live in the future in the same manner as they lived in the past. If you are forever chained to the past, then you will be continually repeating your past behaviors and outcome for life.

You choose your thinking. Choose to think forward, or live based on your past thinking. Success is a few simple disciplines, practiced every day while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. Although your future choices are impacted by your past choices, you do not need to remain there.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:28&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:28 )– The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-683/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-683/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 681 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Good Words, Bad Work – Proverbs 24

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-681/ (Day 681) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 24 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business the last half of August and I am recording all these podcasts in advance, we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks, except for our Wisdom Wednesday episodes. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Today in Proverbs 24 we will learn…

Good Words, Bad Work The first half of this chapter (1-22) contains the final twelve of the “Thirty Sayings of the Wise.” The “do not” theme from Chapter 23 continues here: don’t envy (1), don’t lie (15), and so on (see verses 17, 19, 21). Wisdom is often measured by self-control; desire is managed by discipline.

Again, the voice of the father is imploring us to take this seriously. Notice the wisdom of Proverbs is laced with parental care, nurture, and love? The next time the Lord tells you “Do Not,” please remember that it stems from a heart of Fatherly love.

At verse 23 a new, small collection begins called “The Wise Also Say” (verses 23-34). Here are the main ideas of this small collection:

Verses 23b-25, Just judgment

Verse 26, Good words

Verse 27, Good work

Verses 28-29, Bad words

Verses 30-34, Bad work

Verses 23b-25 prepare us to recognize good from bad in both words and work. If you think about it, words and work are the sum total of a person’s life, and they determine the quality of that life. If you were to measure your life with these sayings, how would you fare?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 24.

1 Do not envy evil people or seek their friendship; 2 For they are conniving and violent, and all they talk about is causing trouble.

3 Wisdom is required to build a house; understanding is necessary to make it secure. 4 Knowledge is needed to furnish all the rooms and fill them with beautiful treasures. 5 A wise man possesses great strength, and an intelligent man knows how to increase it; 6 For with wise guidance, you can wage a successful war, and with a council of many advisors, you will be victorious! 7 Fools can’t grab hold of wisdom; it’s out of their reach; they dare not open their mouths in public for no one would listen anyway.

8 Whoever schemes to carry out evil will be labeled a troublemaker. 9 Such foolish plans are sinful, and the mocker is deplored by all.

10 If you fall apart during a crisis, then you weren’t very strong to begin with. 11 Rescue everyone you can of those being taken away and killed, and hold on to those innocent souls staggering toward their own slaughter. 12 If you excuse yourself, saying, “Look, we didn’t know anything about this,” doesn’t God, who knows what you are really thinking, understand your motives? Isn’t your Protector aware of why you aren’t protecting the innocent? Will He not repay you in kind?

13 My son, eat honey—it’s good for you; the honey that drips from the comb is sweet in your mouth. 14 Know, too, that wisdom is good for your soul: if you find it, your reward will be a bright future and an enduring hope!

15 Do not lurk outside the home of the just like a common criminal; do not tear up the place where he rests. 16 For a good man may fall seven times and get back up again, but the wicked will stumble around and fall into misfortune.

17 Do not celebrate when your enemies fall, and do...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 680 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Change or Harden – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-680/ (Day 680) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Wolfgang Von Goethe, and it is, “We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.”

Change is hard, but change is also required. Each new day and every new experience change us in some manner. The question is, are you allowing these changes to expand your horizons, to help you grow and flourish? If not, then these changes are causing you to build an ever stronger wall around you which will eventually entrap you. Change will either grow us, or shrink us, but change will always impact us. Let us throw off the shackles that so easily bind us and hold us back so we can become all that we can be in our fulfillment of our God-given potential.

As we are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12:1&version=NLT (Hebrews 12:1), “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

f you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe through iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-681/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 679 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Change Your Circumstance – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-679/ (Day 679) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business the last half of August and I will be recording all the podcasts in advance, we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Change Your Circumstances Today’s quote is from Adlin Sinclair, and it is, “You are the embodiment of the information you choose to accept and act upon. To change your circumstances you need to change your thinking and subsequent actions.”

Your life today is comprised primarily of what you have allowed to enter into your mind and the subsequent choices and actions that you have made based on the information. If you desire your world to change then you must change what you allow to enter into your mind and then make choices that will align with that information. Based on those choices then you must take the appropriate actions that will allow your world to change accordingly. For the most part, your life is made up of your choices, not random chance. As the Apostle, Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6:16&version=NLT (Romans 6:16), “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”

With these thoughts in mind, we will conclude our trek for today, and as we do remember that what you put into your mind is what will come out in your thoughts and speech.

Next week we will return to our regular episodes of MindShift Monday. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-680/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe through iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-680/ (tomorrow)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 678 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Half 0f Our Fears Are Baseless

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-678/ (Day 678) of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. We are focusing on how to live with less fear. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business the last half of August, I will be recording all these podcasts in advance, so we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Today’s quote is from Christian Bovee, and it is, “There is great beauty in going through life without anxiety or fear. Half our fears are baseless; the other half discreditable.”

Half of Our Fears Are Baseless What fears do you have in your life? What are those fears based on? Are your fears just in your mind or something that has actually happened? What is the worst case scenario if your fears came true? I realize there are some situations in life that truly cause us to fear, and there are certain situations where there is a high likelihood of death or bodily harm that we should avoid. The fact is, though, that most fears that we deal with on a daily basis do not have any basis to them or can be discredited with sound logic and faith that God will protect us.

Even if our worst fears were to happen, nothing good is produced worrying about them ahead of time. We can imagine all sorts of negative things when we contemplate something we’re afraid of, but this doesn’t make those things real. With God’s power through His Word, you need to face your fears. The fears you don’t face control you. The fears you face, you move beyond.

God tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+31:8&version=NLT (Deuteronomy 31:8), “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Next https://wisdom-trek.com/day-883/ (FearLess Friday) we will look at another Wisdom Nugget about being fearless. I know you will find these insights interesting and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life. Our next trek is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-879/ (Mindshift Monday) where we will help you live differently by thinking differently. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-879/ (Monday) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-679/ (Monday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 677 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Path Are You On? – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-677/ (Day 677) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Adlai Stevenson who said, “We can chart the path to the future clearly and wisely only when we know the path that has led to the present.”

What Path Are You On? While we cannot and should not live in the past, nor long for “the good old days, “if we are to wisely plan for the future, we need to know what path brought us to where we are today. Our past is our teacher, and if we do not learn its lessons, especially the lessons of failure, then we are doomed to repeat them in the future. We should not only learn the lessons from our own path if we desire to be a truly wise person but also learn the lessons from those who journey with us on our trek of life. Yes, experience is the best teacher, but only if we remember the lessons and do not repeat them. The first time you fail or make a mistake it is learning. If you repeat the exact same mistake, it is a choice.

The Apostle Peter wrote to us in his 1st letter https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+1%3A13-14&version=NLT (1 Peter 1:13-14), “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-678/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-678/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 676 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Not To Do – Proverbs 23

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-676/ (Day 676) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 23 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business the last half of August, and I am recording all these podcasts in advance, we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks, except for our Wisdom Wednesday episodes. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Today in Proverbs 23 we will learn…

What Not To Do As we continue in the Thirty Sayings of the Wise, we find that many of them are short poems of varying length. Here in Chapter 23, we find the next 12 sayings.

The majority of these 12 sayings have to do with restraint. Notice the repetition of the words “do not,” “let not,” and “be not.” For any parent, these are very familiar words. Parents often tell their kids what not to do out of love for them, as they are actually trying to protect their child from the consequences of their actions. Any person who wants to live a healthy and productive life needs to know what not to do. After a while, these “do nots” become natural.

We also learn that the wise person avoids being easily flattered, trying to get rich, talking too much, meddling in the business of others, neglecting their children, envying selfish people, hanging out with lazy friends, disrespecting parents, and drinking too much.

Notice how many references there are in this chapter to the “heart” (verses 12, 15, 17, 19, 26, and 33) and the “eye” (verses 5, 26, 31, and 33). These are the gateways to a person’s inner life. These sayings are warnings to guard your thoughts and feelings. As you read through these sayings, ask the Lord how you can better discipline your desires.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 23.

1 When sitting down to eat with a ruler, take a moment to think about who you are with and what you are doing. 2 If you are the type who eats too much too fast, do whatever is necessary to curb your enthusiasm for food. 3 Also, do not eye the ruler’s delicacies, for the food may not be what it seems. 4 Do not overwork yourself just to become wealthy; have enough sense to know when to quit. 5 As soon as you become fixed on riches, they vanish. For suddenly they sprout wings and become like a soaring eagle flying high in the sky. 6 Do not sit down and eat the bread of a tight-fisted fellow or desire any of his delicacies, 7 For deep down he’s keeping track of the cost. He may say, “Eat up! Drink your fill!” but he does not mean a word of it. 8 You’ll be sick and lose what little you did eat, and you’ll waste your breath carrying on a pleasant conversation. 9 Do not waste your wisdom on a fool, for he doesn’t care for anything you have to say. 10 Do not shift the property line by moving the boundary markers your ancestors established or try to steal property from orphans 11 Because their Redeemer is strong, and He will plead their case against you. 12 Develop a disciplined life. Be attentive so you can be well informed. 13 Do not withhold discipline from children, since corporal punishment will not kill them. 14 In fact, it may be that kind of punishment that will save them from an early grave. 15 My son, if you live wisely, then my life will be fulfilled. 16 My very soul will jump for joy when you speak what is true and right. 17 Don’t be envious of those wrapped up in sin, but always maintain a healthy respect for...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 675 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Responsibility For Our Future – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-675/ (Day 675) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Responsibility For Our Future Today’s quote is from George Bernard Shaw, and it is, “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.”

It is so easy for us to dwell on the past, both the good and the bad, and romanticize it in our minds. Although we should learn from the past, we should never allow it to be an excuse for abdicating our responsibilities of today and tomorrow. Taking personal responsibility for every action and decision that we make each day is a sign that we are wise and continue to grow in wisdom.

As the wisest man who ever lived told him, King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 7:10, “Don’t long for ‘the good old days.’ This is not wise.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-675/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-676/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 674 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What You See Reflects Your Thinking– Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-674/ (Day 674) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business the last half of August and I will need to record all these podcasts in advance, we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks. After that, we will return to our regular format.

What You See Reflects Your Thinking Today’s quote is from Helen Schucman, and it is, “Seek not to change the world, but choose to change your mind about the world. What you see reflects your thinking. Your thinking but reflects your choice of what you want to see.”

We all desire to change other people and through this, change the world. While we can impact those around us, change is always an inside job. Before going on a bold quest to change others or the world, first reflect on why you think they need to be changed. It may just be possible that if you change your mind, how you view others and the world, then the world will change for you.

We must first seek to change our mindset and be in continual mindshift mode before we can ever hope to have a lasting positive impact on our world. It is possible once you have a proper mindshift that you will realize that your world does not require a change after all.

As Jesus taught us in Matthew 7:3-5, “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

With these thoughts in mind, we will conclude our trek for today, and as we do remember that what you put into your mind is what will come out in your thoughts and speech.

Next week we will continue with an abbreviated trek of https://wisdom-trek.com/day-679/ (Mindshift Monday). On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-675/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-675/ (tomorrow)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 673 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Be Fearless – Take Chances

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-673/ (Day 673) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are focusing on how to live with less fear, but since Paula and I will be traveling for business for a little over two weeks, I will need to record all these podcasts in advance, so we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is, “Be fearless. Take chances. You can’t live life being afraid of what comes next. That’s not what living is about.”

Be Fearless – Take Chances Whenever we allow our lives to be controlled or even impacted by fear it will restrict our God-given potential. We are to live life fully, but so many times we are hindered by worry, doubts, and fears.

Most of the times our fears have no basis and are seeds that we have allowed to be planted into our minds. We then water these seeds with incorrect or impure thoughts until they sprout. We then continue to fertilize them with more incorrect thinking until they grow into monster trees that we convince ourselves they are indeed real.

Just like when you were a child walking through the woods at night and the large trees look like very scary creatures, but in the light of day, we can see them for what they really are. In the same manner, you need to shine the light of God’s Word on your worries, doubts, and fears so that you can see them for what they really are. With God, no matter what we face we can move boldly forward with confidence that He will see us through because He is our loving father.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8:14-16&version=NLT (Romans 8:14-16) – For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

Next FearLess Friday, we will look at another Wisdom Nugget about being fearless. I know you will find these insights interesting and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life.

Our next trek is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-674/ (Mindshift Monday) where we will help you live differently by thinking differently. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-674/ (Monday) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 672 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Fool for His Master – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-672/ (Day 672) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Ben Johnson who said, “Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for his master.”

A Fool For His Master No one is a self-made man or woman. Every person who has excelled and succeeded in their life has done so because they are teachable and are willing to have others come alongside them to be their mentor and guide. The wisest persons in the world are wise because they are also the most willing to learn. Those individuals who feel they cannot learn from others are most foolish because they are not only unwilling to learn, they do not realize that they actually need help from others. Allow others to mentor you, and then be willing to mentor others.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9:9&version=NLT (Proverbs 9:9) – Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-673/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-673/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 671 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Words to the Wise – Proverbs 22

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-671/ (Day 671) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 22 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business for a little over two weeks, and I will need to record all those podcasts in advance, we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks, except for our Wisdom Wednesday episodes. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Today in Proverbs 22 we will learn…

The Words to the Wise

This chapter can be broken into two parts. The beginning half of this chapter (verses 1-16) is the last of Solomon’s 375 proverbs. These final 16 in the collection talk about prosperity and challenge those with many resources to live by God’s view of wealth. God’s favorite currency is justice! This truth is evidenced by the centerpiece of this 16-verse set in verses 8-9, a literary pair focused on generosity to the poor.

Verses 17-21 are an introduction to a new section in the book of Proverbs called “The Words to the Wise” (from [22:17]-[24:22]). This collection will consist of thirty sayings. The first six are found right here in this chapter. These sayings are different from the two-line proverbs we are used to reading. The sayings are usually longer (4-6 lines) although some are one-liners (see [22:28]).

Before the sayings begin, I will first read an introduction (verses 17-21), which reminds us of the voice of the father. If you don’t remember, he is the one with all the speeches to his son in chapters 1-9. He implores the son to listen to wisdom and apply himself to knowledge, or as he says in verse 19, “That your trust may be in Yahweh.”

Trusting in the LORD is the purpose of this ancient book of wisdom. Listen to this episode multiple times, or reread verses 17-21, investing some time meditating on the purpose of the father’s heart for you.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 22.

1 A good reputation is preferable to riches, and the approval of others is better than precious silver or gold. 2 Rich and poor have something in common: both are created by the Eternal. 3 Prudent people see trouble coming and hide, but the naive walk right into it and take a beating. 4 A humble person who fears the Eternal can expect to receive wealth, honor, and life. 5 Thorny branches and traps lie ahead for those who follow perverse paths; those who want to preserve themselves will steer clear of them. 6 Teach a child how to follow the right way; even when he is old, he will stay on course. 7 The rich lord it over the poor, and the borrower is the slave to the lender. 8 Those who sow injustice reap disaster, and their methods of oppression will fail. 9 Generous people are genuinely blessed because they share their food with the poor. 10 Expel a mocker, and watch the wrangling go with him; rivalry and rude remarks will also stop. 11 Those who love a pure heart and speak with grace will find that the king is their friend. 12 The Eternal keeps a watchful eye on those with knowledge, but He subverts the words of the faithless. 13 A lazy person says, “A lion! Right outside! I will surely die in the streets! Yet another good reason to stay in today.” 14 The alluring words of a seductive woman are a deep hole; the Eternal is incensed toward those who fall in. 15 Foolishness consumes the heart of a child, but corporal punishment, properly administered, drives it...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 670 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom I Choose Otherwise – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-670/ (Day 670) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

I Choose Otherwise Today’s quote is from Steven Covey, and it is, “Until a person can say deeply and honestly, ‘I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,’ that person cannot say, ‘I choose otherwise.'”

Taking personal responsibility for every choice and decision that we make seems to allude many people. It is so easy to blame others or point to circumstances in life instead of accepting the results of the choices that we make. For the most part, our lives turn out exactly as we choose them to be. There may be a few exceptions to that on the short term, but over the course of your life, you are who you are and where you are in life because of the choices that you have made. Making bad choices may limit our good choices in the future, but until we accept full responsibility for all choices, then we will not be able to choose otherwise. Once again our lives are based on the laws of planting and harvesting.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6:7&version=NLT (Galatians 6:7) – Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-671/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 669 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Change Your Thinking – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-669/ (Day 669) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Since Paula and I will be traveling for business for a little over two weeks, and I will need to record all those podcasts in advance, we will be substituting our regular podcast with short Wisdom Nugget episodes for three weeks. After that, we will return to our regular format.

Change Your Thinking Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is, “Before you change your thinking, you have to change what goes into your mind.”

It is impossible to think differently if you continue to allow the same information to feed your mind. To be different, you must think different. To think different, you must change your input. Our minds are like super computers which have a tremendous capability to process all sorts of valuable information. In some ways, though, they are no different than any other computers. If you put garbage into your mind, then you will produce garbage as output.

As is written in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6-7&version=NLT (Philippians 4:6-7) tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

With these thoughts in mind, we will conclude our trek for today, 6 and as we do remember that what you put into your mind is what will come out in your thoughts and speech.

Next week we will continue with an abbreviated trek of https://wisdom-trek.com/day-674/ (MindShift Monday). On https://wisdom-trek.com/day-670/ (tomorrow’s trek), we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-670/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you https://wisdom-trek.com/day-670/ (tomorrow)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 668 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Fear Not: God’s Promises

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-668/ (Day 668) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. But this does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our fifth trail on our trek covering, “Imagine a Life without Fear.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I had a follow-up appointment with the surgeon who repaired my fractured left femur. My leg is healing well, and we can expand our physical therapy to include additional exercises. He encouraged both pool therapy and additional walking. He also suggested walking some without the cane to continue strengthening the leg. Right now without the cane, I have a significant limp, but that should get less with more time. Paula and I are scheduled to go on a two-week business trip starting next Wednesday, so that will be a test of my ability to endure in a different situation from home. New situations such as this traveling and being away from home can be a time of fear, but we know that within God’s Word, we are commanded to…

Fear Not: God’s Promises Today’s trek will contain limited dialog as we focus on God’s promises that He has provided us in His Word. So let’s begin our trek on the path of no fear. How can we go forward when the path is treacherous and dark, and we can see our way clearly? https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A20&version=NLT (Matthew 28:20) – Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

When we fear we are telling God that we don’t matter to Him. – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10:31&version=NLT (Matthew 10:31) So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John+1:9&version=NLT (1 John 1:9) – But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

If we are not careful, soon fear becomes a constant worry. Jesus tells us not to worry. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A25-27&version=NLT (Matthew 6:25-27) – “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

Jesus continues. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt+6%3A32-33&version=NLT (Matthew 6:32-33) – These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

When we fear we dwell on the worst case scenarios instead of trusting in God....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 667 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Virtue is Actually Doing It – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-667/ (Day 667) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Tristan Gulberd who said, “Understanding is knowing what to do; wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is actually doing it.”

Virtue is Actually Doing It There is a difference between having a head knowledge of what needs completed, knowing the steps to complete it, and then actually doing it. A person who knows what to do, and even knows how to do it, but never does it lacks virtue, wisdom, and understanding.

