Wisdom-Trek © - Archive 4

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 906 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 help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. None of us like to have something promised to us, and then that promise is not fulfilled. It seems like most political candidates do that when they are running for office, but once they are elected do not fulfill what they promise. Unlike that situation though, we know that God’s promises will be fulfilled, but that fulfillment may be based on our belief and faithfulness to Him. Today’s essay explores one such incident as we will focus on…

To set the picture for today’s essay, I will read the entire chapter of 2 Kings 3 the setting for this passage is shortly after the death of wicked King Ahab of Israel.

Ahab’s son Joram began to rule over Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twelve years. He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not to the same extent as his father and mother. He at least tore down the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had set up.  Nevertheless, he continued in the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had committed and led the people of Israel to commit.

King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But after Ahab’s death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.  So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria.  On the way, he sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in battle against him?”

And Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”  Then Jehoshaphat asked, “What route will we take?”

“We will attack from the wilderness of Edom,” Joram replied.

The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their animals.

“What should we do?” the king of Israel cried out. “The Lord has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us.”

But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.”

One of King Joram’s officers replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.[b]”

Jehoshaphat said, “Yes, the Lord speaks through him.” So the king of Israel, King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom went to consult with Elisha.

“Why are you coming to me?”[c] Elisha asked the king of Israel. “Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!”

But King Joram of Israel said, “No! For it was the Lord who called us three kings here—only to be defeated by the king of Moab!”

Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn’t even bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah.  Now bring me someone who can play the harp.”

While the harp was being played, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha,  and he said, “This is what the Lord says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water!  You will see neither wind nor rain, says the Lord, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and your cattle and other animals.  But this is only a simple thing for the Lord, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab!  You will conquer the best of their towns, even the fortified ones. You will cut down all their good trees, stop up all their springs, and ruin all their good land with stones.”

The next day at about the time when the morning sacrifice was offered, water suddenly appeared! It was flowing from the direction of Edom, and soon there was water everywhere.

Meanwhile, when the people of Moab heard about the three armies marching against them, they mobilized every man who was old enough to strap on a sword, and they stationed themselves along their border. But when they got up the next morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it appear red to the Moabites—like blood.  “It’s blood!” the Moabites exclaimed. “The three armies must have attacked and killed each other! Let’s go, men of Moab, and collect the plunder!”

But when the Moabites arrived at the Israelite camp, the army of Israel rushed out and attacked them until they turned and ran. The army of Israel chased them into the land of Moab, destroying everything as they went. They destroyed the towns, covered their good land with stones, stopped up all the springs, and cut down all the good trees. Finally, only Kir-hareseth and its stone walls were left, but men with slings surrounded and attacked it.

When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led 700 of his swordsmen in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed.  Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land. 

When exposed to evil, we might doubt God’s presence. Soldiers’ accounts and memoirs often recall times of doubt as they grappled with the atrocity of war and, ultimately, the struggle between good and evil. While Scripture is clear that good will triumph, it also says evil will win its share of battles. Second Kings 3 records a war event where evil won.

Second Kings 3 describes the rebellion of Moab, led by its king, Mesha, against the monarch of the northern kingdom of Israel, King Jehoram. Like his father Ahab, Jehoram solicited King Jehoshaphat of Judah (the southern kingdom) for assistance against his enemy. They were joined by the king of Edom. The invasion route, by way of the wilderness of Edom, is critical to the storyline. Edom was the territory settled by the descendants of the red-haired Esau. “Edom, a play on the word adom (“red”), was epitomized by the reddish soil and rock of its wilderness.

By taking a circuitous approach to Moab, the invading armies crossed desert terrain without water. Jehoshaphat called the wilderness-wandering prophet Elisha for advice. After a testy response to Jehoshaphat’s plea, Elisha received word from Yahweh…“God would supply the armies with water. It would appear, without rain, in a streambed that was presently bone dry. Elisha had even better news…‘This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand.’”

When they arrived at the place of battle, the Moabite soldiers were fooled by the pools of water that appeared red against the ground and the sun’s reflection. They assumed it was blood and that invading armies, who were often enemies themselves, had erupted in battle against each other. When the Moabites approached to strip and plunder the dead, they were ambushed by the invading armies.

In desperation, the king of Moab committed a horrible atrocity, “Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall.” The meaning of the next line is hotly debated, “So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land.” 

Why did this happen? Why wasn’t Yahweh victorious? After all, Elisha had said God would give the invaders victory ([3:18]).

