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 1086 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, you must 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.”

In our English translations of the Bible, we miss a lot of the meaning of various names in the Bible. This is especially true of the nuances of names in the Old Testament and New Testament with God and Jesus. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…

It only takes a few words to produce dramatic theology. In the short letter we know as 3 John, the apostle is writing to a beloved friend, Gaius (v. 1). He commends Gaius for ministering to fellow believers who were strangers because “they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers” (v. 7). John

doesn’t use the phrase “in Jesus’ name” or “the name of Jesus.” It’s simply, “traveling for the Lord.” Why this phrase? Is John trying to keep a secret?

John isn’t trying to be cryptic. He’s actually drawing on an Old Testament expression. When understood in that original context—and the context of his other writings—John’s wording amounts to a powerful statement on the deity of Jesus.

In Deuteronomy 12:5 God instructed the people of Israel that when they got into the Promised Land, “Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored.” God

wasn’t talking about writing His name on a town or a building. He was referring to where the tabernacle, and ultimately the temple, was to be His station. But He wasn’t talking about writing “Yahweh” on that either. Nothing of the sort is ever recorded in Scripture. Rather, God was talking about the place where He would choose to meet Israel personally—His very presence.

The description “the name” actually refers to the presence of God. This presence was at times visibly evident through the so-called “glory cloud” (e.g., 1 Kings [8:10]-11). At other times the name came in human form. For instance, in Exodus [23:20]-23, God tells Moses that He is sending an angel to bring Israel to the Promised Land. God warned Moses that this angel would pardon no transgression since God and the “Angel of the Lord” appear to speak as one.

We learn from Judges 2:1-5 that the angel did indeed lead them to the land. But how could God’s name be in an angel? The answer is that “the name” referred to the very presence of God, His essence. This is confirmed in Deuteronomy 4:37. Here, we read that—instead of the angel being credited as the one who would bring Israel to Canaan—it is God who brought them there “personally.” We read, “Because he loved your ancestors, he chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power.”

Before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prays in John 17:11, “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.” The Gospels are clear that the name given to Mary’s child was Jesus—and that is not God’s name. The idea is that the very essence of the Father was in Jesus. They were one.

For John, ministering “For they are traveling for the Lord” meant spreading the news of Jesus. By using this simple phrase, he linked Jesus with the name of the Old Testament, the very “presence of God Himself.” God’s name had come “in the flesh” (John 1:1-3. 14; 1 John 4:2: 2 John 7). “The Name” now abides in us, the children of God in the form of the Spirit (1 John [3:24]: 4:4).

That will conclude our essay for this week. Next Wisdom Wednesday we will continue in the New Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “666 – What Does It Really Mean?” 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 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 1085 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 1085 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 Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is, “Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

Being passionate and enthusiastic about your dreams and plans is a requirement in order for those dreams to come true and those plans to be fulfilled. No success will ever be achieved without enthusiasm. On the flip side of this coin, though, enthusiasm must be coupled with perseverance and action. Enthusiasm may be the fuel for success, but action is the engine and perseverance is the momentum that will keep you moving towards your desired success. Enthusiasm without action is a storm with no rain. There may be a lot of noise, but nothing good will come from it without the nourishing rains to feed the seeds of success. Be enthusiastic, but then take action, and persevere to ensure success.

This reminds me of what Jesus’s half-brother James tells us about faith in James 2:14-20, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?  So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 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?”

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 1084 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 Wisdom 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 1084 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. 

I am sure that all of us have doubts on whether we can truly believe the Bible is actually God’s Word at times. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…

Can we believe the Bible? How can we know it is anything more than a collection of sayings and stories? Can we truly believe that the Bible is the Word of God?

Anything that we believe to be true eventually boils down to faith. No doctrine or science can be completely verified because we, as humans, are confined to a very limited perspective within the time and space in which we reside during the few short years that God grants us life.  Hebrews 11:1-3 explains it like this, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith, we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

There are many reasons I believe in the Bible and in God. Here are a few:

Composition. The Bible was composed over sixteen centuries by forty authors with one central theme – that God provided a means in which we can be in fellowship with Him through the advocacy and sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ.

The Bible was written by soldiers, shepherds, scholars, and fishermen. Begun by Moses in lonely Arabia, finished by John on lonely Patmos. Penned by kings in palaces, shepherds in tents, and inmates in prisons.