It is easy to become so complacent and lazy about life that we just don’t put in the effort that we should to do what is right. We need to have virtue and do what needs to be done even if we do not always feel like it. It is then that others will see that we are wise and have a good understanding of our responsibilities to ourselves and others.

The Apostle Paul addressed this in his letter to the Galatians in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6:8-10&version=NLT (Galatians 6:8-10),

“Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-668/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-668/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 666 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Get What’s Coming to You – Proverbs 21

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-666/ (Day 666) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 20 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Hazel received her chemo treatment last Thursday and additional medicine via a lumbar puncture on Friday. She seems to be responding well to the treatments considering the strong dosage. Nat, Elizabeth, and all four kids were able to go to the Columbus Zoo on Saturday, which was a great time together with the family. The oncology staff at Nationwide Children’s Hospital indicated that they will be switching the treatment regimen in September, which will adversely affect how Hazel feels, so they recommended investing time together doing family activities during August before that. They have an additional trip planned for later this month.

Unlike Hazel’s situation where she has done nothing herself to deserve the adverse effects of leukemia and the treatments, Chapter 21 of Proverbs shows a direct correlation between our choices in life and the results of those choices. Proverbs 21 tells us that you…

Get What’s Coming to You

In this chapter, we find an interesting design. “The Eternal” appears in the opening 3 verses and the closing 2 verses, like literary bookends. Set in between these two sections is the topic of justice. This specific arrangement reminds us that God is the beginning and the end— evil can do its worst, but righteousness will prevail.

Verses 9 and 19 are both about a wife that is difficult to get along with. At first, they seem kind of random and out of place, but when we view them in light of the rest of the chapter’s main themes, they serve a functional role in the design of the chapter. These verses serve as organizational markers that break up the 3 sections (verses 4-8, 10-18, 20-29).

Bruce Waltke, in his commentary on Proverbs, outlines the chapter this way:

Verses 1-3 The LORD’s Sovereign Wisdom

Verses 4-8 The defeat of the wicked

Verse 9 The difficult wife

Verses 10-18 The triumph of the righteous over the wicked

Verse 19 The difficult wife

Verses 20-29 The lasting gratification of the righteous

Verses 30-31 The LORD’s Sovereign Wisdom

The main idea is that the wicked will get what’s coming to them, but as verse 15 reminds us, “when justice is done, those who are in the right celebrate.” God’s justice is a good thing, but it’s also sobering and should motivate us to pursue faith and wisdom.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 21.

1 The king’s heart is like a channel of water directed by the Eternal: He chooses which way He bends it. 2 Everyone may think his own way of living is right, but the Eternal examines our hearts. 3 To do what is right and to seek justice— these please Him more than sacrifice. 4 The lamp of the wicked lights his way; a proud look, an arrogant heart—all sin. 5 A well-thought-out plan will work to your advantage, but hasty actions will cost you dearly. 6 The fortune made by a swindler is a fast-burning fog and a recipe for death. 7 Wicked people will be swept up in their own violence because they refuse to seek justice. 8 Dishonest people walk along the crooked path they have made, but the innocent travel the straight course they have laid. 9 It is better to dwell outside on the corner of your roof than to live inside your house with a badgering wife. 10 Wicked people delight in doing bad things; their neighbors never see even a hint of compassion. 11 A...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 665 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Turn Your Wounds Into Wisdom – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-665/ (Day 665) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today quote is from Oprah Winfrey, and it is, “Turn your wounds into wisdom.”

Turn Your Wounds Into Wisdom

So often we bemoan our wounds, hurts, trials, and tragedies as something that is harmful to us, and incidents that should be avoided at all cost. We will all experience obstacles, hardships, and difficult times…It is part of living. Instead of being downhearted and allowing them to defeat us and make us ineffective, let us learn from them, gain wisdom from these experiences, and grow into stronger and more mature persons.

Every experience and situation can positively impact our lives so that we can then more effectively positively impact the lives of others. Turn every situation into an opportunity to grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding.

As James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote in his letter https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-8&version=NLT (James 1:2-8),

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play, so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-666/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 664 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom You and I Can Change Our World – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-664/ (Day 664) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Our world is changing rapidly, and we must keep up with those changes if we are to remain relevant. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of mindshift. It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle…In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our granddaughter Hazel is continuing her chemo treatments through August before they switch to a different regimen in September. The oncology staff has prepared Elizabeth and Nat by telling them to enjoy the remainder of August by including some fun activities for the family because the next phase is going to be more difficult for Hazel. Just like the recent major events in our lives are changing how we view our world and consider life, you never know what may be part of your next season of life. When you are in continual mindshift mode, you are preparing yourself to adapt to and accept these changes, whether they are pleasant or not.

It is also our choosing to have the mindset that life is about encouraging one another to live to our God-given potential. God desires you to make a difference in your world, but it may require that we help each other. So on our trek today have a mindshift that will help you realize that…

You and I Can Change Our World

I remember a story from days gone by about a 10-year-old boy who was selling pencils door to door in his neighborhood. When an interested adult at one of the houses asked him the reason for selling pencils, he replied, “I want to raise six million dollars to build a new hospital for the city.”

Amazed at his answer, the inquiring adult exclaimed, “That’s a mighty big job for just one little boy, isn’t it?”

“No,” responded the 10-year-old with big dreams. “I have a friend who is helping me.”

The world God created is a big and beautiful place in which to live. Unfortunately, humanity has somewhat ruined the world, and that needs to be changed. The task is large and would be difficult for any one of us to make a huge impact. I don’t think I can change it myself. I need your help! You might ask, just me? That’s right, just you.

We must change with the times through a continual mindshift, but the real question is…Are we big enough to actually change the times? George Bernard Shaw said, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man attempts to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” The Apostle Paul put it this way in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12:2&version=NLT (Romans 12:2), “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

If you and I are willing to be unreasonable by transforming our thinking, perhaps we can change our world. You see, history has been altered in time

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 663 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Ultimate Fear

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-663/ (Day 663) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.

Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. We are focusing on how to live with less fear. We are exploring the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding.

So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our forth trail on our trek covering, “Imagine a Life without Fear.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We received some unexpected, but positive news this week. My primary client that I provide technical support for their SaaS based software product was acquired by a very large, publically traded company. This should provide stability for the company, but as with all changes such as this, we are never guaranteed of the outcome.

During changes like this, we could become fearful of the many unknown scenarios, or we can choose to look positively at the situation as a potential for growth and advancement. Most of the time, fear comes down to a mindset. Too many times we allow the seed of fear to germinate in our lives until it grows into a massive well rooted tree that is hard to cut down.

Last Friday we asked the haunting question, “Does God really care?” We determined that regardless of our situation, that indeed He does. Today we want to go one step further and explore…

The Ultimate Fear What is the ultimate fear for nearly everyone? Is it the loss of a job, loss of a loved one, or loss of perceived control of others? Nearly always, the ultimate fear that we have is death. Aristotle called death the thing to be feared most because “It appears to be the end of everything.” Jean-Paul Sartre asserted that death “removes all meaning from life.” Robert Green Ingersoll, one of America’s most outspoken agnostics, could offer no words of hope even at his brother’s funeral. He said, “Life is a narrow vale between the cold and barren peaks of two entities. We strive in vain to look beyond the heights.” Such sad and depressing language. If death is nothing more than “the end of everything, between two peaks, which brings no meaning to life,” what is the purpose of even trying to die bravely? What if these purported wise philosophers missed the mark? Suppose death is different than they thought, less of a curse or end of all that we know, and more of a passageway between two realms? Not a crises to be avoided, but simply a corner to be turned?

This is what Jesus Christ taught us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A1-3&version=NLT (John 14:1-3), “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Do you believe the promise? If not, maybe it sounds a little too good to be true. The disciples certainly had difficulty grasping the concept. It almost sounds like the emails we receive from a Nigerian prince offering a portion of his fortune if we will only be a mediator. Many do the same for another one of Christ promises in...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 662 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Precious Things of Life – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-662/ (Day 662) of our trek and time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

The Precious Things of Life Today’s quote is from E.S. Bouton who said, “True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by.”As I emphasize and mention quite often, life is like a trek up a mountain. We take one step at a time as we go through days that are difficult and days that are easy. The key is to make sure we keep moving forward.

As we go through each day, we must learn to enjoy the journey and not be fixated on the destination. What makes the journey enjoyable is the gathering of those precious little moments that we encounter each day and treasure them in our hearts and minds.

For many of us, we are in such a rush to reach our next milestone or destination that we miss the wild flowers, the babbling brooks, the pretty song birds…that will enrich our lives. It is wise to take the time to smell the roses, to savor a rich cup of coffee, to slow down enough to notice the treasures and miracles that are before us each moment.

As King Solomon shared with us as he was reaching the end of his life in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+5%3A18-20&version=NLT (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20), “Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.”

These are wise words from the wisest man who ever lived. We all would do well to follow them.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-663/ (FearLess Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 661 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wise Watch Their Words – Proverbs 20

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-661/ (Day 661) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 20 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We are making some progress on our backlog of workload, which is refreshing although as my femur fracture continues to heal, I find that I do become fatigued quicker than I would otherwise. I am just using a cane now, as my leg has strengthened enough to where I no longer need the walker or crutches.

On the home front, we received our lawn mower back from the service shop where it has been for a little over three weeks. The grass definitely needs cut with all the rain that we had during July. Since I won’t be able to operate the mower for a few more weeks, Paula plans on getting out this week to take care of it. We both enjoy mowing, so this will give her an opportunity to get outside a bit.

Turning to our passage today, we are once again reminded that we need to show restraint when speaking. Words can build others up or destroy them. Our passage today reminds us of this. Proverbs 20 could be referred to as…

The Wise Watch Their Words In this chapter, we again find a large number of proverbs using God’s personal covenant name, Yahweh. There are also many proverbs that refer to Israel’s king (verses 2, 8, 26, 28). Therefore, we find strong themes of divine authority and justice along with the wisdom found in this chapter. Wisdom becomes even more desirable when you realize you are under the watchful eye of God and the king.

This chapter emphasizes showing wisdom with our words. We see that hasty words, empty words, and harmful speech have serious repercussions. Therefore, choose your words carefully. As you listen through this chapter, pay close attention to verses 6, 9, 11, 14, 19, 20, 22, and 25. Ask yourself how your words might be viewed in the eyes of God and those in authority over you.

Lastly, have you noticed that the further we get into the sayings of Solomon, the more sophisticated the wisdom? Many of these sayings read like riddles — their meaning doesn’t lie on the surface. You have to pause and ponder the words and the mysteries of life to which they point. You may want to take more time to and go through today’s Wisdom-Journal with Chapter 20 as you discover its wisdom.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 20:

1 Too much wine begins to mock you, too much strong drink leads to noisy fights, and whoever is misled by either is not wise. 2 A king’s wrath strikes fear like a lion’s roar; those who provoke him to anger sentence themselves to death. 3 Honor is due those who refuse to fight at the drop of a hat, but every fool jumps at an opportunity to quarrel. 4 A slacker procrastinates when it is time to plow; so when it’s time for harvest, there are no crops in the field. 5 The real motives come from deep within a person—as from deep waters— but a discerning person is able to draw them up and expose them. 6 Most people claim to be loyal, but can anyone find a trustworthy person? 7 The right-living act with integrity; the children who follow their example are happy. 8 When a king sits on his throne as judge, he ferrets out all evil and scatters it with his royal stare. 9 Who can say, “I have cleaned my heart”? or who can proclaim, “I am purified from sin”? 10 False weights and differing measures are alike: both are disgusting to the Eternal. 11 Youth reveal their true natures by their actions whether they do what is...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 660 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wise and the Foolish – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-660/ (Day 660) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

The Wise and the Foolish Today’s quote is from Akhenaton and it is, “True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance.”The biggest difference between a foolish person and a wise person is that the wise person realizes that he still has much to learn and is lacking wisdom in many areas of life. The foolish person is so full of themselves that he doesn’t realize how ignorant and foolish he truly is.

The wise person is humble and gentle. The foolish person is arrogant and obstinate. The wise person thinks of others and is kind to those less fortunate. The foolish person thinks of himself and is cruel to those who don’t serve his purpose. The wise person tries to help others reach his maximum potential. The foolish person tries to lift himself up by pushing others down.

Proverbs affirm these thoughts in these verses:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9:9&version=NLT (Proverbs 9:9) – Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+19:25&version=NLT (Proverbs 19:25) – If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+12:23&version=NLT (Proverbs 12:23) – The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+13:16&version=NLT (Proverbs 13:16) – Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-661/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 659 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom An Eagle and a Sparrow – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-659/ (Day 659) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle…In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The healing of my fractured femur continues to progress rapidly. I have a new cane on order which should arrive this week. I am to the point where I can walk unassisted for short distances, so the cane should provide me with the needed steadiness where I will not have to use the crutches or a walker anymore.

While I am still experiencing a good amount of pain, it is certainly tolerable. I realize that my good physical condition and strong leg muscles before the accident have helped a lot, but the rapid healing is nothing short of a miracle from God provided by the prayers of many believers around the world. I thank you for and covet your continued prayers for complete healing and restoration.

Sunday we celebrated our granddaughter Aurora’s sixth birthday. It is so great to have a close knit family and share these blessed times together. We are of a kindred spirit as we celebrate life.

It is also our choosing to have the mindset that life is about encouraging one another to live to our God-given potential. God desires us to soar to our greatest heights possible. So on our trek today, I desire to compare and contrast two different mindsets so that you can have a mindshift by comparing…

An Eagle and a Sparrow A famous English preacher Joseph Parker is quoted as saying, “An eagle does not roost in a sparrow’s nest.” The Bible also has something to say about the sparrow and the eagle. Jesus illustrated the care of our Heavenly Father in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10%3A28-31&version=NLT (Matthew 10:28-31), “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

The sparrow represents something rather insignificant and of lesser value. The eagle, in contrast to the sparrow, is pictured as strong and great as it soars into the high heavens.

My life verses are found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+40%3A28-31&version=NLT (Isaiah [40:28]-31).

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

What a thrill to know that there’s power from God that will help us attain spiritual heights as the...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 658 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Does God Really Care?

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-658/ (Day 658) of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks we will focus how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our third trail on our trek covering, “Imagine a Life without Fear.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. My leg continues to heal well, and the swelling is much less. With the pain from the swelling reduced, the pain from the actual incision sites and implants is a little more acute, although certainly not unbearable.

With a modified schedule the past three weeks, I do hope to get caught up on some of my client work this weekend. On Sunday we will be celebrating our granddaughter Aurora’s sixth birthday. The years sure do fly past quickly.

It is an important part of our legacy to be involved with our children and grandchildren’s lives. It shows that we love and care for them. In the same way, God desires to be involved in our lives, but fear can restrict that involvement.

Last Friday we looked at why we are afraid and that sometimes we do feel abandoned when the storms of life hit us. The focus of our trek today is…

Does God Really Care? Last week we saw where the Disciples of Christ were in a boat in the middle of a horrible storm. Once the storm hit, his disciples were very troubled by Jesus’s choice to sleep. Not only that, but He did not wake up when the storm hit. The disciples had to wake him with shouts of fear. Their urgent plea is recorded in Matthew 8:25, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Mark even questions whether He cares in 4:38, “‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?'”

Many times we react in the same manner when the storms of life hit us. Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness. We begin to wonder if love lives in heaven. If God can sleep in our storms, if his eyes stay shut when our eyes grow wide, if he permits storms after we get on His boat, does he really care? Fear unleashes a swarm of doubts, anger-stirring doubts.

These type of thoughts that we allow to creep into and infect our minds turn us into control freaks. Subconsciously we lash out to God and demand, “Do something about the storm!” We may not verbalize it, but in the dark recesses of our mind we demand, “Fix it or…or…or else!” Fear, at its very center, is a perceived loss of control. When life spins wildly, we grab for a component of life we can manage: our diet, the tidiness of our house, the armrest of a plane, or, in many cases, other people.

The more insecure we feel, the meaner we become. We growl and bare our fangs. Why? Is it because we are bad? Well, maybe in part, but mostly because we feel cornered and don’t know how to get free.

Martin Niemoller documents an extreme example of this. He was a German pastor who took a heroic stand against Adolf Hitler. When he first met the dictator in 1933, Niemoller stood at the back of the room and listened. Later, when his wife asked him what he had learned, he said, “I discovered that Herr Hitler is a...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 657 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Doctor’s Prognosis, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-657/ (Day 657) of our trek, and it is time for the 6th and final installment of a special series of stories that have chronicled my recent accident and recovery as we trek “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.”

This accident is a major life event that will change life for me for several months to come. In fact, I would say that it will certainly impact me for the remainder of my life. It is my hope and prayer that as I share that it will also positively impact your life.

I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wish it to be. We don’t always know or understand what will become of the uphill climbs and treacherous downhill slopes that we encounter on life’s trek. The key is to learn from these events and allow them to effectively become a part of our living legacy, which will positively impact our lives and the lives of all those whom we impact. For our final special series of Wisdom Nuggets episodes, we will look at…

The Doctor’s Prognosis – Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way If you would like to catch the first four episodes of this series go to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-647/ (Day 647), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-650/ (Day 650), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-652/ (Day 652), or https://wisdom-trek.com/day-655/ (Day 655).

I ended https://wisdom-trek.com/day-655/ (Day-655) with my story of recovery at home with my hemoglobin still low, but on the rise and feeling a little better each day. After the positive results from my blood test, our next major event was the follow-up appointment with our surgeon on Wednesday. The incisions appeared to be healing well but were covered up since the surgery, so we really did not know what they looked like. Also, my leg between my hip and my knee was still swollen, and the bruises were working their way to the surface. The bruises were large, dark, and covered fairly big splotches of my leg.

Since I had primarily been using the walker at home, we decided to take it to the appointment although I was not heavily relying on it for walking. Since the surgery, we were instructed to put no more than 50% of my body weight on the leg that had been broken. We did not have a lot of details on exactly what the surgery entailed, so we were very interested in getting more information.

We first had to get four X-Rays of my leg, and then we met with the surgeon. He said I looked remarkably well and indicated that the leg appeared to be healing rapidly. He showed us the x-rays, and we discovered that he had inserted a rod the entire length of my femur from the hip ball joint down to my knee. On the upper end was a large screw going through my femur and the rod and attaching it to the hip ball joint. The primary fracture of the femur bone was right below the ball.

On the bottom end of the femur right above my knee was another, slightly smaller screw securing the rod in place. There were a couple of smaller fragments on the upper end, but the surgeon indicated that God would fuse those back where they belonged. I have inserted a couple of x-rays picture in today’s wisdom journal below.

Dr. Krivchenia told us that we could have the rod and screws removed after two years, if we chose to, but they could stay in place the remainder of my life without complications. Next came the removal of the bandages from the three incisions on my legs. Since they had become quite uncomfortable, this was a relief.

The roughness I had previously felt under the bandages turned out to be metal staples holding the incisions closed. The top incision above my...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 656 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gallery of Fools – Proverbs 19

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-656/ (Day 656) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 19 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am wrapping up my special series covering my July 8th accident and recovery on tomorrow’s Wisdom-Nugget episode. This 6 part series started with https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645) and was released on Tuesday & Thursday for the past three weeks. If you missed any parts of the story, you will want to go back and listen to them.

We have had quite a bit of deer activity in the past three weeks as they seem to like to bed down in the small wooded area along the edge of our property line. From what we can tell, there is a one-year-old doe, a two-point and a six-point buck, and two additional older does with 3 baby fawns. It is a pleasure to watch them each day as the graze on our lawn and especially like my roses.