In the Old Testament, we read that the Israelites believed the gods of other nations were real, assigned to the nations by Yahweh, who was superior and ruled over all other gods (Deut. 32:8-9). They believed these gods were demons—real spiritual beings (Deut [32:17]). Given the nature of this worldview, it seems the Israelites were frightened by the sacrifice and lost faith, thinking Moab’s god was angry against them and would empower Moab to win because of the sacrifice.

Elisha had told the kings of Israel and Judah that God would help them. So why had He not? This situation isn’t the first time God promises but chooses not to deliver. God had told the Israelites that they would conquer Canaan under Moses and Joshua, yet they failed because of unbelief (Num. 13, Deut. 31:1-7, Josh. 13:1-5, and Judges [1:27]-36).

Yahweh was not defeated by the god of Moab. He was, and is, ready and able to help His people. But He will not do so if they refuse to believe and act on that belief.

Next Wisdom Wednesday we will continue with the Old Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “Sanctified Dirt.” 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 905 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast 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!

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 905 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged.  Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. 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 Mignon McLaughlin, and it is, “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”

Marriage is the blending of two uniquely created people into an even greater entity where the whole is much greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is a picture of Christ and His church. When a man and a woman choose to love each other as themselves, it is a beautiful picture.

Marriage is much more than falling in love because that is based on feelings and circumstances. That is purely infatuation, which will eventually taper off. A marriage that is successful is one where both spouses choose to love each other every day, regardless of the circumstances of that day.

A successful marriage is where both spouses are 100% committed to what is best for the other spouse. A successful marriage is one of mutual admiration and submitting to the other. A successful marriage is where both spouses will challenge each other to fully reach their God-given potential.  A successful marriage is one that strengthens each other, shows kindness to each other, respect for each other, and shows unconditional love to each other.

Paula and I will be celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary in August, and desire to be a picture to our children, grandchildren, and everyone that we impact of what a mature, healthy marriage should be. It is a marriage of choice. Choosing to love and respect each other new every day. That is what is required.

The passage that sums up a successful marriage the best is Ephesians [5:21]-33,

 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her  to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.   He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.  No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”  This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.  So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 904 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 904 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

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

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. No feats of greatness nor great failures happen overnight. Neither do you grow strong spiritually nor have great moral failures overnight. Everything we do, good or bad is based on a series of small decisions on a daily basis. There are no overnight successes nor overnight failures. In our Meditation Monday today, we will learn about…

Let’s first look at the story of King David in 2 Samuel 11:2-3, “Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.  He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.'”

This reminds me of a story from a little over 20 years ago. “In December 1985, an enormous sinkhole swallowed a house and carport and forced the evacuation of four homes in a retirement community in Florida. The hole was about the size of a pickup truck when it was discovered. Within three hours it had grown to 30 by 40 feet and had swallowed half of a small house. Two hours later it had expanded to more than 70 feet, and the house with its carport was gone. Authorities were grateful that it finally stopped growing without doing even more damage.”

In the passage in Samuel, David discovered that sin is like an ever-expanding sinkhole. As he was walking on the flat roof of his palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of turning away, he stood and gazed at her beauty. At this point, the sinkhole was small but expanding. When seeing her, he could have made the decision to go back to the palace and not take any action. That did not happen. When he inquired about who she was, the sinkhole grew larger. After finding out that she was already married, he should have made the decision to forget about her. He did not.

Samuel 11:4-5 tells us, “Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, ‘I’m pregnant.'” What started out as only a look, ended in tragedy for all involved, which included King David ordering the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, the death of the child, and despair.

Many people, like David, find themselves falling into the sinkhole of temptation because they leave the door open for temptation to enter.

Temptation works the same for all of us. It’s progressive. It can start with an innocent look, then a thought, and then if we linger longer on the look, the thought progresses to desire, then to becoming blind to reality and fooling ourselves into rationalizing that it won’t hurt, and then yielding to that temptation. Following this pathway can quickly lead one into the sinkhole of sin as well as despair.

To overcome temptation we need to realize how vulnerable we are to the pull that temptation has on us. Note that “what the mind dwells on the body acts on.” This can be good or bad. When temptation knocks on our door, the best defense is to change our thinking. To do this, immediately pray and go to God’s Word, such as 1 Corinthians 10:13, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

Also, as God’s Word says in Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Be careful of what you think about. Be careful on what you look at. Be careful about the decisions you make. Be careful of the actions that you take. Be very careful.

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 903 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast 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!

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 903 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

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

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

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am convinced that the primary purpose God created us and is allowing us to live in this particular time in history is so that we can build His kingdom on earth by making a positive influence on everyone that we come in contact with. So the question today is…

“Hey Gramps, With so much negative news, hurting people, and struggles in life, how can I make a difference in the world for God’s kingdom every day?”