Forty writers, most unknown to each other, writing in different countries and at least three different languages, separated by three times the number of centuries since Columbus discovered America, was it possible for these authors to produce a book of singular theme unless behind them there was one mind, one designer? The Bible is remarkable in composition.

Durability. The Bible is the single most published book in history. The top seller since the printing press was invented over three hundred years ago. Translated into twelve hundred languages by an army of translators. Bibles have been burned by dictators and banished from courtrooms, but God’s Word continues. The Bible’s death knell has tolled a hundred times, but each time the grave is opened, God’s Word continues. The Bible is remarkable in durability.

Prophecy. The pages of your Bible contain more than three hundred fulfilled prophecies about the life of Christ. A substantial biography was written about Jesus five hundred years before he was born. Can you imagine if the same occurred today? Can you imagine if we found a book written in 1900 that prophesied two world wars, a depression, an atomic bomb, and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King? What would we think of the book? Wouldn’t we trust it?

Applicability. Paul says of the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

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 1083 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 importantly, 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 1083 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, 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 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].

Each day we are faced with a bombardment with decisions and choices that we make.  It is not always easy to make sure we are making wise choices. Our ‘Ask Gramps’ question is a continuation from last week so If you did not listen to last week’s Friday podcast, or read the Wisdom Journal for that day, I would suggest listening to it first.

So the question for last week and again this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, when you come to decision points in life, and there is a multitude of choices to make, how do you make sure that you are making wise choices, especially when there are several good options?”

We make hundreds of choices each day. Some choices are spontaneous, and of little consequence, like the coffee mug, we choose in the morning. Other decisions carry greater weight and significance, like choosing the person we will marry. In either extreme or with any decision in between, learning how to make wise choices is an important life skill for every believer and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, doing God’s will is really a matter of making the right choices on a consistent, daily basis.

After we have invested time on our own with God to seek His will, it is helpful and wise to run our decisions and thought process by other godly people. Godly and wise counsel can help us avoid any shortsightedness or naivety and help us to consider alternative options that may exist.

If we are afraid or unwilling to hear anyone else’s opinion on a matter, it could be that our motives are impure. Proverbs 18:1 tells us, “Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense.” If you’re hesitant to ask the opinion of others, search your heart to understand your motives.

When evaluating choices, it’s a good practice to see if any of our options are contrary to the Bible’s description of wisdom. James 3:17 gives a great definition for Biblical wisdom, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”

Comparing our decisions to the description of wisdom, we can ask ourselves, “Is this choice pure, peace-loving, gentle, submissive, merciful and good?” Any time we cannot answer “yes” to one of these characteristics, we need to raise a red flag.

We can do a similar evaluation using any other list of Bible qualities. For example, we can decipher if our decision is loving by reviewing it against the description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. We can evaluate whether our decision is in harmony with the Holy Spirit by analyzing it against the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians [5:22]-23. When we come to a place where our decision is not aligned with Scripture, we need to stop, pray, and ask God to clarify how we need to proceed forward.

Our Western, rationally-minded culture highly values logic and reason. While both logic and reason have their place in making decisions, they are not to the exclusion of intuition and inclination. What may make some uncomfortable about suggesting that we use intuition or sensitivity in decision making is the fear that we will live our lives based on the fickle nature of our emotions. I am not suggesting that we do whatever we feel whenever we feel like doing it. Nor am I in any way promoting hedonism or carnality! What I am saying is that we have been wired by God with feelings and sensitivity that when guided by the Spirit of God can be a great asset in one’s decision-making process.

Take for example a husband who finds a great deal on a used car and goes to his wife to ask her opinion. She meets the guy selling the vehicle, sees the car and afterward says, “I don’t know, there is something about this guy I don’t trust. I don’t think you should buy the car.” The husband asks, “What do you mean? It’s a perfectly good car.” She responds, “I just don’t feel right about it.”

Any man who’s been married long enough knows how this story can sadly end. He goes against his wife’s intuition, buys the car, and a week later it breaks down. Okay, so you want a biblical reference to support this phenomenon? Consider Pilate’s wife. She has a dream (more likely a nightmare) and tries to convince her husband to have nothing to do with Jesus. Matthew 27:19 tells us, “Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.’” You know the rest of the story. We’d be foolish to rely solely on intuition, but just as foolish to ignore it.

