Wisdom-Trek © - Archive 4

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1196 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His word. On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser’s insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”

It might surprise you, but Jesus didn’t command his disciples to do that many things. His vision for loving God and others wasn’t complicated. But the things he did command them to do are profound and life-changing when put into practice. We’ll start with the most important point of being a disciple.

Disciples love God, their neighbors, and each other. We already know how Jesus summed up a life dedicated to God. The greatest commands are listed in Matthew [22:36]-40:

“’Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?

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.’”

Jesus did these things. He told his disciples in John 14:31, “But I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.”

How did Jesus show he loved God, his Father? He obeyed God. He fulfilled God’s plan for him. He also told them in John 15:9, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” Jesus asked his disciples to do the same, as his comments on the two greatest commandments make clear.

Jesus went further by using himself as an example. He told his disciples to love each other as he had loved them. When they did that, they’d be obeying him and pleasing God. He said to them in John 15:13-17, “‘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.  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.'”

Love for God and love for each other are, according to Jesus, the fundamental, indispensable marks of his disciples. Jesus did not see these two commands as in any way contradictory. They were not in tension. They were two sides of the same coin. They were inseparable.

But how do we love people? The highest expression is giving one’s life for another. This is what Jesus did for us, as described in Romans 5:7-8, “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Short of this ultimate expression, I can’t think of a better description than 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It pretty much says all that needs to be said. Here are the characteristics of love from that passage:

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

You’ll typically see attributes these on cards at Valentine’s Day or romantic swag. That’s fine—we ought to love our spouse or that person we hope might become our spouse. But 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 isn’t really about romance. This is the way we should treat people in general. Whether they recognize it as love is irrelevant. God will see and know.

Some of those statements need to be read in context of other statements in the list. For example, “love never loses faith” must be balanced with “love rejoices whenever truth wins out.” We cannot isolate “love never loses faith” to conclude love believes false or evil teaching. In like manner, “love is always hopeful” doesn’t refer to hoping for evil against someone. But in general, the list is easy to understand—and a daily challenge to live out.

One more point before moving on. It’s crucial to realize that basically everything that follows in what discipleship means extends from this first command of Jesus in John 13:34-35, “‘So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.'”

Loving each other—loving people—is the central point of orientation for the other things disciples do (pray, fast, give, fellowship, etc.). All these other things which we will explore next week are expressions of this fundamental command.

That will conclude our lesson for this week from Dr. Heiser’s book “What Does God Want?” Next Worldview Wednesday, we will discover how “Disciples Take Care of Each Other.” I believe you will find each Worldview Wednesday an interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. 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.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1195 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1195 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 Booker T. Washington, and it is, “I have learned that 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.”

What constitutes a truly successful person? So often we only consider financial success, but that is only one portion of an overall successful life. If a person has gained their wealth through inheritance, but did not really work for it, can that person be considered successful?

A successful person is one who is successful in all areas of life. A person who has not only faced obstacles but has also successfully overcome the obstacles and trials of life with perseverance.  The true test of an individual is how far they have trekked from their original starting point and what types of adversities that they have navigated through to reach their level of success.

Success is also subjective to each individual. For one person, success may be an intact family and no debt. For another person, they may choose to achieve a large financial portfolio so that they can assist others. Regardless of your definition of success, it is important to remember, ultimate success is achieved when we can have a positive impact on the lives of others through living a positive legacy each day. So ask yourself, “What type of daily inheritance am I providing to those in my world?”Proverbs [20:21]

An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.

Proverbs [13:22]

Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.

Lamentations [3:24]

I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 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 1194 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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 Worldview Wednesday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1194 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 you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You 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. 

Does the thought of dying scare you and cause anxiety? In today’s meditation, let us consider…

We are all only one heartbeat away from our own funeral, which from God’s perspective, is nothing to grieve.

He responds to these grave facts with this great news King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:1, “A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.” Now there is a twist. Heaven enjoys a maternity-ward reaction to funerals. Angels watch expectantly for the last breath of believers the same way grandparents wait expectantly for the first breath of a grandchild. “He’ll be coming through any minute!” They can’t wait to see the new arrival. While we’re driving hearses and wearing black, the angels are in exuberant celebration. We don’t grieve when babies enter the world. The hosts of heaven don’t weep when we leave it.

Oh, but many of us weep at the thought of death. Do you? Do you dread your death? And is your dread of death robbing your joy of life?

Hebrews 2:15 tells us that Jesus’s death sets us free as “only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

Your death may surprise you and sadden others, but heaven knows no untimely death as Psalms 1[39:16] records:

You saw me before I was born.

The dread of death ends when you know heaven is your true home. I have had the opportunity to travel many times by plane, and I’ve never seen one passenger weep when the plane landed. Never. No one clings to the armrests and begs, “Don’t make me leave. Don’t make me leave. Let me stay and eat more peanuts.”

We’re willing to exit because the plane has no permanent mailing address. Nor does this world. Philippians 3:20 reminds, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”

That is a wrap for today’s meditation. 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 1193 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1193 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 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 may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, I often have difficulties getting going and organized in the mornings. Can you provide me with a plan that will help me to establish habits which will allow me to start my day early and to be more productive?”