Let me answer this question by putting my response in the first person voice so that you can adopt these thoughts and incorporate them into your life.

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s okay to stumble…I will get up. It’s okay to fail…I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will invest time with those I love – my spouse, my children, my family. A person can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A person can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will invest at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening – five undiluted minutes with my mate, my children, and my friends.

As God gives me the opportunity, I will be kind to those who are unkind. I will love those who are unlovely. I will treat everyone I meet with compassion, for I do not know what they may be facing. Today I will make a difference.

I will hold to my heart the words from Colossians 3:12-13, “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Next week we will have a new question to Ask Gramps. If you have a question you would like answered, please email it to [email protected], and Gramps will answer it on our Friday podcast with the wisdom and philosophy that Gramps has gained over his years of experience and study.

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

If you would like to listen to any of the past 902 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 902 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in  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…

The Fourth of July was coming up, and the nursery school teacher took the opportunity to tell her class about patriotism. “We live in a great country,” she said. “One of the things we should be thankful for is that, in this country, we are all free.”

One little boy came strutting up to her from the back of the room. He stood with his hands on his hips and said, “I’m not free. I’m four.”

Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com

For Thursday’s Thought, let’s look at how we should use our freedom according to Galatians [5:13]-14.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

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

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

If you would like to listen to any of our past 901 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so each day will be downloaded to you 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 for Philosophy Friday!

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 901 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. In honor of Independence Day in the United States, I am going to delay our next essay and instead provide you with an overview of the Declaration of Independence.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. While we cherish the freedom that we have in the United States and are thankful to be born and live in the United States, true freedom can only come from God through Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 reads, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

The significant aspect of the Declaration of Independence is that it changed the American “rebellion” against Great Britain into a “revolution.” From April 19, 1775, until July 2, 1776, the war was being fought so the colonists could regain their rights as Englishmen, which had been taken away by the British for the past 12 years, from 1763-1775. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved the resolution by Richard Henry Lee from Virginia that “these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved…”

This was truly a revolutionary statement. John Adams felt that July 2 would be the day that would be “solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shows, games, sports, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this Continent to the other…”

July 4 is the day that has been chosen as our “Independence Day.” That was the day that the Second Continental Congress approved, but did not sign, the Declaration of Independence mostly written by Thomas Jefferson. It was actually signed on August 2, 1776.

Other important historical events have had a lot to do with the sanctity of July 4. It was on that day that the news of the Louisiana Purchase arrived in Washington, Henry David Thoreau arrived at Walden Pond, and President Abraham Lincoln learned of the Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. However, the one incredible event that happened to ordain July 4 as something significant were the deaths of both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, only hours apart from each other.

The Declaration of Independence is on public display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. There are a lot of very interesting facts that surround Independence Day. You would be well served to study them on your own.  The United States is a great country to live in and to become a citizen of. Just think how much greater our heavenly citizenship will be.

Next Wisdom Wednesday we will return to the Old Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “Promised Undelivered.” 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, 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 our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 900 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast 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!

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 900 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. In 100 short days, we will have created, edited, and produced a millennium of the Wisdom-Trek podcast.  Thank you for joining me on this trek called life.  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 Nelson Mandela, and it is, “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”

As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States tomorrow, I felt this quote was so fitting. The lack of freedom is so much more than living under an oppressive dictator or being trapped within prison walls.

Freedom is a state of mind.  Freedom is a choice. Freedom is breaking free of the self-imposed shackles that you have allowed to bind your heart, soul, and mind. Freedom is the ability to enjoy life fully, even when you may be physically impeded in any manner.

The bars of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior, will bind you so tightly that you will be imprisoned within yourself.  We need to do away with these shackles and be set free with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

In John 8:34-36 we are instructed, “Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.'”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 899 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 899 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy. For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices.

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

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. During the summer months, many people end up moving. College graduates finally move out of their childhood homes, high school seniors move out to college or to start their own lives, many empty nesters downsize to smaller homes. In our Meditation Monday today we will learn about…

One of the marks of God’s people has been their acceptance of “moving out,” that is, following the Father’s lead and journeying to the places and people where He sends His people. Think of Abraham leaving the security of his good life to journey to a place the Father would show him. Remember the children of Israel leaving Egypt to follow Moses into the desert as they journeyed to the Promised Land. Consider David going to face Goliath in a battle he should not have been able to win. Recall Esther going before the king, without an invitation, at the risk of her own life in order to save the lives of God’s people. These are great examples of the “moving out” principle.