God desires His people to walk by faith in Him and His promises. While God is able to provide us the guidance we need to make wise decisions, it is then our responsibility to carry out those actions. We may not have all the facts, figures and evidence when we move forward. Peter didn’t crack open a science book before stepping out on the water. He obeyed what the Lord told him to do by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 explains, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Faith decisions require us to rely on the faithfulness of God.   When we step out to do something we’re not sure will work out, we are in essence saying, “God, I trust you no matter what happens.” God is honored by such courage. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Knowing what to do is good, but knowing when and how to do it is better. At times the Lord reveals his will for us, but we either move too slowly in response or too hastily. Ideally, we do God’s will in His timing (otherwise we may indeed miss His will). In fact, doing what God wants prematurely or too late can be disastrous.

So how do we know we are in God’s timing? The first thing to do is to pray, “God help me to do (whatever the activity or venture) in your perfect timing.” Secondly, ask yourself and God what the next right step should be. Then simply do the next right thing. Most big decisions are made up of many other small ones on the way. If you’re planning a short-term mission trip, the first thing to do may be to write a support letter. If you’re planning to stay overseas for a considerable time, the first thing to do might be to research the country or places that you could potentially go.

Also, be sensitive to how God may lead you to do what He’s called you to do. At times when we sense God telling us what to do, we too quickly start acting based on how we think it should come about instead of waiting on the Lord for his provision and plan to unfold. Again, start by praying. “God show me the way you want to accomplish this through me.” Doing things God’s way will save us time, money, and energy, not to mention the avoidance of many hassles.

The wisest decisions you will ever make are those done in obedience to God. Abraham obeyed God in bringing his only son as a sacrificial offering. God faithfully brought him a sacrifice and then promised to bless Abraham’s abundantly (Genesis 22:16-18). In fact, obedience and blessings are so closely knit together they might as well be Siamese twins. For the nation of Israel, their blessings were directly tied to obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

While the idea of blessing is appealing to most, the risk and fear factor many of us face when looking to obey God seems overwhelming. After all, who wants to put their son on the chopping block? For this reason, obedience to God can only truly take place when we trust the Lord with all our hearts. The more we trust God, the easier it becomes to obey Him. The reverse also works. The more we are willing to obey God, the more we learn to trust Him. It reminds me of the refrain of the famous hymn Trust and Obey, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Even when it’s our heart’s desire to make wise choices and do God’s will, we will inevitably fail from time to time. Instead of beating ourselves up for our mistakes, since Jesus already took our punishment for us, we need to learn from our mistakes and failures. In order to become wise decision makers, it’s imperative to be of a moldable, teachable spirit. Any form of stubbornness or pride will prove to be the downfall of those who seek to make wise choices. When we do make mistakes, we need to confess them to the Lord asking His forgiveness and not allow the enemy to condemn us (1 John 1:9, 1 John 3:20, Romans 8:1).

Let’s not forget to learn from our successes as well! I have heard it said, “God gets the glory, you get the encouragement.” That one statement really provided me with a lot of freedom. Of course, only God deserves the credit and glory (Romans 16:27), but each of us needs to humbly receive the encouragement of others, of God, and even of ourselves (1 Samuel 30:6).

And why limit our learning to our own life experiences when there are so many others to learn from, including the hundreds of Bible characters who either blew it, made it, or both (Hebrews 12:1, Romans 15:4). As we study the Word of God, we can prayerfully ask the Lord to give us wisdom (James 1: 5) and understanding from the lives of God’s people who have gone before us. Someday, let’s hope others will look upon the story of our lives and also learn how to make wise choices that glorify God.

Join us again next Friday, and we will conclude our answer on how to make wise choices on our “Ask Gramps” episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday when 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 1082 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 1082 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…

Jim and Janice, an elderly couple were lying in bed one morning, having just awakened from a good night’s sleep. Jim takes Janice’s hand, and she responds, “Don’t touch me.”

“Why not?” Jim asks.

Janice answers back, “Because I’m dead.”

Jim becoming concerned and thinking that Janice must be losing her senses says, “What are you talking about? We’re both lying here in bed together and talking to one another.”

Janice says, “No, I’m definitely dead.”

Jim insists, “You’re not dead. What in the world makes you think you’re dead?”