Turning to our passage today, as we have the opportunity to consider the current state of affairs in our world recently, especially among political leaders of all persuasions, it is as if we are watching a sideshow at the circus. Most political leaders are oblivious to how foolish they really are to those outside their bubble of influence. Our passage today reminds me of this. Proverbs 19 could be referred to as…

The Gallery of Fools Reading through this chapter is like visiting a gallery of fools. Step right up! In the showcase, you’ll see “a false witness,” “a foolish son,” “an idle person,” “a man of great wrath,” “the sluggard,” “the violent,” and “a worthless witness.” Hanging about each fool’s neck is a placard summarizing his fate, and, you guessed it, the ending isn’t happy. Don’t speed through this exhibit. Take your time and look closely. Listener and Reader beware: don’t be like these people!

Most of these sayings are warning you about vice. However, scattered throughout this chapter are sayings about people who have shown integrity, good sense, generosity, instruction, faithfulness, and the fear of the Lord. Compare their fates with the bad guys. Which future do you want?

Also pay attention to God’s posture towards the poor and needy in verses 1, 4, 7, 17, and 22. The poor are often abandoned and abused by the world, but they are not overlooked by God. In fact, God stands in solidarity with the righteous poor and exalts them above the gallery of fools.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 19.

1 Better to be poor and live with integrity than a fool with a foul mouth. 2 Surely there’s no advantage for a person without knowledge, and whoever moves too quickly misses the turn. 3 Foolishness diverts the course of life, yet the heart rebels against the Eternal. 4 Wealth attracts many friends, but the poor are soon separated from theirs. 5 A false witness will not escape punishment, and one who breathes lies will not go free. 6 Many try to win the favor of a generous person, and everyone is a friend to someone who gives gifts. 7 If a poor man is hated by his relatives, it is even more likely his friends will avoid him too! Anyone who is calling after them [is not to be found].[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+19&version=VOICE#fen-VOICE-16333a (a)] 8 Whoever gains a wise heart loves his own soul, and whoever preserves understanding experiences true goodness. 9 A false witness will not escape punishment, and whoever breathes lies will not survive. 10 Something is wrong when a...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 655 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Home Recovery, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-655/ (Day 655) of our trek, and it is time for the 5th installment of a special series of stories that will chronicle my recent accident and recovery as we trek “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.” This accident is a major life event that will change life for me for several months to come.

In fact, I would say that it will certainly impact me for the remainder of my life. It is my hope and prayer that as I share that it will also positively impact your life as well. I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wished it to be.

We don’t always know or understand what will become of the uphill climbs and treacherous downhill slopes that we encounter on life’s trek. The key is to learn from these events and allow them to effectively become part of our living legacy, which will positively impact our lives and the lives of all of those whom we impact. So for the next couple of Wisdom Nuggets episodes, we will look at…

Home Recovery – Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way If you would like to catch the first four episode of this series go to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-647/ (Day 647), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-650/ (Day 650), or https://wisdom-trek.com/day-652/ (Day 652).

I ended Day-652, which was my story of recovery in the hospital, at the time of my discharge Tuesday afternoon. The life lesson learned through my recovery at the hospital was that if I desire a speedy and complete recovery, I need to follow the instructions and guidelines – something that I have not always done well in the past. I realized that this time it had to be different and committed myself to this lesson learned.

I have to admit, although I am not a fearful person, this was new territory for me. With my hemoglobin levels lower than expected, and the two episodes where my pulse dropped basically to zero, there was a little bit of trepidation. Overriding that concern was knowing that God is in control of every breath that we take, and I knew that if he brought me through the fall, surgery, and recovery that He would see me through the recovery process at home.

On the trip home, the pain of the injury was evident with every bump in the road and slow down in traffic. Paula went through Wendy’s drive through, and we each got a ½ pound hamburger for our dinner. The additional iron in the red meat is just what I needed, in addition to the grease that tasted so good.

Since we were released earlier than expected, my brother Jack was not home from work yet to assist me getting inside. Paula and I were able to navigate the steps into the house and had decided not to attempt going upstairs until Jack did arrive.

I settled in my Lazy Boy chair, and Paula and I consumed our dinner while we rested and waited. Once Jack and Ann arrived about an hour later, we decided that it would be best for Paula to pick up the prescriptions and a few other items. As we talked I realized that Jack was the only person who truly witnessed the fall from a third-person perspective, and he admitted the night of the accident was a fitful one for him as he kept revisiting the images of the fall. I assured him, that it was completely my responsibility and was glad that he was there to assist.

Once Paula returned, we decided it was time to head to my 2nd story sanctuary where I would invest the majority of my time during recovery. The first time up I used both crutches and Jack stood immediately behind me to assure that I did not fall backward. We scaled the 18 steps without too much difficulty, and then I used the walker to proceed

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 654 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom When You Fall, Get Back Up – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-654/ (Day 654) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series.

In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of “mindshift,” or “changing the way you think.” It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle…In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal serves to provide you practical ways to make a mindshift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am finally caught up and back on schedule with the Wisdom-Trek podcasts that were delayed due to my accident. I will be releasing a couple of more episodes this week covering my accident and recovery on Tuesday and Thursday.

Since I have always been a person who enjoys working long hours and am very active, this time of recovery has been a mindshift challenge for me. I know if I am to recover properly, then it cannot be business as usual for me. Paula has been assisting a lot, and we are adapting to this change in our normal schedule.

Even with an unexpected major life event, we continue to positively look toward the future and what we can learn. Our mindset is very important with every aspect of life. If your first inclination is to think negatively, then a mindshift is required. You cannot get trapped by your current situation and feel there is no way to change it.

Just as my literal fall and accident two weeks ago, we will have many times in our lives where we will fall. The key is that each time we need to get back up, recover as needed, and then keep moving forward. So on our trek today I desire you to have a mindshift that will allow you to realize…

When You Fall, Get Back Up When you are teaching a child to walk, they will fall down, usually many times. They may also get bumped and cry. When they do, we don’t tell them to give up. No, we instead encourage them to get up and try again, as many times as necessary until they are able to walk, and then run.

Life is very much like a baby who is just learning to walk. There are days in which the going is smooth. Success is ours to enjoy. There are also many days of distress, hours of hindrances, minutes of misunderstandings, and seconds of stumbling falling flat on your face. Since the path of life’s trek is rocky, and the trail to the top has many unexpected turns, it is important for you to realize three things concerning the obstacles, and wash outs, on the trail to the top.

There will be times when you will fall. Anyone who hikes down the trails of life not only has the privilege of enjoying all that is around them but also must take the risk of falling. When you rise to the occasion, you may fall prey to the enemy. Any person that is willing to stand for something may at times be knocked down. Just like a baby learning to walk, we become careless and get in a hurry. Many time this happens just before we reach our goal. It looks as though we’ve been successful. The obstacles have been overcome. The sweet smell of victory permeates the air. But then…we lose our footing, and down we go. Just as with my fall from the ladder, it was right after I made the final cut in the tree limb...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 653 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Why Are We Afraid?

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-653/ (Day 653) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks, we will focus on how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our second trail on our trek covering Imagine a Life Without Fear.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As mentioned on previous treks, on July 8th I suffered a fall from a ladder that fractured my upper femur bone. I am focusing the next few Tuesday and Thursday “Wisdom-Nugget” episodes sharing my story of the accident and recovery. The story begins with https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645 (Wisdom-Trek.com/day-645). A major life event such as this strikes fear into our hearts of how our lives will change or how it could have been even worse. Last Friday we started a series focusing on imagining a life without fear. The focus of our trek today is…

Why Are We Afraid? In Matthew 8:26, Jesus asked his disciples who were in a boat with Him in a middle of a violent storm, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”

At first glance of this verse, if you were one of the disciples in the boat with him, you would be thinking, “Jesus, are you serious?” Is he kidding, teasing, or being sarcastic? This is kind of like one swimmer asking another, “Why are you wet?” I don’t think Jesus was smiling. He was very earnest. So are the men to whom he asks the question. A storm has turned their Galilean dinner cruise into a white-knuckled plunge that was so severe that seasoned fishermen are scared to death.

Here is how the Apostle Matthew remembers the trip in Matthew 8:23-24, “Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!'”

Matthew remembered well the pouncing tempest and bouncing boat and was careful in his wording. The English word “fierce storm” minimizes the actual word that Matthew chose in the Greek language. Matthew chose the word Seismos – a quake, a trembling eruption of the sea and sky. We could translate this verse as “a great seismos arose on the lake.” A seismograph is an instrument we currently use to measure earth quakes.

The disciples had “sudden fear” – the kind that makes you go pale or faint, a fear that leaves you unable to speak or scream.

Not all storms come suddenly. Prairie farmers in the US or hunters in the Serengeti can see a formation of thunderclouds hours before the rain. This storm, however, springs like a lion out of the grass. One minute the disciples are playing dice on the deck, and next thing they are drenched with waves as the boat rides over the mountains and valleys of water.

Peter and John were seasoned sailors and may have struggled to get the sails down in time. Matthew, a tax collector, was not used to this type of storm and probably struggled just to keep his dinner down. Although there was some passage of time...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 652 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hospital Recovery, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-652/ (Day 652) of our trek and time for the 5th installment of a special series of stories that will chronicle my recent accident and recovery as we trek “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.”

This accident is a major life event that will change life for me for several months to come. In fact, I would say that it will certainly impact me for the remainder of my life.

It is my hope and prayer that as I share that it will also positively impact your life as well. I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wished it to be. We don’t always know or understand what will become of the uphill climbs and treacherous downhill slopes that we encounter on life’s trek.

The key is to learn from these events and allow them to effectively become part of our living legacy which will positively impact our lives and the lives of all those who we impact. So for the next couple of Wisdom Nuggets episodes, we will look at…

Hospital Recovery – Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way It is my hope to get caught up to current on all my podcast episodes and journal this coming weekend so that the release dates correspond to the actual date they are released. If you would like to catch the first three episodes of this series, go to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-647/ (Day 647), and https://wisdom-trek.com/day-650/ (Day 650).

I ended https://wisdom-trek.com/day-650/ (Day 650), which was my story of the surgery, with the somber thought that not only could the accident have been fatal if I had landed on my head, but both during surgery, and an episode afterward, my pulse had dropped to zero for a few moments. We really do need to treasure each day of life and make the most impact possible as we live out our living legacy each day.

Sunday night after surgery was not a very good night of sleep as I was still in pain, and my mind wandered to the two episodes where my pulse had dropped. I dozed off and on, but between the monitoring, lab work, and my roommate’s loud snoring, I did not achieve significant rest. Paula once again slept in the reclining chair, and although she did sleep more than I did was not very comfortable either.

After a good breakfast on Monday, the hospital staff seemed very positive about how quickly I was rebounding after surgery and that I was able to be up and working remotely on Monday. We saw several additional staff members throughout the day, each with his or her own area of expertise, as we planned my physical therapy and when I would be able to be discharged.

One concern they had was that my hemoglobin and red blood counts had dropped after surgery, which usually indicates a loss of blood. My left leg was swollen significantly, and we started to ice it in hopes of reducing the swelling. I believe the tightness in my leg was actually causing more pain than the surgery itself. With these factors and since we had not met with physical therapy yet, we all thought it would be best to stay at least one more night.

In the afternoon, occupational therapy came and guided me on walking with a walker up and down the hall. They were very pleased with how quickly I adapted to the walker and that I was able to go quite a distance without getting too worn out. I let them know that we did have stairs at home both going into the house and also 18 steps to the 2nd floor. They assured me that they would provide stair training for me the following day. I was so glad to be able to now get up and walk with the walker now although with limited distance. At least that freed me to use the bathroom.

A...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 651 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Speak Less, Listen More – Proverbs 18

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-651/ (Day 651) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 18 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If you are a regular listener or reader of the Wisdom-Trek Podcast and Journal, you may realize that we are publishing these episodes a couple of days late this week. This is due to an unfortunate and serious accident I had on July 8th. I am chronicling the accident and my subsequent recovery on our Tuesday and Thursday “Wisdom-Nugget” episodes for a couple of weeks. The segments published so far are https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645 (Day 645), https://wisdom-trek.com/day-647/ (Day-647), and https://wisdom-trek.com/day-650/ (Day-650) if you would like to follow along with my saga of “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.”

I think that you will enjoy the story as we all realize that at age 60, there are still some hard lessons about life to be learned. One of the lessons learned is to make sure I follow the surgeon’s advice if I desire complete recovery.

Following advice is the focus of Proverbs 18 as we learn to:

Speak Less, Listen More This chapter tackles a variety of diverse subjects, but the two repeated themes are listening and speaking. Turns out (surprise, surprise) these two things are related.

As I read through the text look for listening verbs such as “seek,” “hear,” “understand,” “acquire,” and “examine.” Notice anything? (Hint: The more you listen, the wiser you are.) Now, look through the text for speaking nouns such as “lips,” “mouth,” and “tongue.” We discover a compelling portrait of the fool — a person who hates to listen but loves to talk.

However, talking is not all bad! Look at verses 20 through 21. The wise man does not speak in haste; his words are nourishing. There is a beautiful metaphor in there: The fruit of a man’s mouth satisfies. Fruit cannot be produced quickly but is cultivated through time and care. Our words can be of great benefit, but only through the careful cultivation of listening (see verse 13).

As you move through these sayings of wisdom, meditate on how you can nourish relationships in your life by listening and speaking with care.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 18.

1 Whoever pulls away from others to focus solely on his own desires disregards any sense of sound judgment. 2 A fool never delights in true knowledge but only wants to express what’s on his mind. 3 When wrongdoers arrive, disgrace is right there with them, for shame is the companion of dishonor. 4 Words bubble up from waters deep within a person; a stream gushes from the fountain of wisdom. 5 It is wrong for a judge to show partiality to the guilty or to rob the innocent of justice. 6 When a fool’s lips move, a fight breaks out; it’s as if his mouth is begging for a beating. 7 The mouths of fools are their destruction, and their lips entrap their very souls. 8 Whispered gossip is like a delicious first course: it is devoured with pleasure and penetrates deeply. 9 Those who slack off at work are no different from vandals. 10 The Eternal is known to be like a sturdy watchtower; those who do right flee to Him for protection. 11 The rich think their wealth is their sturdy fortress; they imagine it to be an invincible wall of security. 12 A proud heart precedes destruction, and before honor is humility. 13 To respond to a matter before you hear about it shows foolishness and brings shame. 14 The human spirit can endure a long...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 650 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Surgery, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-650/ (Day 650) of our trek, and it is time for the 3rd installment of a special series of stories that will chronicle my recent accident and recovery as we trek “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.”

I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wished it to be. We don’t always know or understand what will become of the uphill climbs and treacherous downhill slopes that we encounter on life’s trek.

The Surgery – Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way First, for my faithful readers and regular listeners to my Wisdom-Trek Podcast and Journal, I want to apologize for the delay in episodes this past week. I will get caught up on all the days and get back on schedule as soon as feasible. If you would like to catch the first episode of this series, go to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645).

I ended https://wisdom-trek.com/day-647 (Day-647), which was my story of the Emergency Room, with surgery being scheduled for the next day after a fitful night of sleep for both Paula and me. With my broken femur bone in my left leg, I could not really move in my bed easily. The nursing staff was in every hour to check vitals, monitor my pain, and then draw blood early in the morning for labs. We also had a roommate move in around 2 am, so between all of that, sleep was minimal. Poor Paula tried to get comfortable in the reclining chair in the room, but that was difficult at best.

The hospital did provide a very good omelet breakfast, and we finished up a pre-surgery sponge bath before the family arrived that morning. Everyone was in good spirits and confident that there should not be any issues arise during the surgery.

At about 11:15 am they came and got me to prep for surgery. There were two nurse technicians that took me to the OR wing and connected me to all of the equipment needed for surgery. The admitting doctor stopped by to make sure there were no questions. The surgeon popped in to check on me, and then they let the family into the room for a few minutes.

We chatted and I said it would be great to get a nice long nap. Everything seemed to be running efficiently, and before too long the anesthesiologist walked in and said it was time to begin.

I kissed Paula and said my goodbyes to the remainder of the family members as they headed to the waiting room. The sleepy medicine was put into my IV, and they wheeled me off to the Operating Room at about 11:45 am. Within about 20 feet of the hallway, I was out like a burnt out light bulb. The next recollection I had was waking up in the same room, and as I looked at the clock, it was only [12:20] and thought to myself, “Wow! That was quick.” My next thought was, “So much for a long nap.”

Within a few minutes of waking up, they wheeled me back to my hospital room where the family was waiting. The first thing I asked them was if the surgery was really that quick. They assured me that at most it was about 20 minutes.

During the surgery Marietta Memorial has a display board displaying the four steps of the surgery process and as each step is reached that symbol lit...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 649 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Don’t Avoid Mistakes – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-649/ (Day 649) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As mentioned in a couple of previous podcasts, I am podcasting and journaling the details of my July 8th accident and recovery on the Tuesday and Thursday Wisdom Nuggets. If you would like to follow along with me, the first episode is on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645 (Day 645).

Even with an unexpected major life event, we continue to positively look toward the future and what we can learn from them. Our mindset is very important with every aspect of life. If your first inclination is to think negatively, then a Mindshift is required. You cannot get trapped by your current situation and feel there is no way to change it.

Last week I encouraged you to Imagine Life as It Could Be. Imagination is great and needed, but imagination without action is pointless. You need to take action. You might be thinking, if I take action, I will make mistakes. That is very true, you will. So on our trek today I desire you to have a Mindshift that will allow you to realize…

Don’t Avoid Mistakes

In most western cultures we try to avoid mistakes and failures as if they were some sort of deadly plague. This may be based on the Judeo-Christian foundations of our cultures and for many of us reinforced by our Christian upbringing. Somehow we have twisted mistakes and failures to be equated to sin, which is falling short of God’s standards.

While it is true that we all fall short of God’s standards and need salvation, we cannot allow our failures and mistakes to be equated to sin. If we do, we will avoid seeking a Mindshift, which is changing how we think and what we think about. We will be stuck in the same ruts day after day and wondering why our lives do not improve. While we should learn from our mistakes and failure, they are by their very essence the stepping stones needed to create a Mindshift in our lives.

Here are three common misconceptions that leave most people stuck in the ruts of life.

Believing that mistakes are always to be avoided. The reason people try to avoid mistakes is that they feel they are a sign of failure or weakness. Mistakes can be and should be learning experiences. If you haven’t made any mistakes lately, I question whether you are really pursuing the change that you desire in your life. You have not explored all the trails that lie before you on your trek of life. Not all streams have been forged, and summits have been conquered.

We learn from our mistakes. A person cannot grow and learn without making mistakes. Sometimes they will be big, sometimes they will be small, but all the lessons learned will be in proportion to the size of the mistake. Perhaps we would learn more from our mistakes if we were not so busy denying that we make them....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 648 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Imagine Your Life Without Fear

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-648/ (Day 648) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks, we will focus how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life, which will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, though, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our first trail on our trek covering Imagine Your Life without Fear.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Hazel went back to Columbus Children’s Hospital on Friday, and her blood counts were back up into the range where they can continue her chemo regimen. During this phase, she will receive treatments in Columbus every 10 days. Nat and Elizabeth do not have to administer any medicines at home, and Hazel seems to be feeling pretty good. So we are thankful for that.

As mentioned on Wednesday’s trek, on July 8th, I suffered a fall from a ladder that fractured my upper femur bone. I am focusing the next few Tuesday and Thursday “Wisdom-Nugget” episodes sharing my story of the accident and recovery. The story begins with https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645 (Day 645).