In the events in the verses below, you will find three kinds of circumstances that helped instigate Christ’s faithful followers in their “moving out” into a new future that blessed many.

I want you to look for these same three types of circumstances — obstacles, opportunities, and outward calls — in your spiritual journey. When you find yourself presented with something that seems like one or more of these, prayerfully consider if it is God’s signal for you to be “moving out” with Christ’s grace to bless others! Unfortunately, you can get so busy and distracted by the world’s stuff that you miss God’s purpose for you in these sets of circumstances. Let these circumstances nudge you to bring God’s grace through Christ to the lost, to bring helpful encouragement and growth to those newly saved, and to bring tangible help to the broken and needy.

Christ left the safety and security of being with the Father and the Spirit by “moving out” and coming to earth. He chose “moving out” and living among you and sharing your mortal existence so you could be caught up in His life, eternal life.

Remember those in the early years of Christ’s church “moving out” to bring His grace to others. They didn’t give up in the face of obstacles. They didn’t pass up opportunities because they seemed too challenging. They didn’t ignore outward calls for them to share generously because it was costly. Like God’s people before them, they became a “moving out” kind of people.

Let these examples motivate you. Christ wants you “moving out” into the places where you can be salt and light to the world in decay and darkness. He wants you “moving out” to bring His love and grace to people in desperate need of both. Christ wants you “moving out” to reach those in other cultures as well as those among your own acquaintances who do not know Him. Christ wants you to be a “moving out” people!

As the disciples who were scattered following Stephen’s death spread the good news about Christ, they were helping fulfill His call to “moving out.”

Acts 1:8 – But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to the new Christians in Antioch. He then went to Tarsus looking for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch to help fulfill Great Commission of Christ to people of all nations. Then in response to Agabus’ prophecy about an impending famine, these new disciples demonstrated they understood Christ’s heart for helping those in need.

The story of the Christ followers “moving out” is found in Acts [11:19]-30.

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.   The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. 

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.  Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 

Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul.  When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 

During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.  This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

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 898 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 898 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 will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical questions, and any others areas that come our way. As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is Gramps’s goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to [email protected]. And Gramps will answer your questions on our Friday podcast.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If you listen to most news sources today, it would appear that more people are becoming less civil, or kind, to each other. We have to understand that which we send out from us is what we will receive back, usually increased many times. So the question today is…

“Hey Gramps, How can we stop the unkindness and become more civil with each other? It seems like it is getting out of control.”

Unfortunately we cannot control others, but fortunately, we can control ourselves if we choose to. Others can be influenced by our actions, but ultimately it is their decision. We need to fully understand that what we send out from us is what will be returned to us. If you live in the state of negative drama most of the time, then negative dramatic events will multiply and come rushing back to you. If you send out kindness, then eventually kindness will return.

Let me explain with the following parable.

A father and his young son were hiking on a steep mountain trail one summer day. Suddenly, his son slips and falls, scraping his leg. And he screams, “AAAhhhhhhhhhh!” To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain, “AAAhhhhhhhhhh!” He was not expecting anyone to reply to him.

Curious, he yells, “Who are you?”

Then the father explains, “People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do.

Then the father explains further. The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are.

Then the father explains that the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians in Galatians 6:7-10, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

So Gramps’s advice to you in addition to the parable is…Be sure to sow seeds of kindness, encouragement, and love today—and every day—and you will find, in time that is exactly what you will receive back. For what we project is what we get back. It is just like a mirror; it will always show us what we are – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Next week we will have a new question to Ask Gramps. If you have a question you would like answered, please email it to [email protected], and Gramps will answer it on our Friday podcast with wisdom and philosophy that Gramps has gained over his years of experience and study. I know you will find these insights interesting, practical, and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life.

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

If you would like to listen to any of the past 897 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Podcast so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 897 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.

Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life. We are told in  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…

As I left the grocery store, I noticed two little kids, maybe six or seven years old, selling candy bars in front of the store to raise money for their school band.  Since I try to minimize my candy intake and really didn’t need or want a candy bar. I came up with a solution that I thought would work so that I could also support the band.

“I’ll buy a chocolate bar on one condition,” I said to the boys. “You eat it for me.”

Puzzled by this response, I asked, “Why not?”

Looking me in the eye, he responded gravely, “I’m not supposed to take candy from strangers.”

Make it a day full of cheer.

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

How do you interact with strangers? Are you hospitable? In our western cultures, our basic reaction is to avoid them not to communicate with them. Many eastern cultures welcome strangers. We should be more like that. We are told in Hebrews 13:2, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”

Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com

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

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

If you would like to listen to any of our past 896 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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!