Mornings are a great time for getting things done. Of course, this is spoken from the perspective of a natural morning person. Seriously, though, you’re less likely to be interrupted than you are later in the day. Your supply of willpower is fresh after a good night’s sleep. That makes it possible to turn personal priorities, like exercise or strategic thinking, into reality.

But if you’ve got big goals and a chaotic a.m. schedule, how can you make over your mornings to make these goals happen?

Psalm 119:147 – I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.

I hope these tips will help you to start each day with a plan for success. That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Friday for another question on our “Ask Gramps” episode. 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 Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1192 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1192 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  Proverbs 15:30, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in 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…

Sam, who was ninety years old, was sitting in his rocking chair beside his neighbor and best friend Joe as they were sipping on some cold sweet tea on a hot afternoon.  They were listening to their favorite baseball team as they played a doubleheader game. When the game came to a commercial break, Sam leaned over in his chair and tells Joe, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it’s the state of the art…it’s perfect, I can hear much better.”

“Really?” answered Joe, “What kind is it?”

Sam then looks at his watch and says to Joe, “Well, I’ll tell you. It’s two thirty-three.”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, please pass that smile on to someone else who may need a smile. Our Thursday thought is “Don’t believe everything that you hear.”

Matthew [13:12]

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.

As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1191 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge.  Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy.  Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1191 of our Trek, and it is Worldview 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 and His Word.  On our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser.  We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser’s insights into the question, which is also the title of his book: ‘What Does God Want?’

Last week we discovered there are a lot of reasons to live like Jesus, but earning God’s love isn’t one of them. What are those reasons?

First, sin is self-destructive and harms not only us, but those around us. In my own extended family, I’ve seen the effects of alcoholism, drug addiction, and infidelity. It’s obvious that these things destroy lives. It should be equally obvious that the things the world—the unbelieving culture—offers for pleasure and self-gratification are temporary and have no enduring value. The culture tells us to “live life” to gratify our own “happiness” regardless of the misery our decisions create. It offers no eternal perspective. It beckons us to live only for now. There is no higher calling. The Bible exposes this mindset for what it is in 1 John 2:15-17: Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Second, and in many respects the opposite of the first, living a godly life blesses others. The truth is that the way we live and think either blesses other people or curses them. Jesus served people and was a blessing to them. Pursuing a lifestyle driven by self-gratification and self-absorption isn’t fulfilling. Every supermarket tabloid offers examples of that reality. Blessing people not only reflects Jesus, but leads to personal fulfillment. Your life matters when it’s lived in service to others.Third, a godly life allows us to be a consistent witness for the gospel. If people look at our lives and don’t see any distinction from the unbelieving world, and don’t see a life lived in service of others, they won’t find the gospel believable (or at best they’ll be confused). They will see our lives as a contradiction of the message of Jesus. In other words, people will expect us to live like Jesus, the person we say loves them. That’s not unreasonable. The alternative is hypocrisy, and no one appreciates hypocrisy.

Living a godly life isn’t about earning a place in heaven. It’s not about putting God in our debt because of the “spirituality points ” we’ve racked up. Passages like these have an altogether different focus.  First let’s look at Romans 12:1-2

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  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.

Also 2 Timothy [2:19]-21 tells us

 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”  In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.And finally in Philippians 2:1-8

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?  Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God,

 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

These passages give us some idea of how we should live, but we still haven’t gotten to the specifics of discipleship. How does a disciple live? What does a disciple do? Fortunately, Jesus and his original disciples, the first Christians, made that clear. Jesus never told his followers to do something he didn’t do himself—and showed them how to do it. They, in turn, followed his example and taught others to do the same in the early days of the fledgling church.

That will conclude our lesson for this week from Dr. Heiser’s book “What does God want?” Next Worldview Wednesday, we will discover “What Does A Disciple Do?” I believe you will find each Worldview Wednesday an interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute Humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer which will help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life.  So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’If you would like to listen to any of our past 1190 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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 in through this 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!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1190 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 fromReggie Jackson,and it is, “I feel that the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it.”

Failure is never final, unless you choose for it to be. Success will only come through failure, but only if you learn from your failure and are willing to try again. Trying again does not mean doing the same thing with extra effort to see if it will work another time. It means adjusting your trail, or maybe even taking a different trail completely on your trek of life. It means applying the lessons learned from your failures, in order to pivot your approach until you are able to achieve the success desired.

Yes, we do have to learn how to tolerate our failures, which may be difficult, but it also means that we do not accept the failure as inevitable. Our trek through life will be filled with obstacles, disappointments, and yes, even tragedies at times. We may need to occasionally pause, reflect, reenergize, and then get back on the trail and continue on towards our summit.

It is only when we go through these trials can we fully appreciate the success when we achieve it. It is the refining fires of life which allow us to come out pure as gold. In fact, we are not only to endure these trials, but we should also consider them an opportunity for great joy and then move on and grow through the experience.

James, the half brother of Jesus, describes our trials in 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.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 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 Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1189 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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 Worldview Wednesday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1189 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 you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You 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.

