Wisdom-Trek © - Archive 3

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is 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…

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.”

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 God of Israel in many passages in the Old Testament.

There are other examples. The behavior of prophets and the use of divination compared to casting lots or consulting the ephod have clear ancient Near Eastern parallels. The design and purpose of the Ark of the Covenant align well with the use of sacred boxes known as palanquins in ancient Egypt.

Trial by ordeal, such as that found in Numbers 5, where a woman accused of adultery must drink a potion to test her fidelity, occurred in surrounding cultures. Terms for Israelite sacrifices are found in ancient Gentile religious texts. The belief that the sky was a solid mass is part of the ancient Near Eastern cosmology shared by the Bible Job 37:18, “He makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. Can you do that?” Proverbs 8:28 says, “I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.” 

In our thought process, the notion that the seat of our intellect and emotions is referred to as heart or mind. In the ancient near Eastern thought, including Israel the intellect and emotions were our kidneys or intestines. This was common throughout the ancient worlds.

Discovering some of these nuances may be a little shocking. God can use a temporary discomfort of our mindset to produce honesty with our understanding of the biblical text. We needed to think like an ancient Israelite to better understand the Old Testament.

Israelite religion had some significant divergences from the religions of other surrounding nations, but on the whole, there were more similarities than differences. I came to the realization that the correct interpretive context for the Bible is not the early church, the Protestant Reformation, the Puritans, or modern evangelicalism. Those historical contexts are alien to the Bible. Rather, the context for understanding the Bible is the historical, literary, intellectual and religious context in which it was written.

Although He could have done so, God didn’t change Israel’s culture when dispensing His truth. He didn’t give Israel a new culture that was dramatically distinct from Israel’s neighbors. That choice would have produced something indecipherable to the people of the time. That would have undermined the whole enterprise of communication.

What this means is that inspiration operates within a cultural context chosen by God in His sovereign wisdom. We cannot honor God’s choice of communication strategies if we refuse to ignore the deep worldview connections shared by both Israelites and pagans.

The profound contextual overlaps between Israel and her pagan neighbors was a wise theological tactic on God’s part. When divergences in Israel’s theology appear in the text—and there are some dramatic, stark points of contrast—they scream for attention on the part of the ancient reader.

Unlike the pagan deities, Israel’s God could not be cajoled like an idol; Yahweh could not be brought down to earth and tamed. Laws about sacrifices were set in specific covenant contexts, giving them a unique theological dimension. Yahweh would rather have faith and loyalty than sacrifice. As the prophet, Samuel tells us in 1 Samuel 15:22, “But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.'”

Next Wisdom Wednesday we will look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled Even the Bible Needed Upgrading. I believe you will find this another interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute wisdom nugget that will provide you with a bit of wisdom that, if followed will allow you to grow healthier, wealthier, and wiser each day. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us 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 815 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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.”

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 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.”

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 tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 814 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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.

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. 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…

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 John 1:1-5.

In the beginning, the Word already existed.

Jesus is this Light! Jesus is this Voice! Jesus is this Word! You can confidently believe what Jesus taught us. His message can be trusted, and His light can bring you life!

In your darkest moments, how do you find the will to go on? In your darkness, where do you find the light? Listen again to Jesus’s words. Trust Jesus. Come to Jesus, and let Him give you light! Listen now as I read John [8:12]-20.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 

The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.” 

Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.  And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.  I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.” 

“Where is your father?” they asked. 

Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury.  But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.

Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. 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 tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 813 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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.

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 [email protected], and I will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

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?”

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.

Let’s go back to the original question. First, out of your tax refund, set aside a portion for charity work, such as your church or local food pantry, which will go to assist others that are in need. I would recommend at least 10% for this.

Next, if you desire to use a small portion, say another 10% for personal pleasure, then set that aside. Even that can be an investment in some rest and relaxation time like a movie or a dinner out.

So that leaves us with 80%. Set aside another portion to supplement your emergency fund. This is for unexpected expenditures, which we all run into such as medical expenses, home repairs, car repairs, or a myriad of other items. Let’s set that to 20%.