A major life event such as this strikes fear into our hearts of how our lives will change or how it could have been even worse. Starting with this Friday’s episode on our Fearless Friday treks, we will explore why we are fearful and how we can live a fearless life or at least a life with less fear. The focus of our trek today is…

Imagine Your Life Without Fear

By nature, I am not a fearful person. I am usually confident and will boldly go where others may not. As I age, I realize that it is not so much the lack of fear, but the willingness to overcome that fear to achieve my goals and better utilize my God-given abilities that drives me. I try to focus on what can be accomplished by moving forward, rather than the scary “what-ifs.”

My recent accident is helping me to realize that while I desire to live a life without fear, I also need to weigh all of the potential outcomes, not only for myself, but also for those that love me. I am certainly not ready to end my living legacy. I am very aware of how much worse my accident could have been. Instead of fracturing my femur, I could have landed on my head or back, or the chain saw could have hit me or those that were helping me, all of which could have ended my life or the lives of others.

There is a twinge of fear when I think of those potential outcomes, mostly because I would no longer be here on earth to positively impact those that I love most. I cannot and will not allow this accident to prevent me from moving forward. As part of living a life without fear, I will be more prudent with the confident choices that I make and consider the outcomes from a much broader perspective.

It is my hope and prayer during these next several Fearless Friday Treks that together we can learn to move boldly forward, regardless of the obstacles that we may face. Together we can certainly learn from those fearful situations and then wisely make the choices needed to live a life with less fear.

My ride in the ambulance and a dangerously low heart rate during surgery...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 647 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Emergency Room, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-647/ (Day 647) of our trek, and it is time for a special series of stories that will chronicle my recent accident and recovery as we trek Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.

I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wish it to be. We don’t always know or understand what will become of the uphill climbs and treacherous downhill slopes that we encounter on life’s trek. The key is to learn from these events and allow them to effectively become part of our living legacy, which will positively impact our lives and the lives of all those who we impact. So for the next several Tuesday and Thursday Wisdom Nuggets episodes, we will look at…

The Emergency Room – Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way First, for my faithful readers and regular listeners to my Wisdom-Trek Podcast and Journal, I want to apologize for the delay in episodes this week. I will get caught up on all the days and get back on schedule as soon as is feasible. If you would like to catch the first episode of this series, go to https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645 (Day 645).

I ended https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645) when the Devola Volunteer Rescue Squad was transporting me to Marietta Memorial Hospital with a neck brace and backboard in place. This was after I had gotten kicked off an extension ladder with a chainsaw in hand and landed on the cement walkway below. The EMTs gave me a low dose of morphine to offset the increasing pain in my leg. It seemed like quite a few minutes of prepping me in the ambulance before actually starting to move, but they were very professional, and I felt well taken care of. They also let me know when they were coming up on any rough segments during the drive, realizing that it would accentuate the pain.

We soon arrived at the emergency department of the hospital, where they wheeled me into one of the exam rooms. During major events like this, it is certainly interesting seeing the situation unfold from a first person perspective…From seeing myself being forced backwards from the ladder, falling through the air, hitting the cement walkway below, rolling to a seated position, seeing my leg at an odd angle, laying in the back of the ambulance to seeing the hallway ceilings and bright lights pass by overhead as I was wheeled into the exam room.

The ER doctor and nurses needed to quickly assess my injuries, especially since I had the neck collar and backboard in place. As they connected me to the monitoring devices, they quickly became concerned with my low heart rate. I informed them that I exercised extensively and also ran 5-7 miles most days, and my resting heart rate was usually 48-50 bpm. You would think trauma like this would have increased my heart rate some, but other than the searing pain in my leg whenever it was moved, I felt a sense of calm.

Regardless of this, the doctor nor the monitor were pleased if my heart rate dropped below 45bpm. This especially became a concern at one point when it dropped to the mid-30s. For the most part, though, my heart rate remained around 50.

Since there could possibly have been neck and back injuries, they informed me that they would have to cut off the t-shirt I was wearing. I was wearing an old t-shirt from the days when we had our computer business and told them that it was my favorite t-shirt. After a

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 646 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Harmony And Restraint – Proverbs 17 Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-646/ (Day 646) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 17 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

I will be chronicling the accident and my subsequent recovery on our Tuesday and Thursday “Wisdom-Nugget” episodes for a few weeks. I published the first segment on https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645) if you would like to follow along with my saga of “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.” I think that you will enjoy the story as we all realize that at age 60 there are still some hard lessons about life to be learned.

Our granddaughter Hazel will return to Columbus Children’s Hospital for more bloodwork. If the counts are high enough, she will begin her next regimen of chemo treatments. If not, they will test her bone marrow again to make sure that it is continuing to produce the good cells needed for full recovery. Life is one of balance. Proverbs 17 describes it as…

Harmony and Restraint The proverbs are so good! Check out the first verse in this chapter about household harmony, “Better to gnaw on a bit of dry crust in peace than to feast in a house full of stress.” Solomon gets it – whether you’re a father, son, brother, friend, old or young, harmony is always more favorable than strife.

How do we foster harmony? Because harmony comes from exercising restraint these proverbs really emphasize self-control. Look at the chapter’s design…The first 14 proverbs end with a compelling image about self-control – “Picking a fight is like leaking water from a crack in a dam, so walk away from an argument before the outburst.” – while another 14 proverbs end with even more wisdom on self-control over our words. The self-control at the end is about how we use our words. Words can get us into a lot of trouble, and Solomon reminds us that less is often more.

Much of the wisdom in this chapter is directed at the fool, particularly the foolish son. It would seem from Chapter 17 that the household is the natural place where fools learn and grow. Let’s instead make our homes laboratories of wisdom! As I read Chapter 17, think about your home and how you can make it a place that embodies self-control.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 17.

1 Better to gnaw on a bit of dry crust in peace than to feast in a house full of stress. 2 A wise servant will be put in charge of a child who behaves badly and will take a share of the inheritance like one of the family. 3 Silver is purified in the crucible, gold in the furnace, but motives of the heart are judged by the Eternal. 4 Wrongdoers perk up when listening to gossip, and liars lean in close to hear talk of mischief. 5 Anyone who makes fun of the poor disparages his Maker, and those who celebrate another’s misfortune will not escape certain punishment. 6 Grandchildren are the crowning glory and ultimate delight of old age, and parents are the pride of their children. 7 Elegant speech sounds odd when it comes from a fool, and a lie on the lips of a leader is even more out of place! 8 A bribe is like an enchanting charm to one who counts on it— everywhere he looks he sees the illusion of success. 9 Those who forgive faults foster...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 645 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Fall, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-645/ (Day 645) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Today we are taking a break from our normal wisdom nugget to update you and chronicle a major life event that will change life for me for several months to come. In fact, I would say that it will certainly impact me for the remainder of my life. It is my hope and prayer that as I share that it will also positively impact your life as well. I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wished it to be. I guess I also must practice what I preach. So for the next several Tuesday and Thursday Wisdom Nuggets episodes, we will look at…

The Fall, Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way First, for my faithful readers and regular listeners to my Wisdom-Trek Podcast and Journal, I want to apologize for the delay in episodes over the past couple of days. I will get caught up on all the days and get back on schedule as soon as feasible.

2017 is turning out to be a year of life-changing and very challenging moments for the Chamberlain family, as I have mentioned in several podcasts and weekly newsletters previously. On April 15th our granddaughter Hazel was diagnosed with leukemia. This has been a life-altering event for the entire family, and her path to recovery is a long two-year process, with the potential for many twists and turns along the way. We are already realizing this as her immune system has been too low this past month for the normal treatment regime. I will keep you posted of her progress in the intro comments to our podcast as they become available.

This past weekend yet another life-altering event took place. Here is the beginning of my story that started this past Saturday. I enjoy working outside on the weekends, and this past Saturday was no different. The storms of last week brought down a sizeable limb near our house, and Saturday I was in the process of clearing it and cutting it up for firewood. I had previously asked my brother to also help me cut a limb from a tree in front of our house that was growing over our front porch.

When Jack and his grown son Rob returned from work, they came over to assist. While I strive to be safe when using power tools, I did not fully grasp the dangers that are inherent when you mix a combination of a large chainsaw, an extension ladder, a fairly sizeable tree limb, and a cement sidewalk. As my mind has flashed back dozens of times to the events of Saturday, the foolishness of my task is now so evident.

I felt that two grown men steadily holding the ladder would provide the platform needed to remove the limb safely. It was not large in diameter, only about 4 inches, but it turned out to be longer than I realized.

I climbed the ladder with the chainsaw to a secure footing height of about 10 feet and began to cut it off. We were nearly through the limb when it seized the chainsaw blade, which became wedged in place. Jack pulled the limb to the side while I freed the chainsaw and made the final small cut. None of us realized that when I finished the cut that the tension on the tree limb would kick the chainsaw backward propelling me, and the chainsaw, away from the ladder.

Although it is difficult to remember all the details as it happened pretty fast, I do remember that I kept the chainsaw away from my body as I rotated to my left. As I dropped the chainsaw safely away from myself, Jack, and Rob I had rotated to where the left side of my body was parallel to the ground, but there was also a cement walkway, which extends from the front of our house, right underneath my hip when I made contact with the ground.

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 644 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Imagine Life As It Could Be – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-644/ (Day 644) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift or “changing the way you think.”

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle…In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. After a warm and rainy week, the weather finally moderated a bit over the weekend, and we were able to get out and do more chainsaw work and mowing. One of the storms on Friday brought down a sizable limb in one of the old majestic oak trees beside our house. Fortunately, it did not hit any of the house. It added to my list of wood that needs cut for firewood, so we will work at this as we have the opportunity.

We are still waiting for Hazel’s blood county and immune system to rebound from the past three weeks of being low. She did have an appointment on Friday, and the oncology team will reassess her situation after her next blood test on Tuesday. If her count is back up, they will continue with the chemo treatments, if not they will investigate as to the cause. The waiting is difficult, but we realize that God is in control of her situation, and physically she seems to be feeling pretty good.

We continue to positively look towards the future. Our mindset is very important with every aspect of life. If your first inclination is to think negatively, then a Mindshift is required. You cannot get trapped by your current situation and feel there is no way to change it. So on our trek today I desire you to have a Mindshift that will allow you to…

Imagine Life As It Could Be George Bernard Shaw once said, “Some men see things as they are and say ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and say ‘Why Not?’” In order to have this type of thinking, most of us will need a Mindshift. In other words, we need to change how we think and what we think about.

In some area of life, all of us are leaders. That may be in your home with children, a business leader, or a leader of a ministry. John Quincy Adams said it this way, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” Nearly everyone inspires others in some manner.

As a leader, one of your distinguishing characteristics is that you have a vision for the future. Vision is the ability to imagine life as it could be, not to be stuck with life as it is today. Part of vision is realizing that you must accept life today as it is, not what you wish it to be. This does not mean that you need to remain where you are today, just acknowledge it so that you can move forward with a vision to change what otherwise would be your destiny.

True leaders see life as it could be. They always see a little farther with a little more complete than those around them. To change your mindshift, you need to change the way you speak. Most people will say, “I have to see it to believe it.” When you have a mindshift, you will say, “I have to believe it before I can see it.”

How you...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 643 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Freedom from Worry

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-643/ (Day 643) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The wildlife around our home appears to be flourishing. In addition to the two young hawks, which are very active and vocal, our deer population appears to be growing. I had previously mentioned the two bucks and two doe, and this week we saw another mama doe with two brand new fawns. They are very small, and their coats are spotted with bright white spots. None of the wildlife seems very concerned that we are around and will usually remain within site even when we are outside. It is enjoyable to watch as we go about our normal work duties. Just as the wildlife does not seem to worry about us, we need to take steps in our lives towards…

Freedom from Worry Not only is worry counterproductive, but it is also a form of disobedience. God has told us not to worry, so to worry is to disregard His guidance. Isn’t it strange that we don’t usually think of worry as sin? But it is! Confess it as sin. Choose with your will to obey God and by faith depend on Him for the ability. Here are some practical tips that may help you in your pursuit of freedom from worry.

· Meditate on God’s Word Daily Plan a time daily when you can invest some time—even if it’s only fifteen minutes—reading the Bible. Think about what you read and go over the phrases. Put your name in place of the pronouns, applying each verse to specific situations in your life. Memorize passages that will help you. God’s Word is powerful—it will renew and protect your mind. As King David tells us in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119:11&version=NLT (Psalm 119:11), “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

· Condition Yourself to Relax Choose a phrase from Scripture or a hymn that you can repeat to yourself at the first hint of anxiety. Psalms 23:1 – The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. The entire 23rd Chapter is good. As you repeat the phrase, you will encourage yourself with its message and remind yourself to relax.

· Listen to Soothing Music Just as David’s music on the harp soothed King Saul’s anxiety and depression, hymns, and spiritual songs are wonderful tranquilizers for us today. Haven’t you had the experience of hearing or singing a hymn that lifted your spirits and eased your mind? You might want to listen to a recording, play an instrument, or sing yourself. Reflect on the words and relax in the melody.

· Talk through Your Problems When you are worried about an issue or a relationship, don’t fail to communicate. If you need to talk with a friend or your spouse, schedule a time when you can honestly tell them your concerns and listen to what they say. If it’s necessary, talk with your supervisor or employer about some...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 642 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Life and Death – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-642/ (Day 642) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from St. Ambrose, and it is, “To the good man to die is gain. The foolish fear death as the greatest of evils, the wise desire it as a rest after labors and the end of ills.”

Most people do not like to think about or discuss the issue of our mortality, which is death. This is certainly interesting because all of us will at some point die. While none of us desire to go through a painful death, we must be prepared for the eventuality that it will happen, and there is nothing that will prevent it. While I am a very strong advocate for taking care of our physical bodies so that we do not die prematurely from a cause we may have prevented, the fact is that God knows when our work on earth is complete.

We should be prepared financially, mentally, emotionally, and most importantly, spiritually. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our substitute and advocate before God, then the spiritual aspect is guaranteed. The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Once our standing before God is secured, then it is our responsibility to prepare the other areas of our lives.

We should not do foolish things that will hasten our death, but we should also not fear it. As we are faithful in fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives, then when death does come, we are prepared and can look forward to the eternal rest that we will have in God’s presence. No one knows if our deaths will be soon or if we have decades of life ahead of us.

We will all die, so our life objective is to create a legacy that will live on through the lives of others for many generations to come. Your daily impact does matter. When we do come to the end of our lives here on earth, let us be able to say as the Apostle Paul said in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy+4:7&version=NLT (2 Timothy 4:7), “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-643/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-643/ (Fearless Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 641 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Being Wise Before God – Proverbs 16

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-641/ (Day 641) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 16 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States this week, it does give us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and be grateful for the freedoms that we enjoy. If you live elsewhere in the world, I pray that you also have the opportunity to enjoy the freedom to live, work, play, and worship without fear of reprisal. Regardless of our societal freedoms that we have, as Christ followers we do have freedom from the bondage and penalty of our unwise choices and actions. This freedom comes through the perfect advocate, Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter in Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” Understanding and accepting this freedom is found in our topic for today in Proverbs 16 which is…

Being Wise Before God Chapters 10-15 contained proverbs that use contrast as a teaching tool. Here Chapter 16 shifts to a comparison style model. Basically, the “but, but, but” of Chapter 12 is replaced with “and, and, and.” These comparison sayings often state one basic idea and go on to explore it in two ways. It’s like studying an object first with one eye shut and then again with both eyes open. You gain a new appreciation for its depth and substance.

This chapter continues to frequently use God’s personal covenant name, Yahweh. Of the 375 Proverbs of Solomon (10:1-[22:16]) only 55 use the name Yahweh, and nearly half of those are in these two chapters (9 times in Chapter 15, 11 times in Chapter 16). What do you think accounts for this high concentration of God’s name?

This collection of proverbs has three main sections: wisdom for living before Yahweh (verses 1-9), wisdom for how to behave in the presence of a king (verses 10-15), and wisdom for getting along in God’s world (16-33). These proverbs are trying to point us down the path of wisdom in three significant realms of life: God, authority, and our community.

Finally, notice the recurring theme of God’s sovereignty that’s peppered throughout, interspersed in verses 1 and 9 as well as verses 25 and 33. The underlying point is clear, “Hey, don’t forget!” the author reminds us, “People make many plans, but the final say is up to God.”

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 16:

1 People go about making their plans, but the Eternal has the final word. 2 Even when you think you have good intentions, He knows your real motives. 3 Whatever you do, do it as service to Him, and He will guarantee your success. 4 The Eternal made everything for a reason. Even wrongdoers fit in His plans; troubled times await them. 5 He abhors arrogant people. Make no mistake about it! They will be punished! 6 The penalty of sin is removed by love and loyalty; and by devotion to the Eternal, evil is avoided. 7 When people make good choices, He is pleased; He even causes their enemies to live peacefully near them. 8 Better to have little and stand for what is right than to become rich by doing what is wrong. 9 People do their best making plans for their lives, but the Eternal guides each step. 10 The king makes a decision under divine inspiration, but he must never render an unfair judgment. 11 The Eternal requires that business be conducted honestly; He wants fairness in all your...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 640 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Fool May Talk, But a Wise Man Speaks – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-640/ (Day 640) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Ben Jonson who said, “To speak and to speak well are two different things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.”

Based on my observations, it is evident that most of us speak much more than is necessary or advisable. We all want to pontificate and air our opinions on a myriad of life issues, even if we do not have the wisdom or knowledge in that particular area. We are so ready to speak and add our 2 cents worth that we really don’t even listen to what another person is really saying.

I refer to this as verbal diarrhea as it adds little value and becomes unpleasant to others that are part of the conversation. This happens when we engage our tongue before we engage our brains…we are all prone to fall into this trap.

It would do all of us well to truly listen to what is being said and only add to the conversation if it will be beneficial and encouraging to those with whom we are speaking. There is nothing wrong or awkward to allow silence to permeate a conversation so that we can really understand.

A person who has learned to bridle his tongue is a mature, wise, and discerning person. The next time that you are having a conversation with someone or are part of a group conversation, try only adding to the conversation when it will truly benefit those who are there. I believe that you will find that you are speaking much less and learning much more. This is how wisdom is increased in our lives.

The Book of Wisdom, Proverbs, is full of warnings to those who speak too much or inappropriately. Here are a three that apply to today’s thoughts:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10:19&version=NLT (Proverbs 10:19) – Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:27&version=NLT (Proverbs 17:27) – A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+29:20&version=NLT (Proverbs 29:20) – There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-641/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 639 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom You Can Be Better Than Average – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-639/ (Day 639) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift, or “changing the way you think.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We were able to get some work around the house accomplished this past weekend including transplanting three small vegetable kits that our grandkids Paul, Gideon, and Aurora planted a couple of weeks ago. We dug up a small patch of ground near the back of the house, so we hope that the 18 different vegetable and herb plants survive the transplanting process. This is the same little area where my granny had a mint bed. Paula and I hope to start a mint bed there also in the next couple of years, so it was nice to be able to use that area again.

Our other grandson Kip heads back home today after a two-week stay with us. It was such a blessing to have him here, and we enjoyed many precious moments together. My desire is to be a living legacy to all my children and grandchildren. What I desire is to be much better than the average person to everyone I impact. So on our trek today I desire you to have a Mindshift that will allow you to realize that…

You Can Be Better Than Average One definition of the word average is, “Average is the best of the worst and the worst of the best.” Is that what you really desire for your life?