To which Janice responds, “Because I woke up this morning and nothing hurts.”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is “Take life one day at a time, which is all any of us are promised, and make today count.”

Revelation 21:4 – He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

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 1081 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!

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 1081 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, you must 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.

There are times when we are dealing with our children, or those who are very close to us, where we have to show love in a firm and disciplined manner, called tough love. This is required because it is best for those whom we do love. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…

It’s a common myth that God always brings us back to repentance. This myth is debunked in the first letter of John as John writes in 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.”

We need to consider, though, that John also tells us that sometimes God never gives us another chance to confess our sins and be forgiven. In 1 John 5:16-17, the apostle gives us the other side of the sin-confession-forgiveness coin,“If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it.  All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.”

Put simply, there are sins that Christians commit that don’t lead to death, but there are some that do. Is John talking about a divine law of cause and effect, where a specific sin irrevocably results in death? Not exactly.

We can be certain that John has no specific sin in mind because he never names a sin in this passage. John is saying there may come a time when God has had enough of our sin, and then our time on earth is up. We cannot know when such a time might come, so we shouldn’t be in the habit of sinning with impunity.

John had actually seen this happen. In Acts 5:1-11, Luke relates the incident of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to Peter (and to God) about the proceeds from a piece of property they had sold. They were under no obligation to give any of it to the church but pretended that they had given all the money to the Lord’s work. When confronted by Peter, both of them collapsed and died on the spot. Luke writes, “Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened,” Acts [5:11]. No kidding, can you imagine the impact?

No doubt this incident left an imprint on John’s mind. But John would have also known that there was Old Testament precedent for “sin unto death” as well. In Numbers 11, in response to the latest wave of complaining about their circumstances, the Lord sent the people of Israel meat to eat in the form of quails. In Numbers 11:33 we are told, “But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.”

John’s message to believers wasn’t, “God doesn’t judge like that today.” Rather, it was, “Stop sinning, because there is a sin that leads to death.”

Lest we think God is horrible and negative, we would do well to remember that it was John who penned 1 John 4:8, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

As with Ananias and Sapphira, removing a sinning believer from the church was (very) tough love. But the fledgling church was all the stronger and more committed for it.

That will conclude our essay for this week. Next Wisdom Wednesday we will continue in the New Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “Jesus Is God – The Name.” 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 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 1080 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.

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 1080 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 Joseph Sugarman, and it is, “Each time you are honest and conduct yourself with honesty, a success force will drive you toward greater success. Each time you lie, even with a little white lie, there are strong forces pushing you toward failure.”

Honesty is not only the best policy, but it is also an imperative policy. Dishonesty may seem like it provides a modicum of short-term success, but it will never last, and ultimately lead to your downfall and failure. Honesty is required for all long-term, lasting success, and it is the foundation upon which a living and lasting legacy is built.

Honesty is an invisible driving force that builds upon itself like a snowball cascading down a steep slope, going bigger and more powerful with each revolution. Honesty begets honesty and has a multiplying effect that by its very nature brings with it success in all areas of life.

Even the smallest of lies will destroy the momentum that success is building upon. So in all areas of life, live a life of honesty, with integrity, so that no one can have a negative word to say about how you live your life. In doing so, you will exude success in everything that you do. This reminds me of two verses in 1 Peter 3.

1 Peter 3:10 – For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. 

1 Peter 3:16 – But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

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 1079 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.

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!

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 1079 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.

We have our own concept of what may be best for us, but God who is outside of our limited time space knows for sure and has His purpose in mind. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…

Romans [8:28] is one of the most frequently misused verses both within the family of believers and outside. You frequently hear that “everything works together for good.” For most of us it is a coping mechanism for when events or circumstances happen that we do not particularly understand or like. As Christians, we may not always know or understand why certain events happen, but we can know that God is ultimately in control.

Let me read this verse Romans 8:28, “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.”

We know…There are so many things we do not know. We do not know if the economy will dip or if our team will win. We do not know what our spouse is thinking or how our kids will turn out. We don’t even know “what we ought to pray” as Romans 8:6 tells us, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

But according to Paul in his letter to the church in Rome, we can be absolutely certain about four things. We know…

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 1078 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 importantly, 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 1078 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 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].