The remainder should be invested or saved for something that will help you to build a dream. This could be for home repairs that are needed or a future family vacation, so you don’t borrow money for that.

Another idea is to invest in improving yourself and family. This could be books to read or learn from. It could be for learning a new skill to keep up with the ever-changing job market. It could be a set-aside for starting your own business in the future, which will allow you to grow your net-worth exponentially. Of course, if you currently have credit card bills or other loans, the best investment would be to pay those down or off so that you are not paying high-interest rates.

Always be thinking like a farmer. Where can you plant your refund to harvest the maximum crop in return? Whatever you do, don’t allow your refund just to flitter away like a darting swallow. Be intentional and be planting the few seeds that you have today, so that you will reap a harvest of abundance tomorrow. In this way, you will enjoy the abundant harvest so much more than the few seeds that you initially plant.

Here are a couple of Scripture verses that will help us to put it into perspective.

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.

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.

Next week we will have a different question to “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer any questions you may have about life and will provide you with practical wisdom about any area of life. Please submit questions that you have to [email protected], and Gramps will answer them on our Friday podcast with wisdom and philosophy that Gramps has gained over his years of experience and study.

I know you will find these insights interesting, practical, and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life. Our next trek is Mediation Monday where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 812 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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?”

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.”

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 811 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is 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…

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.

“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.

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,

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 the skies to open; he opened the doors of heaven.” Psalms 33:7 says, “He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.”

God was thought to dwell above the firmament, as described in Job 22:14, “For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us.  He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.”

The earth sat upon the watery deep. The “waters below” speak not only to waters that people use but also the deeper abyss. Thus, the earth was surrounded by the seas Genesis 1:9-10, “Then God said, ‘Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.’ And that is what happened. God called the dry ground ‘land’ and the waters ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.”  

The ancients thought the earth had arisen out of the water as 2 Peter 3:5 tells us, “They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.” The earth was thought to be held fast by foundations Psalms 104:5, “You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.”

The realm of the dead was located under the earth, or even beneath the seas. The most frequent term for this place was sheol. Proverbs 9:18 says, “But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave (sheol).”

The word for “earth” is also used—the graves dug by humans represented gateways to the Underworld. In Job, the realm of the dead is described in watery terms found in Job 26:5-6, “The dead tremble, those who live beneath the waters. The underworld is naked in God’s presence. The place of destruction is uncovered.” Jonah’s description of sheol is perhaps the most vivid. Though in the belly of the great fish, Jonah says he is in the Underworld in Jonah 2:5-6, “I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me.  Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.  I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!”

Becoming familiar with the ancient Near Eastern worldview can help us interpret the Old Testament. By understanding the Israelites’ concept of cosmology, we have a better idea of their perceptions of God. Next Wisdom Wednesday we will learn how to Walk Like an Israelite.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute wisdom nugget that will provide you with a bit of wisdom that, if followed will allow you to grow healthier, wealthier, and wiser each day. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us 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 810 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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.”

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 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.”

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 tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 809 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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…

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 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 Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. 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 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 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:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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 [email protected]. 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?”

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.

Planning, preparing, and keeping our tools updated allows us the maximum the use of our time. It helps us to accomplish much more and to provide excellent service to all of our clients. It allows to stay focused and truly achieve work-life integration. It also allows us to be much more financially stable because we are focused on what is most important.

Of course, Gramps loves the sage wisdom on Proverbs where it tells us in Proverbs 21:5, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.”

Next week we will have a different question to “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer any questions you may have about life and will provide you with practical wisdom about any area of life. Please submit questions that you have to [email protected], and Gramps will answer them on our Friday podcast with wisdom and philosophy that Gramps has gained over the years of experience and study. I know you will find these insights interesting, practical, and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life.

Our next trek is Mediation Monday where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 807 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at 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:

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

 Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is 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.”

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 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,

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.

Just 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 806 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at 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:

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