I have heard people say, “What’s wrong with being average?” My reply to that is, “If you are not a Christ follower, then there is nothing wrong with being average. If you are a Christ-follower, then you must not be content until you develop to the fullest your God-given potential.” In doing this, you will bring glory to God and be lifted above the average.

I am not saying that you’ll be more intelligent or better looking because you are a Christ follower. What should be reflected in your life is your outlook and attitude towards life, your consecration in service, and your abundant love – that is what will lift you above the average person. Let’s look at three areas where you can rise above average.

To rise above being average, you will need more determination. Great people are just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination. When others would quit and “throw in the towel,” grit your teeth and dig a little deeper. Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep trying, even when they don’t feel like it. There is nothing wrong with admitting that as of today you may not be what you want to be, hope to be, or dream of becoming, but the one key to achieving your dream is determining not to quit.

Ralph Waldo Emmerson said it this way, “A man is a hero not because he is braver than anyone else, but because he is brave for ten minutes longer.” A track star who runs long distances learns to depend on his “second wind.” He runs until he is weary and exhausted but continues on. He does not stop when others would because he knows that if he can endure a...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 638 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Don’t Worry About Tomorrow

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-638/ (Day 638) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Surprisingly to us, the two hawks which were born this year returned to our property to search for additional food. They have been quite vocal and visible. Although I don’t believe they are staying in the nest they were hatched in, they must be staying fairly close. We have also had a two-year-old buck and a year old buck and doe that are frequent visitors near our home. It is enjoyable to watch the various wildlife that frequent our property. It is a peaceful setting for all of us.

Peace is the opposite of worry. As we break camp and head out on our trail today, we will be focusing on this topic of worry, and our lesson title for today is…

Don’t Worry About Tomorrow One of the most powerful forces that cause us to worry needlessly is that of money…or should I say, the perceived lack of money. As it has been since the beginning of time, we will never feel that we have enough money. Many of the money problems we see, especially in the western world, are self-inflicted. Most people spend more than they earn because of the easy availability of credit and their unwillingness to be patient and delay obtaining stuff that they can live without. How about you? Are your spending habits the cause of much of your money worries?

If your focus is on making money and providing for your own future, then your eyes are focused on the wrong goal, and you are in spiritual darkness. Your love of money and your devotion to it will steal your heart; it will replace your love for God and devotion to Him. Jesus said the love of money and love of God cannot coexist in the human heart. Having said this, Jesus explained it so well in Matthew [6:19]-34,

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!”

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. ‘That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 637 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Conquer Fear – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-637/ (Day 637) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Bertrand Russell, and it is, “To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.”

Fear is so prevalent in today’s world, even among those who consider themselves Christ followers. This should not be. Most of what we fear is based on an incident or circumstance that has not even happened yet. Many of these situations will never happen.

When we were young, we feared monsters in our closets or under our beds. As adults, these monsters are now residing in our heads. The problem is most of the time we are the creators of these monsters, and we have convinced ourselves that they are real. One acronym for fear is “False Evidence Appearing Real.” We as humans have the capability of telling ourselves lies and then believing them to be the truth. This is a result of allowing falsehoods to seep into our minds without allowing God’s Word to filter them out through a proper understanding of faith in God.

None of us is immune to this type of thinking. Even Joshua who invested every day for over 40 years with Moses still allowed the monster of fear to seep into his mind after he was commissioned by God to take over the leadership of the nation of Israel.

Joshua who had been in the presence of God Almighty was reminded by God himself not to fear as we read in Joshua 1:6-9, “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

So my encouragement to you today is to obey all God’s instructions found in His Word. It is then that you will be wise and able to conquer fear for the Lord your God is with you always.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 636 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom God’s Wisdom, Your Wisdom – Proverbs 15

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-636/ (Day 636) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 15 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It is another busy week of work and investing additional time with our grandson Kiprono. He continually absorbs everything that he hears, sees, and experiences. It would do us all well, as adults, to foster this passion for learning in each of us.

Our granddaughter Hazel has been feeling fairly well the past couple of weeks, but her blood counts remain a bit on the low side, so it is a holding period for us and a planning time for the oncology team before they determine her next extensive regimen of treatments. For those of us that like to take action and solve problems, these periods of waiting are extra difficult. We know that God is in control of Hazel’s situation, so we must be patient and wait.

During these days when our wisdom falters, all we can do is call on the Eternal and allow Him to work His will and way, knowing His wisdom prevails. This is the topic for today as we explore Chapter 15 of Proverbs and our focus will be…

God’s Wisdom, Your Wisdom This chapter is marked by the frequent use of God’s personal covenant name “Yahweh” (translated as “Lord” in most English translations and the Eternal in the Voice translation). It is repeated 9 times in this chapter, which is almost as many as the preceding 5 Chapters altogether!

There’s something significant about that. In Chapters 10-14 we heard a lot about morality and good behavior, but now it’s all being connected to our personal relationship with the God of the Bible. The book of Proverbs isn’t simply about being a decent person, but a person who is being changed by a relationship with Yahweh.

The major themes in this chapter include:

The power of a well-chosen response (verses 1-4)

The critical need for instruction (verses 5-12)

The blessing of a cheerful disposition (verses 13-18)

The secret of a successful path (verses 19-24)

The favor that comes to the humble heart (verses 25-33)

While these are great principles, they are meaningless and empty if a relationship with God is not the motivation behind them.

As I read through these various themes, pay attention to how the author weaves devotion to Yahweh, the Eternal, into these principles of life. What do these proverbs reveal about the Eternal’s character? What strikes you most personally?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 15:

1 A tender answer turns away rage, but a prickly reply spikes anger. 2 The words of the wise extend knowledge, but foolish people utter nonsense. 3 The Eternal can see all things; His gaze is fixed on both the evil and the good. 4 A word of encouragement heals the one who receives it, but a deceitful word breaks the spirit. 5 Fools refuse their parents’ guidance, but sensible children accept correction. 6 Great treasure may be found where the right-living make their home, but trouble awaits the wicked at every turn. 7 When the wise speak, knowledge spreads far and wide, but fools care nothing about such matters. 8 When the wicked offer sacrifices, they disgust the Eternal, but the prayers of those who do right are a pleasure to Him. 9 The lifestyle of the wicked is repulsive to Him, while those who do right delight Him. 10 Harsh punishment is waiting for those who reject the path of life, and those who hate correction will die. 11 The grave and destruction are...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 635 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom Before Knowledge – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-635/ (Day 635) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

Today’s quote is from Thomas Fuller who said, “Tis not knowing much, but what is useful, that makes a wise man.”

With a world of information literally at our fingertips, we can gain a wealth of knowledge about any subject matter. The question that comes to my mind is, “What is the value in the accumulation of knowledge, facts, information, and many times misinformation? Does this accumulation allow us to become wise?”

While it is admirable and generally considered positive to gain knowledge, we should not pursue the gaining of knowledge without a purpose and practical application of that knowledge. The practical application of knowledge will result in wisdom. Our pursuit of knowledge should be for the purpose of impacting the lives of others positively.

I think we get the order mixed up. It is easy to think that if you gain knowledge, then you will also gain wisdom. While the two are inherently linked, we first need to seek and obtain wisdom, which will then lead us to gain knowledge which is useful to you and those you impact. The proper order for gaining wisdom and knowledge is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+2%3A2-8&version=NLT (Proverbs 2:2-8),

2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. 4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. 8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-636/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-636/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 634 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom What Kind of Fruit Is on Your Tree? – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-634/ (Day 634) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series.

Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing your negative habits into positive habits. Changing habits is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift, or “changing the way you think.” It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. On Saturday, we were blessed to host the birthday party for our great niece Maya who turns 4 this week. Her mom, Rebekah, lives in Columbus and wanted to have her party here so that the local cousins could also attend. With Kip staying with us for these two weeks, we were able to have all six grandchildren with us also. Since Hazel’s immune system is still very fragile due to her leukemia, she was just here for a few minutes, but it was great to have all the kids here to celebrate Maya’s birthday.

Paula and I enjoy having The Big House available for all types of family gatherings, as it has been the family hub now for over 115 years. We are blessed to carry on this legacy, which we desire to pass on to many more generations. Creating a legacy is based on the type of fruit or results that your life produces. The fruit your life produces is based on your mindset. So our trek today will cover…

What Kind of Fruit Is on Your Tree? As a Christ follower, our lives should produce positive character traits or fruit. In Psalms 1:3 we read, “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

Jesus also spoke figuratively concerning a tree as representing a person’s life when He said in Matthew 12:33, “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.” Jesus then said in John 15:8, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”

Since your life can be figuratively illustrated as a tree, I must ask you this question, What kind of fruit is on your tree?

I had the privilege of growing up on an apple orchard where we raised a dozen different kinds of apples along with a few peaches and pears. Each year as the fruit matured in the fall, it was very easy to determine what type of tree it was by the type of fruit that was manifested on its branches. This is also true of your life. The people who you associate with know what type of person you are because of the fruit you bear in your daily living. Those in your immediate family will have a full realization of this.

Here is a truth that is important to consider…Just as a tree can’t produce fruit that is not of its kind, neither can you. In other words, you can produce in your life only fruit that is consistent with your character. No person is capable of living a deceptive life at all times around all persons. You cannot produce consistent fruit that you do not believe or embrace.

Just like it takes proper water, nutrients, nurturing and pruning for...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 633 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Strangled By Worry

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-633/ (Day 633) of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks we will focus how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible but also unwise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We have the blessing of having Kip, who is Harold Guthrie Chamberlain, V, one of our grandsons stay with us this week and next. Chelimo, his mom, is in the Army Reserves and has two weeks of summer camp that she must attend, and it helps our oldest son Harry have a couple of weeks to focus on his work and some other household chores. We are so glad for this opportunity to reinforce into Kip Godly values from Granny and Gramps. It also gives him an occasion to invest time with his local cousins.

We are still awaiting word from the oncology team on when Hazel’s next treatment regimen will begin. It is possible that she will be going to Columbus the day this episode is released. We do our best not to worry about her situation, but that is difficult at times. We need to leave the details in God’s hands and the capable oncology team.

As we break camp and head out on our trail today, we will be focusing on this topic of worry and our lesson title for today is…

Strangled By Worry Are you a worrier? What do you worry about? Do you worry that you won’t be able to pay your bills? Do you worry about your children when they’re out of your sight? Do you feel anxiety about your marriage? Do you worry about your health? Are you anxious about the future because you’re facing a new job, a move to another city, having a new addition to your family? Maybe you just worry because it is a habit.

· What Is Worry? Worry is to be uneasy in the mind, to feel anxious about something, to fret. Interestingly, it comes from an Old English word that means “to strangle.”

What an appropriate derivation! Worry strangles our peace of mind and our enjoyment of life. There’s a direct connection between fear and worry. Sometimes they may be interchangeable. Worry affects us mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Dr. Charles Mayo said, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system, and profoundly affects the health.”

God instructs us not to worry, and Scripture overwhelms us with reasons for not being anxious. Let’s look at an interesting incident in the Old Testament that gives us a powerful defense against worry.

In https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-6weary-worry (2 Kings 6), the king of Aram (now the nation of Syria) was at war with the northern kingdom, Israel. Every time the king would prepare to attack Israel, they would be prepared to fight him. Here is the story in 2 Kings 6:8-15, “When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, ‘We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.’ But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, ‘Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 632 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Invest Time Wisely – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-632/ (Day 632) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Michael Levy, and it is, “Time is our most precious asset; we should invest it wisely.”

You may have heard the saying “Time is Money,” but do you really believe it? Frequently I have observed that how a person views money, is how they also view time. Do you spend money without thinking about how that will impact your long-term financial well-being? What about time? How do you spend your time?

The principles of planting and harvesting apply to both. If you consider time as a precious resource, you will look for ways to invest your time so that it produces a good return on that investment.

Time truly is our most precious asset because it is the only resource that we have which is finite. You cannot accumulate time for later. You cannot buy time with any amount of money. The only way to expand your time is to invest it wisely by pouring yourself into those that you mentor and impact.

You came into this world with nothing, and you will leave this world with nothing. The only wealth that you will accumulate is the time you invested in the lives of others. Your impact will live on well beyond your natural life. If you invest wisely in others, they will also take that investment and pour into the lives of others, and the cycle will continue on for generations to come.

The next time you think about how to spend your time, change your wording to investing your time. If you make a habit of this, then it will change your thinking about time and how you invest it. It is then that you will realize how valuable your time really is.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter in Ephesians 5:15-17, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

Make the most of every opportunity by investing your time into the lives of others in service to God.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-633/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-633/ (Fearless Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 631 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Vice or Virtue – Proverbs 14

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 631 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 14 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The investment of our time in Arizona working on our construction projects last week was very productive. It appears that our smaller projects will certainly occupy all of our time between now and when Phase II begins on September 1st.

On the home front, the hawks which were born this year have left the nest to set off on a life of their own. We probably won’t see the parents around until they begin the nest repair next winter. It is always enjoyable to watch them each year.

Our granddaughter Hazel has been feeling fairly well the past couple of weeks as she continues with her chemo treatments. Her blood counts were down this week, which is disappointing, but the oncology team told Nat and Elizabeth to expect that due to the regimen that she is currently on. Just like when we are on a physical trek we have to take one step at a time, and as with all of life, but particularly in this situation, we have to take it one day at a time.

Life is filled with good and bad situations, and regardless of the external circumstances, each of us must choose to live with integrity or dishonesty. This is the topic for today as we explore Chapter 14 of Proverbs and our focus today will be…

Vice or Virtue Remember the two women from Chapter 9 – Lady Wisdom and Folly? Well, they’re back again in Chapter 14. In fact, 14:1 is nearly identical to 9:1 – Wisdom builds her house and lives upright, while Folly only destroys and wallows in the mess of her own making. How different can these women get? Who will you choose to follow?

Chapter 14 describes and shows us the great differences between these two ways of life using contrasting character traits:

Carefulness or Carelessness (verse 3, 16)

Discernment or Deception (verse 8)

Integrity or Mockery (verse 9)

Thoughtfulness or Haste (verse 15)

Patience or Quick-tempered (verse 29)

Consider the list of virtues and vices. Notice how one builds up while the other tears down.

Which course will you take in life? Verses 26 and 27 emphasize the “Reverence for the Eternal,” which puts a person on the right trajectory. This is a deep reverence that motivates right behavior even when it’s difficult. To live in Reverence of the Eternal is to have confidence, protection, life, and salvation.

What would it look like today for you to Reverence the Eternal and choose Lady Wisdom?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 14:

1 A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands. 2 Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal, but whoever turns from it hates Him. 3 A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment, but the humble speech of the wise will spare them. 4 A farm without oxen has a manger without grain; there’s a good return in the strength of an ox. 5 An honest witness can always be trusted, but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies. 6 Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it, but insight comes quickly to those with understanding. 7 Walk away from the company of fools, for you cannot find insight in their words. 8 It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on, but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness. 9 Fools make a mockery of guilt and repentance, but those who do what is right receive special...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 630 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Don’t Be Afraid – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-630/ (Day 630) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from George MacDonald who said, “This is a wise, sane Christian faith: that a man commit himself, his life, and his hopes to God; that God undertakes the special protection of that man; that therefore that man ought not to be afraid of anything.”

As a Christ follower, our faith should be built on the foundation that our creator and God is also the creator of the entire universe – all things seen and unseen. This same God knows and understands all that you face each day and all that you go through.

When you are able to grasp this reality and it becomes your faith foundation, then it should minimize everything that you fear. Everything that causes you worry and anxiety. No one is capable of living completely without any fears, for that is impossible and not even advisable.

There is a form of healthy fear that allows you to remain safe in truly unsafe conditions. I have observed, though, there seems to be an unhealthy level of fear, worry, and anxiety in the world, even among those who are Christ followers. As your faith grows stronger and your foundation for life is built on God’s Word, then your fear should dissipate in like proportions. Like the Apostle, Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+1%3A7&version=NLT (2 Timothy 1:7), “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Also, the prophet Isaiah wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A10&version=NLT (Isaiah 41:10), “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

So my encouragement to you today is, “Fear not, for our hope in is our mighty God.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-631/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-631/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 629 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Don’t Just Do Something – Sit There! – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-629/ (Day 629) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing your negative habits into positive habits. Changing habits is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift, or “changing the way you think.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am recording this podcast and journal in advance as I will have just arrived back from my week in Arizona. I will provide updates on my trip and Hazel’s progress on Wednesday.

Everyone is busy. Schedules to follow, goals to achieve, problems to solve, appointments to keep, projects to finish, places to go, kids to love, and deadlines to meet. I get tired just thinking about it. I would say that it is a time for all of us to have a Mindshift – plan some time for reflection and relaxation and recharge your body, mind, and soul. So our trek today will cover…

Don’t Just Do Something – Sit There! The problem for me, and probably for many of you, is that I enjoy keeping busy. I love my work, or at least most aspects of it. Even understanding this, at the end of many days I feel like I have been riding a merry-go-round. Plenty of action and movement, yet I didn’t seem to accomplish much. I end up with as much or more to do than when I started. I read a quote that said it well, “Don’t just do something, sit there.”

From the beginning of creation, God instituted a practice that we all would do well to follow, yet many of us (including myself) fail miserably. That is working six days and taking a day off each week for complete rest. This is a Mindshift that is hard to put into practice.

Allow me to share with you some of the reasons it’s necessary at times to stand still instead of rushing around.

There’s a constant need to reevaluate your priorities. I used Romans 12:2 the past couple of weeks, but it is so applicable here also, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

It is very easy to fall into step with the world’s thinking and take on their behaviors and attitudes about life. The pressure of those you associate with sometimes starts you in the wrong direction. It is easy to fall into peer pressure and the paths of least resistance. When your life fails to embrace discipline, and your desires become selfish, it’s time to reevaluate your life.

Only by waiting on God can you be spiritually energized. My life verses are found in Isaiah [40:29]-31:

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

It’s necessary to review the past. History is a great teacher if you...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 628 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Conquering Your Giants

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-628/ (Day 628) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they impact us in creating our living legacy.

Starting today and for the next several weeks, we will focus on how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this trek is originally released, I will be finishing a week investing time on-site with our construction projects in Arizona. There is much to do, and not all aspects are going smoothly, which has caused our funding to be delayed, so I know that it will be a very busy week.

As with any business venture or job of any kind, there is always concern about how well the organization is functioning, and if it is profitable. Money issues plague most of us and bring an inordinate amount of stress, worry, and fear to our lives. Those fears are usually exaggerated until they become giants that we feel will destroy us.

As we break camp and head out on our trail today, we will be looking for giants to conquer and our lesson title for today is…

Conquering Your Giants As I have shared over the past two months, one giant that has invaded our family is the microscopic leukemia cells that are attacking our granddaughter Hazel. This is a giant that was totally unexpected and was not caused by anything that we did. In addition to that, for the most part, there is little we can personally do to help Hazel directly. We could become angry, defeated, and be destroyed by fear, but instead, we as a family are fighting this giant with all the resources that are available, and we will conquer it. Our faith in a good and gracious God, along with our faith in the oncology team and their resources and research are already starting to defeat this microscopic giant.

Today, maybe your giant concerns your marriage, a strained relationship with your children, or a broken friendship. Maybe you confront giants at work. Possibly, your giants are financial problems or health struggles. Whatever the giant, you probably feel like you are at the crossroads and enough is enough.