My surgery for removing the rod and screws from my left femur last Friday was very successful, and I am well on my way to recovery. Although it is still quite sore in the four areas that the incisions were made, I can already tell that there will be relief from the irritation that was caused by the rod and screws. There will be some discomfort at least until next Wednesday when the bandages are removed, and I get the staples taken out of the incisions. I am excited about the results.

Each day we are faced with a bombardment of decisions and choices to make. It is not always easy to make sure we are making wise choices.

So the question for this week and next is…

“Hey, Gramps, when you come to decision points in life, and there is a multitude of choices to make how do you make sure that you are making wise choices, especially when there are several good options?”

We make hundreds of choices each day. Some choices are spontaneous and of little consequence, like the coffee mug we choose in the morning. Other decisions carry greater weight and significance, like choosing the person we will marry. In either extreme or with any decision in between, learning how to make wise choices is an important life skill for every believer and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, doing God’s will is really a matter of making the right choices on a consistent, daily basis.

All godly wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord.  Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”To fear God is to reverently acknowledge Him for who He truly is. The result of fearing God is the avoidance of evil. Picturing yourself in the presence of Almighty God as you make decisions can be a safeguard to keep you from making foolish and unwise choices. Start your decision-making process with eternity in mind and with the goal of hearing, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” from your Lord and Master.  

When we start our decision-making process by fearing the Lord, we put ourselves in the position of humility before God. It is at this point that our hearts are ready to acknowledge our utter dependence upon the Lord for his guidance, counsel, and wisdom in how to proceed forward.

God wants to guide our lives and decision making and promises such guidance in His Word. In Psalms 32:8, “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'” Therefore anyone who desires to make wise choices and know God’s will must regularly pray for guidance. As we pray, we need to also look for ways in which He is guiding us. Along with prayers for guidance, we can pray for other important virtues like wisdom, clarity, and courage when making decisions.

Praying to God does not mean we speak without listening. Learning to know and recognize God’s voice is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life. After all, what kind of relationship can you have with God, or anyone else for that matter, if you are the only one who speaks? God is not silent. He has an opinion and wants it to be known. That is why Jesus tells us in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” God’s people, his sheep, can know his voice and are able to follow his leading.

The problem is not whether God still speaks; it’s whether or not we are listening with a heart that’s fully surrendered to do the will of God regardless of how we personally feel on the matter. When Jesus was on earth, shortly before His crucifixion, He also struggled, as recorded in Matthew 26:39, “He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.'”

George Mueller, a man of great faith and prayer, said in regard to seeking God’s will, “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.”

If you need to grow in your ability to hear and discern God’s voice, I would highly recommend Mark and Patti Virkler’s book, Dialogue with God. This one book can revolutionize your Christian life and relationship with God.

When hearing God’s voice in a time of decision seems difficult, it is helpful to refer to our priorities. Knowing your priorities can help to weed out certain options and assist you in making one choice over another. It has been said that in a multiple choice test, you can usually eliminate at least two of the answers right off the bat. Having your priorities in order works the same.

So what are your priorities as a believer? Well, according to Jesus, the greatest commandment is to love God and to love others.  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.'”

I’d say that’s a pretty good start in understanding your priorities. Loving God comes first, period. Next comes loving people (neighbors). It is essential to determine what relationships are in the highest order of priority in your life. If you’re married, your spouse must come first. After all, could there be any closer a neighbor? Prioritizing the people in your life will not make every decision for you, but it can easily eliminate and weed out some selfish decisions you may be tempted to make that would hurt the people closest to you.

Join us again next Friday, and we will conclude our answer on how to make wise choices 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 1077 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 1077 of our trek, and it is time for our 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 – 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…

I have had the privilege to travel throughout this country and a few countries outside of the United States. There are many places that I have not been though. So let me ask you, have you been to these following locations…?

I’ve been in many places, but I’ve never been in Kahoots. Apparently, you can’t go alone. You have to be in Kahoots with someone.

I’ve also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my children, friends, family, and employees.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump to there, which would require more energy than it seems worth.

I have been in Flexible at times, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I’m in Capable, and I go there more often as I’m getting older.

I may have been in Continent, but I don’t remember what country that was in. It’s an age thing. They tell me it is very wet and damp there.

Well, that is enough traveling, for now, I think I have already gone off the rails for today.

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone else who needs it. Our Thursday thought is “No matter where you are heading, enjoy your journey.” 

Proverbs 21:8 – The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.

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 1076 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!