Do you have a problem with waiting patiently? I know that I do at times. It may stem from the fact that we have never learned to wait prayerfully. In today’s meditation, let us consider…

The Biblical writer Luke teaches us about the earliest believers waiting prayerfully in Acts 1:14, “They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary, the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.”

Mark uses the same Greek word here translated “constantly” to describe a boat floating in the water, constantly waiting on Jesus in Mark 3:9., “Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him.” The boat was “constantly” in the presence of Christ for His use. So are the Upper Room disciples. One day passes. Then two. Then a week. For all, they know a hundred more will come and go. But they aren’t leaving. They constantly persist in the presence of Christ. The followers were willing to do one thing: wait in the right place for power.

We are many times so reluctant to do what the early disciples did. Who has time to wait? Waiting requires trusting in God. We don’t really like trusting in anyone other than ourselves. We groan at such a thought. But waiting doesn’t mean inactivity—rather it is being in a constant vigil waiting to do kingdom work. While waiting, we pray and trust. Waiting means watching for him. If you are waiting on a bus, you are watching for the bus. If you are waiting on God, you are watching for God, searching for God, hoping in God, trusting in God. Great promises come to those who do. We are reminded of this in one of my favorite verses Isaiah [40:31],

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

To those who still struggle, God says, “Wait on me.” And wait in the right place. Jesus doesn’t tell us to stay in Jerusalem, but he does tell us to stay honest, stay faithful, stay true, and trust in Him.

Do you desire power for your life?

It will come as you pray. For ten days, the disciples prayed. Ten days of prayer plus a few minutes of preaching led to three thousand saved souls. Maybe it is that perhaps we invert the numbers. We are prone to pray for a few minutes and preach for ten days. Not the apostles. Like the boat waiting for Christ, they lingered in his presence. They never left the place of prayer.

That is a wrap for today’s meditation. 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 1188 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1188 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 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 may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, you often speak about leaving a living legacy each day. What are some practical steps I can incorporate into my life that will help me to live and leave a legacy throughout my life?” 

Let me start out with a quote from John Wooden, “There is a choice you make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.”

A legacy is something over which we have control, unlike the shadow that follows us down the sidewalk on a sunny day. Rather, we can choose the way in which our influence impacts others each day and long into the future once we’re gone. Here are a few suggestions for how you can purposefully pass-on a positive legacy daily.

People who have an enduring influence keep one eye on the compass and the other eye on the clock. That is, they look ahead without losing sight of what needs to happen each day. They give their best to activities and appointments, or the daily living of life, while not forgetting their orienting vision and values.

When your time on this earth draws to a close, people will describe your life in a single sentence. What would that sentence be right now? Be intentional about the sort of influence and impact you have on the world around you each day. I strive to live each day with my legacy statement at the forefront of my mind: “I positively impact the lives of everyone I interact with so that their lives will impact others for the building of God’s kingdom.” Being aware of how I want to be thought of today and remembered gives me perspective on what’s truly important.

Legacy is influence, and relationships are the foundation of creating a legacy. Throughout life, I try to be intentional with those I have the opportunity to impact most. Those closest to me determine the level of my success in creating a living legacy. Perhaps nothing is more predictive of your legacy than the quality of people surrounding you.

Personal growth is linked to a teachable disposition. Again to quote John Wooden, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” I credit my growth as a person to a set of learning attitudes that I developed early in life.

Since the cares of life easily crowd out space for reflection, it’s essential to schedule time to think. By itself, experience doesn’t teach us anything; it has to be evaluated and the lessons applied. Learning to pause allows growth to catch up with you. A quote that I like is, “You cannot travel without until you’ve traveled within.” In other words, you won’t have a transformative impact on your world until you’ve been transformed yourself.

For some final thoughts, each of us, on a daily basis, receives many blessings from God that we did nothing to earn. Being a legacy-minded person is an intentional way to pass on the legacy that we have been given.

1 Corinthians 15:3

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

I hope these tips will help you to be more effective. That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Friday for another question on our “Ask Gramps” episode. 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 1187 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1187 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  Proverbs 15:30, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in 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…

Peter is very busy in Heaven, so he leaves a sign by the pearly gates for newcomers: “For Service Ring Bell.”

Away he goes about his heavenly task, but he barely gets started when BING! The bell rings. Peter rushes back to the gates, but no one’s there. Peter goes back to work when suddenly BING! The bell rings again. He rushes back to the gates, but no one’s there. A little annoyed, Peter goes back to work. Suddenly, BING! The bell rings again. Peter goes back to the gate; again, no one’s there.

“Okay, that’s it,” Peter says. “I’m going to hide and watch to see what’s going on.” So Peter hides, and a moment later, Sam, a little old man, walks up and rings the bell.

Peter jumps out and yells, “Aha! Are you the guy who keeps ringing the bell?”

“Yes, that’s me,” Sam says.

“Well, why do you keep ringing the bell and going away?” Peter asks. “This is really becoming annoying.”

“I can’t help it,” Sam replies. “They keep resuscitating me!”

Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go.”

1 Kings [17:23]

Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, 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 1186 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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:

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!