There are two passages in the Bible that we will explore today that refer to giants. The first is when the nation of Israel was about to enter the Promised Land after the exodus from Egypt and sent 12 spies to scout out the land. Joshua and Caleb wanted to enter and conquer. The other 10 disagreed. Numbers 33:30-33 is a snippet of their story, “But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. ‘Let’s go at once to take the land,’ he said. ‘We can certainly conquer it!’ But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. ‘We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!’ So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: ‘The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!'”

The next story snippet is...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 627 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Think Like a Wise Man – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-627/ (Day 627) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from William Butler Yeats, and it is, “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.”

It is great to be continually gaining wisdom, which we should pursue as if it were gold and silver. As you gain wisdom, though, make sure that you remain humble and can share that wisdom with others in a manner that they can understand. It does no one any good if you gain wisdom and knowledge but become so wise and intellectual that you cannot relate to those who you minister to.

A truly wise person will be able to synthesize the wisdom they gain so it will flow through them in a manner that is completely understandable to others. Jesus was a master at breaking down spiritual concepts into parables and stories that the common person could easily grasp.

One example of how Jesus taught this is in Luke 18:15-17, “One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.'”

What a master Jesus was at sharing His wisdom in stories that even children can comprehend. May we strive to be like Jesus as we relate to others.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-628/ (Fearless Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 626 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Two Paths, One Way – Proverbs 13

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-626/ (Day 626) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 13 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this episode is originally released, I will be in Arizona working on the construction projects that we are involved in.

We are involved in several activities as they relate to family, work, and ministry. This includes creating the Wisdom-Trek Podcast & Journal five days a week. At times it is difficult to know what to focus on because all seem important. That being said, we strive to have all of our activities aligned with our life purpose and goal of daily creating a living legacy. This is the singularity of our mindset as we explore Chapter 13 of Proverbs and our focus today will be…

Two Paths, One Way Verse 1 picks back up on the theme introduced in the first 9 chapters — a wise child is attentive to his parents’ instruction. The virtue of being teachable is repeated many times through this chapter (as is mentioned in verses 1, 10, and 18). A wise child has a good attitude towards advice, but a mocker “is deaf to correction” and scoffs at his own destruction.

Notice, according to the Proverbs, that there are only two kinds of people: the righteous, wise person and the wicked fool. According to this chapter, you will know the difference by the words people use, the things they love, the way they act, and even, poetically, by their smell! (“The wicked make themselves a stench…”). It’s a pretty black-and-white view of life, and its purpose is to convince you that there is only one true, right way to live.

To top it off, take special note of verses 12 and 19, which are both about having your “dreams come true.” This fulfillment is described as a tree of life, sweetness to the soul, and an “inheritance for your grandchildren.” This kind of life is only available to the right living.

As I read through this chapter, use verses 1, 10, and 18 as pit stops along the way. Ask yourself how teachable you have been lately. How might you better fall in line with the way of right living?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 13.

1 A wise child is attentive to his parents’ instruction, but the mocker is deaf to correction. 2 A person eats well when he speaks wisely, but the treacherous crave violence. 3 Those who guard their speech insure they will take another breath, but those who talk without thinking guarantee their demise. 4 Slackers crave but have their fill of nothing, but the hardworking desire and are completely satisfied. 5 The right-living will not tolerate any lie, but wrongdoers come to shame and embarrassment. 6 Doing right keeps the innocent on the path of life, but doing wrong is the downfall of the wicked. 7 One pretends he is wealthy but has nothing, while another seems to be poor but has great wealth. 8 The rich are targeted and must ransom their lives, but no one bothers to threaten the poor. 9 The light of the right-living brings joy as it burns brightly; the lamp of a wrongdoer will be snuffed out. 10 Arrogance only produces arguments, but wisdom accompanies those well advised. 11 Money earned hastily is easily lost, but hard-earned money continues to grow. 12 Hope postponed grieves the heart; but when a dream comes true, life is full and sweet. 13 The one who hates good counsel will reap failure and ruin, but the one who reveres God’s instruction will be rewarded. 14 Wise instruction is a spring yielding a...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 625 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wisest Mind – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-625/ (Day 625) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from George Santayana who said, “The wisest mind has something yet to learn.”

If you ever reach the point where you think you know it all or that you have reached the pinnacle of wisdom, then it is time to rethink. The wisest of people realize that there is so much wisdom yet to be gained.

We have discussed on past treks that there is a distinct difference between gaining knowledge and gaining wisdom. A wise person is always seeking to learn, to gain knowledge, and to gain wisdom. That is a distinct attribute of a wise person. A person who does not desire to learn, to gain knowledge, and to gain wisdom is actually a fool.

Another distinct sign of a wise person is that they are not afraid to be corrected when they are wrong. They take personal responsibility and are willing to accept discipline and correction so they can gain additional wisdom, insight, and understanding.

Proverbs is referred to as the book of wisdom and has much to teach us. Here are three verses that reinforce today’s wisdom nugget.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9:9&version=NLT (Proverbs 9:9) – Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:5&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:5) – Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-626/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-626/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 624 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Walk Your Talk – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-624/ (Day 624) of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. The more I observe people, the more I consider and ponder creating a living legacy, the more I am convinced that much of our life turns out exactly as we think it will.

Your mind is powerful and how you think will direct you toward a life of peace and success or a life of unrest, drama, and continual hardship. As a human, you are designed to be God’s image bearer, but He has given you a free will. As a human, you have the tremendous capacity to rationalize your behavior and actions and then convince yourself that it is truth based on what you allow yourself to think.

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Each week, the focus of our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. Come along with us each Monday as we take our trek on the trails that will direct you to this destination. Of course, it is your responsibility to hike and complete the trails needed to make your mind-shift.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The two young hawks that were born this year are starting to venture out of their nest onto adjoining tree limbs. They appear to be nearly full size but are not quite ready to fly yet. It will not be too many more weeks before they set out on a life of their own. It has been enjoyable to have observation deck from our 2nd story office windows into their world.

Our granddaughter Hazel’s leukemia treatments continue to go well, and her blood test results are improving each week. The oncology team is very pleased with her progress, and we are grateful to God for their wisdom and to live in a time where Hazel can be treated effectively.

When this episode is originally released, I will be back in Arizona for a week working with our friends and partners Charles and Alison Mecom on our construction projects there. We have finished up with Phase I of our Mesa project and are scheduled to begin Phase II on or before September 1st. In the interim, we have several smaller projects that are scheduled for the summer months that will keep us very busy.

As we continue to look at the crucial subject of mind-shift on our trek today, one area that is vitally important is our integrity. It is very easy to fool ourselves into thinking that what we say is the same as what our actions are. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. How you act or react to a situation truly reveals how you think at your very core. The true test of your integrity is, “Do your actions and reactions mirror your speech?” So on our trek today we desire to reach the point of…

Walk Your Talk How you really think about others will show up in how you treat them. If you find yourself treating others harshly and without a loving spirit, then it is time for a mind-shift in how you think. Jesus taught us this lesson in Matthew 5:43-48, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 623 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Life Is Not a Practice Session

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-623/ (Day 623) of our trek, and today is the last segment of this Philosophy Friday series.

Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they impact us in creating our living legacy. Today we are completing our extended multi-week (actually multi-month) trek as we explored the teachings from one of my virtual mentors Jim Rohn. The core of our current trek is based primarily on Jim Rohn’s book The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle. Keeping with the continuity of Wisdom-Trek, I have adapted it to The Five Trails on Life’s Trek.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we reach the conclusion of our current Philosophy Friday trek, we will build on our story from last Friday about the person who went fishing on the Niagara River and paid no attention to his small boat drifting towards the falls until it was too late.

Today I encourage you to examine your current drift to see where you are heading. In addition to examining your drift, you must grasp the concept that life is not a practice session. There is no dress rehearsal. The world is your stage, and each day is a performance.

So as we remain at camp, and complete our review as we ponder and consider the…

The Five Trails on Life’s Trek – Conclusion (4) As we finish this trek, as a reminder, our overall extended trek covered these five trails:

Philosophy

Attitude

Activity

Results

Lifestyle

So today we desire to explore the concept of:

Examining Your Current Drift To continue the thoughts of last Friday’s story…(If you have not listened to it or read the journal, go back and review it now. It is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-618/ (Day 618).)

Just like the small boat in last week’s story, you are drifting in some direction even at this very moment. The only thing you can determine with any degree of accuracy is where your current drift may be taking you. The big unknown is whether there are still enough ticks left on your personal clocks to change.

For some people, their past deeds have charted a course which threatens to imprison their future, and yet they do not take corrective and immediate action. They allow the drift of neglect to continue unabated. They permit their desire for entertainment to subdue their appetite for education. Rather than searching, they become lost. They are inclined to think that their small mistakes or neglects or errors in judgment don’t really matter all that much. They have not yet learned that everything affects everything else and that their actions of today are forming their consequences of tomorrow. Their careless acts and their wandering thoughts are swallowing up their most precious resource – time. It is because they seemed to have so much time that they allowed the individual moments of opportunity to slip unnoticed into an accumulation of empty years.

Your philosophy is moving you toward a specific future condition. So is your current attitude, level of activity, and results. Your current lifestyle is either encouraging you to experience new depths of emotional experience or whispering to you to wait until you have it all.

What you are and how you are must be examined not only in the light of your objectives but also with a keen awareness of the ticking clock. Maybe you only have a few years left. Maybe you only have a few months left. Either way, wouldn’t it make more sense to be doing something constructive with the time that remains rather than to be passively waiting for time to take its inevitable toll?

Life Is Not a Practice Session The time for practice is over. Practice time was while you were growing up....

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 622 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wise Learns from the Fool – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-622/ (Day 622) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Marcus Aurelius, and it is, “The wise man learns more from the fool than the fool learns from the wise man.”

As we are explored yesterday in Proverbs 12 on our Wisdom Wednesday segment, https://wisdom-trek.com/day-621/ (“The Wise Are Teachable.” ) To expand on that, a wise person is willing to even learn from a person who is a fool. At least the wise will learn how not to live so that they can gain wisdom, insight, and understanding.

There is much to be learned from a foolish person since their lives are usually in constant turmoil, drama, and grief. A wise person will avoid behaviors and habits that cause this.

Contrary to this, a person who is a fool should be willing to learn from a wise person, because they would learn much. Unfortunately, a person who is a fool is also too foolish to realize how much he could learn. They would rather blame others, their environment, the system, or anything else. They do not accept personal responsibility for their actions.

Here are three of the dozens of verses in Proverbs about the wise and foolish that will help you to understand the issue more clearly.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10:8&version=NLT (Proverbs 10:8) – The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+10:14&version=NLT (Proverbs 10:14) – Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:14&version=NLT (Proverbs 15:14) – A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.

So ask yourself…are you teachable and desire to gain wisdom, or are you content to remain as you are? All of us need to gain additional wisdom, insight, and understanding.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-623/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 621 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Wise Are Teachable – Proverbs 12

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-621/ (Day 621) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 12 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am preparing some of the Wisdom-Trek episodes ahead of time in preparation of returning to Arizona to continue our work on the construction projects which we are involved in. I had to miss two months due to the additional commitments with our granddaughter Hazel, but now that we are getting back to a more predictable schedule, I was able to schedule next week in for traveling. It will require Paula managing the additional duties that we have been sharing this past couple of months, but she is confident that will not be an issue.

As with the various responsibilities that we have for our clients, family, and ministry, it seems like we are always learning each day. In order to learn, you have to be teachable. As we explore Chapter 12 of Proverbs, our focus today is…

The Wise Are Teachable “Those who love discipline love knowledge, but fools hate any kind of correction.” From the very first verse, Chapter 12 is dominated by contrasting statements, “But this, but that—but but but!” Nearly every proverb is a contrast (except for two, which we will consider in a moment). This is actually a very effective teaching tool because when we see opposite things side by side, we can more clearly see the difference between them and make better decisions.

The chapter’s structure forces us to make some choices specifically related to our use of words and how we treat people.

Sometimes the arrangement of proverbs can seem haphazard, but a closer look reveals truly beautiful and intentional structures. In Chapter 12, there are 28 proverbs, divided cleanly into two sections of 14 proverbs each.

Here’s what the breakdown looks like:

Part 1

Verse 1 – The wise person is teachable

Verses 2-13 – 12 contrast proverbs about words and deeds

Verse 14 – A non-contrast conclusion

Part 2

Verse 15 – The wise person is teachable

Verses 16-27 – 12 contrast proverbs about words and deeds

Verse 28 – A non-contrast conclusion

The symmetry of the structure drives the point home. The righteous are teachable and are careful watchers of the things they say and do. In verse 28, the final line concludes with a clear-cut reference to eternal life, “Life springs up along the path of integrity, and death has no place along its course.”

As I read through Chapter 12, listen intently and ask the Lord for power to live by the wisdom of these proverbs as you speak and act today.

Now listen up as I read Proverbs 12.

1 Those who love discipline love knowledge, but fools hate any kind of correction. 2 The Eternal prefers those who do good, but He condemns those who plot evil. 3 Doing what is wrong keeps everyone off balance and insecure, but those who do right will never be uprooted. 4 A dignified wife brings honor to her husband, but a shameful wife is like decay eating away at his bones. 5 The thoughts of the right-living tend toward justice, but the guidance of the wicked is trickery and treachery. 6 The words of the wicked ambush from the shadows, seeking blood, but the speech of the honest keeps them free. 7 The wrongdoers are overthrown—no one is left! But the house of the right-living remains strong. 8 A person is commended for expressing insight, but a perverted heart is despised. 9 It is better to be overlooked

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 620 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom No One Can Serve Two Masters – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-620/ (Day 620) of our trek, and it’s time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Fred Smith who said, “The wise man gets money without money getting them.”

Money, wealth, riches, resources, stuff…these words are all essentially the same thing. Nations have gone to war. Humans have killed, injured and maligned others to either obtain it or keep it. It drives people to forsake all to gain so little.

There is certainly nothing wrong with obtaining any amount of money as long as it is obtained honestly, with integrity, and hard work because it is needed to live in today’s world. The question remains when you pursue money, “Does that pursuit result in you becoming a slave to the money that you are pursuing?” It is a fact that most people in the world could get by with much less money, and the things that it can buy. You cannot effectively control money if it is controlling and driving you.

The primary purpose for our pursuit and obtaining of money or wealth of any kind is to be able to help others that are in need. We need our resources to flow through us like water in a river, not to accumulate it as if we were a reservoir.

As a Christ follower, if your focus is in the obtaining and accumulation of wealth, you will not have the focus to serve and worship God. Jesus taught this in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6:24&version=NLT (Matthew 6:24), “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-621/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-621/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 619 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom I Couldn’t Care More – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-619/ (Day 619) of our trek, and it is time to continue with our Mindshift Monday series that we began last week.

The more I observe people, the more I consider and ponder creating a living legacy, the more I am convinced that much of our life turns out exactly as we think it will. Your mind is powerful and can direct you towards a life of peace and success or a life of unrest, drama, and continual hardship.

As a human, designed to be God’s image bearer, He has given you a free will. As a human, you have the tremendous capacity to rationalize your behavior and actions and then convince yourself that it is truth based on what you allow yourself to think. In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.

Each week, the focus of our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. Come along with us each Monday as we take our trek on the trails that will direct you to this destination. Of course, it is up to you to hike and complete the trails needed to make your mind-shift.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The two chicks from our hawk family are growing rapidly, and I suspect that it will not be too many more weeks before they set out on a life of their own. The meal deliveries require both parents to be actively involved in more frequent and larger portions of food. It is enjoyable watching the activities that are involved in caring and preparing for the young hawks. We are blessed to have such a great view of the activities.

With our grandkids out of school for the summer and Hazel’s leukemia treatments set for once a week, our schedules are starting to settle into more of a routine. Our lives will never return to what they were previously, but that’s okay because we realize that life is always in a pattern of constant change. Some changes are more dramatic as we are experiencing now, but with the proper mind-shift, we can maintain the proper outlook on life. We are willing to invest whatever time is needed to pour into our children and grandchildren lives as part of our living legacy. The impact that we have on their lives each day is the only thing that we will truly pass onto them through the generations to come.

All of us go through experiences that will bring us joy and cause us sorrow. You must learn to change with the seasons of life, just as you change with the seasons of the year. Expect it, and prepare for it. You must first prepare in your mind before you can prepare and impact your world. A powerful mind-shift that most of us need to reinforce in our lives is our compassion and care for others. This begins by changing the way you think about compassion, especially to those who are less fortunate than you are.

Since your thinking has such an impact on your life and consequently on the lives of others that you impact, you need to know how to think properly, and what to think about. So on our trek today, we will consider how you can get to the place where you can say…

I Couldn’t Care More How many lives are wasted and destroyed because the world’s attitudes and actions toward people in need shout to them, “I couldn’t care less”? How much better would the world be if these attitudes and actions were replaced in your life and the life of others where we reached the point of saying, “I couldn’t care more”? In order to change the world, you must think differently than the world. The only way this will happen is if you change the way you think about those less fortunate. The fundamental step as a Christ follower is to let God...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 618 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Picture the Future in Advance

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-618/ (Day 618) of our trek, and today is Philosophy Friday. Every Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

Currently, we are on an extended multi-week trek as we explore the teachings from some of my virtual mentors, such as Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Earl Nightingale. The core of our current trek is based primarily on Jim Rohn’s book The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle. I have learned a considerable amount from reading and re-reading this book on my own trek of life, and I trust that it will benefit you also. Keeping with the continuity of Wisdom-Trek, I have adapted it to The Five Trails on Life’s Trek.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our granddaughter Hazel continues on her leukemia treatment regimen. Her counts are doing well, and she was able to discontinue the use of her blood pressure medicine and Zantac, so we are thankful for that. For the next 2-3 weeks, she will continue to have a lumbar puncture to administer a heavy dose of chemo as the oncology team continues to monitor her progress. Although there are no guarantees in life for any of us, we are hopeful for a complete recovery and are visualizing that day.

It is important that we invest the time to visualize what we desire our future to be. We are remaining in camp for a couple more weeks, as we review The Five Trails on Life’s Trek, which we have already completed. For our future to be realized, we need to practice the concept of picturing our future in advance.

So as we remain at camp, let us ponder and consider the…

The Five Trails on Life’s Trek – Conclusion (3) As we continue our conclusion, as a reminder, our overall extended trek covered these five trails:

Philosophy

Attitude

Activity

Results

Lifestyle

So today we desire to explore the concept of how to:

Picture the Future in Advance If you could capture the mental picture in your minds of how your future will be, given your current direction, perhaps you would become more serious about your life. The following story illustrates dramatically the consequences of failing to develop a sense of urgency.

One day a man was sitting in his small boat on the Niagara River. The waters were calm, the breeze was gentle, and the sun shone brightly from a cloudless sky. Only moments before, the man had pushed his boat from the riverbank, and even now the shore was only a few feet away. Clearly, there was no cause for concern. As he baited his hook and cast his line into the water, his mind began to drift. Just as his mind began to drift, so did his small boat.

The movement was slow and imperceptible in the beginning, with the boat doing what any boat will do when left to drift along with the gentle current. Just like this boat, all drifts in your life are leading toward an eventual destination. If the drift is left uncorrected, it will move toward that destination as though by some strange and unseen force.

In his preoccupations of the moment, the man did not notice the increased movement of his boat. His thoughts were still on fishing as they had been all week in anticipation of this outing. There would be plenty of time for seriousness. For a little while at least, he would continue to relax and enjoy himself. He would ignore the challenges of life and use this hour to allow himself to drift.

Without warning, his thoughts were shaken from wherever they had wandered, back to the present. The sound he now heard seemed to come from nowhere, distant at first, but in the twinkling of an eye, it had intensified and was now almost deafening. His...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 617 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Create a Life Worth Living – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-617/ (Day 617) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Wisdom-Trek, and it is, “The wise person doesn’t expect to find life worth living; they make it that way.”

As we are exploring on our Monday Mindshift treks, life usually turns out how we expect it to. It does take a wise person to realize this truth. If you are wise, you are not just expecting to have a life that is worth living, you are actively creating a life that is worth living.

As with most aspects of life, the fruit that we harvest in our lives is a direct result of the seeds that we plant each day. If you desire life to be kind to you, you must plant the seeds of kindness in the lives of others. If you desire to be joyful, plant the seeds of joy. If you desire to harvest a life that is rich and satisfying, then you must daily plant the seeds which will result in a life that is worth living. Right-living every day will eventually produce a life worth living. It does take wisdom to understand this concept.

You must understand that planting good seeds each day does not instantly result in a good harvest. It takes daily planting, nurturing, and patience. Then, and only then, will you harvest the result of what you have planted.

As James, the half-brother of Jesus taught us in his letter in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5:7&version=NLT (James 5:7), “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.”

So, I will ask you, what seeds are you planting on a daily basis? The law of planting and harvesting is as fixed in God’s economy as is the law of gravity is in our daily lives on earth.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-618/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 616 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom and Right-Living – Proverbs 11

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-616/ (Day 616) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 11 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past week has been a bit less hectic, and I have been able to get caught up on some of the workloads which have been lagging behind. We are so blessed to be able to have a flexible work schedule that permits us to focus on our children and grandchildren’s needs during this season of life.

Our granddaughter Hazel is at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for two days again this week as she continues this phase of her treatments. Her markers for leukemia do fluctuate some on a weekly basis, but according to the physician staff, her overall progress is very positive. It is difficult for her parents and us as grandparents to see her go through the effects of the strong chemo regimen that she is currently on. Some of the chemo is so potent that no one is allowed to handle it with bare hands, and yet it must be ingested daily by Hazel. We all realize that her situation requires this to eradicate leukemia from her body, but that does not make it any easier to deal with emotionally.

We are grateful to God and to everyone who has prayed or helped out in any other manner. If you would like to keep up with the news about Hazel and read the blog that her father Nat is writing about Hazel’s progress, you can access it at http://basilfrohazel.org/ (basilforhazel.org). We would appreciate your continued prayers for Hazel and her tribe.

As we transition to our trek for today, we will see that there is a direct link between wisdom and right-living. Those who live according to God’s precepts found in His Word are living correctly and are wise for doing so. The opposite is also true. As we explore Chapter 11 of Proverbs our focus today will be…

Wisdom and Right-Living This chapter repeatedly focuses on “righteousness,” a biblical word meaning “right-living.” The wise person strives to do right by others in all of life’s areas: personal relationships, neighbors, fellow citizens, co-workers, family members, and ministry.

Notice how often right-living is connected with “deliverance.” In contrast, the wicked will “trip,” be “conquered,” “walk into trouble,” “perish,” and “die.” This chapter makes a life of “right-living through right relationships” look really appealing! After all, you could save your life.

While each proverb usually stands alone, there are sometimes clusters that explore the same idea. In chapter 11 there’s a group about self-control (12-13) and another about generosity (24-26) exploring these topics through two contrasting ideas. Look carefully at what we are supposed to hold back (criticism and slander) compared to what we are to share (our possessions). We love to share our critical opinions, but not our money! Right-living creates real wisdom and knows when to shut its mouth and open its hands.

Also, take note of how Chapter 11 puts wealth in perspective (4, 16, 28). We’re reminded that money pales in comparison to such things as life, honor, and well-being. Even if wealth comes, don’t put your trust in it. You don’t need a lot of money to live the rich and satisfying life.

Is there anyone you need to show generosity to today? Is there someone you need to criticize less? Allow this chapter to mold you in the way of right-living.

Now listen up as I read Proverbs 11.

1 Dishonesty in business disgusts the Eternal,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 615 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom A Wise Person Asks Questions – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-615/ (Day 615) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Claude Levi-Strauss who said, “The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.”

You can tell whether a person is truly wise by listening to them. If they are expounding about their abundant wisdom, you will know that they are not truly wise. A wise person will be a person of limited words and will be a person who asks a lot of questions.

The reason a truly wise person asks a lot of questions is two-fold. The first is so they will continue to gain wisdom, insight, and understanding. The second reason a wise person asks many questions is to help the person they are speaking with to gain wisdom, insight, and understanding. A wise person always desires to help others to also become wise.

The wisest and most effective teacher to ever live is Jesus. Throughout the gospel books, Jesus did much of His teaching by asking questions. This was especially true of those that tried to oppose Him. Here are a couple of snippets that effectively demonstrate how Jesus taught.

Luke 6:8-9 – But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”

Luke 20:41-44 – Then Jesus presented them with a question. “Why is it,” he asked, “that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.’

Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

Yes, Jesus is not only wise but is also a master teacher by asking questions throughout His teaching.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-616/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-616/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 614 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Changing the Way You Think – Mindshift Monday Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-614/ (Day 614) of our trek, and today we are making a shift in our focus from Motivation Monday to Mindshift Monday.

The more I observe people, the more I consider and ponder creating a living legacy, and the more I am convinced that much of our life turns out exactly as we think it will. Your mind is powerful and can direct you towards a life of peace and success or a life of unrest, drama, and continual hardship. As a human, designed to be God’s image bearer, He has given you a free will. As a human, you have the tremendous capacity to rationalize your behavior and actions and then convince yourself that it is truth based on what you allow yourself to think. In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Last week was busy for us once again. We did our weekly cleaning at Nat & Elizabeth’s home while they were in Columbus with Hazel for more leukemia treatments and testing. We had two of our grandsons with us for a couple of days and nights. We had family and friends stop this week as overnight guests also. And all of this was in addition to our fairly busy workload.

It was a great week, and we are thankful that The Big House can accommodate everyone easily. We have not been able to determine what our “new normal” will be yet, but we are fairly certain that it will include a much more flexible schedule than we were accustomed to.

It is important, especially during times of major changes in life, that you have the proper mindset. Your mindset controls your actions, and your actions soon become your habits. Once you form habits, they control the way your think and act. This pattern of behavior then becomes your reality, which leads you to your destiny.

Since your thinking has such an impact on your life, you need to know how to think properly, and what to think about. So on our trek today we will consider…

Changing the Way You Think For most of us, if we are going to have a significant mind-shift, then we have to stop thinking in the manner that most people think and transform our thinking patterns and habits. Romans 12:2 tells us how to begin this process, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

So the first step on your trek for a mind-shift change is to let God transform you into a new person through a new thought pattern. To establish new thought patterns, then you must change what you think about. We are given an initial starting list of what we should think about, which is found in The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:8, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

What occupies your mind and what you think will have a greater impact on your life than anything else. Your thought life will determine how much you earn, where you live, and what you achieve in life. The life that you are living today is a result of your thinking yesterday. Your life tomorrow will...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 613 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Two Minute Warning

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-613/ (Day 613) of our trek, and today is Philosophy Friday. Every Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

Currently, we are on an extended multi-week trek as we explore the teachings from some of my virtual mentors, such as Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Earl Nightingale. The core of our current trek is based primarily on Jim Rohn’s book called The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle. I have learned a considerable amount from reading and re-reading this book on my own trek of life, and I trust that it will benefit you also. Keeping with the continuity of Wisdom-Trek, I have adapted it to The Five Trails on Life’s Trek.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our granddaughter Hazel has shown a marked improvement in how she feels this week. It is so great to see her smile and laugh after several weeks of her being very sullen. We do realize that she will have weeks that are good and other weeks that are not over the course of the two years of treatments, but that allows us to appreciate the good times that much more.

There are many trails that we must trek on throughout our lives, and many obstacles that are on our paths. When we do experience difficult trails and seasons of life, it helps us to be grateful for the pleasant trails and seasons that also come our way.

As we remain in camp for a few weeks, we are sitting around the campfire and reviewing The Five Trails on Life’s Trek that we have already completed. When we are faced with significant trials in life, we begin to realize that we cannot wait until tomorrow to make an impact on our world. We cannot waste our days, but we must live the rich and satisfying life each day. As we wrap up this series over the next few weeks, it is my desire help you grasp this concept.

So as we remain at camp, let us ponder and consider…

The Five Trails on Life’s Trek – Conclusion (2) As we continue our conclusion, remember our overall extended trek covered these five trails:

Philosophy

Attitude

Activity

Results

Lifestyle

Today Is Yesterday’s Tomorrow The problem with waiting until tomorrow is that when it finally arrives, it is called today. Today is yesterday’s tomorrow. The question is what did you do with its opportunity? All too often you will waste tomorrow as you wasted yesterday, and as you are wasting today. All that could have been accomplished can easily elude you, despite your intentions, until you inevitably discover that the things that may have been have slipped from your embrace, which is a single, unused day at a time.

You must frequently pause to remind yourself that the clock is ticking. The same clock that began to tick from the moment you drew your first breath will also someday cease.

Time is the great equalizer of all mankind. It has taken away the best and the worst of people without regard for either. Time provides you an opportunity but also demands a sense of urgency.

The Two-Minute Warning It is interesting to watch football teams on a Sunday afternoon. They invest the first fifty-eight minutes routinely following the game plan they thought would result in victory. Then something rather remarkable happens. An official walks onto the center of the field and announces what has come to be known as the “Two Minute Warning.” This reminds me of when we were raising our children and had to have them in the van to go somewhere, particularly to church. I would walk down our hallway and announce in a firm and slightly raised voice, “Two minutes!” The kids knew that they were to be in the seat in the van before the two...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 612 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Virtue of Courage – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 612 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from C.S. Lewis who said, “The virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues otherwise one is virtuous only when virtue has no cost.”

Virtue is morally good behavior or character. A good and moral quality. The good result that comes from something.

It takes courage to stand for what is morally right and not succumb to the pressure of others in this politically correct environment that is so prevalent in most societies today. With access to so much information today, this pressure seems to be more prevalent than ever, but as King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”

That is why the virtue of courage is the prerequisite virtue to all others. Without the virtue of courage, we would fear the reprisal of others when we stand strong with morally good behavior, character, and integrity. Courage has a cost associated with it, and you must be willing to pay that cost to live a life that is good and godly. Instead of courage having a cost associated with it, I like to think that it is an investment. If we invest in courage and take a stand so that our lives display morally good behavior and character, we will see a return that will impact the lives of others and last throughout eternity.

As we are taught in the Apostle Peter’s 2nd letter 1:5-8, “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Have the courage of virtue, or as this verse says, moral excellence. It is then that the other virtues will fall into place.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-613/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 611 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Words and Wealth – Proverbs 10

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 611 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 10 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been a cooler but pleasant week so far. This past weekend I was able to finish cutting up the trees that we had chopped down in February. We will wait until fall to split the larger pieces, which will give them time to dry out. We certainly will have enough firewood for a few winter seasons.

Our granddaughter Hazel is at Nationwide Children Hospital for two days again this week as she begins the next phase of her treatments. She is responding very well to the treatments, and at this point, her blood, spinal fluid, and bone marrow are all clear of leukemia cells. Her hemoglobin and immune system have also stabilized back within a normal range for a child of her age.

Although these great results will not shorten the treatment period, it does mean that the treatments will not have to be quite as extensive. We are grateful to God and to everyone who has prayed or helped out in any other manner. If you would like to keep up with the news about Hazel, and read the blog posts that her father Nat is writing about Hazel’s progress, you can access it at basilforhazel.org. We would appreciate your continued prayers for Hazel and her tribe.

Our life trek will always be full of unexpected twist and turns, obstacles and hardships, but also days where the seemingly smallest of actions can overwhelm our soul with gratitude for the blessings of another day in which we can enjoy life. The smallest of words, a smile, or a kind deed can bring wealth untold. As we begin a new section in the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 10, our focus will be called…

Words and Wealth This chapter begins the collection of the proverbs themselves. These are short, two-line sayings that are easy to memorize and pack a punch.

This first collection of proverbs extends from 10:1 through [22:16], and we’re told that they come from King Solomon. We know it’s been carefully designed, at least as a whole. There are 375 proverbs in this section, and interestingly, the numerical value of the word “Solomon” in Hebrew is 375! Someone has thoughtfully curated these sayings for us to read and ponder.

Among all the Proverbs in Chapter 10, two themes are repeatedly highlighted: words and wealth.

There’s a strong emphasis on the power of our words and how they can create good or bring disaster. A person who is full of “meaningless chatter” doesn’t control his mouth (8, 10) and invites ruin (14). In contrast, “the mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,” and adds value to others (11, 16, 20).

You’ll also notice that verses 2-5 speak of abundance or poverty as the long-term result of one’s behavior. “A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,” but God loves to bless the “industrious” and hard work of the wise (22).

As you listen to the various proverbs, pay attention to how wealth is acquired or lost. Sometimes our own decisions play a key role, but other times forces beyond our control are at work. How does this lead to the Reverence for the Eternal One and how you think about your own money and possessions?

Now listen up as I read Proverbs 10.

1 The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes his father glad, but a foolish one fills his mother with sorrow.

2 Riches gained through dishonest means will eventually vanish, but doing what is right avoids a deadly consequence. 3 The Eternal does not allow

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 610 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Truly Generous Are Wise – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 610 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Henry Home who said, “The truly generous is the truly wise, and he who loves not others, lives unblest.”

Do you consider yourself a generous person? How willing are you to give your time and resources to help others who are less fortunate? When you do give, is it out of a heart of love, or guilt, or sense of obligation?

A truly generous person is wise because they know and understand the law of planting and harvesting. A truly generous person gives from a heart of love, expecting nothing in return. They also realize that by planting seeds generously in another person’s life will inevitably result in a harvest of blessings in their own life. It is part of the irrefutable and unchanging law of planting and harvesting.

Instead of judging and condemning others we should forgive others and give generously from a heart of love and concern for them. Jesus gave us these instructions recorded in Luke 6:37-38, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Make it a habit to generously plant the seeds of kindness and goodness, along with your time and resources into the lives of others, and you will reap a harvest of blessings in your own life.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-611/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-611/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 609 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Wisdom – The Tools in Gramps’ Backpack

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-609/ (Day 609) of our trek, and today is Motivation Monday. We are hiking a series of trails called The Tools in Gramps’ Backpack.

Every Monday for the past 20 weeks, we have explored a different tool that is needed to motivate and equip parents and grandparents to train their children and grandchildren to be successful on their trek of life.

If you don’t have children or grandchildren of your own, use these tools to train others that you do influence. Today the 20th and final tool from Gramps’ Backpack, and it is Wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.

During the past five weeks since our granddaughter, Hazel was diagnosed with leukemia, we have been adjusting and refining our schedules to be able to assist whenever and wherever we are needed. We are prepared to change our plans and schedules at a moment’s notice. If Hazel needs to be taken to the hospital or the other three grandchildren need to be taken care of, we are on call and ready. This has happened a few times so far, and we are committed to this as part of our living legacy.

I am a person who would prefer a structured schedule so that I can plan, work my plan, and complete my goals and objectives. This change to my structure is contrary to my nature and comfort zone, but I am gladly adapting to refocus my priorities to what is truly important. It is a stretch and forces me out of my comfort zone but an adaptation that I am certainly willing and ready to make. As we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding, we realize that the greatest way to impact the lives of our children, grandchildren, and others that we mentor is to teach them the valuable tools that are found in Gramps’ backpack.

As with all teaching the lessons are more readily caught by the example of how we are living them through our lives, instead of teaching with words. Both are necessary, but Godly attributes are more readily caught than taught. The tools that make up a good and Godly life which we have explored over the past 20 weeks are:

Jesus

Purpose

Guidance

Courage

Perseverance

Support

Leadership

Attitude

Faith

Patience

Values

Prayer

Humility

Optimism

Fairness

Renewal

Love

Character

Passion and today

Wisdom

Wisdom If we are going to teach wisdom to our children, grandchildren, and others we mentor, we must be wise ourselves. How passionate are you to obtain wisdom? Just as King Solomon taught his children, we need to follow his teaching in Proverbs 2:1-8.

1 My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. 2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. 4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. 8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

Wisdom is one of the most important character traits that we can teach others. What if you don’t feel that you are wise enough yourself to be able to teach others how to be wise? Even though I have studied wisdom principles for all of my adult life, I still feel that I lack wisdom in so many areas of my life.

Proverbs is referred to as the book of Wisdom, so if you desire to gain wisdom, then continually studying the book of Proverbs should become a habit in your life. That is why I read the chapter in Proverbs that...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 608 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Developing a Sense of Urgency

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-608/ (Day 608) of our trek, and today is Philosophy Friday. Every Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Currently, we are on an extended multi-week trek as we explore the teachings from some of my virtual mentors, such as Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Earl Nightingale.

The core of our current trek is based primarily on Jim Rohn’s book The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle. I have learned a considerable amount from reading and re-reading this book on my own trek of life, and I trust that it will benefit you also. Keeping with the continuity of Wisdom-Trek, I have adapted it to The Five Trails on Life’s Trek.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been a busy week of activities with both work and the additional responsibilities surrounding Hazel’s leukemia treatments and testing. I was able to invest Wednesday with our grandson Gideon on a school field trip and assisting him with a school project. It was a great day, and although I had to set aside some work duties, this is the type of focus shifts that I desire in my life as I build a living legacy each day.

As we remain in camp for the next few weeks, we will sit around the campfire and review The Five Trails on Life’s Trek that we completed last Friday. I have a sense of urgency in my life to make sure the trails that I trek each day are creating a living legacy for my children, grandchildren, and others that I influence. As we wrap up this series over the next few weeks, it is my desire to pass on that sense of urgency to you.

So as we remain at camp, let us ponder and consider the…

The Five Trails on Life’s Trek – Conclusion (1) As we begin our conclusion, as a reminder, our overall extended trek covered these five trails:

Philosophy

Attitude

Activity

Results

Lifestyle

Developing a Sense of Urgency In summarizing all that we have shared during the past few months on our Philosophy Friday series, perhaps it would be accurate to say that our ultimate success or failure depends on three fundamental things:

What you know

How you feel about what you know

What you do with, and about, all that you feel and all that you know

There is another fundamental that must be mastered if you are truly serious about making meaningful changes in your life. This last fundamental is where all the individual trails that we have traveled merge into your cohesive life trek.

You see, it is quite possible that even after applying all of the principles I have taught for these many weeks, you could still fall far short of your objectives. Despite all of your efforts to refine your philosophy, to develop an attitude that is conducive to success, to work harder on yourself, to study your results, and to live a more unique lifestyle, all that you dream of becoming, seeing, having and experiencing may still elude you.

Why would you, if you are serious about making these important changes, still be wandering around in circles rather than moving ahead? Why would you, if you are planting the seeds, fail to reap a bountiful harvest? It boils down to…

The Human Comfort Zone Perhaps part of the answer to these questions may be that it is because you already have so much that you tend to settle for so little. Just about everyone has a place to live, a mobile phone, a television, a car, and some source of income. You have clothes to wear and food to eat. With your basic needs taken care of, you drift into a dangerous place called “the comfort zone.” You lack either the sense of overwhelming desperation or the incredible force of

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 607 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Be Great By Being Kind – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-607/ (Day 607) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today quote is from Ella Wheeler Wilcox who said, “The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind.”

All truly great people are also the kindest people. It does not cost anything to plant the seeds of kindness to everyone you meet, and yet the harvest that you will reap by being kind has untold returns. If you desire to be a great person, then start by being a kind person.

As we read in the Apostle Paul’s letter https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3:12&version=NLT (Colossians 3:12), “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

The additional benefit of being kind in every situation and to everyone you meet is that it will also cause you to be full of joy and happiness. A wise person chooses to be kind which results in being both joyful and happy. This is the truest wisdom a person can have. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+11:30&version=NLT (Proverbs 11:30) reminds us, “The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-608/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 606 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Tale of Two Houses – Proverbs 9

Hello, my friend, and welcome to Wisdom-Trek! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Guide to Wisdom and Creating a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-606/ (Day 606) of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 9 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The weather this week has turned absolutely beautiful. The temperatures are in the 80’s, and the sun is shining. Paula and I were able to plant our outdoor flowers around the house, and the peonies are in full bloom. With the nice weather this week we will see rapid growth.

The hawks have been providing an almost endless supply of fresh food for their chicks. There appear to be two chicks, and we can hear their cry for food and are now seeing their heads pop up above the rim of the nest as their parents feed them. We don’t have a clear view of the nest since the leaves obscure part of our view. Like most children, it won’t be long before they take flight for a life of their own. This is why it is so important that we teach our children and grandchildren the godly attributes of wisdom and integrity so that they are ready to handle life grounded in Biblical precepts.

Our granddaughter Hazel is at Nationwide Children Hospital for two days this week for further testing and additional treatments for her leukemia. The first-day results are extremely positive, and her blood is responding well to her first month of treatments. We are praying that the remainder of her tests will also be positive. If they are, it does not shorten the two-year treatment cycle, but the intensity of the treatments may be less severe. We would appreciate your continued prayers for Hazel and her tribe.

As we do influence others for good, we want to teach them how to choose wisely in every area of life. As we explore Proverbs Chapter 9 today, we will compare and contrast Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly in…

The Tale of Two Houses Chapter 9 is the last story chapter in Proverbs before we move onto the actual proverbs. This chapter starts out with the 4th speech by Lady Wisdom. The structure of this chapter is very symmetric. It opens with a 6-verse invitation to the house of Lady Wisdom (1-6) and closes with a 6-verse invitation to the house of the adulteress who is Lady Folly (13-18). These two invitations are separated by a 6-line call to practice humility (7-12).

The summons from the two ladies is strikingly similar, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” (4, 16). Both women make the same appeal, but each for different reasons. One wants to lift the simple up to life, while the other wants to cast the simple down to the grave. Notice that both have houses (1, 14) and both serve bread (5, 17).

Both make a speech (5-6, 17), but each of them differs in nature. Lady Wisdom’s words ring out clear and pure as a bell, “Leave your simple ways.” The words of the adulteress are slinky and provocative as she purrs, “Stolen water is sweet.” The simple reader is left with a choice, but the author has made it easy – this boils down to life or death.

These two similar-but-contrasting invitations wrap around the central portion of the text (7-12). This middle section clarifies the key to choosing wisely – humility! As I read verses 7-12 consider them prayerfully. Abide by these words and live. “If you are a mocker,” the author warns, “you alone will suffer the consequences” (12).

This chapter marks the end of the 9-chapter section of speeches...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 605 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Live In the Present – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-605/ (Day 605) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Budda who said, “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

Our health is impacted dramatically by the amount of stress that we allow to reign in our lives. Much of the time we are stressed by situations that we have no control over, such as the past and the future.

The past is behind you, there is nothing you can do to change the bad days, and you cannot relive the good days. You can only wisely apply the lessons that were taught to you by the past. If mistakes were made, do not repeat them again. Let the past be your teacher, but it is no longer your master.

Do not worry about tomorrow, for no one knows what tomorrow will bring you. Prepare and plan the best that you can with the time and knowledge you have, but do not invent problems that may not even happen.

Live fully today with wisdom and integrity. Live with intentionality. Live to make a difference in the lives of those that you have the opportunity to impact. If you live fully today, your past will be your stepping stone, and your future will take care of itself. The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians 5:15-17, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

So live every day in such a manner that you make the most of every opportunity. It is then you will be living a life with wisdom.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-606/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-606/ (Wisdom Wednesday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 604 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Passion – The Tools in Gramps’ Backpack

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-604/ (Day 604) of our trek and Motivation Monday. We are hiking a series of trails called The Tools in Gramps’ Backpack.

Each Monday for a total of 20 weeks, we will explore a different tool that is needed to motivate and equip parents and grandparents to train their children and grandchildren to be successful on their trek of life. If you don’t have children or grandchildren of your own, use these tools to train others that you do influence. Today the 19th tool from Gramps’ Backpack is Passion.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend we were able to get outside with the chainsaw and continue our work on cutting up the trees that we had cut down several months ago. It will take another weekend or two to finish cutting it up, and we will wait until fall to split it. We certainly have a large pile of firewood that should last us for several winters.

We were also able to attend the first dance recital for our granddaughter Aurora and invest time with several family members this past week which is always a blessing.

As we continue to adjust to our schedule around Hazel’s leukemia treatments and the impact that this has on our family, which is in many ways positive, it gives us time for a pause to focus on what our true passions are in life.

So the tool we will explore today is…

Passion Are you passionate about the activities of your life, your loved ones, your work, and your Savior? As a Christ follower, who has been given the gift of eternal life through the sacrifice of Christ, we should be passionate about our service for Him through our lives. This service will incorporate all areas of our lives as we dedicate ourselves to impacting our world. We need to be passionate about our lives and teach this passion to our children, grandchildren, and others that we mentor.

The popular movie “The Passion of Christ” which was released a few years ago showed very vividly the love and passion that Christ has for us. Why did Christ endure the humiliation and torture of the cross? He did it for you. His love is as near as your next breath, as personal as your next thought, more essential than your next heartbeat. What should your response be to this passion that Christ has for you? You must accept His love, praise His name, and live a life that is worthy of His calling. You must conduct yourself in a manner that demonstrates to your children, grandchildren, and others that you impact that your acquaintance with the Master is not a passing fancy but that it is instead the cornerstone and the very bedrock of your life.

As a thoughtful Christ follower, you have every reason to be enthusiastic about all of life. I do realize that the realities of life do impact us. Sometimes the struggles of everyday living may leave you feeling exhausted and discouraged, especially if something has impacted you in a dramatic way. If your passion for life is slowly fading away, it is time to slow down, to rest, to recount your blessings, to have an attitude of gratitude, to worship, and to pray.

When you allow Christ to reign over your heart, when you worship Him with words, thoughts, prayers, and deeds, your life can become rich and satisfying. This may be a gradual process as we follow the exhortation found in 2 Peter 1:3-9,

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 603 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Let Life Touch You

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-603/ (Day 603) of our trek, and today is Philosophy Friday. Every Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

Currently, we are on an extended multi-week trek as we explore the teachings from some of my virtual mentors, such as Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Earl Nightingale. The core of our current trek is based primarily on Jim Rohn’s book called The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle. I have learned a considerable amount from reading and re-reading this book on my own trek of life, and I trust that it will benefit you also. Keeping with the continuity of Wisdom-Trek, I have adapted it to The Five Trails on Life’s Trek.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our family of hawks is extremely busy feeding their young chicks. They are quite vocal as they seek out and deliver fresh nourishment for their chicks and themselves. Although we have not seen the chicks yet, there are usually two born each year.

As we continue to make adjustments to our schedule and life adjustments surrounding Hazel’s leukemia treatments and their effects, we are starting to adapt to a much different, but more consistent schedule.

As we continue today on our 5th trail, which is the The Trail of Lifestyle, we desire to explore how we can allow life, even with its hardships and troubles, to touch us in such a way that it actually changes us. As life impacts us in meaningful ways, we need to allow it to flow through us to the lives that we impact.

If you have missed the past few Philosophy Friday treks, it would be good to go back and review them to get caught up on our progress so far. We have a lot of ground to cover today, so let’s break camp and begin the fifth trail of this extended trek as we cover:

The Five Trails on Life’s Trek – Lifestyle Part (5) As a reminder, our overall extended trek covers these five trails:

Philosophy

Attitude

Activity

Results

Lifestyle

Let Life Touch You There is a world of difference between visiting a foreign country and actually living among its people and experiencing that country. Visiting is a basic physical activity; experiencing is a rich emotional event.

To experience life, you must let it touch you. Not just the positive experiences, but you must also be touched by the sorrows and the sadness, by the losses and the longings. Emotions enrich your life and create for you a special uniqueness regarding both who you are and how you live.

To live a unique life, you must first become unique as an individual by experiencing a broad range of human experiences and emotions. Only when you have experienced the full spectrum of human existence can you begin to design and live a life of substance, a rich and satisfying life.

All progress begins with emotion. You do not attract a better life merely by wanting it; you attract it by adopting the emotions that a “better life” requires. But keep in mind that a better life for another person may not be the same as it would be for you.

If you want to be full of joy and happiness, you begin by thinking, feeling, and acting in a joyful manner, which results in happiness. If you want to be wealthy, you begin by thinking, feeling, and acting “wealthy,” which may require some disciplined actions on your part.

You can capture the attention and the appreciation of your family with your current resources. You do not have to wait for wealth to discover and share your joy and happiness. You do not have to wait to be unique. You do not have to postpone the experience of joy and a unique lifestyle because it is within your present reach. In fact,...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 602 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Search for Wisdom – Wisdom Unplugged Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-602/ (Day 602) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Siddha Param who said, “The search for wisdom is a great challenge; to act on wisdom is an even greater challenge.”

Gaining wisdom seems to be an ever elusive challenge. I believe most people desire to be wise, but they are unwilling to face what is required to gain wisdom and become wise. Wisdom has to be a passion that we seek for more fervently than our desire for monetary gain. In Proverbs 8, Lady Wisdom encourages us to, “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.”

There is also a fine line between having wisdom intellectually and actually putting that wisdom into action on a daily basis in the decisions and choices that we make. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+13:16&version=NLT (Proverbs 13:16) tells us, “Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.” So a truly wise person has both a head knowledge of wisdom and they also put that wisdom into practice each day in their decisions and choices.

Gaining wisdom does take desire, effort, discipline, and a faith in God that does not waver. In addition to desiring wisdom more than riches, James 1:5-8 shows us the formula for gaining wisdom, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-603/ (Philosophy Friday)!

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 601 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Sharing God’s Wisdom – Proverbs 8

Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 8 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been an unusually cool spring for Southeast Ohio so far which is somewhat surprising since we had such a mild winter. The flowers are slow coming out, and the grass is also growing. o there is plenty of outdoor work to be completed as we have the opportunity.

Our granddaughter Hazel is responding well to the chemo treatments for leukemia, and the physicians are pleased with her early results. Next Monday, she will have more extensive treatment and testing to hone in on her progress to determine if the current course of treatments is producing the desired results.

For the next 2-3 months, Hazel will have weekly chemo treatments in Columbus on Monday’s and also have blood drawn locally on a weekly basis to monitor the results. The high levels of steroids and chemo are causing her to swell up significantly, and she is losing her precious red hair.

While we realize that these are just outward temporary manifestations of the life-saving treatments that she must go through, it is difficult for all of us to see her suffer through the treatments. We would ask you to pray for Hazel and her family, and also for us as grandparents that we would have the wisdom, insight, and understanding to make prudent choices and are able to help wherever it is needed.

As we explore Proverbs 8 today, we learn from Lady Wisdom the art of…

Sharing God’s Wisdom · 3rd Speech from Lady Wisdom In stark contrast to Chapter 7’s tale of evil seduction, Chapter 8 includes a beautiful poem from Lady Wisdom to the reader. While both women seek companions, they could not be more different. As the adulteress speaks from the shadows, so does Lady Wisdom from “the highest places in the city” (verse 2); the evil woman uses deceptive words, but Wisdom “speaks of unparalleled excellence and beauty”(verse 6). This contrast serves to heighten our disgust for the one and our admiration of the other.

In verses 1-3, Lady Wisdom is introduced. For the remainder of the chapter, she speaks eloquently about what she has to offer. Her monolog, however, does not take place before a captive audience. Rather, she walks the cobblestone road of life, calling out to those who have the courage to listen.

Lady Wisdom’s poetic discourse is full of feeling and force. You can’t help but fall under its sway. It is rhythmic, impassioned, and persuasive. In verses 4-21 she urges her reader to listen to the words of her mouth, for they are better than silver, gold, or jewels. Her words also bequeath honor, “I have insight, I have power,” she promises, “because of me kings wield power.” If that’s not enough, verses 22-31 rewind the tapes of history, and we see that next to the Creator stood none other but Lady Wisdom! God utilized wisdom when he built our strange and wonderful world, and she rejoiced in the work of His hands.

· Who Can Compare to Lady Wisdom? In verses 32-36, Lady Wisdom concludes her poem. She addresses the father’s sons as her own and tells them “find me, and you will true happiness.” Are you “watching daily” at Wisdom’s doors? Listen up now as I read chapter 8 and allow her words to have full sway over you.

1 Isn’t Lady Wisdom calling?...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 600 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Persistent Consistence – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-600/ (Day 600) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar who said, “I believe that persistent effort, supported by a character-based foundation, will enable you to get more of the things money will buy and all of the things money won’t buy.”

Consistent persistence is the key to unlocking the door to success and being able to live the rich and satisfying life. You may never become abundantly wealthy or achieve world recognition but if you are consistently persistent and live a life built on integrity, you will achieve the success and wealth that is most important in life.

The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain, rather he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem, rather he is challenged by it. Mountains are created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be defeated; problems are sent to be solved. It is better to master one mountain than a thousand foothills.

The way to lasting and meaningful success in life is to take one step at a time and keep moving forward. Troubles, hardships, and obstacles may slow you down occasionally, but if you consistently persist at your life’s work, you will finish life’s race with success.

It is then we can echo the words of the Apostle Paul when he was approaching his finish line in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

It is hard to believe that we have now reached 600 days on our Wisdom-Trek, and by God’s grace, through consistent persistence, we will trek on for many more days going forward. Thank you for coming along with me on this trek each day. If I can be of assistance to you in any manner on your trek of life, please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along https://wisdom-trek.com/day-601/ (tomorrow) for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com).

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for https://wisdom-trek.com/day-601/ (Wisdom...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 599 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Character – The Tools in Gramps’ Backpack

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-599/ (Day 599) of our trek, and it is Motivation Monday. We are hiking a series of trails called The Tools in Gramps’ Backpack.

Each Monday for a total of 20 weeks we will explore a different tool that is needed to motivate and equip parents and grandparents to train their children and grandchildren to be successful on their trek of life. If you don’t have children or grandchildren of your own, use these tools to train others that you do influence. Today the 18th tool from Gramps’ Backpack is Character.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. One trait that seems to be in short supply today among leaders in government, business, and even some churches is that of character, or another word is integrity. Situational ethics, political correctness, and relative truth seems to be so prevalent. If we look back through history, it probably has not changed much since the beginning of time.

As a father, grandfather, and leader it is my desire to be a man of character, a man of untarnished integrity. I desire to be known both as good and godly. This is difficult when the struggles of life seem to overwhelm us like the continuous regularity of the ocean tide.

It is very difficult to possess the attribute of character and integrity ourselves, and yet it is even more difficult to teach it to our children, grandchildren, and others that we mentor. But that is exactly what we need to do. Our life needs to be a bulwark of integrity, which is visible to others, or the best that we can expect is that we will pass on a mediocre character that is tossed back and forth like the ocean waves.

So the tool we will explore today is…

Character Integrity is a foundational and powerful tool for building better families, churches, businesses, and governments. What do others see when they see you? You may be able to fool some people some of the time, but those who live with you and know you best on a daily basis know what you are really like. Your character is a reflection of your inward mind and heart. You are what you think about and what you allow to permeate your mind. Proverbs 27:19 tells us, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.”

As mentioned before on our Wisdom-Treks when the Bible refers to heart, you can replace it also with your mind. It speaks of who you are at your core. What you think about and ponder on.

Nothing speaks louder or more powerfully than a life of integrity. Character is built slowly over a lifetime. It is the sum of every right decision, every honest word spoken, every noble thought, and every heartfelt prayer. It is forged on the anvil of honorable work and polished by the three-pronged virtues of compassion, generosity, and humility. Character is a precious attribute. It is difficult to build and so easy to destroy by a lapse of judgment, a harsh word spoken, a moment of physical, emotional or spiritual weakness. As Christ followers, we must seek to live each day with discipline, honesty, and faith. When we do, then integrity becomes a habit, part of the very fabric of our lives.

If you sincerely desire to be a good and godly person, then you must align with God and follow His precepts found in His Word. When you do, your good character will become an integrated part of your life. You must filter your daily input through the filter of God’s Word, just like you filter water through a filter which extracts that which will harm you and only allows the pure water of His Word to flow into your life.

A life of integrity is not a life without challenges and obstacles, it is a life that chooses to...

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 598 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Enjoy Life Today

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/day-598/ (Day 598) of our trek, and today is Philosophy Friday. Every Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Currently, we are on an extended multi-week trek as we explore the teachings from some of my virtual mentors such as Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Earl Nightingale.

The core of our current trek is based primarily on Jim Rohn’s book called The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle. I have learned a considerable amount from reading and re-reading this book on my own trek of life, and I trust that it will benefit you also. Keeping with the continuity of Wisdom-Trek, I have adapted it to The Five Trails on Life’s Trek.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The weather has been somewhat cooler than normal for a spring day in May, but the additional rain that we have received will certainly allow everything to grow rapidly.

Our granddaughter Hazel continues to do well. She is on a strong dose of steroids in addition to her chemo, so she desires to eat often. And the steroids are making her swell up a bit. She is also starting to lose her flaming red hair that has come to symbolize her. Elizabeth did cut off her flowing curly locks of hair shortly after her diagnosis with leukemia, so she does have those preserved. It will be interesting to see if it grows back in the same color or some other color. The attending physician indicated that it may grow back both a different color and texture.

We continue to adjust to a schedule that is neither normal nor consistent, but realize that we have to live based on the axiom that I have repeated many times. We must deal with life as it is, and not what we hoped it to be. We must let go of the life that we have planned, so as to accept the life that God has planned for us.

We must let go of the life that we have planned, so as to accept the life that God has planned for us.Tweet This

As we continue today on our 5th trail, which is the The Trail of Lifestyle, we will explore how to be happy and joyful with the lifestyle that we currently have while we strive for the lifestyle that we are creating.

The Five Trails on Life’s Trek – Lifestyle Part (4) As a reminder, our overall extended trek covers these five trails:

Philosophy

Attitude

Activity

Results

Lifestyle

Enjoy Life Today While Preparing for a Better Life Tomorrow Although you may not be able to control every situation that comes into your life, you can choose to design your own life of joy and happiness. You can choose to enjoy every experience of your lifestyle. You don’t have to wait for your life to get better to enjoy your lifestyle. If you choose not to enjoy life today, then waiting will merely prolong the agony of putting up with poor service, short tempers, ruined moments of joy, and a continuation of life as it has always been.

That beautiful feeling of joy, peace, and happiness can begin wherever and however you are because it has nothing to do with having more things, but how you view what you currently have.

Obtaining more material “things” isn’t the answer to happiness. If you can count your blessings on only two or three fingers, then putting diamonds on those same fingers isn’t going to give you more joy, peace, happiness or blessings. If you have failed to develop meaningful relationships and friendships when

Wisdom-Trek © - Archive 3: Recent Episodes

H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III